Rita A. Barbraitis (b. 1944) served in the American Red Cross from 1967 to 1974. Rita A. Barbraitis was born 11 November 1944 in Worcester, Massachusetts. After graduating from Boston's Emmanuel College in early 1967, Barbraitis was accepted into The American Red Cross' Supplemental Recreational Activities Overseas Program. She was flown to Washington, D.C. for an interview, after which she spent two weeks training for her assignment in Korea. In July 1967, Barbraitis was flown to the 23rd Area Support Group at Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, South Korea, where she worked as a Red Cross program director. As part of a traveling unit, Barbraitis visited various military camps and performed music and sports programs as a morale boost for the troops. In December 1967, she was relocated to Pleiku, Vietnam, until October 1968. Barbraitis then embarked on a rest and recreation, or R&R, tour of the world, visting places such as Thailand, India, and Nepal in South Asia. After returning to Boston, Barbraitis helped train Red Cross recruits in Washington, D.C., before going back to Vietnam in July 1969 where she was stationed in Nha Trang, Da Nang, and Cu Chi. After Barbraitis left the American Red Cross SRAO program in 1970 she moved to California. She spent the next few years working with the American Red Cross assisting with disasters across the country, as well as working as a youth director with high school and college students involved with the American Red Cross. After leaving the American Red Cross, Barbraitis moved to Santa Cruz, California, before settling in Asheville, North Carolina.
