Veteran's Day

Veteran’s Day, originally known as Armistice Day, honors military veterans of the US Armed Forces. I connected with a few family/extended family members to ask them their reflections on life lessons learned through their service, what they’d like “civilians” (those who have not served in the armed forces) to know about veterans, and how folks can support Veterans. Here’s what they said...

?When did you serve?

Nancy Monahan – I served 3 years Navy, 17 years Coast Guard in two separate terms of service that spanned 1978-2000 (a short break 1981-1983).

?Linh Thai - I served in the US Army from 1987-1997, deployed to Operation Just Cause (Panama ’89) and Desert Shield/Storm (Saudi Arabia/Iraq ’91).

?Tim Cuevas – I was in the US Army Reserves from 1979-1989 and the US Army from 1989-2011. I started out as a Medic/Patient Care Specialist.?In the Civilian world, I was a nurses Aid. Once I received my commission as an Army Officer, I was a Medical Service Corps Officer with an emphasis in Logistics and Patient Administration.?A civilian counterpart would be a Hospital Administrator working with Logistics and Patient Administration.?After completing and graduating from nursing school I decided to go on active duty as a Registered Nurse where I stayed until I retired from military service. During those twenty-two years I was a Staff Nurse, Assistant Head Nurse, Head Nurse (Nurse Manager in civilian hospitals), Evening/Night Supervisor/Bed Manager, Chief Nurse for three clinics in Korea and an Out-Patient clinic and a Chief of Clinical services in a large Medical Clinic.

?What are some of the life lessons you learned through your service?

Linh - There are so many important life lessons taken away from serving, but one lesson for me is that you can make soup out of anything, if you just add hot water (figuratively and literally).

Nancy - In the military, I met people from all over the country and all walks of life. It helped me be able to appreciate different views that diverse people held. It broadened my mind and perspectives as a result.

Tim - The lessons I learned while I was in the military built on those that my father taught me growing up and the advice he gave me after I became an officer. My father taught me to treat people the same way that I would want to be treated and to give them the respect they deserve.?The advice that my father gave me was to never give someone a task or order that you yourself would not do, never put your ambitions or next promotion in front of your people and never be afraid to ask your NCOs questions.?The last lesson I learned through being mentored was to know when to leave. Sometimes there are people who have gotten so wrapped up in getting to the next step or the next promotion that they forget how they got there.

What would you like “civilians” to know about veterans?

Tim - I would like them to know that Veterans are no different than them. Sometimes veterans have a different perspective of life than they do. Part of this is due to a generation perspective.?Veterans who served during World War II and the Korean War would have a different perspective than some Viet Nam Veterans and those who served after.?The way individuals are brought up also has an influence on one’s perspective.?My father spent three years in the Marine Corps during World War II and he started out as a Private and ended his service as an NCO. I was once told by a high school friend that I did not get his perspective on life because I had not seen life through his eyes or walked in his shoes. I told him that I might not have, but he had not lived or seen life through my eyes nor had he walked in my “Combat boots.”?A lot of veterans, including myself, have developed their perspective through two lenses, one during peace-time and one during war-time. Using nursing as an example there are big differences between civilian nursing and military nursing. The main difference is the Mission, why we are in a hospital or a clinic.?During peace-time, both civilian and military nurses get up, go to work, and go home. Both types of nurses will see patients of all ages, various diseases and injuries, and have patients pass away.?However, there are some subtle differences. One difference is a military nurse must complete daily physical training, which occurs either early in the morning (5:00 A.M.) or after a twelve-hour shift.?Another difference would be that a military nurse is on-call 24/7 and could be called into service anytime without knowing when they would be released to return home.?During a conflict or war there are no days off, the patient load increases and the possibility of patient death or personal death increases.?

Nancy - We are loyal to our country. Basically, you can’t paint us all with one brush. There is a wide spectrum of views and beliefs among veterans just like there is in the civilian population.

Linh - For those who didn’t serve or yet to serve, my hope is for them to appreciate the privilege and actively work hard to strengthen and improve our democratic processes and institutions, first by being informed voters.

?If folks want to support veterans, what organizations or resources can they go to?

Nancy - Any suicide prevention organization for veterans would be a great place to help out. Also VFW, American Legion, and Disabled Veterans of America?help connect veterans to their communities to give them a sense of purpose by continuing to serve the community.

Tim - The number one resource and the best is the veteran themselves.?Take time to learn about what their life was like before, during, and after their service and how it has affected them through the years. Each veteran has an interesting story to tell even if they do not want to tell it.?Listen and learn from their stories and lessons or advice they give.?Please remember not all veterans will talk about all or some of their experiences.?My father especially never talked about his time in the Pacific Theater during World War II. Organizations people can go to and learn more from/about would include The Wounded Warrior Project, Tunnel2Towers organization, the American Legion and the nearest Veterans Administration and Veterans Hospitals

Linh - There are a lot of resources out there, but the first places to find worth veteran groups and organizations begin with state and federal Veterans Administration offices. I have been actively involved with Votevets, Travis Manion Foundation, Team Red White and Blue, The Mission Continues, and New Politics Leadership Academy.

?Thank you Dad, Linh and Nancy for sharing your experience, humor and insights!?