On Veterans Day, members of Staff Group 15C went to the nursing home at the Veterans Hospital in Leavenworth to visit with Veterans that are part of our rich heritage who have served in wars past. It was inspiring to hear stories of their service to our nation and the pride these Veterans expressed for our continuing service. Every service was represented at the nursing home as well as each major conflict from WWII to Iraq and Afghanistan. While our visit was inspirational for those of us currently on active duty, I was personally motivated by the veteran’s reaction to our visit. As I already mentioned, they enjoyed telling their stories with pride, but our visit and the questions we asked brought their pride of service to the forefront. It was a Veterans Day I will never forget. Thank you.
Click to view all photos from the Veterans Home visit.
MAJ Michael Burns, CGSC Student, SC 15C
15 Comments on "ILE Students visit Veterans"
In November I had an opportunity to hear a Vietnam MoH recipient speak. Donald Ballard was a hospital corpsman with the Navy in 1968 tasked to a Marine infantry company. Their patrol was ambushed by NVA soldiers. HC2 Ballard was tending to wounded Marines when a grenade landed near him. He gave a warning to the Marines and jumped on the device. It did not detonate and he resumed caring for and evacuating wounded Marines. His story is amazing but he was humbled by the Marines who put him in for the award. He then served for 25 more years in the National Guard. He lives near K.C, MO and talks to civic organizations about service to country.
It is amazing how it makes you feel when you talk to senior men and women of past armed forces. I can’t wait to go again. We should never forget those who served.
Just like MAJ Deel, I also make it a point to spend a few moments with a veteran whom paved the way for us young leaders. I am an active member of the VFW and I participate in a program called We Visit Vets. The project was created as a way to honor the veterans of United States Military Service. The mission of the project is to visit veterans who are residents of nursing homes, assisted living, and rehab centers. We also visit vets who are in VA Hospitals. As a military leader, I think that this is a small sacrifice on my part to pay tribute to those who have endured so much more. Sometimes, we think that the goal in life is to simply live as long as possible. However, even if we do everything that we can to be healthy, we are still faced with our mortality. Our veterans who we recognize on Veterans Day remind us of the importance of living sacrificially for the sake of others. As we reflect upon the many sacrifices that our veterans have made for our country, we are humbled and grateful for our own serves to this great Country. Words cannot adequately express the magnitude of our appreciation or the depth of our admiration for all that veterans have done for us. While we attend parades and other events in recognition of their service, let us not forget that we can do small things each and every day to let our veterans know how much they mean to us and that their service has not gone unnoticed. Therefore, let us all strive to visit with a veteran again next year, for we must continue to honor and pay tribute to those who have served in the armed services. Their service to our country has been no small sacrifice.
MAJ Al Niles; CGSG student; 12-03; Redstone Arsenal, AL
There is a long tradition within my family of military service. Particularly, on my father’s side, his four uncles and father all served in WWII. Three of these great uncles of mine were unmarried and without children when they reached their advanced years. When they became sick, each in his turn lived in my house and were taken care of by my mother, father, and myself. My grandfather passed away when I was 2, so in a way they filled that role. The stories they told of service in the Army in the Pacific, or the Army in Germany, or crazy stories of Naval boot camp were fascinating. It saddens me that some of those veterans sitting in the VA are not able to impart their stories and wisdom to a younger generation. It would break my heart to have seen my great uncles in a lonely place like that, and learning that they get very few visitors. I’m glad that we could visit with them and thank them for their service. Most of them were also able to tell “war stories” to an attentive audience and I believe they enjoyed themselves. I am thankful that MAJ Jason Deel was able to coordinate this visit, and I believe both the CGSC students and the veterans truly enjoyed their day together.
MAJ Liz Cain
Much like my peers, I did not know what to expect at the VA home. I was expecting to see the “old boys” from World War II and Korea . I was glad to see everyone interacting with the Veterans but I was most shocked to see the number of “younger” Veterans. One gentleman that I spoke at length with had served with ADM Rickover in the Pentagon in the ’80s. He had some interesting stories about his service there and working with such a dynamic individual as ADM Rickover. In many ways I saw him as a forgotten veteran. The World War II generation is rapidly departing our ranks but there are numerous veterans that all have a story to tell.
What is now known as Veterans Day was initially designated on November 11th, 1926 as Armistice Day to commemorate the end of World War I. Armistice Day seemed appropriately named since World War I was to be the “War to end all wars.” However, twenty-seven years later we would be asking ourselves how to commemorate those who had served in the most recent great war. Hence, Veterans Day was born.
This Veterans Day the members of Staff Group 15C considered how best to honor those who had served. The group decided to visit the nursing home at the Veterans Hospital in Fort Leavenworth. The group shared their most precious resource: time. They offered a listening ear and warm conversation. This provided the veterans with an opportunity to reminisce of hardships endured and triumphs achieved. Even though many things had changed since their time of service the veterans deeply appreciated spending time with current service members and identified with them as kindred spirits.
Honor and gratitude is due these elderly veterans who’ve paved the way for today’s military members. Their sacrifice, commitment, and dedication to preserve our way of life as citizens and enhance our profession as military members deserve unyielding appreciation. The personal time taken to hear their stories are important. Family and friends may grow tiresome of a veteran’s “war stories”. However, previous conversations with elderly veterans lead me to believe we, who have recently served in combat, can gain a greater appreciation for these great stories of war.
These efforts helps pass along our military’s linage, heritage, and rich history from generation to generation. These Veterans Day visits also support the Veterans Day National Committee’s efforts of ensuring the true meaning of Veterans Day continues to spread. The fact November 11 came from the day fighting ceased in World War I and was made a public national holiday in 1954 are interesting tidbits about this honored holiday that deserves further delving into.
The goodness brought to these elderly veterans by those who visited them on Veterans Day, encourages me to take advantage of every opportunity to share in these gratifying experiences. Major Noble Turner, Staff Group 15C, ILE 12-01.
Visiting the Veterans in the VA nursing home was uplifting and inspiring. Hearing stories of those who come before us never gets old. As I listen to their stories of the past, it reminds me of how times have changed and if Soldiers today could have withstood the hardships of those in previous wars.
I think that CGSC should implement a program that would ensure interaction with the Veterans of the VA nursing home in order to bring together past and present experiences. I am sure the Veterans would appreciate the company. The interaction will also give future leaders an appreciation for where we are today, while invoking an emphasis on things that really matter. Lastly within the recommended program, CGSC students would be responsible in generating solutions to improve the quality of life of the local VA centers.
Major Minor
I participated in the “Parade of Heroes” for the South Kansas City Rotary Club on 6 October. While at the mixer afterwards, I met a veteran who participated in the Battle of the Bulge. His stories of WWII reminded me of stories I heard from my Grandfather and still hear from my Grandfather-in-law. I believe we should take every opportunity to share stories with these unsung heroes that provided us with the opportunity to live in a free country. I don’t think they hear “thank you for your service” enough.
MAJ Mike Burden, SG 12A
I feel as though our elderly veteran population tends to be neglected. What is more upsetting, though, is how little we take into account the happiness and well-being of those who have sacrificed their life for our own happiness. Therefore; I applaud ILE 12-01, Staff Group 15C for taking the time to visit those who have given up so much for all of us.
I went to the veteran’s home visit not really knowing what to expect. I wasn’t really sure how the morning would unfold. I had an opportunity to speak with 5 or 6 veterans and they surprised me with their willingness to sit back and BS a bit. Each one had his own unique story and they all loved to tell it. While the locations and the decades of service varied, they all shared a common theme, these guys were proud of their contributions and they had fond memories of their time in uniform. I don’t know if any of them feel that they deserved special recognition for their sacrifices. They were pretty humble about it. The visit caused me to sit back and reflect a bit on our current generation of veterans. I think most of us view our contributions towards the war effort as just another part of the job. It’s what we signed up for. I hope we stay as humble as the veterans we met during the visit. At the same time, I hope we are not negating the depth of our contributions today to our future detriment. I saw an article shortly after our visit that discussed veteran organizations like the American Legion and the VFW. Membership numbers in these groups are down. WWII and Korea vets are dying off, Vietnam vets are passing retirement age, and local chapters are closing their doors. The current generation of veterans is not interested in signing up. Do we lack the same sense of camaraderie? 30 or 40 years from now, will we be connected by common experiences? I’m not a VFW or American Legion member but maybe I need to be. These groups have done a lot to keep veterans of past wars in the spotlight. If these groups disappear today, I wonder if someone or something will be there in the future to keep pushing for recognition for veterans. Maybe our minds will change as we get older and long for a little nostalgia, I just hope we don’t change our minds too late.
By the way, thanks for MAJ Deel for making this visit happen. It was time well-spent!
Maj Chris Sheffield, SG 15C
Time to reflect and meditate on our military profession is often put second to the demands of high OPTEMPO and operational requirements. The ILE experience gives Majors a unique opportunity to do just that. We learn about our doctrine, the changes in our environment, and in my opinion, most importantly, the history of our long and honorable lineage within the armed forces. This past Veterans day, our staff group had the opportunity to pay our respects to some great Veterans at the Leavenworth Veterans home and the experience was humbling and inspiring. The Veterans we spoke to came from a myriad of backgrounds and experiences we read about in history books and remind us that we can never forget the sacrifice of those Soldiers who came before us. I felt comfort and pride in knowing that the Soldiers today continue to carry on the honor and lineage of the past generation of Soldiers and gave me great hope in the future security of our great Nation.
The other sobering thought I had about the whole experience was the ephemeral nature of our careers and lives. The elderly veterans we visited who were once engaged in combat dating back to WWII were once young Soldiers as ourselves. Some day in the very near future, we too will retire and leave this profession. My hope is that we will be able to leave the next generation of great Soldiers as great a legacy as the Veterans we honored that today.
Every year on Veterans Day I make it a point to spend a few moments with a veteran whom paved the path for us all to follow. This year was no different. The Veterans home in Leavenworth is a humbling experience for any service member to walk through. Every Veteran should take the opportunity to say thank you, and let them know how much we appreciate their service. Most of the Veterans were from the Vietnam era and some never get visitors from friends or family. They were all extremely grateful our class put together this visit. The Veterans Day visit only took 2 hours of our busy day, with hopes to bring a smile to every Veteran there. Every American should visit a Veterans home and take the time to honor and respect them for their service and sacrifice, for they have given so much and have ask for nothing in return.
MAJ Jason Deel CGSC Student SG 15C
“We will never forget” is a phrase that adorned T-shirts, bumper stickers, and the voice of Americans after 11 September 2011. Those who were old enough to remember that day will never forget. However, we tend to forget those who protect and defend the country, specifically, those who came before us. I am as forgetful as the next American. We would like to think that we won’t forget, but it will probably happen again.
You know you are doing the right thing when a bald eagle flies overhead on Veteran’s Day. That was my first vision upon stepping out of my vehicle on the way to the Veteran’s Hospital in Leavenworth, Kansas. As equally gratifying was my time in the hospital thanking veterans of every war since World War II for leading the way and setting an example for us to emulate. Whether they were officer or enlisted, drafted or volunteer, we all shared our service to the nation. I appreciated their gratitude for our visit because, unfortunately, may are forgotten. A worker at the facility told us about one veteran who has not had a visitor in 23 years, which I find very disheartening and eye opening because that could be me in my advanced years.
I am now inspired to go out and visit again. Why should thanks and remembrance be limited to holidays? The team at the Veteran’s Hospital is always looking for volunteers and people to visit. I encourage everyone to take the time out here and elsewhere to remember those who went before us. This is taking care of our own. Protesters today are trying to raise our awareness of “the 1 %” in America. As members of the 1% of Americans who have served in the Armed Forces, we should not forget our fellow service members past and present.
Thanks to MAJ Jason Deel for putting this event together. Awesome.
MAJ Christopher D. Klein, CGSC Student, SG 15C
I absolutley agree with MAJ Burns. I formed a connection with every veteran I visited that day. For some of these veterans, many years seperated them from their time of service. Our visit propelled them back into their past, and they seemed to gleam at the opportunity to relive their experiences as they shared their past with us. No doubt the bond among veterans is strong, and during our visit that bond felt tangible. I look forward to visiting again, and I encourage all SGs to schedule a visit. I think you will find it fulfilling, even cathartic, for the visitor and the visited.