MUSC honors veterans in ceremony that evokes sacrifices they've made

“Oh God, the giver of all good gifts,” Pastor Melvin Williams began his invocation, “we thank thee for all these blessings, which we have. Give us always contented minds, careful hearts and ready wills, so that we may spend and be spent in the service of others.”  

So began the Veterans Day ceremony at the Medical University of South Carolina.

The military is often considered the epitome of service — giving of oneself to the service of others, including the possible ultimate sacrifice, he said. Those who serve often do so out of a genuine desire to help and protect others, knowing the costs that it sometimes entails. Often, military life is rougher than one would expect, physically and emotionally. Troops of different eras and places share the same pains: boredom, fear, regret. And so often, they are far from home.

The pastor reminded the audience that they make these sacrifices so that others don’t have to.

The Nov. 19 Veterans Day event focused on this spirit of service that veterans share and how that sense doesn’t end after leaving the military but often continues in civilian life.

“Veterans everywhere and those who are of our armed services,” he continued, “we want to thank you. We love you and your families, and we pray that God will forever bless you and give you the strength that you will need to get through the days.”

President David Cole, M.D., addressed the audience, explaining that veterans continue to serve in important ways once their tours of duty come to an end.

“As you know, service of veterans doesn’t end when you stop active duty, and MUSC has many veterans who work daily and serve at our institution in many capacities. So I’d personally like to take a moment to say thank you. Thank you for what you do, who you’ve been, the impact that you have both on our nation and on MUSC.”

MUSC Health CEO Patrick Cawley, M.D., reminded guests that they must never forget those who have a harder time adapting to life after the military service and traumatic experiences.  

“I was walking over here, coming across the Horseshoe. I had a sobering reminder of what it means to be a veteran. If you walked through the Horseshoe, you may have been stopped by someone asking you to do 22 pushups. Many in this audience know what that means: 22 veterans die every day in the U.S. from suicide.”

Keynote speaker U.S. Army Command Army Sgt. Maj. James E. Guest shared his own personal example of “service after the service.”

Guest was born into a family whose military history stretches back to the Revolutionary War. He volunteered for the armed forces in 1971. Learning engineering skills and working with missile systems, he spent his time in the Army before returning to Charleston. Finding a poor job market, he joined the Navy, and while stationed aboard the USS Franklin D. Roosevelt CVA 42, he traveled the world.  

When his tour was up, he once again returned home, where he found the job market was better. After working in a different field for two years, he became a federal police officer with the Department of the Navy at the Naval Weapons Station. He spent 11 years in that position, during which time he was trained to be a Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) officer and counseled troubled youth in the school system. He was also a scoutmaster for 25 plus years and remains involved today as an Eagle Scout counselor.

Missing military life, he joined the South Carolina State Guard in 2005 and has remained with it since. He was promoted to command sergeant major and has been in that role since July 2014. He also is an asset management-warehouse operations supervisor at MUSC.

In his closing remarks, he told the audience that military service can be a challenge, but it can also be a stepping stone to a path of service after the service.

“We have to ask ourselves without consideration to race, religion or any other difference we might have, the question that applies to everyone in everyday life: Why are we here? What kind of work can we do to fulfill ourselves? What can we do for others? And with or without military service, we can all attempt to live in service of others every day. So the bottom line here is, ‘How can I make a difference?’ You know? We all have our little 'expertises’ that we can do. So, you have that chance. Go out and make a difference if you can.”

Chaplain Terry Wilson explained how moral injury and post-traumatic stress disorder are the invisible wounds of combat, both in the armed forces and veteran community. He reminded the audience of the viciousness and tragedy of war. Men and women in the field, he said, are often placed in impossible and unfair situations, situations with no right choice and issues of survival.

Sometimes in war, Wilson said, military personnel must perform duties that go against their moral codes, which can produce feeling of guilt, shame, sorrow and anger, and ultimately, it can even lead to feelings of distress, isolation and spiritual damage.

“If you don’t mind, I’d just like to read this as you let this sink in,” he said, as he read the invitation to an upcoming Health Care Theater event. “It’s impossible to predict how veterans will respond to combat or other traumatic experiences that occur during military service, particularly those events that may have required difficult, heart-wrenching decisions.”  

Veterans who were present for the event were recognized for their service, and David Rainville, USAF, performed taps, the traditional bugle call played at dusk during flag ceremonies and military funerals by the United States armed forces.

A video presentation highlighting the valor and service of each of the armed forces was presented while Provost Lisa Saladin, Ph.D., offered the closing remarks, echoing in her words the emotions that filled the room.

“To our veterans, those of us who have never served will never truly understand the sacrifices you and your family have made, both in times of peace and in times of war. We will never fully understand what you were required to do and what you were able to do. We will never fully understand the depth of your scars, both visible and those invisible, lurking beneath the surface, that continue to trouble you. But what we can offer you is this: We can express our appreciation and gratitude regularly to each of you and to acknowledge your service past, present and future. We can recognize your humanity and continue to work to advocate for services and support for our veterans.”