What Veterans Day Means to Me

Veterans Day is a day to thank and honor the men and women who have served our country. I did not serve in uniform, but some of the best leaders I know have served or are serving now in the armed forces.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, I had the privilege of working beside many of them. The governor asked me to lead the state's scientific and medical response and to work closely with the West Virginia National Guard, led by my friend, retired Maj. Gen. Jim Hoyer. With retired Col. Joe Peal, Jim led the Joint Interagency Task Force, which brought together the Guard, state agencies, hospitals, health departments and universities. It was our team of teams, and it was central to whatever success we achieved. I saw the Guard's discipline, excellence, compassion and care every day for months.

Today I work with leaders who spent a large part of their careers in uniform. Retired Army Maj. Gen. Tom Thomas was chief medical officer of the Defense Health Agency and president of the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences. He now leads our Eastern Campus. Retired Navy Rear Adm. Stephen Pachuta led the Navy Dental Corps and is now dean of our School of Dentistry. Retired Navy Cmdr. Dan Grabo was chief of trauma at a combat hospital in Kandahar, Afghanistan. He now leads our Division of Trauma, Acute Care Surgery and Critical Care, which aims to be a world leader in care for rural and underserved communities. They served our country and our troops. Now they serve our faculty, staff, trainees and students. I see service as a privilege, and they have lived it.

Military service and healthcare are deeply connected. Both require preparation, teamwork and trust. Both ask people to stay calm when others are afraid, make hard decisions with incomplete information and put the needs of others first.

The military has also shaped how many of us think about leadership. The word strategy itself comes from the Greek word for general. Good leaders take care of their people first.

In the Marine Corps, leaders eat after the people they lead, an idea Simon Sinek made famous in Leaders Eat Last. Strong teams share information, trust one another and let the people closest to a problem act. Gen. Stanley McChrystal called this a “team of teams,” and it guided our work during the pandemic.

Military life also builds habits that help people live longer, healthier lives: connection, purpose, resilience, physical activity and lifelong learning.

The transition from military service can be hard. It may mean leaving a close team and a familiar daily routine. A university can offer a new community and another chance to serve. We want every veteran to know they belong here.

To our veterans and to students who are serving now: thank you. Thank you for what you have already given and for continuing your service through education. You strengthen our classrooms, our health professions and the communities we serve.

Service can also carry burdens that are not always visible. We owe you more than thanks. Our responsibility is to listen, make support easy to find and ensure that no one carries those burdens alone.

We honor you for your selfless service to our communities, our people, our state and our country. We are grateful that you are part of the WVU family.