#VeteranOfTheDay Air Force Veteran Robin Hood

Today’s #VeteranOfTheDay is Army Veteran Robin Hood, a Veteran’s Transportation Network driver, fleet coordinator, and a stellar Veteran volunteer.

Robin Hood served as a U.S. Army combat engineer in Germany and Vietnam from 1967 to 1970. As a sergeant, he protected his country and his fellow soldiers during his wartime service. Little did he know, his engineering skills would come in handy 55 years later.

Years after leaving active duty and starting a family in Northwest Indiana, Hood yearned to continue serving his fellow Veterans. He found the perfect place to do so in VA’s Adam Benjamin, Jr. (ABJ), Community Based Outpatient Clinic in Crown Point, Indiana. The clinic needed volunteer drivers to help transport Veterans with no other means of transportation to and from their appointments. Hood stepped up.

As an outpatient clinic under the Jesse Brown VA Medical Center in Chicago, ABJ serves the greater Northwest Indiana area, a region known for its frigid temperatures in the winter and intense heat and high humidity in the summer. These conditions take a toll on vehicles, but Hood ensures that the vehicles are ready for use no matter what it takes. In addition to his regular driving schedule and his willingness to assist Veterans on short notice, he makes sure the vehicles are cleaned-off, ready for a jump start if needed and works with Fleet Operations to coordinate vehicle maintenance.

When the vehicles were sidelined during the pandemic, Hood regularly cleaned off the snow and started them up to make sure that they would be ready when operations got underway. He also assists with the pickup of the vehicles that were donated by Disabled American Veterans, which cuts down on the high shipping charges.

Hood’s impact on patient access to care is hard to measure. Not only are many Veterans receiving direct access when he is their driver, but his efforts to also keep the other vehicles road-ready greatly benefits patient access as well. As a member of the Disabled American Veterans, he has not forgotten those who have served, and his constant smile, positive attitude and welcoming manner attest to his love and respect for his fellow Veterans.

We honor his service.

Nominate a Veteran for #VeteranOfTheDay

Do you want to light up the face of a special Veteran? Have you been wondering how to tell your Veteran they are special to you? VA’s #VeteranOfTheDay social media feature is an opportunity to highlight your Veteran and his/her service.

It’s easy to nominate a Veteran. Visit our blog post about nominating to learn how to create the best submission.

Veterans History Project

This #VeteranOfTheDay profile was created with interviews submitted to the Veterans History Project. The project collects, preserves, and makes accessible the personal accounts of American war Veterans so that future generations may hear directly from Veterans and better understand the realities of war. Find out more at http://www.loc.gov/vets/.

Writer: Calvin Wong

Editors: Nicholas Nunally

Graphic Designer: Yasmine Pierce