Connected by duty and care

Army Veteran Rob Sterling recently visited the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center (MEDVAMC), bringing with him an incredible family legacy that warmed the hearts of VA staff.

Sterling’s father, Edmond, and his twin brother, Edward, both served as radiomen in the Navy during World War II. The brothers deployed to Hawaii and the Philippines, and served in the war stationed in Midway, where that famous battle took place. After the war, the brothers returned to Texas, where they raised their families after becoming master mechanics. Both also received their health care at MEDVAMC.

Following in their footsteps

Rob Sterling proudly followed in their footsteps by joining the Army and later serving as a police officer at Houston Community College for 24 years. It wasn’t until after his retirement that he sought care at the MEDVAMC.

“The care that I receive at MEDVAMC has been excellent across the board,” Sterling said. “I am so grateful for the people that work here and I’m very proud to continue my family’s tradition of military service.”

Honoring the Greatest Generation

To honor our World War II patients, MEDVAMC has a Greatest Generation wall on the first floor of the medical center. Hundreds of World War II patients have had their picture taken by the medical center for inclusion on the wall. In many of the pictures, the Veteran is holding a picture of him or herself back when they were in the military.

“We wanted to create a special place in our medical center to honor World War II Veterans,” said Lindsey Crain, MEDVAMC’s interim medical center director. “Our wall is very popular with Veterans of all eras, but it’s so special to see how thrilled the World War II Veterans are to be featured on it. Many of them look forward to seeing their picture on the wall every time they come in for an appointment.”

MEDVAMC is honored to serve Rob Sterling, just as we served his father and uncle.

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One Comment

  1. Brian Grevious March 23, 2026 at 17:59

    Another interesting story about a family legacy of military service. Both my parents were WWI veterans ( father was a Navy Sea Bee combat veteran who fought in Okinawa Japan , mother an Army WAC served Stateside ,), my grandfather was a WWI veteran ( Army infantry combat veteran who fought in Europe), my uncle ( my father’s brother served during the Korean War or conflict). I served in the Air Force during the tail end of Vietnam conflict but never served in Vietnam, mostly during the cold war as a security policeman and later in civilian life as a police officer and later a police detective in the city of Philadelphia. My story is very similar to the veteran featured in the article, affirming that we’re very similar traveling parallel journeys including with respect to our families

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