Vietnam Veterans honored at Texas event

The Home and Community Based Care at South Texas VA celebrated Patient Experience Week early for Del Rio Veterans.

On March 29, the Val Verde County Veterans Service Office co-hosted a health and wellness event for this small, rural community in West Texas. Since many of these Veterans are senior in age, they do not get to normally participate in similar events held in San Antonio, so VA nurses brought the event to them.

That age also means many from this population served during the Vietnam era. When the nurses announced the opportunity to honor their Vietnam service in front of their families and community, the feedback was overwhelming.

The Del Rio Chamber of Commerce building was buzzing with Veterans and family members hoping to get their services questions answered.

That all came to a halt when Advanced Medical Support Assistant James Powell walked to the lectern and requested all Vietnam-era Veterans make their way to the line of chairs set up in front of the stage.

Veterans representing all military branches migrated to the front, some using walkers, wheelchairs or canes… a visual of how long ago these Veterans fought this war and unfortunately how long they have been fighting to be properly recognized.

Pictured above, Del Rio Veterans wait to be called up and receive their 50th Vietnam War commemorative pin from their nurses.

The 32 Vietnam Veterans had mixed emotions but the experience of being honored unanimously created a memorable experience for them.

Navy Veteran Arminio Alcala

Alcala had a tough experience when he returned from Vietnam—something he did four separate times. Because he was bilingual, he was selected to try his hand at the Vietnamese language. He did so well the Navy sent him on four 12-month tours.

“My return home was not so good,” he said, referencing anti-war protests outside the airport where he landed coming home.

Alcala says he tried to take the protestors with a grain of salt. “You just try to ignore them. I didn’t like it, but you know everyone thinks differently,” he added.

Each Veteran was pinned by their own nurse—something that made the ceremony special for both the patient and nurse. Alcala’s nurse, Carryl Vasquez, said the opportunity was very special to her.

“I have been a registered nurse for 27 years. I had several Veterans thank me after the ceremony. I cannot begin to explain how honored I was,” she said.

Alcala is satisfied with VA and his health care. “I went ahead and joined the program where the nurse comes to your house. I used to go to Kerrville for years and years,” he said. 

Not only does it benefit him because driving has become a little more difficult, it also helps with the loneliness. “My wife passed away, and she used to go with me and keep me company.”

Marine Veteran Roberto Barrera

In addition to being a Marine and Vietnam Veteran, Roberto Barrera has been a national commander for Disabled American Veterans. In that role, he has seen the evolution of VA health care and said the acknowledgement of the Vietnam Veterans is important.

“I think today’s ceremony is part of the recognition we didn’t receive when we got back, and someone would ask what the hell we were doing in Nam. It’s never too late to say thank you and we appreciate what you did,” he said.

Gravely injured during a bomb blast, Barrera spent years rehabilitating in military and VA hospitals, which provided him immunity from some of the toxic homecomings experienced by his military brothers and sisters.

“We made a promise to owe the next generation of warriors and say it will never happen as long as we have breath, and we will say, ‘Welcome back and we are here for you,’” he said.

The Veterans Experience Office’s mission is to not only provide the highest quality of customer experience to Veterans, but that this pledge extends to their families and caregivers, too.

Kim Oakman, Chief Nurse, was excited for the wellness event because now caregivers will also get respite.

“The Community Adult Day Healthcare facility agreed to and signed an agreement to work with VA and admit Veterans,” Oakman said. She added that the fair resulted in 20 more referrals. That means improving the patient experience for both Veterans and caregivers.

Army Veteran Alfredo Corral

Corral is an Army Veteran who served in Vietnam from 1965 to 1967. Born in Mexico, he came to the U.S. with his mother when he was 15. He was drafted at 18.

Corral was also grateful for the ceremony and is looking into the home health care option for himself. “I thought this ceremony was beautiful. A lot of people responded. That is what I like about it. Even people who have never been in Vietnam, they were here to pick you up,” he said.

For Corral, the ceremony was a contrast from the time he returned from Vietnam and transitioned through San Francisco. Although some people thanked him, he said he was disheartened by those who hassled him.

Ceremony the highlight of her VA career

Maintaining the VA vision with data, tools and technology is critical, but nothing takes the place of the compassion shown by nurses as they placed the 50^th Commemorative lapel pins on each of their Veterans.

Nurse Laura Medlin called each Veteran to be recognized and said she felt blessed to be a part of such an event. “In my 20 years with VA, this was the first time I have had the opportunity to honor our Veterans the way we did. Words could not describe the feeling of joy seeing each Veteran recognized,” she said.

Nurse Theresa Shaver pinned each of her dozen Veterans. “Based on the comments from my Veterans, it gave the ceremony a more personalized touch by giving their nurses the honor of pinning them,” she said, adding that it was the highlight of her VA career.