Photo By Marcy Sanchez | Lt. Gen. Robert L. Caslen, Jr., (fourth from right) U.S. Military Academy...... read more read more
Subscribe
Superintendent of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, Lt. Gen. Robert L. Caslen, Jr., met with El Paso, Texas veterans during a visit to William Beaumont Army Medical Center, Sept. 17.
The visit allowed a chance for current West Point staff and cadets to interact with veterans which encompassed over 50 years of military service.
“I was kind of surprised. You don’t get that kind of opportunity too often,” said Herminio Mata, a retired sergeant first class and native of El Paso. “Even though I’ve been out (of the Army) for a while, for old vets like me we still remember our days. It was nice for him to come and talk to us.”
During the visit, Caslen toured WBAMC and met with three veterans, inviting each one to share their stories of service and family.
“I was impressed to see the old generation mixing up with the new generation,” said Mata who served as a motor transport operator and deployed to Saudi Arabia for Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. “I hope the cadets get something positive out of meeting with us something they can use in the future.”
Mata, a former Department of Veterans Affairs employee, was revered for his mentorship in supervisor roles and appreciates the opportunity to be part of the generational melting pot in the Army with the cadet’s visit.
Cadets can hear what they will go through as Soldiers, said Mata. Although we served in a different time and era, they’ll go through the sacrifice; regardless what branch or MOS you have, it’s a sacrifice.
Before the visit came to an end, the group visited with 82-year-old Charles Jones, a retired command sergeant major who contributed to the Signals Intelligence mission of the Army during the Vietnam War and other missions in the 70s.
“I think cadets learned that things haven’t really changed that much,” said Jones. “They could tell that I was happy to have been a Soldier during my lifetime.”
Jones, who served for more than 24 years, shared stories of his experiences as a Soldier and how it has influenced the decisions his family has made. Jones also commented on the present increase in technology while remembering a time when the only form of communication was through short-wave radio.
“It was a privilege to visit (WBAMC) and to not only see first-hand all the great work taking place there, but also to spend time with their patients who once wore the cloth of our nation," said Caslen.
William Beaumont Army Medical Center is the primary medical facility for almost 100,000 beneficiaries and also provides referred inpatient services to the 75,000 veterans of the El Paso community. In addition to the eligible population, as the only level III trauma center in El Paso’s Northeast community, the hospital also provides care for 12-18 percent of the city’s trauma cases.
| Date Taken: | 09.21.2016 |
| Date Posted: | 09.21.2016 15:30 |
| Story ID: | 210210 |
| Location: | FORT BLISS, TX, US |
| Hometown: | CHARLESTON, SC, US |
| Hometown: | EL PASO, TX, US |
| Web Views: | 92 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, West Point’s top brass visits WBAMC veterans, by Marcy Sanchez, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
LEAVE A COMMENT