
Patients and witnesses who were cared for by military and VA nurses, share your stories.
U.S. Army veteran John Kellner Sr. was shot three times and seriously wounded while serving in the Vietnam War. Because of the wonderful care he received from nurses overseas and stateside, his motto has been "to be alive and appreciative of all my blessings."
"The true heroes to me were these caring (nurses) who changed my dressings every day, took my pulse, temperature, changed my chest tubes and gave medications," said Kellner of Alden, N.Y., who is a member of American Legion Post 362. "I’m to this day strongly endeared by the care of these wonderful nurses." They also helped him write letters to his parents and girlfriend.
The American Legion wants you to join us as we salute military and VA nurses who have provided comfort, care and life-saving medical skills to help veterans and military personnel through their most difficult times.
Patients and witnesses to great care and compassion by nurses are invited to submit their stories and upload photos at www.legiontown.org.
Select "Salute to Nurses" as the category. Submissions will be reviewed and posted on the national website, www.legion.org, and selected submissions will be included in the September issue of The American Legion Magazine.
And if you are a military or VA nurse, share a meaningful moment or patient from your experience as a care provider.
Legionnaire Clarence Day, a Vietnam War Marine veteran who spent 19 years as a nurse anesthetist at the Minneapolis VA Health Care System, said "those were the most rewarding years of my career. I met many veterans through the years and became longtime friends with some of them. I heard many stories and spent many hours just talking with them."
- Dispatch