By Stephanie Dunn Ashley
May is a busy month for many of us, as school winds down, we celebrate Mother’s Day and Memorial Day marks the unofficial start of summer. But this May, I encourage everyone to take the time to commemorate Military Appreciation Month. As the title suggests, it is a time when we honor and recognize the service of the men and women in the military. It is a time to express gratitude for their service and sacrifice, and to show support for their families and loved ones.
Here, in Greenwich, our community is filled with veterans and military families who all know firsthand what it means to prepare for, cope with, and respond to the challenges of military service. Families are often separated for holidays, special occasions and other milestones as military service takes members across the country and around the world. Each of us can help these families in ways big and small at every step of their career — from the time a service member takes their oath to navigating life as a veteran and each event in between.
Take the time to say thank you, to the service member and to their family. Serving our nation is a sacrifice made by the entire family, not just the enlisted member. Without support from home and the community, many military families face challenges. Recently, the Town honored almost 100 veterans at a ceremony at Arch Street. Connecticut Lt. Governor Susan Bysiewicz, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and First Selectman Fred Camillo, together with the Greenwich delegation of elected officials, honored these veterans and presented them with a chance to speak to those gathered at the standing room only event. It was a beautiful service and to quote one veteran, “It’s not just ‘Thank you for your service’ it’s Thank You for allowing me to serve this great country.” One should always provide a warm welcome and reentry for returning service members. According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, one-third of all veterans report that they struggle with depression after military service. A Pew Research Center study found that 27% of veterans report difficulty integrating into the civilian workforce post-service. For many veterans, volunteering and responding to community needs on a team is a way to rekindle shared camaraderie and purpose found in a military setting, you can find veterans in our police, fire and EMS services, both as career and volunteer members.
Turn “thank you for your service” into action. Personally, I am proud to be a part of the American Red Cross, which has supported troops in every major conflict for more than 140 years — including World War I, World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan. When the conflict in Ukraine escalated in February of 2022, this support continued and since that time nearly 70 trained staff have deployed to support troops by providing emergency communication messages and morale activities.
One part of my job that I love is our strong ties with the military, and that the Red Cross Metro NY North chapter has such a deep routed commitment to honoring our military. At our annual Ball in April, we had the pleasure of bestowing the Exceptional Service award to General Eric Smith, the 36th Assistant Commandant for the US Marine Corps. It was an incredible evening and meeting him was so humbling. Also just recently, I had the honor to recognize our amazing volunteers who support military members and their families at the US Military Academy at West Point. These selfless volunteers are part of a 24/7 support system for military and veteran families when they are facing life-changing events like the birth of a child, the death of a loved one, a medical emergency or even a financial crisis. The Red Cross is the only organization to provide this emergency messaging service to separated and active-duty military families.
These volunteers also support the staff at Keller Hospital. Licensed medical volunteers see patients in-person or through telehealth, complete nurse charting, answer calls and more. Non-medical volunteers help with a variety of programs including visiting patients; manning coffee, snack and book carts; providing art and garden therapy classes; hosting animal visitation programs, featuring pups from our great partner Hudson Valley Paws for a Cause; and distributing care and comfort items to patients and medical staff.
I am also so proud of our Board members who lead annual donation drives to collect relief and comfort items for service members at Walter Reed Hospital. As well as for the hundreds of new clothing items collected for local veterans throughout the year and distributed to veterans’ hospitals and groups in our area.
Finally, I would like to remind everyone to fly the stars and stripes proudly, I do. It is an honor and privilege to live in this great country, and I am proud of the red, white, and blue. I hope to see you all at the annual Memorial Day parade on Monday in Old Greenwich and look forward to our Veterans Day parade in November, where we can all join together to say Thank you for your service to those that wore the uniform with dignity, braveness, and honor for all of us to live in the land of the free.
Stephanie Dunn Ashley is the CEO of the Metro New York North Chapter of the American Red Cross. The MNYN Chapter encompasses Greenwich, Conn., the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, plus Westchester and Rockland Counties.
