Vietnam Veteran serves 'For the Higher Good'

Russ Stewart understands how Veterans can feel forgotten or even disparaged. He served for three years in the Army and from 1968 to 1969 in the Vietnam War.

“Particularly the Vietnam Veterans, most of us have tales of being rejected or people being indifferent or downplaying our contribution,” Stewart said. “A lot of that has gone away.”

A turn in focus to honor Vietnam Veterans in civic and government agencies and in nonprofits such as Hospice of the Chesapeake has played an important role in helping them in their journey to heal.

One such program is the Veteran-to-Veteran Volunteer program. It is part of the We Honor Veterans program, a collaboration of National Hospice and Palliative Care Orga nization and the Department of Veterans Affairs. Program partners like Hospice of the Chesapeake use resources and education provided by the NHPCO and the VA to help Veteran Volunteers care for Veteran patients and their families.

Stewart, a 32-year resident of Cape St. Claire, has served as a volunteer with Hospice of the Chesapeake for 18 years, starting as a Vigil Volunteer. These volunteers offer a variety of services and often speak, read, sing or simply offer their company to patients as they pass. They also support the family members and friends present at the time of death. It is not for the faint of heart but also requires a special heart filled with calm and compassion. “It’s not fun,” Stewart said. For him, it was a calling: “I just felt that this was something that needed to be done.”

Stewart also became a Patient Care Volunteer. And though he was a Veteran, there was no special call for him to serve fellow Veterans. “Nobody asked and nobody really cared until about five years ago,” Stewart said. That was about the time the We Honor Veterans program began. “It’s long overdue.”

With more than 25 percent of Hospice of the Chesapeake serving in the military, the need for Patient Care Volunteers who also are Veterans is growing. When one considers the training and time commitment involved, becoming a Vet-to-Vet Volunteer can be intimidating for many. But it is well worth the effort.

“You know you’ve done something good. When you volunteer for hospice, you are there for the higher good. There is not a place for ego,” Stewart said.

Stewart counts as one of his best experiences with a Veteran patient was a World War II veteran. “It was a single visit, but he told me a story that was pretty heart wrenching as he was a Prisoner of War,” he said. “These guys really did something… it just hits you. There is an opportunity to learn from these people.”

Veteran patients feel more at ease sharing their war stories with fellow Veterans because they “get it.” And though Stewart has only cared for one Vietnam Veteran, the impact of that relationship was even deeper. “We could speak one-on-one on this and there was no need to interpret. There is empathy there.”

Being a Veteran Volunteer also helps people like Stewart keep up with the Veteran programs Hospice of the Chesapeake offers. One of the most moving for him was the celebration of the State of Maryland’s first Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day last year. At the request of Hospice of the Chesapeake, legislation was introduced by state Senator John Astle, and was the first bill signed into law by Governor Larry Hogan. March 30 was chosen because it was the day in 1973 when the last day troops were withdrawn from Vietnam. “I really appreciated that day,” he said. “And I felt appreciated at that moment.”

Stewart will be there when the nonprofit will once again host an extravagant celebration of the state’s second Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day beginning at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 30, 2016, at the Hilton Baltimore BWI Hotel in Linthicum. The free celebration for Vietnam Veterans will include speakers, an Honor Salute, drinks and heavy hors d’oeuvres. At 7:45 p.m., the Annapolis High School students will premiere their documentary film featuring Vietnam Veterans telling their stories.

For more information about the We Honor Veterans program at Hospice of the Chesapeake and the Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day celebration, visit www.hospicechesapeake.org/the-life-center-109/we-honor-veterans-program. To volunteer, contact Volunteer Coordinator Allison Kuchar at 443-837-1513 or akuchar@hospicechesapeake.org.

Picture caption: Russ Stewart is flanked by fellow Vietnam Veteran Vince Zegowitz on the left and a World War II Veteran on his right during the Hospice of the Chesapeake 2015 Veterans Day ceremony.