Bedford VA Joins Gloucester Veterans at Healing Wall

By Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial Veterans Hospital (Bedford VA)

Three shuttle buses brought several Veterans, staff and the leadership from Bedford VA to Gloucester on Thursday to support and join the Cape Ann Veterans community at The Wall that Heals Opening Ceremony. The traveling replica of the Vietnam Memorial in DC honors the more than 58,000 soldiers who died in the Vietnam War.

The United Veterans Council has worked for three years to bring the wall to Gloucester. The 250-foot, 24 panel memorial contains the names of the all the U.S. Servicemembers who died during the Vietnam War. Its presence gives the community the opportunity to publicly express a long overdue debt of gratitude. The Wall also gives Vietnam War era Veterans, family members and friends of those who perished some public gratitude and recognition for their sacrifice, as well as support and healing.

An impressive tableau of local, state and federal partnerships honored Vietnam Veterans at the opening ceremony of the Wall that Heals. The 40-foot long American flag hanging nobly over the Wall is a bold reminder to Veterans and all who visit that respect and honor is lived in this community, and the solemn obligation of caring for our Veterans is embraced at every level.

Master of Ceremonies Mark Nestor, the Lester S. Wass American Legion Post 3 Commander, brought perspective and focus to the event when he spoke of how very young the 12 soldiers from Gloucester and Essex were when they paid the ultimate sacrifice in the Vietnam War. He also reminded the crowd of the hardships Vietnam Veterans who were lucky enough to come home endured on their return.

“Society at that time was unable to differentiate the warrior from the war and so we suffered for decades and hid in plain sight,” said Nestor, who is also a Vietnam War era Veteran.

Governor Baker took his place among the dignitaries who came to pay respect and honor to the Vietnam era Veterans, the Gold Star mothers and their families and loved ones, offering an unscripted and emotional tribute to them during his address.

“Whatever you think about the war, people who serve deserve your respect, your gratitude and your thanks,” Gov. Baker reminded those in attendance.

Sharing the stage with Gov. Baker, Massachusetts’s Secretary of Veterans Affairs Francisco Urena, Major General Scott Rice, Adjutant General, Massachusetts Air National Guard, and a significant list of dignitaries present to honor Veterans, was Bedford VA’s director, Christine Croteau.

The Bedford VA’s supportive presence at the Wall illustrates how much healing has happened between Vietnam era Veterans and the VA, but there are many more Veterans who have yet to take advantage of the benefits they have earned because they often don’t know about them. Director Croteau is passionate about reaching out to these Veterans. Aiming to build strong partnerships between VA and state, local and community organizations, Bedford VA is committed to serving all area Veterans better than they have ever been served.

“We’re here to show our Vietnam Veterans that we support them 110 percent,” said Adam Curcuru, Veterans Services Officer for Cape Ann, “and the Bedford VA is part of that… Director Croteau has a very good understanding that we are all working toward the same goal, to help more Veterans take advantage of the services they have earned, locally and at the Bedford VA.”

Mark Nestor also said he appreciated that Director Croteau brought a group of Vietnam War era Veterans, VA leadership and staff to Thursday’s Opening Ceremony for The Wall that Heals. “It shows she cares.” Outreach staff members from Bedford VA were also there to greet Veterans and Bedford VA social workers are scheduled to stay overnight to offer support to those who might need it during emotional visits to the Healing Wall.

Curcuru, went on to say that under Director Croteau’s leadership, the Bedford VA is showing how much VA in general has changed, becoming a much more involved organization that wants to work closely with local Veterans groups, noting that the Bedford VA’s efforts to create a larger Community Based Outpatient Clinic, (CBOC) in Gloucester is a good example of that commitment. Curcuru concluded with the observation that whenever he or the United Veterans Council reaches out to Bedford VA, it’s always been, “What do you need? We’re there.”

Robert M. Cook, Public Affairs, Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial Veterans Hospital (Bedford VA).

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