Military hero status should also be awarded to the wives and partners of our veterans

For the past several months, one of the bright spots in an otherwise bleak year has been the opportunity to serve as a guide and support person for veterans and their family members visiting one of the two campuses of the Lexington Veterans Administration Medical Center. Many vets, as you might imagine, need extra help in navigating often confusing hospital corridors to find their appointments, particularly if they are infirm or wheelchair bound. A small group of us – known as VA Redcoat Ambassadors – endeavor to help them through the maze and otherwise assist as much as we can.

In that regard, I have had the additional pleasure of meeting hundreds of a different sort of hero. These are the military spouses who accompany their vet to medical appointments. Most often (but certainly not exclusively) these are undaunted wives who supported their partners through decades of service, managed multiple family moves, saw them off to war, welcomed them home again, and are now continuing to help their vet through new and often difficult challenges.

These spouse heroes come from communities all over central and southeast Kentucky. They often drive for hours through all sorts of weather to get here on time for appointments. These are tough, determined women, I can assure you. As often as not they serve as their vet’s arms, legs, and voice. When I see them wheeling their vet into the hospital I often wonder how they possibly managed to get them into and out of their vehicle and maneuvered into a wheelchair all by themselves.

But I see this kind of boundless determination on a daily basis. “Bess” and “Fred” (not their real names) are a good example. Bess and her guy come from a small community south of Campbellsville in Taylor County. Bess told me she must get Fred ready and into the car by 5 a.m. to ensure he is here for his 8 a.m. appointments. And Fred says you don’t want to mess with Bess when she’s on a mission. I believe him!

The lesson in all this for me is that perhaps we should expand the definition of veteran hero to include spouses and family members like Bess. They also serve our vets in countless ways we will never know. I wonder sometimes if they are getting all the community support and assistance at home stations that they need to keep up the good work? If you know of a “Bess” and “Fred” in your town maybe you could ask yourself the same question. . . and then act accordingly.

One final note: I would like to take this opportunity to thank Marilynn (her real name) with all my heart for sticking with me through thick and thin for more than 50 years, now. She is truly my Hero.

Colonel John Myers retired from the US Army after serving for 30 years as an Aviator and Public Affairs Officer.