March 10, 2022
Statewide: Members of the National Guard are spending two weeks helping residents and staff at the Washington Veterans Home in Port Orchard, Washington Soldiers Home in Orting, and Spokane Veterans Home.
Always Ready and Always There. As our State Veterans Homes struggle with staffing, while also battling COVID-19, the Washington National Guard came to our aid!
During the height of the Omicron variant, Washington Department of Veterans Affairs (WDVA) made a request to the Washington National Guard and requested if members could be deployed to three of our four Homes to perform non-clinical tasks.
We would like to thank our Washington National Guard members for answering the call.
Washington National Guard members have been onsite helping to alleviate stress of Veterans Homes staff by answering resident call lights, cleaning meal trays, answering non-clinical requests, performing deep cleaning, performing COVID screenings, picking up manual tasks, conducting grounds work, among many other duties.
WDVA and Veterans Homes staff alike have appreciated and been thankful for the relief, willingness to pitch in, and many residents have enjoyed the conversations, interactions, shared stories and other interactions with the service members of the younger uniformed generation."
On behalf of WDVA, we would like to sincerely thank the members of the Washington National Guard for supporting our Veterans Homes and Serving Those Who Served.
Photo Album: 2022.03.04 National Guard at Retsil and Orting | Flickr
Quotes from Residents, Staff and Washington National Guard Service Members:
Resident Gilbert Tappin (Washington Soldiers Home in Orting): “I think it’s really good that they’re so patriotic that they’d come out and help us. It’s nice seeing young people holding onto the flag because I once held onto the flag.”
Resident Joseph Fourbears (Washington Veterans Home in Port Orchard): “I think it’s very, very beneficial. They’ve been extremely polite and kind, and I think it’s just a big help for everyone. It’s part of getting together to solve a problem. The captain is excellent, what a beautiful human being. She’s perfect for the job. There’s a great deal of care and understanding and love that she has for the veterans and her people.”
Nikolas Jennings, staff development coordinator (Washington Veterans Home in Port Orchard): “One of the coolest things about having the National Guardsmen out here is the reaction they get from the residents. The residents will see them in uniform and they ask them about their service and they ask them what they’re doing, and the immediate interaction between the two generations is really, really neat to see. They’re being fantastic for helping out the nursing staff and they’ve been really efficient in any jobs we’ve given them.”
Captain Geneva Hoskins-Dorsey, 194th Medical Group, officer in charge of immunizations(Washington National Guard): “This has been an amazing experience because what better way to give back than to serve vets who served our country. It’s an amazing experience. You never know the hand you may be dealt with – one day, we may end up here. This is a great place … the vets love it here, and I feel like this is an honorable way to give back. I’m really getting connected to these vets. They’re telling me their stories, I’m telling them mine, and we’re connecting on nice levels. It’s really been amazing here.”
Staff Sergeant Tyler Richardson, 262, Cyberwarfare Operator (Washington National Guard): “This is completely new to me, being a computer guy, but being able to be around all the veterans and helping out the nurses and chatting with the veterans – it’s been very humbling. I enjoy their company and learning their stories. They’ve gone through a lot of things I’ve never imagined going through. It’s just very humbling to hear their stories.”
###
Media Contact
Heidi Audette
Communications and Legislative Director
(360) 791-8966 – cell
heidia@dva.wa.gov