NIEHS honored its employees who have served in the military Nov. 7 during the institute’s Veterans Day Celebration. The event was held alongside a kickoff drive for the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC), which helps federal workers support charities around the country (see sidebar).

“This is an opportunity to slow down and take some time to listen to stories and appreciate the veterans who we work with on a daily basis,” said NIEHS and National Toxicology Program Director Rick Woychik, Ph.D., who welcomed attendees to the hybrid event and shared his experience during the Vietnam era.

“My time as a U.S. Navy Corpsman was remarkably valuable,” Woychik explained. “It helped me understand the difference between medicine and science, and it helped me figure out, when I got back to college, that I wanted to study biochemistry and get a Ph.D. as a scientist.”

Veterans as change-makers

Woychik introduced Myra Westmoreland, the NIEHS Veteran Speaker for this year’ s celebration. Westmoreland is a former weapons specialist and senior airman with the U.S. Air Force. She currently serves as an administrative officer at NIEHS.

“I wanted to take today to salute the men and women who stood beside me, in front of me, behind me, and lifted me and allowed me to make it through all my experiences good, bad, or indifferent, while I served as a soldier,” said Westmoreland.

The former Airman of the Year, who once received an incentive flight to co-pilot an F-16 fighter jet, described what she believes defines veterans.

“Upholding values like honesty and accountability are a part of who we are,” Westmoreland said. “It gives us the tenacity to move forward in a relentless way, to keep going no matter what the obstacles are, to push forward with unwavering determination, and to endure and withstand pretty much anything, no matter how long the journey.”

She explained how valor, endurance, resilience, and altruistic leadership with a genuine desire to serve others and inspire positive change mark veterans’ contributions to military service and beyond.

“Veterans are change-makers,” Westmoreland said. “This is what we do, what we’ve always done, and what we will continue to do.”

CFC charities share successes

Three charities that are part of the CFC, which supports the philanthropy of federal workers, presented their missions at the event.

• Combat Female Veterans Families United directly confronts the lack of support services to address the unique and multilayered post-deployment obstacles female veterans and their families face when transitioning to life after war.
• Veterans Healing Farm enhances the mental, emotional, and physical well-being of our nation’s veterans and their families through the creation of a safe, peaceful environment that fosters healing and camaraderie through “agritherapy” (organic farming, beekeeping, medicinal herbs), as well as a variety of other therapeutic activities, workshops, and live events.
• The Independence Fund is dedicated to serving the Warfighter Community, offering programs and services aimed at fostering the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual independence of our service members, combat veterans, their caregivers, families, and allies who served in combat alongside them.

Fellowship and refreshments followed the event, and the planning committee presented each NIEHS veteran with a Challenge Coin, an American military tradition used to recognize excellence.