"Caregiving is about making someone's life easier," said USO Warrior and Family Center Director Pam Horton and a local caregiver at Naval Support Activity Bethesda (NSAB). "A lot of the [service members] are going through difficult times for a whole host of different reasons. It's about being able to try and make a difference in their lives, lifting their spirits a little bit and being a morale booster.
For the many patients, patrons and guests who have had an experience with a caregiver, this sentiment bears honest and true words.
To give these caregivers the acknowledgement they deserve, the Warrior Transition Brigade (WTB) held its first Caregiver Appreciation Ceremony Dec. 5 at the USO Warrior and Family Center onboard NSAB, honoring more than 30 recipients.
Brigade Surgeon Col. Gregory Winn, guest speaker for the event, began the ceremony by saying a few words of what caregiving means for the WTB.
"Although exhausted they have become fierce advocates for the care and healing of their soldier," said Winn. "But this is not what bothers them. They are committed to getting their soldier through the fight, no failed mission, but struggle with the guilty thoughts of the soldier's time not spent with their children and other family. Doing both is physically not possible, but somehow they put those thoughts away and continue to drive on, even when there seems to be no light at the end of the tunnel. As time goes on, our caregivers sacrifice everything to ensure their soldier receives the best care possible. They don't do it for recognition or notoriety; they do it out of love and commitment for their soldier. They would do it regardless of the circumstance. If you talk with a caregiver, they will always shy out of the light and put the attention back on the soldier. Truthfully, what our caregivers do is amazing. To simplify, the Warrior Transition Brigade would fail its mission if it were not for our heroic caregivers, they are our safety net. We may see a soldier a few hours a day, but they spend 24/7 with that soldier. We have numerous examples of our caregivers who save lives after hours. If you ask a cadre member of the WTB to describe what he thinks a caregiver is, he will say heroic, brave, strong, proud, reliable, selfless, giving, enduring, resilient, energetic, patient, compassionate and simply amazing."
For the caregivers, being such means more than simply providing attention to the soldier in need. It's a privilege and an honor to be able to let the service members know that people still care for and recognize the sacrifices they are making and to help make a difference for them, said Horton.
"Whatever the service member needs, we try to get that for them," said Ted Nettles better known as "Papa Bear" of the Patriot Guard Organization and fellow recipient of recognition. "We keep doing what we do for the service members because seeing what a wonderful country we live in, and how wonderful the men and women who serve this country are, is the reason we are alive and can breathe the nice air. To see the smile on their faces makes it all complete."
"For me it's about being able to see a change and that you are making a real difference," said Horton. "To see somebody smile when they come to me and say 'hey, I'm having a better day now,' and noticing that you are really making a change. It doesn't have to be something big all the time. Sometimes it's the little things that make the difference, like remembering someone's name, asking them if they are doing okay or telling them happy birthday."
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