By: Thomas Cooke
Chairman of the Board
United Spinal Association

It was my honor and privilege to represent the United Spinal Association at a farewell salute to members of the New Jersey National Guard’s 50th Infantry Brigade Combat Team at Fort Dix, New Jersey, on Saturday, June 14.

As a former soldier who went through basic training at Fort Dix 19 years ago I looked forward to my first return to the base in all that time. I loved my time in the Army. Under its challenging instruction I received top-notch training that built my self-esteem and allowed me to develop friendships that only military camaraderie seems able to produce. But I served in the peacetime army. The men and women I went to honor were going to war.

Few things make me prouder as an American than the reverence we have for the men and women of our military. Their discipline, hardship and self-sacrifice are emblematic of the greatest aspects of human nature. In ceremonial display these ideals were personified June 14 by the men and women of the 50th Infantry Brigade Combat Team. Their precision marching, patient attention to the speeches of their commanders and overall sense of fellowship evoked a warm sense of pride from all who were in attendance. From the F-16 flyover to the jump of the National Guard parachute team to the eventual dismissal of the troops, the combination of military exactitude and patriotism on display that day flowed over the field and radiated throughout the stands. For the men and women of the 50th — the unit is nicknamed "The Jersey Blues" — this was no mere act of symbolism. As the ceremony closed and the day’s events turned to family time, with an afternoon picnic and barbecue put on by the Army, one could not help but see a different side of the situation. Broken apart from the unit, tabled with wives and mothers and children, concern for what would take place overseas and the future of loved ones became the overriding theme of the afternoon.

As the Chair of a Veterans Service Organization, it is my responsibility to focus on making sure these men and women get the care they have earned when they return home from their tour of duty in the Middle East. The Veterans Administration can be tough to deal with, and at United Spinal we make sure to give these returning heroes the help they need navigating through the VA’s treacherous waters. While the men and women of The Jersey Blues enjoyed some quiet time with their families that afternoon it was my pleasure to circulate among them, letting them know that when they get back home, we’ll be here to help them. I was glad to be able to give them a place to turn should they ever have future difficulties. No veteran should have to worry about labyrinthine VA regulations when filing for properly-earned benefits. At United Spinal it’s our great pleasure to make sure these veterans get the benefits they deserve. They’re entitled to it.