On Friday, November 10, JPS Health Network hosted its annual Veterans Day breakfast. The health network celebrated the more than 250 team members who previously served in the United States Armed Forces and now serve the patients and community of Tarrant County.
Camilla Knobel, JPS Manager, Psychiatric Clinical Services, shared a personal story of her journey in the military.
“The GI Bill afforded me the opportunity to get a BSN and MSN in Nursing,” Knobel said. “The military teaches accountability out of necessity. Veterans are a group who understand and embrace accountability, which is a requirement to take care of each other.”
During the breakfast, JPS had the honor of hosting two remarkable guest speakers: Viet Xuan Luong, a retired United States Army Major General, and Dat Nguyen, a former linebacker for the Dallas Cowboys. They shared their stories and expressed gratitude for all of the JPS veterans in attendance.
Viet Xuan Luong holds the honor of being the first Vietnamese-born US general. He firmly believes bringing the country together should be a significant goal for veterans and defenders of America's honor. He advocates for their assistance in achieving this goal because he says he owes everything to this country.
“My family left Vietnam on one of the last helicopters,” said Luong. “Like many of you, joining the service was my way of giving back.”
Dat Nguyen, the first Vietnamese-American to be drafted in the NFL, was born in an Arkansas refugee center after his family fled the Vietnam War. Despite the odds stacked against him, he persevered and went on to play seven seasons with the Dallas Cowboys. Nguyen is a member of the Texas A&M Athletic Hall of Fame, the Cotton Bowl Hall of Fame, and the Texas Sports Hall of Fame.
“I'm thankful for Veterans because they are the ones that gave me an opportunity to come to America and have a second chance at life,” Nguyen said.
JPS has a diverse workforce made up of over 7,000 team members. The network is honored that so many veterans have chosen to serve our patients and community after years of sacrificing and serving our country.
“JPS values the service and sacrifice of our veterans,” said Dr. Karen Duncan, JPS President and CEO. “Today and every day, we are proud to honor those who served our country, and the JPS veterans who continue to serve our patients and community.”