Person of Honor (Veterans Day, Ed.)
Regina B. Jackson, Veterans Service Director for the Town of Chelmsford
Veterans Day is incredibly meaningful to us, because veterans do something we never could. We have so much respect for bravery in all forms, and it’s hard to imagine anything braver than serving our country in this way. In honor of Veteran’s Day, we thought we’d talk with someone who is both a veteran and doing something incredibly honorable for our veterans as well.
Honor Code (HCC): Tell us a little about what you do.
Regina Jackson (RJ): I am the Veterans Service Director for the Town of Chelmsford. I administer a State/Town public assistance program for Veterans and eligible family members. I am the POC (point of contact) for Federal VA claims (compensation & pension), help veterans enroll in VA healthcare, VA education programs, housing grants, appeal denied VA claims, etc. Basically, if you are a veteran in Chelmsford - I can help you access veteran benefits. In Massachusetts, every city/town is supposed to have a Veterans Agent in their community. I have been in this job for 24 years.
HCC: And you are a veteran yourself.
RJ: I served in the Air Force for 61/2 years. I was a captain when I separated. My job was a Missile Combat Crew Commander for Minuteman II missiles at Whitman AFB, Missouri. I was one of those people stationed underground controlling our nukes! Very interesting and stressful job. I learned a lot and met all kinds of folks not like me - it was a real lifelong education. My husband Mike was also in the Air Force. He served for 12 years. We met at Tinker AFB, Oklahoma. His job was a Navigator for AWACS - so he did a lot of travel out of CONUS.
HCC: How do you think about Veterans Day? We sometimes feel overwhelmed by the idea of not knowing what to say, how to do the right thing.
RJ: Pretty much every community has some observance for Veterans Day - which is always on November 11 - regardless of the day it falls on. So in Chelmsford I always plan our Observance for 11/11 at 11:00 - easy to remember and hard to forget! This year it falls on a Monday. It is a day to honor and celebrate Veterans in the community. Recognize that there are thousands of veterans in your city/towns who served in the military and continue to serve their communities in many different ways. Each one has a unique military experience, but the thread that holds all Veterans together is willingness to serve our Country. I think of it like - Veterans Day is the day to honor and thank all Veterans in your Community. Memorial Day is the day we honor and pay respect to all the fallen, all the service members who paid the ultimate sacrifice for our Country.
HCC: What is the right thing to say? There’s no way to repay this sacrifice in our minds.
RJ: Saying “thanks for your service” is always nice - in my opinion. Also, greeting active duty members in uniform with some type of acknowledgment is usually welcome - especially because most are so young and probably far away from their home.
HCC: Can you describe your typical day?
RJ: Every day is different. I have worked with hundreds of different veterans through the years. Each has a different story; some need no help and some are really struggling. I literally have so many stories - the worst is the two veterans I knew who committed suicide. But - I also have many stories of veterans doing wonderful things; being wildly successful and giving back to the community.
HCC: Thank you. We feel honored to talk with you. Hope you have a good weekend.
RJ: I am off to Washington DC tomorrow for the weekend to run in the Marine Corps Marathon. I only run one a year and I do this in honor of three young Chelmsford soldiers who died in service in Iraq/Afghanistan. it will be my 11th. I am slow. But I always finish.