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Tribute to veterans dedicated at UPMC Susquehanna

By Pat Crossley 4 min read

A majestic eagle sculpture sits atop a pedestal overlooking the seals of the various armed forces on the lawn of UPMC Susquehanna, a visual reminder to veterans of their contribution to this country and to this community.

The dedication of the tribute this week was a celebration. It was a culmination of years of planning, and it was an acknowledgement of the veterans who have served in the military and now serve as employees in the UPMC system and as students at the Pennsylvania College of Technology.

Dedicated to UPMC North Central President Steve Johnson, who had served in the health care system for 38 years and in the military for 17 years, the tribute was a collaborative effort of the college, UPMC Susquehanna, E.P. Henry Heroscaping, Fred Gilmour, chairman of the UPMC Williamsport Arts Committee, and Anthony Visco Architects.

In his remarks to those attending the ceremony, Johnson said, "I am indeed honored and humbled to be a part of this tribute here today."

"In 1994, I completed 17 years as a major in the Pennsylvania Army National Guard and doubled down on my career in health care. This experience gave me a special appreciation for the contributions that veterans who have become our health care employees and partners make to our communities every day," he said.

It was noted that less than 5% of the population in the United States are veterans. More than 1,500 UPMC employees across the system have self-identified as veterans.

"Although small in number, veterans have a larger than life, positive impact on our nation, our commonwealth and our region whether attending our colleges and universities, employed by business and industry, serving as elected officials or volunteering for a nonprofit, military veterans always make things better," Johnson said.

Specifically referring to the cohort of military veterans that have served a health care mission while on active duty, in the reserves or after their discharge, Johnson said, "These men and women demonstrate reliability, courage, commitment, integrity and skill in all they do."

"We don't say, 'We don't know how'; we say, 'We'll figure it out. We don't say, 'It can't be done'; we say, 'We'll make it happen.' We don't say, 'Forget you'; we say, 'Follow me,'" he said.

Johnson described the similarities between soldiers and health care workers and the transformation that happens when their attitudes become focused on service to others.

"Soldiers and health care workers are the good samaritans of the 21st century. We don't ask who is benefiting from our work. We simply do the right things at the right time, in the right place, every day, every time," he said.

"In addition, professional soldiers and health care workers understand what it means to sacrifice. We sacrifice time, from our personal families to provide our nation and our patients with time for their own families. We sacrifice our own personal safety to assure the safety of people we don't even know. And we sacrifice our own personal comforts to provide the best quality of life possible for others," he said.

"So to all those who are veterans, to all those who are related to a veteran, to all those who have loved or cared for a veteran and to all those veterans who are also health care workers, this tribute, this memorial is for you," Johnson said.

Speaking after the ceremony, Johnson said that the work on the tribute had actually begun about two years ago, before announcing his retirement as the president of UPMC North Central Pa. He will officially retire Dec. 31.

"It turned out to be a lot more work, I think, than some of us anticipated, but we really wanted to do this dedication," he said.

"Veterans are such an important part of our community and such an important part of our organization as a health care provider and such an important part of our partner in this project, the Pennsylvania College of Technology -- their role in educating veterans is extraordinary," he said.

Starting at /week.