Platoon of Medics from Fort Bragg Honor VA Patients

Fort Bragg medics connect with veterans at VA Medical Center
Fay Observer
By Sean Neal Staff writer
Sat Feb 8, 2014

Staff photo by Cindy Burnham
Medics visit VA
Retired Army Sgt. Richard Gomez, right, shares a story about jumping from C-130 aircraft with medics from the 1/505th (PIR) Airborne Division's 3rd Brigade Combat Team. Soldiers from that unit visited with veterans at the Fayetteville VA Medical Center Friday Feb. 7, 2014.

Fort Bragg soldiers reached out to their predecessors today, visiting veterans at the Fayetteville Veterans Affairs Medical Center.

And the platoon of medics discovered they had more in common with the veterans than just their uniforms.

"I got to speak with an Army boxer. I used to be a boxing coach myself," said Sgt. 1st Class Christopher Davis. "Being able to have that connection with them. Even though there's a generation gap, there's a lot of similarities."

Davis is a medic from the 3rd Brigade's 1st Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment in the 82nd Airborne Division. Today, he and other soldiers spent time with veterans in the hospital's Community Living Center, which is for patients needing long-term care.

The visit was part of National Support for Veteran Patients Week, which officially begins next week. The soldiers were led from room to room to speak with veterans, gathering to share stories and hand out 3rd Brigade coins.

"Really the main focus is just to remind the community that we have veterans here, and to thank them for their service," said Norma Fraser, the Voluntary Services Chief at the medical center. "The Fayetteville community support is fantastic."
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