Watch the slideshow featuring Penn State Health employees who have served in the military.
Click on the image below to view the photos on Flickr.
Vets Indexes Recognized Employer 2023
VETS Indexes has named Penn State Health a 2023 VETS Indexes Recognized Employer. The award recognizes the health system’s commitment to recruiting, hiring, retaining, developing and supporting veterans and the military-connected community.
Virtual Memorial Day Service Scheduled for May 25
A virtual Memorial Day observance will take place on Thursday, May 25, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. hosted by the Office for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and the Military and Veteran Business Employee Resource Group
Free coffee and donuts for Penn State Health and College of Medicine military and veteran workforce
On Thursday, May 25, the Office for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and the Military and Veteran Business Employee Resource Group will offer free donuts and coffee from 8 to 10 a.m. at all hospital cafeterias.
Penn State Health Military and Veterans Business Employee Resource Group
Penn State Health’s regional military and veterans business and employee resource groups are dedicated to recognizing, supporting and advocating for the rights and needs of military and veteran employees and patients. These groups also support workplace equity, promote staff development for employees and advance the delivery of high-quality and culturally sensitive care to the military and veteran populations.
To join the Penn State Health Military and Veterans Business Employee Resource Group, complete this short survey.
To order the Military and Veterans Business Employee Resource Group flyer, visit the digital StoreFront.
Fallen Comrade tables on display May 23 to May 30, 2023, at all Penn State Health cafeteria locations and Crystal A
A Fallen Comrade Table, also known as the Missing Man Table, is set up annually in the cafeterias at Penn State Health hospital locations during Memorial Day week. The table is reserved to honor our fallen comrades in arms and symbolizes that they are here with us in spirit.
We should never forget the brave men and women who answered our nation’s call and served the cause of freedom. We are ever mindful that the sweetness of enduring peace has always been tainted by the bitterness of personal sacrifice. We are compelled to never forget that, while we enjoy our daily pleasures, there are others who have endured the agonies of pain, deprivation and death.
The meaning of the items on this special table:
- The tablecloth is white to symbolize the purity of their motives when answering the call to duty.
- The single red rose, displayed in a vase, reminds us of the life of each of our fallen comrades and the loved ones and friends of these comrades who keep the faith.
- The vase is tied with a red ribbon as a symbol of our continued determination to remember our fallen comrades.
- A slice of lemon on the bread plate reminds us of the bitter fate of those who will never return.
- A pinch of salt symbolizes the tears endured by the families of those who have sacrificed all.
- The Bible represents the strength gained through faith to sustain those lost from our country.
- The glass is inverted; the fallen cannot toast with us at this time.
- The chair is empty because those honored are no longer with us.
Let us always remember our brave service members – and never forget their sacrifices.
May they and their families ever be watched over and protected.
Flags of Honor expanded to include all Penn State Health Medical Centers
At Penn State Health, we proudly acknowledge the servicemen and women of the United States Armed Forces who have defended our freedoms and given the ultimate sacrifice for those freedoms. We invite you to pay tribute to your friends, colleagues and/or family members who have served or are currently serving in the military by participating in our Flags of Honor program.
For each person you honor or memorialize, a small U.S. flag will be displayed from Memorial Day until mid-July in front of the main entrance of your designated Penn State Health entity. An acknowledgement is also sent to the person you are honoring, or to their family, informing them of your tribute.
Penn State Health explores life after service for military veterans
Penn State Health values the contributions of military and veteran employees and strives to understand how best to support them when military service ends. The Penn State Health Office for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion reached out to veteran employees for their perspectives on life after military service.
Penn State Health hosts Insights into Identities program on military families on May 18
Learn about the needs of military veterans, their families and spouses on Thursday, May 18 from noon to1 p.m. The conversation will discuss different types of resources for veterans and their families and how to support those in the military or after their service.
The Crescent will be illuminated in honor of Memorial Day
On Monday, May 29, the Crescent of Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center and Penn State College of Medicine will be illuminated red, white and blue in honor of Memorial Day.
Veterans to Veterans Program to Launch in August 2023
The Veteran to Veteran program provides the opportunity for a veteran patient at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center or their family member to receive a visit from a veteran employee of Penn State Health or Penn State College of Medicine. The initiative aims to provide comradery to patients who have military service backgrounds to improve care and create an avenue of communication between our employee veteran population and veteran inpatients and their families. For more information, email [email protected].
National Wreaths Across America Day
National Wreaths Across America Day is a time to remember, honor and educate through wreath-laying ceremonies at Arlington National Cemetery and more than 2,800 locations in all 50 states, at sea and abroad. In 2023, the event will be held on Saturday, Dec. 16.
How can I participate in National Wreaths Across America Day?
All veteran wreaths are community funded. The goal is to place a wreath for every veteran nationwide but, most specifically, at a local cemetery. Please consider sponsoring veteran wreaths that will be placed on the graves of our nation's heroes at Indiantown Gap National Cemetery by visiting the Wreaths Across America website. If you would like to volunteer at the wreath-laying ceremony on Dec. 16, 2023, or assist in saying veteran names aloud and thanking them for their service, you can register as a volunteer by clicking here and selecting the red VOLUNTEER button.
What should I expect as a volunteer on National Wreaths Across America Day?
As a volunteer, you will join tens of thousands across the nation in placing wreaths on the markers of our fallen heroes. As you place each wreath, you will say the veteran’s name to ensure that person’s legacy of duty, service and sacrifice is never forgotten.