If you didn’t know better, you might think that the Dayton VA Medical Center workforce is loaded with retired military personnel. In fact, only about 25 percent come from the military. The rest are life-long civilians who are passionate about serving our veterans.

One example is Shirley Miller-Ward, RN, nurse manager for the VA Medical Center’s dialysis unit. Miller-Ward, a Greenville native who has worked at the medical center for 17 years, was strongly influenced by a favorite uncle who served during World War II.

“When I was considering nursing school, he encouraged me to apply for a VA scholarship, which I ended up receiving,” Miller-Ward explains. “After graduation, I started out at the Dayton VA nursing home, and that meant working with older veterans. Hearing their stories, especially from the prisoners of war, really helped me understand that these men weren’t just doing a job — they were putting their lives on the line so we could enjoy freedom.

“Veterans definitely have a special place in my heart.”

Maritha Trass, a certified physician assistant and the women veteran program manager for the VA Medical Center, is “military by marriage.” After her husband retired from the Navy and the couple decided to relocate to Dayton, Trass got a job at the medical center. That was almost 16 years ago, and she’s hooked.

“The VA is a wonderful place to work,” she explains. “There is a real interconnectedness among the staff, and we are empowered to help veterans get their needs met. Right now, we’re building a 17,000-square-foot outpatient facility, which will include a comprehensive women’s center. This expansion demonstrates to our veterans that we care about them, and they appreciate that. Exciting things are happening here, and it makes you want to come to work every day.”