On Nov. 11, Keck Medicine of USC celebrated Veterans Day with three events organized by the Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion.

At Keck Medical Center, some 40 veterans and medical center leaders gathered together for a catered lunch. Veterans shared stories of their service, including Keck Medicine CEO Rod Hanners and medical center CEO Marty Sargeant, MBA. Hanners served as a naval officer in the United States Submarine Force while Sargeant is a former F15 fighter pilot in the Air Force.

During the event, Hanners spoke to the audience, relating how healthcare is a natural fit for veterans.

“To be a successful service member, one needs to be selfless and strong; a leader as well as a follower; and ready to take action in the blink of an eye,” he said. “Just as the citizens of this country are the beneficiaries of military sacrifice, so too are our patients the beneficiaries of the knowledge and experience our veterans bring to this organization. “

USC Arcadia Hospital and USC Verdugo Hills Hospital each hosted a breakfast event for veterans.

Attendees at USC-AH included Anna Terrazas, an ER registration patient access lead, who served in the Navy, stationed on a NATO Base in Keflavik, Iceland. Terrazas shared that at least two people in her family have served in the Armed Forces in every generation since the Civil War.

Frederick Silver, a biomed supervisor, was one of the veterans attending the USC-VHH breakfast. While serving in the Navy during the 90’s, he received a Southeast Asia service medal with one bronze star, a national defense service medal, and the sea service deployment ribbon.

“Keck Medicine is proud and appreciative of our veterans,” said Shannon Bradley, MBA, Keck Medicine’s chief health equity, diversity and inclusion officer. “They bring exceptional experience and skills to their roles, and this year, our talent acquisition strategy has placed a strong emphasis on recruiting veterans. Their unique backgrounds and capabilities are a valuable asset to our organization, and we’re committed to tapping into this talent pool as part of our core hiring strategy for the fiscal year.”

— Alison Rainey