11/11/2025
🌟 Honoring Our Veterans 🌟
This Veterans Day, Pershing Health System salutes all who served and the veterans who enrich our PHS family every day. 🇺🇸💙
Today, we honor five members of our PHS family:
🎖️ Nicky Elliott – Laboratory, Phlebotomist
Combat Medic, U.S. Army Reserves (Dec. 1996 – May 2005)
Caring for fellow soldiers in critical moments, Nicky continues to serve our community with compassion and skill. 🩺 💪
⚓️ Cat Myers – Financial Resources
Operations Specialist, U.S. Coast Guard (2013 – 2019)
Cat led search & rescue missions with courage and focus — now she brings that same dedication to PHS. ❤️💼
⚓️ David Cichocki – Chief Financial Officer
Medical Service Corps Officer, U.S. Navy (2000 – 2006)
David served as Comptroller for Naval Hospitals, supporting military missions with leadership and integrity. He later became a VA hospital CFO — and we’re honored to have his dedication at PHS 💙📊
⚓️ Joe Smith – Chaplain
U.S. Navy (1971 – 1974) — USS Vega AF-59
Joe served as a Radarman and Conning Officer aboard the USS Vega, a Navy supply ship responsible for replenishing other vessels at sea. His ship delivered everything from dry goods to meat — feeding up to 5,000 sailors per ship. The refrigerated/freezer storage areas, called “holes,” kept food safe and ready for transfer. Joe and his shipmates routinely worked 16-hour days, seven days a week to support the fleet. Today, he continues his life of service by supporting PHS staff, patients, and families with compassion and faith. 🙏⚓️
⚓️ Leland Kelley – Auxiliary Volunteer
U.S. Navy (1967 – 1973)
Leland served aboard the USS Kearsarge, an aircraft carrier, where he worked on the flight deck operating catapults that launched aircraft — a critical and high-stakes role. Today, with nearly 5,000 volunteer hours at PHS, he continues to serve with dedication, greeting guests, assisting at the front desk, and supporting Auxiliary projects that benefit our patients and community.
💙To Nicky, Cat, David, Joe & Leland — and to every veteran in our community:
Thank you for your courage, sacrifice, and service.