December 4, 2012 — Parker University recently held its annual celebration of U.S. veterans and active military members. Guest speaker Admiral Patrick Walsh, former Navy aviator and current Parker Board of Trustees member, spoke to members of the Parker Military Association, which consists of student, faculty, and staff veterans.
“Today is important because it gives us the opportunity to recognize a covenant,” he said. “A covenant that is unique to those who serve, the country they serve, and their family and friends. It is an opportunity to experience humble gratitude.”
Walsh said he believes those who commit themselves to public service, be it through the military or healthcare, are the pride and treasure of the nation. He began his military service in 1973 as a carrier-based, single seat naval aviator, and recorded more than 4,700 hours of flight time and 750 carrier landings.
He quickly rose through the ranks and served in consecutive four-star positions for a combined five years. He was a pilot for the Blue Angels, the Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron, and served as chairman for the Department of Leadership, Ethics, and Law at the U.S. Naval Academy.
“Our story is about strength, but it is also about generosity and humanity,” he said.
His extensive tenure in leadership positions include the vice chief of naval operations, the number two officer in the Navy, and the commander of the Pacific Fleet, the largest fleet in the world.
Walsh also received the Distinguished Graduate and Distinguished Alumnus awards from Jesuit College Preparatory School in Dallas, and was presented with an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Dallas. He said Dallas has played an important role in his life.
“The Dallas community ensures that even though we aren’t always home, our families are never alone,” he said.
The Parker Military Association awarded Walsh a coin that featured the chiropractic caduceus on one side and the association’s slogan on the other.
The celebration also featured a military roll call for all Parker University veterans who continue to serve the nation through chiropractic.
Parker also contributes to the mission to serve the nation’s heroes through its VA Clinical Chiropractic Internship, which provides up to 12 interns per year through the North Texas VA Hospital PM&R Spine Department. The chiropractic interns provide much needed service to the veteran population.
Source: Parker University, parker.edu
