Until They Came Through the Door: One Man's Mission to Ensure No Veteran Feels Alone

From quadrupling donations to assisting in replacing aging support systems, he's on a mission to enhance the healthcare experience for Veterans.

For Ingram, who retired from the Air Force in 2022 after 31 years of service, it's about much more than logistics – it's about showing gratitude to those who have sacrificed for their country.

"Our Veterans need to know that there's a place that they can go to get not only great health care, but also know that what they sacrificed mattered," Ingram said. "Being able to give back to them and making sure that their health care experience was positive has been very rewarding."

Ingram's call to serve began in 1991 when he enlisted in the U.S Air Force. He spent his first nine years in aerospace physiology, a medical field focused on training aircrew to overcome flight challenges. In 2000, he earned his commission and transitioned into force support, a role he likens to his current position at the VA.

"We (took) care of all the things that help people be more effective in their duty," Ingram said about his Air Force responsibilities that ranged from childcare and education to fitness centers and dining facilities. 

Now, Ingram is applying the skills he learned and the commitment he developed to support Veterans.

According to those he works with, Ingram has hit the ground running.

"We feel fortunate Mr. Ingram chose to work at VA Nebraska Western Iowa after his distinguished military career," said Lori Jenson, VA NWIHCS Patient Experience Officer. "His energy and passion for serving Veterans and leading our CDCE programs is palpable every day."

In just four months, Ingram and his team have raised over $75,000 – more than they had in the previous year. They've quadrupled the in-kind and cash donations and partnered with the Veterans Affairs Voluntary Service (VAVS) to replace aging laundry equipment at Omaha’s Veterans Community Resource and Referral Center.

Ingram said the most meaningful moments for him are the personal interactions he has daily with Veterans. For example, when a frail patient recently came to the information desk at the Omaha VA Medical Center, he could not provide his name and the last four digits of his social security number. That didn’t matter, though, as the team of Volunteers who staff the desk immediately helped the Veteran get to his appointment.

"Until they came through the door, they were alone," Ingram said. "But once they got to the information desk, we joined them on their journey until they departed. Those are the experiences that hit the hardest."

The same feelings occurred during a recent volunteer appreciation luncheon in Lincoln where members of the Lincoln and CDCE leadership team honored a volunteer who had passed away the previous year. When a plaque was presented to the volunteer's widow, she burst into tears.

"Those are the kind of moments that you just don't get anywhere else," Ingram said. "It's about saying thank you to our Veterans, but also giving them a chance to be remembered and just continue on their legacy."

Ingram sees his role as the "ultimate cheerleader" for his staff, ensuring they have the resources and support needed to impact the Veterans they serve positively. "I want when they walk through the door, they love every bit of what we do because of the interaction that they have with our patients, our Veteran patients. They only get one second to make a good first impression," he said.

One way Ingram and his team are trying to brighten Veterans' days is through a new cookie program. Volunteers hand out freshly baked Otis Spunkmeyer cookies in the outpatient area. He recounted how one patient, who had just been diagnosed with breast cancer, opened up to him over a warm cookie.

"Given that opportunity to just sit and listen and be somebody that could be compassionate was so heartwarming… because she just needed somebody to talk to," Ingram said. He encouraged the woman to consider volunteering herself once she completed her cancer treatment.

Ingram finds these "wins"—the moments when they can connect people, resources, and veterans—most fulfilling, such as when his team secured a $700 donation to purchase a PlayStation 5 for the Papillion Veterans Community Living Center to help improve residents' quality of life. Or the time they received a donation of half a million dollars' worth of Boy Scout popcorn—over 19,000 bags—and were able to distribute 80 percent in a single day.

"Those are the most exciting moments," Ingram said. "When we can connect people, resources, and our Veterans."

That doesn’t mean there aren’t challenges, though. Chief among them is the need to engage younger generations in volunteering. Many of the VA's current volunteers come from older generations.

"We, unfortunately, are losing that generation as time passes," he said. "Being able to encourage younger, newer generations to join us and finding ways to incorporate them is a challenge that we have not only here, but country wide."

Ingram hopes that more people will be inspired to give back by raising awareness of the diverse volunteer opportunities available—from driving shuttles to leading karaoke and video game tournaments.

"Folks looking for opportunities to volunteer and be a part of something they can be proud of can join us here at the VA," he said.

It's a mission that Ingram understands well. His call to serve led him from Texas, where he spent his first 15 years in the Air Force, to New Jersey, where he helped set up a refugee camp for 15,000 Afghan allies almost overnight as part of Operation Allies Welcome.

Now, he's bringing that same can-do spirit to his work at the VA, and he couldn't be more impressed by the dedication of his colleagues.

"I have been overwhelmed by how warm of a reception I have received since the day I joined," Ingram said. "It's been an honor and privilege to join such a great group of individuals who can take care of our Veterans."

(NOTE: When it comes to providing outstanding care to Veterans, it takes a team of highly trained and deeply committed VA specialists to ensure VA Nebraska-Western Iowa Health Care System’s mission is accomplished. Often, these VA employees work tirelessly behind the scenes with little notoriety or fanfare. However, the work that these men and women do to ensure that Veterans receive the care they have earned and deserve is extremely important to the overall success of VA NWIHCS’ operations.  In this ongoing feature series, we will spotlight some of the many people who make our operations possible.)