This episode features an interview with Sue Irons Beachler, West Point class of 1989, and Veterans Service Officer.
Sue received her commission as a Signal Corps officer from West Point in 1989. She is a Desert Shield and Desert Storm veteran and has earned the Bronze Star Medal and Senior Parachutist Badge. Upon completion of company command in Germany, Sue returned to her hometown, Canton, S.D., and has served as the Lincoln County Veterans Service Officer since 2015. Sue has also served as a WPAOG volunteer in various positions supporting Classes, Societies, SIGs, and her Region since 2017.
“It’s our duty to file a claim or to use our VA benefits which we have earned. We raised our right hand to support and defend the Constitution, and in turn we went where we were told to go, we did what we were told to do, and we did all of that. But the handshake that the government gave us was, ‘when you’re all done, we’re going to take care of you’. And so, by taking care of us, those are our VA benefits, which we have earned.”
— Sue Irons Beachler ’89
In this episode, Sue talks about the path to becoming a Veterans Service Officer, her involvement within the WPAOG, and the importance of claiming the VA benefits West Point graduates are entitled to.
Learn more about WPAOG’s Veterans Services program.
Episode Timestamps
(01:52) Sue’s military career
(04:03) Becoming a Veterans Service Officer
(06:44) Getting involved with WPAOG
(13:55) Next steps in the program
(19:46) Final thoughts
(23:00) Spreading the word
Links
“I think the most important reason why we need to, and this is what our program is hoping to do, is to educate graduates and family members. If we can make a difference for one person, if we can save a life by getting somebody that’s struggling access to benefits that will help them, then we’ve made a difference. And so we can do that one encounter at a time, one person, one conversation at a time, and that will spread. And that’s how, again, connecting all of us, the long gray line, so that we can help each other. We can grip hands and do that.”
— Sue Irons Beachler ’89
