{"id":7766,"date":"2025-09-26T14:30:00","date_gmt":"2025-09-26T14:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/itsveterans.com\/?p=7766"},"modified":"2025-09-26T14:30:00","modified_gmt":"2025-09-26T14:30:00","slug":"serving-those-who-served","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/itsveterans.com\/?p=7766","title":{"rendered":"Serving those who served"},"content":{"rendered":"

Originally published:<\/strong> 2025-09-26T14:30:00+00:00. Historical source article: benefits, rules, amounts and deadlines may have changed. Check the official source for current information.<\/p>\n

As the transportation and beneficiary travel supervisor at VA Salt Lake City Health Care System<\/a>, Army Veteran and VA employee Theerawong \u201cOdie\u201d Suksutthirot oversees the transportation program that gets Veterans to their health care appointments. That includes emergency ambulance services and travel reimbursements.<\/p>\n

Serving rural Veterans<\/h2>\n

\u201cMany of our Veterans live in rural areas without reliable transportation,\u201d Suksutthirot said. \u201cNot having reliable transportation makes it difficult for them to access medical care.\u201d<\/p>\n

It may be a bus or even a flight for Veterans living far from the facility, or it can provide reliable transportation for those who may not have the means or ability to drive themselves.<\/p>\n

\u201cSalt Lake City VA is a regional transplant facility offering specialized services for organ transplant patients and Veterans, including ophthalmology, cardiology and cancer treatment,\u201d said Suksutthirot. \u201cWe look out for each other like brothers and sisters. It\u2019s not just about doing a job\u2014it\u2019s about caring for those who served.\u201d<\/p>\n

Overcoming barriers to serve<\/h2>\n

Suksutthirot\u2019s commitment to Veterans stems from his experiences in the Army where he learned the importance of camaraderie and service.<\/p>\n

Born in Thailand, he came to the U.S. in 1999 after being adopted by a family member in Toledo, Ohio.<\/p>\n

\u201cI came here as a teenager, and the transition was tough,\u201d Suksutthirot said. \u201cLearning English and adjusting to a completely different culture wasn\u2019t easy. It was a big change, but I found strength in my resilience, and that mindset carried me forward.\u201d<\/p>\n

After high school, Suksutthirot faced financial struggles and joined the Army to pursue his dream of earning a degree.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Army offered to pay for my college education, and I saw it as a way to break free from debt and build a better future,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Lessons from service<\/h2>\n

His service took him to Korea and other parts of the world. He learned the value of teamwork and leadership, which shaped his approach to serving Veterans.<\/p>\n

Suksutthirot\u2019s work at VA is meaningful for him because it was there for him when he left the military.<\/p>\n

\u201cVA saved my life,\u201d he said. \u201cAfter leaving the Army, I didn\u2019t know much about the benefits available to me. I was struggling, I felt isolated and had a hard time finding a job after service, but through VA\u2019s outreach program, I was introduced to resources that helped me stand on my own again. In my culture, we value honor and respect, and when someone helps you selflessly, it\u2019s like they\u2019re looking after you. I want to be part of that organization and give back to those who served.\u201d<\/p>\n

No Veteran left behind<\/h2>\n

Part of the satisfaction Suksutthirot gets from his job is he\u2019s making sure Veterans have access to getting the help they need, whether they live far away, are visually impaired, are elderly or are immobilized due to disease or disability. He\u2019s making sure they make it to their health care appointments.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy dream is the American dream,\u201d he added. \u201cIt\u2019s not just about freedom; it\u2019s about what you can contribute to the country that gave you so much.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n

This article was originally published on the Salt Lake City Health care System site<\/a> and has been edited for style and clarity.\u202f<\/p>\n

\n

Source: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs<\/a>. Its Veterans is an independent publication and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. government.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

One army Veteran serves his Veterans in rural areas by ensuring they get to their appointments on time.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":339,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7766","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-u-s-veterans-news"],"yoast_head":"\nServing those who served - Its Veterans<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"One army Veteran serves his Veterans in rural areas by ensuring they get to their appointments on time.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/itsveterans.com\/?p=7766\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Serving those who served - 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