No Wrong Door for Those Who Serve

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vL0hAtdaRKY

At the Fire Department Instructors Conference International, commonly known as FDIC International, thousands of firefighters gathered in Indianapolis to train, learn and connect with others who understand what it means to answer the call.

For Ross McKee and Leslie Keiser, that call has taken more than one form. McKee is a 22-year Army veteran, retired major, Indianapolis firefighter and commander of American Legion Post 911. Keiser is a Veteran Service Officer with The American Legion, a chief master sergeant with the Indiana Air National Guard’s 122nd Fighter Wing in Fort Wayne, and a 24-year service member. She also is part of the fire family through her husband, who is both a firefighter and retired military veteran.

Their stories reflect a connection familiar across military service and public safety: Service does not end when the uniform changes. Often, it simply takes a new form.

McKee described the connection between military service and fire service as almost inseparable.

“When I stand ready as a firefighter to answer the call for my community, it was the same as in my military service,” he said. “I stood ready to answer the call whenever my country needed me.”

For many veterans, continued service is a natural next step. The same values that lead someone to serve the nation often carry into careers as firefighters, police officers, first responders, public servants and community leaders. McKee said 20% of firefighters are veterans, making outreach at events such as FDIC International especially meaningful.

It is an opportunity to meet veterans where they are. It also is a reminder that those trained to help others may be carrying burdens of their own.

McKee spoke candidly about the mental health challenges veterans and first responders can face, especially when they are used to being the helper.

“As veterans, we make great firefighters and we do very well in service,” he said. “But we come with luggage, and we have to be able to unpack that.”

That honesty matters. Veterans and first responders often are conditioned to push through, stay strong and care for others first. But strength also includes recognizing when support is needed.

“When you’re always helping other people, sometimes the best thing you have to do is help yourself,” McKee said.

He compared mental health care to seeking treatment for a physical injury. If someone broke a leg on the fireground or during military service, they would seek medical care. Mental and emotional health deserve the same attention.

That is where connection becomes critical. For McKee, The American Legion and its Service Officers have become part of that trusted network. He said the Service Officers he has worked with have been “top quality,” providing guidance, answers and connection for veterans seeking support.

That network matters because veterans should not have to figure everything out alone. Over three days at FDIC International, Service Officers and American Legion representatives had an estimated 50 to 60 in-depth conversations and made more than 250 contacts with veterans, firefighters and members of the public safety community. Those conversations helped connect veterans with resources in Indiana and across the country.

Keiser understands that need from multiple perspectives. She serves in uniform, serves veterans as a Service Officer and is part of the fire family. Her work sits at the intersection of military service, public safety and veteran advocacy.

For her, being at FDIC International was not only about outreach. It was about connection. Keiser said many veterans continue serving in public safety after their military service, and bringing those communities together strengthens both.

“Firefighters have a way of taking care of our own, and we do the same thing as veterans,” Keiser said. “It’s just a bigger family and community that we get to come together, connect and share our shared experiences together.”

As a Veteran Service Officer, Keiser helps veterans and their families navigate the process of pursuing benefits and resources tied to military service. The work is technical, but it also is personal. Keiser said her passion for serving did not stop because she serves in the military or because she is part of the civilian sector. That desire to give back led her to serve as a VSO.

A Service Officer’s work is not just about forms and claims. It is about listening carefully, understanding the language of service, asking the right questions and helping veterans connect the dots between their service, their current needs and the benefits they may have earned.

“What I hope people feel when they come see The American Legion for their service office need is I hope they feel heard, listened to and valued,” Keiser said.

Through grants, donations and member support, the Indiana American Legion Foundation helps ensure Service Officers have the tools, training and resources needed to continue serving veterans across the state. Keiser said Foundation support helps Service Officers file claims and serve as a resource hub for veterans from all walks of life.

“The American Legion Foundation is huge when it comes to the work we get to do as Veteran Service Officers,” she said.

That impact extends beyond one appointment, one claim or one veteran.

“When someone gives to the Foundation, they’re not just giving back, they’re giving out beyond the veteran,” Keiser said. “They’re giving to their family, their children and their local community.”

For veterans, firefighters and first responders who are used to being the helper, the message from McKee and Keiser is clear: They do not have to carry it alone. There is a team ready to walk beside them. There are Service Officers trained to listen, guide and connect the dots. There is no wrong door.

“Please just come ask,” Keiser said. “Don’t self-eliminate. Don’t tell yourself no before you ask the question.”

For those who have spent their lives answering the call, the Indiana American Legion Foundation works to help ensure someone is there to answer theirs.