Though Pat Hammon has always viewed herself as a pacifist, disapproving of war’s violence—her father, a WWII paratrooper, was the sole survivor of his platoon in the Battle of the Bulge—her path took an unexpected turn. At the end of her sophomore year at Yale New Haven Hospital School of Nursing, an Army recruiter’s visit, combined with encouragement from her friends, led her to listen to the Army’s offer. The promise of travel, tuition coverage, and a monthly salary swayed her, and so she enlisted.  

Her first encounter with both war and anti-war sentiment came while working at Presidio Army Hospital in San Francisco. She recalls how their daily bus to work was regularly met by protesters who threw flowers and chanted anti-war slogans as she arrived to care for a steady influx of injured soldiers.

In 1968, Pat was assigned to an Army hospital in Vietnam specializing in spinal and brain injuries. The facility, equipped with 428 beds and eight operating rooms, operated almost around the clock. “Even with my experience in emergency rooms in Harlem and New Haven during riots, nothing truly prepares you for war,” Pat explains. “Helicopters were constantly coming and going, and the workload was grueling. We sometimes worked days straight, catching brief naps in the corners before jumping back into the fray.”

Pat's service in Vietnam lasted 365½ days—she points out that many veterans can recount their time almost to the hour— a period marked by intense physical and emotional challenges. She drew strength from the camaraderie and friendships she formed at the hospital, lessons she continues to apply in her life and during tough times. “There’s a profound sense of family when you're far from home, scared, overworked, and witnessing horrific scenes. You lean on each other for support,” Pat reflects. The military provided me with a support network and a family. Dealing with my own PTSD, like many veterans, having that network years later has been invaluable.”

Upon returning from Vietnam in 1969, Pat left the Army and found solace in volunteering to aid fellow veterans, which helped her heal from her wartime experiences. She notes that the Vietnam War's divisive nature made it harder for veterans to openly discuss their experiences—an essential part of addressing post-traumatic stress disorder. Instead of receiving public gratitude, many veterans were met with hostility and scorn.

Pat remembers that while in uniform on her way home from Vietnam, she faced verbal abuse and even had someone spit on her at the airport. “It was incredibly painful to be blamed for the decisions made by those in Washington,” Pat says. “For years after returning, we avoided mentioning our service in Vietnam service to steer clear of uncomfortable conversations.”

Today, Pat serves as the Eagle County Veterans Service Officer, where she connects veterans and their families with resources, supports disability and other claims, fosters community engagement through local events, works energetically with the local VFW, and advocates for legislative support, thereby constantly confirming her commitment to the veteran community she values so deeply.