Hartford HealthCare is committed to recognizing the men and women who serve our country – past and present. On November 11, 2001, Veterans Day, HHC launched a system-wide initiative called “Stars & Stripes for Service.”
Every patient who served our country will receive an American flag or small gift of gratitude on Veterans Day and a thank you card. Since it's important to recognize our veterans beyond just one day, certain locations have adopted the program year-round – including our hospitals.
This initiative began in 2016 when Army National Guard Veteran Bob Samartino, RN, at MidState Medical Center, purchased flags on his own to hand out to veterans. Over the years, other regions have used various methods to salute our veterans. HHC will now standardize this recognition through Stars & Stripes for Service. "It's just truly incredible. What started out as such a simple idea has grown in a way I never could've imagined," said Samartino. “I’ve seen men and women cry when they get a flag. It means a lot to us, to the patient and their families.”
"We all have immense gratitude for those who have served our country. Stars & Stripes for Service is an example of how Hartford HealthCare continues to go above and beyond to make that interaction with our patients a meaningful one. We are so proud of the fact that this program got its start at MidState and has grown in such a meaningful way,” said Janette Edwards, Vice President of Operations for The Hospital of central Connecticut and MidState Medical Center.
Please join HHC as we salute our veterans for their devotion, bravery, and service to our country.