Celebrating Veterans Day 2022 at Baylor College of Medicine

In Texas alone, there are 1.6 million veterans.

The largest number of living veterans statewide fought in the Gulf War in the early 1990s. More than 450,000 veterans who fought in Vietnam are from Texas, as well as 71,000 people who fought in the Korean conflict, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

Statewide, there are 1.4 million male veterans compared to 192,000 veterans who identify as female.

Many veterans walk the hallways of Baylor College of Medicine and its affiliates in the Texas Medical Center and San Antonio. Watch the video for recognizable faces or peruse the list below.

Dr. James Hill, professor and chief of obstetrics & gynecology, at The Children’s Hospital of San Antonio, served for 29 years in the U.S. Army reaching the rank of colonel.
Nicole Herrick is an instructor and PA in the pediatric orthopedic surgery department at The Children’s Hospital of San Antonio. She was a U.S. Navy lieutenant serving as a physician assistant as part of the global war on terrorism from 2010-2014.
Dr. David Graham, professor of molecular virology and microbiology, served as a captain in the U.S. Army medical corps from 1967-1969, spending one year in Vietnam and another year at the Manned Spacecraft Center at NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston.
Dr. Kathryn Kanzler, associate professor of medicine – health services research, served in the U.S. Air Force from 2006-2015, reaching the rank of major.
Alejandro L. Briceno, senior manager business operations in the Office of Research, served in the U.S. Army from 2001-2013 as staff sergeant. He is shown with counterparts from the Iraqi Air Force at Taji Airbase in Taji, Iraq.
Melanie Hodges, nurse practitioner with Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Group  – Conroe, served in the U.S. Navy from 1993-1997. She is shown in her boot camp portrait.
Dr. Thomas J. Parr, assistant professor with Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Group, served in the U.S. Army from 1967-1987. He retired as colonel, but was called back from retirement in 1991 during Operation Desert Storm. He is pictured after graduating medical school in 1975.
Jingzi Yang, financial analyst in the Office of Research, served in the U.S. Army from 2016-2017 as a specialist.
Michael A. Aguilar, senior manager of IT applications, is shown in his 2007 retirement from the U.S. Navy after 20 years of service. He began his career at Baylor two days after retirement from the military.
Dr. Tim Porea, associate professor of pediatrics, served in the U.S. Navy from 1992-2014 earning the rank of captain.
Dr. Scott D. McLean, clinical geneticist with The Children’s Hospital of San Antonio, is shown here in Taji, Iraq, in 2004. He served three years in the U.S. Air Force and 23 years in the U.S. Army earning the rank of colonel. He retired in 2008 as lieutenant colonel.
Brandi M. Runnels, instructor and physician assistant in the Department of Pediatrics, served as captain in the U.S. Army starting in 2016. She is currently active in the Louisiana Army National Guard.
Dr. David Hilmers, professor of medicine, served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1971-1992, retiring at the rank of colonel. During his military career, he flew four space shuttle missions as an astronaut for NASA.
Dr. Christina Kinate, assistant professor of ophthalmology, served in the U.S. Marine Corps, reaching the rank of sergeant. She is shown during her years of service from 2006-2011.
Claire Warner, physician assistant with the Department of Family & Community Medicine, was a member of the U.S. National Guard. She served for six years as staff sergeant.
Michael Jochum is a postdoctoral research associate in the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology. He served in the U.S. Army for 10 years as a first lieutenant in the Medical Service Corps.
Robert Jensen, a coordinator in transportation and mail services in the Department of Medicine, served in the U.S. Navy from 1988-1992. He was a gunner’s mate during that time and served in Operation Desert Storm.
Dr. Susan Blaney, professor of pediatrics and division chief of pediatrics – hematology and oncology, served in the U.S. Army from 1984-1994 and reached the rank of major.
Jonathan Pickett is a graduate student in the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. He served in the U.S. Army for eight years, reaching the rank of sergeant.
Dr. Michael Larkin, a resident in the Department of Neurosurgery, has served in U.S. Army Medical Corps since 2013, reaching the rank of captain. He is currently in the U.S. Army Reserves.