Working for vets
A real public servant on the job
The term “public servant” hasn’t aged well. It’s hardly a secret that confidence in public institutions has crumbled over recent decades.
But there really are some people in the employ of the government who believe in something greater than their own job security or advancement, who look out for the interests of those they represent, who feel an obligation to make good to the taxpayers.
Since 2015, Anita Deason has been Sen. John Boozman’s military and veteran affairs liaison. Before that, she served 33 years in the National Guard, reaching the rank of colonel.
When I was a Navy enlisted kid, I imagined officers of that rank dwelling among the Greek and Roman gods. It never occurred to me that I could ever have a casual chat with someone so lofty.
But if Anita’s military rank is lofty, she’s also down-to-earth. She’s lowkey, and also a force. She’s good-natured—and tough. She’s kind, but I wouldn’t cross her. I attach to her that best of descriptions: trustworthy. She is a real public servant.
I met Anita several years ago in Fayetteville. We were on a panel discussing Ken Burns’ documentary about the Vietnam War. Afterwards, I invited her to speak at an event at John Brown University. She accepted. Soon after, I invited her back for another event to be broadcast on C-SPAN. She accepted that, too.
Probably any ambitious person would have accepted these invitations. Perhaps 150 people attended the first event. With the 300 or so at the second one, there was also C-SPAN’s national audience. These were public exposure opportunities.
The more important story is found in the other places I bumped into her. There was the time she drove a few hours to speak for 10 minutes to a small group of veterans at a local VFW post. At another small event, she didn’t speak at all. Her presence was the message.
The message was that she cared. Ken Buchanan, a Vietnam veteran who lives in Dover, remembers listening as Anita interviewed Cecil Blair, a World War II veteran living in Witts Springs. Ken remembers Anita encouraging Mr. Blair to “open up and share of his service to our country.” His family heard things they had never heard before.
Derl Horn, a Vietnam veteran living in Springdale, describes Anita as a “true advocate for veterans, seeking to meet needs whenever possible.”
Iasked Anita what the best thing has been about her work as Senator Boozman’s military liaison. She said, “The opportunity to meet so many wonderful Arkansas veterans, service members, and their families.”
I asked what the hardest thing has been. She said, “Realizing that we still have a long way to go in connecting the right resources and services to those in need of those resources and services.” She says there’s a lot of “miscommunication, misinformation, misconception and misunderstanding.”
I asked what she would say if I could put her in front of a stadium full of Arkansan combat veterans. Through the several things she listed ran a thread of connection.
She would encourage veterans to connect to businesses and nonprofits that reach out to veterans; to the Veterans Administration; to the Library of Congress’ Veterans History Project; to veterans’ organizations like the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Military Order of the Purple Heart, and others.
“My admiration for our combat veterans goes beyond thankfulness and gratitude,” she said. “It’s more reverential respect.”
My most recent interaction with Anita came in mid-September at the interment of the remains of Henry Donald Mitchell of Harmon. He was a WWII fighter pilot listed as missing in action until a few months ago. Among her many projects has been working with others in government to bring the remains of missing Arkansans home.
The word these days is that Col. Anita Deason is moving toward retirement. She will be much missed.
Memo to Colonel Deason: You have helped and encouraged many people. You are deeply and widely appreciated. Thank you.
Preston Jones lives in Siloam Springs and oversees the website “War & Life: Discussions with Veterans” (warandlifediscussions.weebly.com). Contact him at pjones@jbu.edu.