photo by Liz Berie
Air Force soldiers walk down Grant Street during Pittsburgh’s 95th Veterans Day Parade on Saturday, November 8.
The discipline Point Park student Ralph Musthaler learned in the U.S. Army during a tour in Iraq carried over to his civilian life.
Paying attention to details helped former veteran Daniel Jack become a better Marine, which instilled in him a sense of country.
Edward Rooney was a wild kid in high school, but his life changed when he joined the U.S. Navy and found himself controlling a helicopter and learning the value of responsibility.
In the spirit of holiday John Dicianno, Point Park alum, explains what the term veteran means and how it developed.
These Pittsburgh natives who served their country reflect on life before and after their decisions to serve and how those decisions ultimately changed their lives and perspective on Veterans Day.
“I’m grateful that I live in a country that respects its veterans and people who’ve served in the military,” Musthaler said.
Seeking a sense of direction, Jack joined the Marines out of high school.
“The biggest adjustment I had to make when I joined the Marines was probably how much attention I paid to detail,” Jack said. “It might seem overkill, but these basic areas of focus train you to be more thorough when more important tasks are asked of you later on.”
Jack’s experience taught him many lessons, among those, sense of honor and appreciation to those who are serving and have served before him. Jack shared his newfound perspective on Veterans Day.
“To me, the holiday is about enjoying good company, appreciating what you have and appreciating veterans in whatever manner seems appropriate to the individual,” Jack said.
Musthaler chose to enlist in the army in order to pay for his college education. He would later find that the service would aid his post-army life.
“[In the army I gained] self-motivation and discipline,” Musthaler said. “[I learned to] be able get the job done if I’m tasked with anything. I’m going to do it right. I think I have a greater sense of duty after being in the army, and that has carried over into my professional life.”
Musthaler does not forget the experiences he had while in Iraq. He learned to adjust and react no matter the situation. These experiences also lead Musthaler to adopt a new understanding of Veterans Day. It went from just another day to one where he can hold his head up high and be proud of his time served.
“The meaning of the holiday has definitely changed for me; it’s more personal. I have people thanking me,” Musthaler said.
Dicianno had a unique reason for joining the army.
“I had always been interested in knowing if I could handle it. I knew that if I had never joined and known for sure that I had what it takes, I would’ve always wondered,” he said.
Dicianno was an assistant manager at a restaurant prior to joining. He admits that it was a difficult adjustment, but one that gave him a new viewpoint.
“To me, the word “veteran” means that an individual was able to stand at a crossroads, recognize that they were passing up the easy way out and knowingly taking the hard road, the uncertain road and that he/she would be tested,” Dicianno said.
Dicianno now helps those coming back from serving adjust back to civilian life.
“I had exposure to a non-military life from 18-24 years old so I already had a good idea of what to expect but things are still different. It was difficult for a while,” Dicianno said. “Now, I work for the Veterans Leadership Program of Western Pennsylvania, where I help other veterans make this transition and find employment.”
Like Musthaler, Rooney’s lessons learned carried on into his everyday life.
“Believe me, there I am a 20- year-old kid responsible for a million dollar helicopter and anywhere from three to 18 lives on board,” Rooney said.
He still keeps up with some of his military buddies to this day. Each November 11th he proudly wears his Navy veteran’s hat to honor those he served with and everyone previously and currently in the armed forces.
“It’s not just a day off,” he said. “I feel really good when I wear my hat, and I’m walking in the store and someone comes up and says, ‘Thank you very much.’ You don’t know how that makes you feel.”
