I do not believe that Mr. Kintz knows the words “that is not my job”. He is always willing to jump in and help whenever a co-worker or a Veteran needs something/anything. Every day Mike helps the nursing assistants feed the Veterans in the CLC and uses that time to talk with our Veterans. When he sits to help feed one Veteran, he engages and spurs conversations with all of the Veterans. One Veteran states that his favorite meals are when Mike is there and simply asks about their day, talks about whatever is on the TV, or what is going on in the unit. Having these conversations are just everyday practice for Mr. Kintz, but that just speaks to his overall dedication to improving the quality of life for our Veterans.

Throughout COVID, the CLC Veterans have been dealing with isolation and these acts of kindness from Mr. Kintz are immeasurable to our Veterans. Sometimes we look for those grand gestures to make a difference, but it is the everyday heroes that make the biggest impact on the lives of our Veterans here in the CLC. Mr. Kintz is one of the quiet heroes that goes above and beyond the requirements of his position with the single goal of making the time spent in the CLC less institutional. Just this nomination will completely embarrass him and he will immediately say “it is what I am here to do”, but that is exactly why Mr. Kintz deserves this recognition.