Mr. Charles "Terry" Ray has served the veterans here at John J. Pershing Veterans Administration for twenty years. He is not only a great colleague, but he is an excellent nurse serving our Nation's heroes. He is always grateful to each veteran, not only under his care but each veteran under the care of his fellow nursing colleagues.

With each veteran, he is an active listener and is consistently educating the veteran and families under his care, which brings forth a sense of ease and reassurance about the care they are receiving. When and if needed, Terry is always willing to lend a hand or offer advice when challenges arise. Upon one occasion on Terry's early day, I can recall a veteran inquiring if Terry was going to be here tomorrow. I replied, "No, it was his day off". The veteran responded, “I wish I had gotten to shake his hand; he is a good man and always had a smile on his face." 

On a separate occasion, a veteran under my care stated upon heading to the radiology department, "There's Terry, he's a good nurse, took real good care of me last time I was here". As our team advocates for the S.A.I.L. Committee, he assists his other nursing colleagues in staying up to date on critical quality improvement metrics for the successful outcomes of the veterans we serve.

He is a diligent worker who is committed to professionalism while upholding ethical nursing standards. He is a proactive leader for maintaining and encouraging our department's goals, which include our admission/discharge processes and PRN effectiveness, just to name a few. He himself managed to score a one hundred percent for the year 2024, which is not the most difficult task, but does require diligence. Furthermore, as his retirement date is approaching, he will be profoundly missed not only by his colleagues but the veterans he has diligently served.