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1,500 people .
It has also shifted the way some view the community ’ s economy . Growing up a Tilton resident , Harper noticed when General Motors closed its doors in the 1990s , eliminating more than 1,000 jobs . “ It seemed like everybody in Tilton worked at General Motors , and then when
General Motors left , you could really see the community change , which was unfortunate ,” Harper said . “ I think the VA has been something that ’ s always been constant . You get a job at the VA and you ’ re pretty sure you ’ re going to be able to retire from here . There are not a lot of other positions that have that type of stability .”
“ You can see the care . People at the VA are very connected ,” said Public Affairs Officer Dori Camacho- Torres . “ Theres a lot of genuine people at the VA .” Camacho-Torres , left , and Josh VanLeer , right , are both military service veterans who now work and receive their health care at VA Illiana Health Care System . Both said they are proud of the work they get to do and enjoy the environment the VA fosters for both employees and veterans .
Seyfert , who has been working at the VA in Danville for more than 10 years , agreed with Harper about the VA ’ s job stability . He began as a student worker , moved to housekeeping , then to Emergency Medical Services where he served as the chief of that service before he decided to take a break from supervisory duties . Now he serves as the health system specialist to the associate director , a job he described as “ providing support to the providers .”
“ Our whole job is to ensure providers get to give the best care to veterans ,” Seyfert said .
VanLeer also moved around as a VA employee . He started in an entry level logistics position before moving up in the ranks to serve as deputy chief of supply chain management .
His mother worked as a nurse for more than 35 years at the VA , so he sort of grew up on the VA campus . Joining the staff seemed like a natural fit for him after his military service .
“ When I got out ( of the service ), the VA ’ s mission really spoke to me ,” VanLeer said . “ I started getting my care here , and that really made me want to get a job here and do my part to serve the veterans .”
Though most of his work is done behind the scenes , he knows that his job is important in ensuring that veterans get the care they need and deserve .
“ If they know that we exist , it ’ s usually because there ’ s a problem ,” VanLeer said of the supply chain department . “ The objective is to avoid that .”
Hackerd has been at the VA for about 20 years , and like VanLeer , she is more behind the scenes in her role now , but her past front line experience as a nurse and clinical care leader gave her the opportunity to interact and build relationships with the veterans she cared for .
“ A lot of veterans didn ’ t have families , so you were their family and you got to hear their stories ,” Hackerd said . “ I think we ’ re a close-knit community . We truly know our veterans and we ’ re willing to help them out no matter where they ’ re at .”
Camacho-Torres feels the same way about the sense of community within the VA . Though she is fairly new to VA Illiana ,
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