Navy Veteran Chuck Robinson Talks About Tradition, Service and Trust

Navy Veteran Talks About Tradition, Service and Trust

Chuck Robinson joined the United States Navy in 2004. It was important to him to continue his family’s military legacy. A member of his family has served the nation dating back to 1775 with the formation of the Continental Navy during the Revolutionary War. After five deployments to almost everywhere in the Northern Hemisphere, Chief Petty Officer Robinson retired from the military fourteen years later in 2017. But his desire to help and serve others didn’t end with his active-duty status.

It was only one-week after leaving the Navy that Robinson met another veteran recruiting for the hearing healthcare industry. Today, Robinson is the human resource manager at Miracle-Ear Midwest, but he started out as a hearing healthcare professional (HCP) at a Miracle-Ear store location.

Robinson said as an HCP he dealt with other veteran’s nearly every day. Recognizing other veteran’s may be as simple as noticing the way a person carries themselves or how they speak. A personal connection and a certain level of trust between veteran’s can be almost instantaneous.

“It does not matter what branch of the military you were in or what time period you served,” Robinson said. “We all share similar experiences in some way, and we bond through those similar experiences.”

One of Robinson’s first clients was a Marine Corps veteran. The Marine was initially skeptical about receiving services for his hearing loss, but that doubt did not last long. They recognized each other as former military and the bond between the fellow veterans grew to a friendship still going strong.

“Right off the bat we hit it off and had a personal connection that wasn’t just about his hearing health, it was about everything,” Robinson said.

The Marine would swing by the store to visit and would bring lotto tickets, candy, and even a sympathy card when Robinson’s dog past-away. Robinson still has that card hanging on his filling cabinet to this day.

Speaking on the meaning of Veteran’s Day, Robinson said it is for the recognition of those who have served the nation and returned home safely. However, many people don’t understand the difference between Veteran’s Day and Memorial Day.

“Memorial Day is for our brothers and sisters that didn’t get to come home. So, both of those days can be bittersweet,” Robinson said. “For a lot of us we celebrate those who served our country, but it can also be a painful memory of the ones who aren’t there with us.”

Robinson also said it is important to recognize military service and highlight our veterans to the youth of America. We need people who can carry on that tradition of service.

“I think for veteran’s specifically, Veteran’s Day is a time to reflect and think about the places we’ve been and what we’ve accomplished,” said Robinson. “Not necessarily the painful parts, but just the accomplishments in service for our country.”

If you are a veteran or know a veteran that may need support or just someone to talk with, please call the VA Veterans Crisis Line at 800-273-8255 and press 1 or visit veteranscrisisline.net for additional resources, including text and online chat options.