Medal of Honor Recipient Shares His Appreciation of Patriot Point

As he toured Patriot Point one recent morning, Medal of Honor Recipient Donald E. “Doc” Ballard immediately recognized the key ingredients that help active-duty and veteran service members recharge during their visit to the Military Bowl Foundation’s 294-acre retreat center among the solitude on Maryland’s Eastern Shore.

 

Ballard was on his second trip to the National Capital Region in just a few weeks. He attended the Army-Navy football game in Baltimore, flew home to Kansas, then returned to attend the Go Bowling Military Bowl in Annapolis. Ballard has attended the game several times since its inception and enjoys showing his support for the Bowl.

 

Ballard stayed in Annapolis for a few extra days and took the opportunity to tour Patriot Point. Everything was well organized and Ballard stressed the importance of having veterans in leadership positions. Patriot Point retreat directors Allen and Robin Richmond served in the U.S. Navy for 32 and 24 years, respectively.

 

“Everybody there was excited to be there and enjoy it while they were involved,” said Ballard, who shared his personal story with guests and told them about the Medal of Honor and its history. “I’m sure it took them out of depression and negative thoughts, surrounded by positive attitude and positive dialogue. One guy said, ‘We can’t talk to anyone else other than fellow veterans, someone who has been there, done that and understands us.”

 

Ballard’s visit resonated with the other guests in attendance during his visit, including U.S. Marine Corps veteran Todd Alexander.

 

“Watching my 16-year-old son listen to Doc Ballard talk was my favorite moment of the trip,” Alexander said.

 

Whether it was sitting in the Main House at Patriot Point, going for a walk along the beach or participating in an activity such as fishing, hunting or watersports, Ballard pictured Patriot Point as a place where guests “were allowed to be themselves without worrying about criticism or judgment.”

 

“We’re all in the same boat, it’s just that some of us did better than others on handling the boat,” said Ballard, who was presented the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions during the Vietnam War, when he threw himself on a grenade to protect injured soldiers. “All of us have challenges. How we deal with them is what makes us different.”

 

Ballard said he works with 33 non-profit organizations focused on veterans services. There are fishing or hunting lodges, outdoor retreats and more. He has hunted wild hogs from a helicopter and fished with a bow and arrow. The key, he said, is finding ways for veterans to become more active and entertained. It is routine for veterans to say they haven’t had a gun in their hands since combat, but Ballard still laughs at the time another veteran said during a hunt, “The good thing is the deer don’t shoot back.”

 

“In the military, we learn that a team of any kind depends on each other and that we cannot depend on civilians, no matter where we’re at. It’s the same thing back here. Our sense of security kicks in when we’re around other combat veterans. There’s no judgment. I killed six men, three of them with my knife. How do you expect me to come home and be normal? Each one of those guys [who were guests at Patriot Point] has a similar story. Through this coordinated effort, Patriot Point allows them to share their stories and not be judged by civilians.”