CareSource, Dragons Team Up to Honor Local Veteran
DAYTON, Ohio -CareSource and the Dayton Dragons will host United States Navy veteran John Teevan during the CareSource Veteran Salute Program on Sunday, May 8, 2022, at 1:05PM when the Dayton Dragons take on the Lake County Captains at Day Air Ballpark in the heart of the Water Street District.
DAYTON, Ohio -CareSource and the Dayton Dragons will host United States Navy veteran John Teevan during the CareSource Veteran Salute Program on Sunday, May 8, 2022, at 1:05PM when the Dayton Dragons take on the Lake County Captains at Day Air Ballpark in the heart of the Water Street District. Sunday will be the first of five special CareSource Veteran Salute dates of the 2022 season.
The CareSource Veteran Salute Program provides veterans in the Dayton region with a once-in-a-lifetime experience to celebrate their service to their country. Each honoree has their story shared in front of the crowd at Day Air Ballpark, followed by a standing ovation in appreciation of the veteran's hard work and dedication both in military and civilian accomplishments.
John Teevan’s Story
John Teevan born and raised in Cincinnati, enlisted with the Air National Guard at the age of 20 and then joined the Army National Guard. He always wanted to serve his country as he was inspired by his great grandfather that served in the Civil War. Finally, John enlisted in the United States Navy in 1952, serving until 1956 as a Third-Class Petty Officer during the Korean War.
John was stationed at Tacoma Naval Base for 10 months before receiving orders in April of 1953 to report to the USS Philip located in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. From there, he was assigned to the coral reef, Bikini, part of the western chain of the Marshall Islands in the central Pacific Ocean.
Serving in the Navy came natural to John – he was never seasick and always knew his role was important. The only time he was nervous was in 1956 when Bikini was the test site of the first hydrogen bomb dropped by a U.S. airplane. The coral reef suffered serious radioactive contamination from these tests. As a result, John is himself radioactive from being so close to the atomic blast area.
John received the UN Medal and the Navy Good Conduct Medal for his service. He exemplifies a veteran who loves his community by telling others about his time in the military and why it’s so important to serve. He started a family when he returned to Ohio and now resides in Beavercreek. John held various positions after the Navy in a local machine shop, General Electric, and at Wright Patterson AFB. He also got his certification at the Ohio Mechanic Institute. John has two daughters, one son, and many grandchildren. John was an inspiration to his son who served 23 years in the Navy.
Today, John spends his time continuing to give back to the community. He recently made his 208th blood donation which equates to 26 gallons of blood; saving more than 600 lives!
CareSource's Veteran Salute program highlights five veterans' stories during the course of each season. Veterans who are chosen are honored at a Dragons game with an in-game ceremony and provided with VIP treatment during their special night. The program is an extension of CareSource's continued commitment to serving special populations and its new efforts to support veterans through innovative health and life services programs. For more information about the Veteran Salute program, visit www.daytondragons.com/veteransalute.