The 1980s were a relatively quiet time for the American military, between the end of the Vietnam War and Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait.
As a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, Bethel Park resident Haya Eason — community members may know her as working at the municipal building — once tended to be relatively quiet about the nine years she spent on active duty during an era focused more on record keeping than combat.
“I am now extremely proud of my military service,” she said. “Military administration wrote and still writes the history of military service: where you’ve gone, how long you stayed and what you did while you were there.”
Eason was the featured speaker for a Nov. 10 lunch at the Bethel Park Community Center honoring her and fellow veterans, offering the perspective of a woman who faced a mixed bag of attitudes and experiences before, during and after her time as a Marine.
Her parents, for example, had opposite reactions when, with her 1981 high school graduation, she announced her intention to enlist.
“My mother, a teacher, screamed and cried,” Eason recalled. Then there was her father, a Korean War veteran who “never spoke a word about his military service.”
“He said, ‘Let her go. She’ll learn some responsibility and some independence.’ And so I did.”
She scored high in military administration on her Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery test, and following boot camp, attended personnel administration school. The instructors had anything but a warm reception for students.
“We knew that not many had confidence in us, and we were about to be a waste of the government’s time, money and resources,” Eason said. “So what do you do when there doesn’t seem to be a space for you? I learned you make a space for yourself.
“Someone has, and always will, want you to fail or falter, and you may never receive what is due your time, effort and sacrifice,” she continued. “But you carry on.”
Fortunately, her good work drew the recognition of those with higher ranks.
“And over time, I became knowledgeable and more confident in my ability to do my job well.”
By 1990, she was a sergeant who was contemplating reenlistment.
“I had already served more years than initially intended. I traveled and volunteered for every deployment available, enjoyed living, working, recreating and serving alongside new-found friends who became my lifelong friends and fellow Marines,” Eason said. “While I had beat the odds and had earned the respect of several of my peers, senior staff NCOs (non-commissioned officers) and admin officers, I knew I liked serving in the military, but I did not love it.”
Following her honorable discharge, she regularly attended veteran-related events, generally keeping somewhat of a low profile.
“In the past, I had been barely greeted or acknowledged, warmly greeted and made to feel welcome, and passed by and completely ignored,” she said. “As a woman veteran, I had felt and experienced them all.”
Then a co-worker suggested she attend a meeting of the Veterans Breakfast Club.
“I was greeted respectfully and honorably at the door,” Eason said. “It was a large venue, so I scanned the room, walked along the side wall, all the way along the back wall to the last table in the corner. And guess whose table that was: Todd DePastino’s.”
The club’s executive director, DePastino founded the nonprofit in 2008 as an avenue for veterans to tell their stories and have them preserved for posterity.
“So he took the microphone and cut through the room, and came all the way to me and began to speak to me. He acknowledged that there was a veteran, a female veteran, in the room. Todd DePastino did not hesitate to speak to me,” Eason continued. “Who cared that I served? He did.”
These days, she is the veteran service officer for Bethel Park’s American Legion Post 760 and recording secretary for South Hills Marine Corps League Detachment 726. Fellow members of the organizations attended the Nov. 10 event, presented by the Bethel Park Chamber of Commerce, with food served by Rowdy BBQ in Brentwood, and dessert and beverages by Sam’s Club.
Eason expressed her gratitude to everyone involved.
“When people, both civilian and military, say, ‘Thank you for your service,’ I reply: ‘Thank you for acknowledging my service.’”
Harry Funk is a Tribune-Review news editor. You can contact Harry at hfunk@triblive.com.