Veterans reunite at Ascension Sacred Heart 30 years after serving in the Air Force

Richard Byrd and Daniel Alyea first crossed paths in the 1990s while serving in the United States Air Force managing field hospitals in active war zones during the Gulf War. Thirty years later, they unexpectedly reunited as civilians working for The Resource Group at Ascension Sacred Heart in Miramar Beach, Florida.

Byrd, a former lieutenant colonel, and Alyea, a retired major, both served in the Air Force’s medical units. Byrd said his military experience was intense: “I was part of the 49th Medical Group at Holloman Air Force Base that deployed to a 50-bed, air-transportable hospital. It was like the 70s show MAS*H – we set up a mobile hospital wherever we needed to support troops.”

The demanding assignments required them to adapt quickly, Alyea said. “I was stationed at Langley Air Force Base, but we were deployed to Saudi Arabia with a small contingent of about a dozen people,” he said. “We set up what would become the support structure for 15 air-transportable hospitals across the country and numerous clinics.”

After retiring from the military, Byrd and Alyea eventually found their way to Ascension Sacred Heart. For Byrd, it was a long-held aspiration. “I spent a year-and-a-half working with the VA as a consultant, but I always wanted to work at Sacred Heart,” he said. “I’d drive past the hospital with my wife and say that I’d be blessed to work there one day.”

Alyea worked with a healthcare clinic for the underprivileged in Panama City, but after Hurricane Michael hit, the long commute and increased travel time made it difficult to continue and applied at Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast.

On his first day at Ascension Sacred Heart, Alyea discovered that Byrd worked there, leading to an unexpected reunion. “I asked the nurse if anyone from Eglin was working at Sacred Heart,” Alyea remembered. “She said, ‘I think there’s a guy named Rich Byrd in supply.’ When I walked into his office, he looked up and immediately said, ‘What are you doing here?’ Then he pulled me into his office and said, ‘I have a job for you.’”

Their shared military history has influenced the culture at Ascension Sacred Heart. Byrd said that military values like teamwork, discipline and adaptability are central to their leadership approach. “Dan and I believe in leading by example. We’ll go out, help unload trucks, and do whatever needs to be done. It’s not about sitting behind a desk.”

Byrd leads supply operations through Ascension’s supply chain subsidiary The Resource Group across all Ascension Sacred Heart facilities, while Alyea supports Byrd’s work while overseeing the supply team at Bay. Their legacy, they hope, will be one of building future leaders. “Veterans bring skills that tie perfectly into Ascension’s Mission of caring for the most vulnerable,” Byrd explained. “Our job is to make leaders who can take the organization to the next level.”

For Byrd and Alyea, Veterans Day is a time to remember their service and reflect on the impact of those experiences. “Dan and I have been connected for over 30 years because of our relationship during the conflict,” Byrd shared. “Veterans Day is a reminder of those bonds, those shared experiences, and the sacrifices we made — experiences that we now use to make a difference in our communities through Ascension Sacred Heart.”