With slideshow: West Point Superintendent, Lt. General Dave Huntoon, visits VA Ann Arbor Medical Center

Steger was one of several dozen Veterans Administration Ann Arbor Medical Center patients and staff members who shook hands with the general, who is the superintendent of the West Point U.S. Military Academy.

Huntoon was in the area to see Army’s football team take on Eastern Michigan University later in the evening, but he said he always makes a point to stop by the local VA hospital when he travels.

“I think it's terribly important to continue to support veterans and their families after they leave active service and I just want to say thank-you to the veterans,” Huntoon said. “We must not only take care of those soldiers as they are active service … but continue to support them when they leave, and it's critical that we provide them with the first tier of health care.”

Huntoon comes from a family deeply rooted in the U.S. Army. He grew up on bases worldwide and his three sons are now in the Army, including one who is a senior cadet at West Point. Huntoon’s long resume includes many positions throughout the Army ranks since he was commissioned from West Point in 1973.

General Huntoon shakes hands with Tom Murphy.

photo by Tom Perkins | for AnnArbor.com

The first 13 years of Huntoon’s career saw him serving as an infantry officer before taking on the role of senior war plans officer in Operation Just Cause and deputy director of plans in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. He held numerous positions that prepped him for taking over as West Point's superintndent in the following two decades, and prior to starting his current role just over a month ago, Huntoon served as the director of Army staff in the Pentagon.

Huntoon and Steger, of Hillsdale, a sergant major in the U.S. Army, discussed some of the highlights of their service. Steger enlisted in the Army in 1960 and did two tours in Vietnam in 1968 and 1969, the second year living with the South Vietnamese.

“I don’t regret any of it — I would do it again,” he said of serving his country. Upon retiring he was appointed by then President Ronald Reagan to set up a network of Vietnam Veterans to assist one another, and he would also go on to work in various hospitals and medical clinics. For the Ann Arbor VA hospital, Steger had nothing but praise.

“The people here at the VA Hospital are great, so next time you see Shinseki you tell him so,” Steger told Huntoon, referring to the Secretary for Veteran’s Affair’s,Erik Shinseki.

Robert McDivit, director of the VA Ann Arbor Medical Center, said this is the sixth hospital he has served in this capacity and said the quality of care here is beyond what he has seen at any other facility.

The health care system sees 55,000 patients annually, cares for an average of 100 in-patients daily and is staffed with physicians who are all part of the University of Michigan faculty, which McDivit said greatly increases the level of care.

“It’s a special place and we consider it an honor to care for American heroes here,” he said. “We have a tremendous staff and high patient satisfaction.”

Huntoon called the Ann Arbor VA Hospital a “spectacular place” with top tier physicians and staff.

“In my experience, there’s a sense of commitment here and I feel that every time I come through,” he said.

The hospital, which opened in 1949, sees veterans from all recent wars and those who didn’t see any combat. VA Hospitals across the country are facing new challenges associated with post traumatic stress syndrome and traumatic head injuries as a result of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, Huntoon said.

“We have to put our arms around all these soldiers, and there’s a great sense of hope and optimism to take care of these veterans the best we can at the VA hospitals,” he said.

Tom Murphy, who served in Chulai, Vietnam, as a combat engineer, which involved action like mine sweeps and construction, was pleasantly surprised to see the general stop by.

General Huntoon hands a coin to Robert Ford.

photo by Tom Perkins | For AnnArbor.com

“It’s pretty neat that he came — that was really nice,” Murphy said.

As he did with each of the veterans, Huntoon spoke with Robert Ford and said, “Thank you for serving your country.” Before leaving, Huntoon handed Ford a special coin as a sign of appreciation. Ford was drafted into the Army in 1955. He spent time at several camps in the United States before shipping off to Germany.

“That’s quite a thing he did, really interesting,” Ford said of Huntoon visiting.

Huntoon called the experience of visiting the veterans gratifying.

“I get much more than they do every time I come here,” Huntoon said. “I’m the one who comes away from this with the gift. I get pumped up and am reminded of the sacrifice and courage and selflessness of the soldiers and marines. And it helps me to refocus on my own mission — that’s the part I love.”