WILBRAHAM — The Wilbraham Select Board voted to hire Patrick Renna as its new director of veterans’ services, filling the role left vacant by Jered Sasen. However, the interview process left no question as to the impact Sasen has had on veterans and the town.
Renna was interviewed alongside two other candidates, Tina Brohman and Jamie Shepard. Renna said he retired from the Air Force in February after a 24-year career. His experience working as a logistics planner would translate into the planning and event aspects of the VSO role. He also said he had experience delivering difficult decisions to people under him while in the Air Force. Looking toward the future, Renna said, “I’m still going to be serving my country.”
Brohman is the current VSO in Palmer and has been working with veterans in that town for nearly two years. A veteran who served in Turkey in 1990 and left the service to start a family, Brohman is married to a disabled veteran. Becoming a VSO was a “whirlwind of knowledge and outreach,” she said. “I love knowing that I’m helping people.”
Meanwhile, Shepard said that after 23 years in the Massachusetts National Guard alongside 20 in the state Department of Corrections, he wanted to guide veterans the way he was guided after retirement. “I know the help it provides.”
The Select Board members took turns asking questions of them. Marc Ducey asked why the candidates had chosen to apply for the role in Wilbraham. Each of them said they had interacted with Sasen in his role as a veterans’ service officer and that, to some degree, he was the reason they applied.
“I’ve worked really well with Jered,” Brohman said about being a fellow VSO.
Renna said that aside from being “tied to the community through friends and family,” he met with Sasen when he was considering retiring. He said Sasen’s kindness and help spurred him to consider a job as a VSO. “I’d be that guy for veterans with a disability claim,” he said, adding that he wants to help veterans make the case for themselves that they deserve benefits.
“The help Jered gave me put me on the path to help other veterans,” Shephard said.
“Is there anyone Jered didn’t help?” Bunnell asked to a round of laughter from those in the room.
Vice Chair Michael Squindo asked each candidate what their plans were for their first 30 days. Each of them said that their priority would be learning about the town and getting to know the veterans. Renna said he would focus on making contacts among other area VSOs, complete required training and would “put all the pieces together” to successfully perform his duties. Shepard and Brohman each talked about organizing “meet-and-greet” events with veterans.
Squindo also wanted to know about the candidates’ ideal work environment. Brohman said her work environment in Palmer is ideal in terms of collaboration between departments. Similarly, Renna said collaboration was an essential part of a positive work environment. For Shepard, it was important that the environment be “calm, cool and collected” and “help each other out.”
Goals were another focus. Renna, Brohman and Shepard all said they would be working toward identifying what, if anything the town’s veterans are missing for resources or services and fill those gaps. Renna said he wants to “spread the word” about resources and services to active military personnel so that they know they have somewhere to turn when they leave the service. He said it was important that people feel like they are being heard and not “lost to a process.” Shepard’s main goal would be to “get every veteran assistance” and “meeting their needs.”
Similarly, Brohman said veterans are a population that has “fallen through the cracks.” While there are few World War II veterans left, there are many Vietnam veterans who were not taken care of when they came home from the war, she said. They are now aging and need services. Younger generations of veterans often do not know what resources are available.
Renna and Shepard asked the board members if they had goals that they would like the new VSO to work toward. Bunnell, Squindo and Ducey agreed that they would like the next VSO to emulate Sasen’s determination and work to grow the role and find different, creative ways to serve veterans.
The board spoke with two members of the screening committee and all five agreed that while the candidates were all qualified, Renna was the best fit for the town.
