On a mission to better health

To aging healthily

At age 79, Jack Nist has taken up a new mission: He’s finding ways to encourage his fellow Veterans to take advantage of the care they have earned at VA. He believes the people at VA make a huge difference in patient care.  

“Every person I meet at VA—be it medical staff or janitor—I ask their name, and I share this little speech,” said Nist, a Vietnam Veteran. “You always thank us for our service, so I want to thank you for being here because you could be someplace else. And my feedback for the Minneapolis VA is that VA treats the person, civilian medicine treats the disease—a huge difference in care. You’re in a good place, and I thank you.”  

Nist’s service began on April Fool’s Day, 1969. It was the first day of his Naval Aviation Officer Candidate School in Pensacola, Fla. Within the first week of training, he got blisters on his feet that morphed into something more serious. He was put on bedrest in a surgical ward for returning Vietnam War Veterans, and he was the only one completely confined to his bed. He said that the wide variety of wounds these young men had suffered educated him about what was happening in the war.

He became a naval aviator—the A-3 Sky Warrior was his plane of choice—and flew aerial refueling and electronic warfare missions for an A-3 detachment that soon deployed to the Gulf of Tonkin.  

“My goal became trying not to lose anybody while I was in the air,” he said. Nist completed 75 missions.   

He returned home in 1972 to live out a “full life,” filled with family and a creative career as a screenwriter and college professor.  

A critical piece of advice

Early on in Nist’s VA care, his primary care provider told him: “’There are four things people should do as they age that they often don’t do: Eat and drink; don’t take in less calories when you’re older, and be sure to drink enough water. Move. Sleep. And whatever you do, make sure that what you do is meaningful to you.’”  

That last piece of advice is what Nist has taken to heart throughout his life. As he navigates the limitations of his newly diagnosed Parkinson’s Disease, he is focused on amplifying the great health care he receives at Minneapolis VA and on making all staff who are part of that care know that they are appreciated.   

It’s never too late to apply for VA health care you’ve earned. If you are a Veteran or know a Veteran who has not yet applied for their VA health care benefits, learn how to get started.