The springtime morning dawned pristine with bright cerulean skies reminiscent of July. Fluffy white clouds floated like whipped cream atop one’s favorite ice cream soda. Complementary. Refreshing. On this day, Deer Haven Park was to host a very special, sold-out military veteran private tour, participants of the NYS Joseph P. Dwyer Peer Support Program.

Military veterans protecting our freedom date back centuries. When it comes to the history of the former Seneca Army Depot — or SEAD — veterans faithfully and unselfishly served throughout many conflicts from 1941 through the turn of the 21st century. The military then vacated the site. Sounds of their activity relented to merely a whisper left billowing on nature’s healing breeze as Mother Nature reclaimed what once was solely hers.

Deer Haven Park’s intent upon its 2016 inception was to not only serve as a conservation area for the abundant wildlife, including the white whitetail herd, but to also preserve SEAD’s vast military history. Numerous veterans have toured since, many sharing snippets of their experiences. Providing touring options for veterans of any era is one of the great privileges that DHP staff experience.

This tour group was part of the “We are Dwyer” organization, begun in Suffolk County in recognition of PFC Joseph P. Dwyer who served as an Army medic in Iraq. Returning home was perhaps one of Dwyer’s greatest battles when he was confronted with depression and PTSD. After his passing, Dwyer’s family and friends started this program to “empower veterans and their family members to reconnect with one another and decrease isolation.” The program eventually expanded to all NYS counties, available at no cost to participants. Numerous events are coordinated, this DHP tour being just one.

David Hanselman is the organization’s Peer Support Specialist for Seneca County and the person who organized this tour. Hanselman served in the Army from 1987-91 and the Army Reserve from 1991-95. Relating to veterans as a veteran and facilitating such events has been his honor for 1½ years. Seneca County jumped onboard with this remarkable program over 2 years ago.

Enthusiastically, Hanselman shared how he enjoys DHP events. In turn, park tour guides are enthusiastic about sharing a plethora of military, land and wildlife information capped with amazement at how many veterans relay that they’ve gained knowledge previously unknown. Such statements give perspective to how each person serving has an agenda, a job if you will, that needs to be accomplished to round out the greater whole of that squad, company, battalion, branch of service, etc. Everyone is performing a task, each task creating a greater achievement, and each of these ultimately aiming at a successful goal. Focus. Determination. Heart.

Thus, it stands to reason why, among other factors, reassimilation and reconnection can provide an important, well-being thread, helping individuals become active in their larger kindred community. To edify, strengthen, achieve.

The veterans on this tour enjoyed camaraderie, as well as being captivated by DHP’s unique wildlife. Many remarked how in depth DHP history was and how learning about SEAD’s inner workings created a much larger, enlightening picture.

Remarkable to note is how, step by step, it has taken not only these honored guests, but many thousands of souls to create that history, along with innumerable wildlife species, and nature’s resilience. All varying entities merely navigating the course of their day to day and in doing so, inadvertently contributing to history’s vast canvas. A DHP portrait of which compassionate guides share during every tour. Ultimately, offering reverence toward not only these amazing veterans, but also to those who’ve gone before, all of whom, whether beyond the fence or elsewhere, deserve thanks as they unassumingly round out history’s greater whole.