Air Force Dental Veteran Works to Ensure Quality Care, Safety and Readiness through Education at USU
By Zachary Willis
Each year on this day we celebrate millions of America’s veterans, honoring them for their patriotism, and willingness to serve and sacrifice for the common good. More than 18 million veterans currently reside in the U.S. today, with many making the choice to continue serving the country even after they’ve retired from the military. Dentist Jay Graver, a retired Air Force colonel, is one such veteran who recently exchanged his uniform for a coat and tie to become the Associate Dean for Faculty for the Uniformed Services University’s (USU) Postgraduate Dental College (PDC).
 |
| Associate Dean for Faculty for USU's Postgraduate Dental College, Retired Air Force Col. Jay Graver stands with his daughter, Elizabeth, and wife, Sue during his last days at DHA. (Photo courtesy of Jay Graver) |
“My father is a dentist,” Graver explains. “He served in the Navy, private practice, and then he returned to training and received a Ph.D. and eventually was on the teaching and research staff of the UPSDM. So from very early on I grew up in an educational (dental) environment. I was taught the importance and value of ‘quality’ education.”
Graver notes that his private practice in Philadelphia had been going “extremely well” and, at UPSDM, he had risen to the position of Clinical Assistant Professor and Teaching Group Leader, but “[I] was looking for more,” he says. “An opportunity to serve, more and varied challenges, specialty training, and I did not believe the path I was on at the time would provide the answers to the future I was seeking.”
Additionally, Graver adds, his father and relatives had served in the military in various capacities, and the UPSDM had strong relationships with the Services, so he was well-informed of the benefits of military service.
Graver was sworn into service with the Air Force in March of 1992, and entered active duty service in September of that year.
“I’ve been honored to have had a great active duty career with tremendous personnel,” Graver says. “From the youngest to the most senior members I’ve learned and reaped the benefits.”
Now, Graver finds himself in a new role as Associate Dean for Faculty for the Postgraduate Dental College at USU, and aims to uphold his belief in the value of quality education.
“That, along with my beliefs that education is the lifeblood for enduring leadership, research and scholarship and education need to be ongoing, lifelong, and done as well as possible, [are] paramount for dental education and in particular military dental education. Without outstanding, high-quality education, our ability to ensure high-quality, safe and efficient care, and ultimately readiness, would be at risk.”
Throughout all of his experiences from teaching at UPSDM to being a Group Commander during his active duty career, and even now, in his new role as Associate Dean for Faculty for the PDC, Graver seems to be at his best when he’s part of a team.
“If I had to note my ‘most memorable’ [moments on active duty],” Graver says, “it would be four unique and individual instances where [my wife] Sue and my children came and stated (paraphrasing) ‘Now I know what you do, why you do it, why you work so hard to accomplish it, why you’re so proud of the teams around you… and why it has been you and Mom as a team to get it done.”
And as a veteran, Graver is part of the team of millions we honor today for their service in the U.S. military.
“Our veterans ask for almost nothing in return for the service they have provided, but the time and commitment given by so many is immeasurable,” Graver says. “As such, it is extremely important to thank them and ensure their efforts are not forgotten or lost on our society as a whole.”
