11/11/2024
On this Veterans Day, we highlight one of our biggest supporters The Honorable John M. (Jack) Meagher, a U.S. Army veteran having served in both Germany and Vietnam.
Jack is on the board of directors for Help Heal Veterans, currently serving as a private mediator and arbitrator, describing his role as “a peacemaker.” His illustrious career includes 20 years as a trial judge, seven years as a trial attorney in private practice, and four years as a trial attorney with the State of Ohio Bureau of Workers Compensation.
It is no surprise that someone with Jack’s resume and life’s work is enthusiastic about The Great Griffon’s mission of telling tales of the underdog, especially in the LGBTQ and other marginalized communities.
Of his time in Vietnam, Jack is quoted: “War changes you forever. You learn to cope with it and deal with it, but a stain is on you. I shut down psychologically after the war.
“A U.S. president needs to say that we used chemicals and munitions, including land mines, that continue to injure or kill many Vietnamese,” he says.
“Our government needs to change its policies and work with the Vietnamese people to make amends for those wrongs. A lot of people say, ‘Just forget it; leave it alone.’ But in my experience, when you do something that is harmful, you stand up and acknowledge it and make amends for what you did. My mother, my religion, and the Marianists taught me these principles.”
Thank you, Jack, for your advocacy, your life’s work, and for being a valued member of The Great Griffon family.
