Herb Haggett: 'A life of selfless service'

At 86, Cd’A man enjoys helping fellow veterans find jobs through AmeriCorps

Herb Haggett has failed at retirement in the name of helping others.

The 86-year-old Coeur d'Alene man and Korean War veteran's latest assignment in a long list jobs that ranged from the health care field to the Internal Revenue Service to operating heavy equipment is the AmeriCorps volunteer in the Idaho Department of Labor office in Post Falls.

Haggett works with Robert Shoeman, local Labor veterans representative, to help find jobs for veterans.

"I interview veterans for Robert," Haggett said. "Robert helps disabled veterans find work and I work with the non-disabled veterans. We also offer counseling and whatever is necessary. We're veterans serving veterans."

Despite his age, Haggett said he loves to continue to help people.

"The hardest problem that I have is that most people don't know I'm as old as I am," he said with a smile. "That can get me into trouble because my body don't let me do some of the things I used to.

"It's hard for me to believe I'm as old as I am. Mentally, I don't feel any different, but my body tells me differently."

Wendy Spencer, CEO of the Corporation for National and Community Service, recently honored Haggett for his service during the annual Serve Idaho Conference in Boise. In Idaho, AmeriCorps is administered by Serve Idaho, The Governor’s Commission on Service and Volunteerism.

Shoeman calls Haggett as "Clarence Odbody," referring to the guardian angel of George Bailey, a man who has given up his dreams to help others in the film "It's a Wonderful Life."

"In two and a half years as an AmeriCorps volunteer, he has successfully helped place 200 veterans in jobs throughout our area," Shoeman said. "Herb has a special way of connecting with veterans dealing with the trauma of a sudden job loss or other life-changing situations. He has an innate ability to put people at ease, quickly assess a situation, and then find a way to instill hope to discover a path forward."

Haggett is one of 11 "Veterans Serving Veterans" AmeriCorps volunteers assigned to Labor offices around the state. His current term, which is his third and final term, will end on Aug. 31. The program in Idaho will also end on that date and not be renewed.

"As a Navy corpsman attending to the gravely wounded on Korean battlefields, as a rural physician’s assistant with Indian Health Services, throughout a second full career as a public servant with the federal government, three terms as an AmeriCorps volunteer, but especially through his Christian faith, Herb has lived a life of selfless service," Shoeman said.

Vicki Isakson, Labor's regional manager for workforce development, said Haggett is one of the most humble people she's ever met.

"His dedication to serving veterans and his incredible work ethic has been such a blessing to our office," she said. "He motivates and inspires all of us here with his passion for serving and his dedication to his work. His heart for the people is just one of many admirable characteristics he displays on a daily basis."

What was your military experience as a hospital corpsman like accompanying Marines in battle?

I was a Navy corpsman with the Marines during the Korean War. I was a medic who performed a lot of surgeries. We were physicians' assistants out there in the field. No doctors were around until we got back to the ships. We were the first ones who saw the injured. We carried weapons to protect ourselves but we wore no insignia. Our fatality rate as Navy corpsmen was 95 to 96 percent. I never prepared to come back when I went to war. That was like a death notice when you're assigned to the Marines. I loved the Marines. If I had to go back into combat again, that's where I'd go. I was really proud to wear the Marine green. I came home in June 1954.

Were you ever injured or have many close calls?

I had a lot of close calls, but I was very blessed that nothing happened to me. People liked to have me around when we went scouting. Nobody in my group seemed to get hurt.

How did attending to that military experience change your life?

I grew up. I was sailing along until we went to Korea. Then it because a life-and-death situation. We didn't mind being over there because we knew what we were fighting for.

Why do you continue to serve veterans?

It's very rewarding. I had a veteran who was a felon and in jail for several years. He used to walk from Coeur d'Alene out here to the office in Post Falls. We spent a year helping him and he took his test to become an electrician superintendent. Another veteran had been involved with a minor and he was ready to commit a crime to go back to jail. After sending out about 300 resumes, he finally got a job as a landscaper. It can take a lot of patience and perseverance on their part and on our's.

What was your upbringing like?

I was born in Pocatello and my dad was chief projectionist for Fox Theaters. We had a good life during the Depression. I worked by mowing lawns and I had a paper route for the Salt Lake Tribune in Pocatello. I also remember Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey Circus coming to town and I met the train and would work raising the big top. My parents later bought a general merchandise store in West Yellowstone that me and my two sisters worked at. We had a friend who would fly over (Yellowstone Park) so we would explore canyons. We also did a lot of fishing.

You worked in a variety of fields. What were some of those positions?

I was the assistant superintendent of the Montana Orphan Home in Twin Bridges. There wasn't anything that I wasn't in charge of while taking care of kids. I got a reputation for handling tough kids. I was also director of labs and x-rays for Indian Health Services for four years. I also retired from the IRS as a tax examiner and worked as an operating engineer in the Alaskan oilfields.

What is something that most people don't know about you?

Five years ago, I died due to cardiac arrest before they were able to bring me back. I go to a survivor's group and I'm blessed because I don't have any hardware such as a pacemaker on me.

How did that close call change you?

Many people don't realize that you could be gone today or tomorrow. I remind people to make sure you take care of today.

What are some things you learned during your life that you would like people to know?

When I was at the orphan home, I learned that you're not indispensable. I thought I was indispensable, but when I left they filled my position with six people. I also learned that you cover your rear end when your working for anyone. I learned to make notes of incidents that can document where I was and what I was doing at the time.