By Todd DePastino
We want to share this wonderful Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame video about VBC veteran and retired Army Major Terri Swank. Terri was recently inducted into the Hall of Fame. Congratulations, Terri!
Terri Swank grew up on the Hilltop in Columbus with her mother and three sisters. A student at West High School and Fort Hayes Career Center, she trained as a medical assistant while quietly trying to chart her future. A classroom visit from an Army recruiter set her path. With a long family tradition of military service—from a great-grandfather in the Civil War to her father in the Navy—Terri enlisted in the Ohio Army National Guard as a medic.
She later entered the Active Guard and Reserve program, rising through a variety of assignments before pursuing college. A classmate introduced her to the idea of becoming a physician assistant, a challenge she embraced. Upon completing the demanding program, she was commissioned a second lieutenant and began her career as a PA on the officer side.
Terri deployed twice: to Iraq during the 2006 surge and to Afghanistan in 2011. She served 36 years in uniform and retired as a Major in 2015.
Still working at James Cancer Hospital, part of OSU Medical Center, she learned about Honor Flight and joined her first trip in 2016. The experience changed her life. Since then, she has served as a guardian, bus leader, medical coordinator, and board member, dedicating herself to honoring fellow veterans.
Her selection into the Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame left her humbled. Accustomed to serving others, she has called the recognition both awkward and deeply meaningful—a reminder of a life spent in service and gratitude.
