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Veteran recounts Marine Corps service, praises Monmouth County veteran services
Summary
In Monmouth County's Veterans Corner, U.S. Marine Corps veteran Keith Bayard described joining the Marines as a calling, credited county veteran service officers for helping him secure medical referrals, and urged other veterans to persist in seeking assistance.
Keith Bayard, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran from Howell, described joining the Marines in 1981 as a calling and credited his wrestling background with instilling discipline that helped him during service.
Bayard said he reached out to the Monmouth County veteran service officer for help with chronic orthopedic injuries stemming from his military service. He described the county VSO’s response as “incredible,” saying staff helped him access appropriate medical referrals and guided him through benefits processes. Bayard urged fellow veterans to be persistent, advising, “Be your own advocate... Call. Make a call every now and then.”
The interview, conducted by Sue Kiley, deputy director of the Monmouth County Board of County Commissioners and liaison to aging, disabilities and veteran services, also covered Bayard’s time on Marine Corps wrestling teams, including trying out for service teams and competing while stationed at Camp Pendleton and Quantico. Bayard said wrestling helped him qualify for all-Marine competition and later influenced recruitment outreach to high school and college students.
Bayard offered direct advice to prospective recruits to choose a service branch deliberately and to remain committed: “Stay committed and you'll learn what commitment is and loyalty to your branch of service.” The segment closed with County thanks to Bayard for sharing his experience; no formal county policy or funding decisions were announced in the interview.
