For Memorial Day, Pennsylvania Hospital and Penn Medicine’s Veterans Care Excellence Program held its first Missing Man Table to honor and remember missing military members. Located in the Pennsylvania Hospital cafeteria, the table is set for one, adorned with flags to represent each branch of the military.
“This is a well-recognized symbolic memorial and is well-known by any service member. Pretty much every military gathering has a Missing Man Table, making sure our missing members are at the forefront of our minds,” said Jack Sariego, MD, MBA, FACS, CPE, vice president of Perioperative Services and an Air Force veteran.
Along with the flags, each item on the table symbolizes a connection to missing loved ones and comrades in arms. For example, the white table cloth symbolizes the pure intentions of the service members who answered their call to serve; a slice of lemon reflects the bitter fate of the missing; and an inverted glass represents the comrades who can no longer toast with us.
“Not only are these military members remembered by veterans, but they’re remembered and missed by families and friends,” Sariego said. “Whether you’re a veteran or not, virtually no one has been untouched by the military, and virtually every family has some connection to a missing service man or woman. Everyone is connected in one way or another.”