During Veteran’s Day, we express our deepest gratitude to the brave men and women who have served our nation. At the Indiana Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center (IADRC), we also acknowledge that the spirit of service does not end when military duty is over.
The IADRC is fortunate to have three veterans serving as valued members of our Community Advisory Board (CAB), where they bring their dedication and discipline to the fight against Alzheimer’s disease.
Today, we proudly celebrate Ralph Richards, Mary Aurtrey and LaJuan Epperson. They are three of the many retired service members who now support veterans' health and research as essential members of the IADRC community.
Dedicated to Service: From Deployment to Discovery
Our veteran members of CAB have military careers that span several branches, demonstrating a lifelong commitment to duty.
- Ralph Richards: Served 3.5 years in the U.S. Navy/U.S. Marine Corps as a Combat Medical Corpsman (Vietnam, 3rd Marine Division) and ER Supervisor (Naval Hospital). Achieved rank of Petty Officer 3rd Class (E-4).
- Mary Autrey: Served 22 years in the U.S. Army as Administration & Personnel and NCOIC, DIA (Belgium, Korea and Germany). Achieved rank of Sergeant Major (E-9).
- LaJuan Epperson: Served 7 years in the U.S. Marine Corps as a Unit Diary Clerk (HR) at Camp Lejeune and MCAS Iwakuni (Japan). Achieved rank of Sergeant (E-5).
Ralph Richards' service included training at Great Lakes, IL, Marine Jungle Warfare, and combat medical school at Camp LeJeune, NC. He served as a medical combat corpsman (sometimes referred to as a "Doc") with the 3rd Battalion, 4th Marines, in the Republic of South Vietnam from 1967 to 1968.
Mary Aurtrey attained the highest enlisted rank in the Army (Sergeant Major, E-9),serving key roles in Europe and Asia. Autrey brings this high level of organizational leadership to her current work.
LaJuan Epperson held important HR and administrative roles in the military, serving in both the continental U.S. and Japan.
Their discipline and commitment, learned in their respective roles, now fuel their advocacy for Alzheimer’s research.
The Next Mission: Co-Founding the CAB and Fighting AD Disparities
Ralph Richards' involvement arose from a powerful realization: Alzheimer's Disease disproportionately affects people with similar backgrounds and demographics to his. Richards explains his motivation by quoting scripture: "My start was to educate the community, 'For my people perish due to lack of knowledge.' Hosea 4:6.”
To address this disparity, he became an Alzheimer’s Community Educator and later, co-founded the Community Advisory Board.
Meanwhile, Mary Aurtrey and LaJuan Epperson are both driven by a strong desire to ensure that fellow veterans and their caregivers are informed and supported.
Aurtrey cites Richards’ leadership as her inspiration to deepen her involvement in the community. She seeks to help veterans by “providing information to them, talking with them and finding out their needs; [then] getting the right resources.” Epperson joined because she values CAB’s expertise and commitment. She sees her role as helping to recruit research participants to expand the quantity and quality of data needed to find a cure.
“Providing resources and critical information to veterans that may not otherwise seek this type of assistance is well worth the effort,” Epperson said.
A Call to Action: Semper Fidelis in Research
All three veterans agree that participation in research is the best way retired service members can look out for one another. “I believe that participating in the different research studies is another way of not leaving our fellow service members behind, and this is another way of continuing to fight together,” Epperson said. Aurtrey urges fellow veterans to become advocates — to “research as much information as possible, complete surveys and participate in the studies to create a lasting impact."
Ralph Richards articulates his message using the Marine motto: “Semper Fidelis, 'Always Faithful,' meaning loyalty to our fellow service members and to our country. We are survivors; we must share how being involved in research will help eradicate Alzheimer's Disease. Semper Fi, Oorah!”
