PARIS, IL (WTWO) This Sunday, we’ll celebrate the Fourth of July, but some people show their patriotism every day at Horizon Health.

Dr. John Ventura is the Director of the Horizon Health Emergency Department at Paris Community Hospital.

Dr. Ventura attended the U.S. Naval Academy.

“I was a submarine line officer,” says Cr. Ventura. “So I drove the submarine around and we did a deployment, came back from that and decided I’d really rather go to medical school.”

While staying in the Navy, he continued his education. He worked as a doctor at a Naval base in Africa. He also became a diving and undersea medical officer taking care of those on a submarine and Navy Seals.

“The Naval Academy is a wonderful place to be from,” adds Dr. Ventura. “It was a very, very difficult four years, but I enjoyed my 29 years in the military.”

Meanwhile Amanda Talamantes is a nurse practitioner at Horizon Health. She provides healthcare services to residents in their homes and at area nursing homes.

She’s also a former combat medic in the U.S. Army National Guard.

“I was a senior in high school when the war in Iraq started,” states Talamantes. “So, I had friends shipping to war and training in the military and it was really difficult for me to sit idly by. I wanted to help and make a difference in my own community and country.”

She was trained to provide emergency care to soldiers.

While she traveled to several different areas, this Robinson, IL native says it was an experience close to home she remembers most.

She helped Vigo County residents during the flood of 2008. She says it was a rewarding experience.

“We helped evacuate several individuals from their homes and helped sandbag areas,” remembers Talamantes. “I think we had thousands of sandbags completed within 24 hours.”

Both still use lessons they learned in the military.

Dr. Ventura says, “I think probably the most important of them is accountability. Whether it’s something as small as making your bed or as big as mission planning, if you’re doing something, it’s your problem, you own it and nd whatever the results are, it’s yours. Can’t blame anybody else for it. I think I’d like to hang on to that since my time in the military.”

Amanda Talamantes says, “All of the Army core values have impacted my life in regards to loyalty and duty, selfless service and respect. You know, the work I do is important to patients and the one thing that Army probably taught me was to just work hard and be proud of the work you did.”