Celebrating Veterans Day with Bill Muir

We had the pleasure of talking with Bill Muir about his work in the military and as a Registered Nurse, food access, his book, and Veterans Day. We hope you enjoy this interview.

Thank you for your service. We are grateful for the opportunity to interview you. Please tell us about yourself and your background. Why did you decide to join the military, and when did you enlist?

Thank you very much! Hi, everyone. I’m Bill Muir, aka SGT VEGAN. I’m a combat veteran, RN, and 32-year vegan. I joined the U.S. Army after 9/11 to serve my country in its time of need. I had been living in Japan for about eight years at the time the attack happened, and, as an expat, it affected me very deeply. I joined the military because I thought I would be able to make a difference and help save lives, both American and Afghan, if I joined during war.

What branch of the military were you in? What was your job? Where did you serve?

I was a U.S. Army Paratrooper and served with the 173rd Airborne Brigade as a combat medic. I did a tour in Afghanistan from 2005 to 2006.

What was your experience like eating a plant-based diet while serving? Did you experience particular challenges with food access? If so, how did you overcome them?

Being vegan in the military really depends on where you are and what you are doing. Basic training was completely awful––not because training was hard, but because I was starving all the time. After bootcamp, things got better and I put the weight back on. Being stationed in Italy with the 173rd was amazing! I actually got kind of fat despite all the running I was doing, because I was eating vegan pasta, vegan pizza, and vegan gelato every day. When I deployed, I was very worried I would go back to starvation mode, but, luckily, I found a website called anysoldier.com that sends deployed service people what they need. I’ve heard conditions for people on plant-based diets have gotten better, but until there are designated vegan MRES (field rations) and plant-based options in all military cafeterias, it will be difficult to be plant-based in the military.

Why was it important to you to remain plant-based during your military career?

To me, being vegan meant living my ethics. I think remaining true to something I believe in while in the military, especially while in a warzone, was also about my attempt to hold on to my identity.

How did your time in the military shape who you are today? Is there anything in particular about your service that you would like to share?

No matter who you are, being in the military will change you almost down to a cellular level. I know that’s a popular trope in every movie and TV show featuring the military, but somehow I wasn’t expecting that would include me as well.

After your military service, you earned a certificate in Vegan Culinary Arts from Atlantic Union College. In your opinion, how can education about preparing whole plant foods be a path forward for people to achieve better health?

It can be huge, but people have to want to change. A vast majority of my patients have checked out and given up on trying to be healthy. I’m just trying to do the best I can to keep them from falling or dying on my shift. There is still a lot of anti-vegan propaganda in the United States, and, unfortunately, a lot of veterans still believe that somehow eating dead animals makes you more masculine.

After you transitioned out of the military, you became a Registered Nurse. What has your experience been like working in the medical field and what area of nursing is your specialty?

Working for Veterans Affairs (VA) as an RN has been both a blessing and a curse. On one hand, I feel lucky to be able to help my fellow veterans in their time of need, in much the same way as I joined the military in a time of war. On the other hand, working with sick and dying people takes its toll on you both physically and mentally. All in all, I feel lucky to have a job doing something that matters, but sometimes I wish I had chosen an easier profession.

Do you still work for a VA hospital? Have you seen conditions that could be preventable with healthy lifestyle interventions, like whole food, plant-based eating?

I work on a VA Medical/Surgical floor that has heart monitors. The vast majority of cardiac issues are lifestyle-related, meaning the patients’ hearts aren’t working the way they should because of unhealthy diets, smoking, drinking, or drugs. While we can’t live forever, we can live better, longer, if we just make simple lifestyle adjustments. The top three? Go vegan, exercise daily, and don’t smoke.

Please tell us about your book Vegan Strong. What inspired you to write it?

After I went to culinary school, I planned to open a restaurant. Unfortunately, my timing wasn’t great. It was 2008 and the economy was on the rocks, so I shelved that dream and made the practical choice to become a Registered Nurse. I didn’t know what I was going to do with all of my knowledge of plant-based health and plant-based living until, one day, I had an idea. I would write a book about how to be healthy and vegan, but style it like an Army Field Manual. 

Lastly, what does Veterans Day mean to you? Is there anything you would like to share with your fellow veterans?

Veterans Day is our day, so as a veteran, if you want it to be about getting some free meals, go for it. If you want it to be about meaningful reflection, that’s cool, too. We are around 6 percent of the population, and if you served during wartime, that number is even smaller. Eat right, take care of yourself, and if you need help, the VA is always there for you. GO VEGAN AND STAY VEGAN STRONG!

For more information about my work and latest updates, visit my website and follow me on social media at IG @sgt_vegan, and Facebook.