For Michael Duggan, the meaning of military service changed dramatically in the years following the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.
Working for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Transportation Security Administration, Duggan watched young Americans leave for war in Iraq and Afghanistan. He saw families saying goodbye to sons and daughters, uncertain whether they would ever see them again. Then he watched them come home. Some returned with devastating injuries. Others never made it home alive.
“What strikes you is, you know, this family just gave up their son or daughter for us. It changed their lives forever,” Duggan said in a recent interview, adding the work “profoundly changed me personally.”
His experience around 9/11 planted the seeds of a mission for the Medic Now Foundation: helping veterans and military families overcome financial barriers to health care.
“When they come back, they often cannot afford the deductibles, and unless they are 100% disabled, and many are not, so the benefits are not 100%,” Duggan said.
On Saturday, Nov. 7, Duggan will bring the mission to Plymouth Memorial Hall for the Medic Now Foundation’s “Salute to Service Celebration,” an evening combining military remembrance, entertainment, and the unveiling of a bronze torch crafted by Massachusetts sculptor Jeff Buccacio.
The founder of Canton-based Buccacio Sculpture Services, the sculptor is best known for creating the 17-foot-tall Tom Brady monument unveiled at Gillette Stadium in 2025. His other projects include casting the General Gourdin and African American Veterans Memorial and the beloved Boston Marathon dog.
The program will include a 22-minute theatrical presentation featuring three veterans sharing personal stories, followed by the formal unveiling of the torch and an interview with Buccacio.
The event also features a night of entertainment including comedian and actor Frank Santorelli, known for his role as Georgie on HBO’s “The Sopranos,” followed by Chicago Total Access, a tribute band performing the music of the 1970s rock band Chicago.
Duggan said the bronze torch is an appropriate symbol for the many veterans who have offered up their service – and their lives – for the country.
“The Torch of Service is more than a symbol of gratitude. It’s a reminder that our responsibility to those who served doesn’t end when they take off the uniform,” he said. “That’s the same belief that led me to establish the Medic Now Foundation. Even when health care is approved, financial barriers can prevent veterans and their families from completing the care they need.”
A longtime Plymouth resident, Duggan retired in January after 25 years of federal service with DHS and TSA. He served as a federal security manager and retired as a supervisory transportation security officer within the Behavioral Detection and Analysis Division.
Duggan said he listened to stories from friends, family, and co-workers about veterans coping with injuries and disabilities. Others were struggling with health care expenses and mental health challenges, long after their military service ended.
“Why does he (or she) have to pay?” Duggan recalled asking himself. “There has to be something out there that could help them out.”
In 2017, he established the Medic Now Foundation in Massachusetts. The nonprofit organization developed a program to help military families bridge the costs of essential health care.
“If you’ve served your country honorably, you should never have to pay out of pocket for your health care,” Duggan said. “We believe that should be the thank-you from a grateful nation.”
The foundation’s Healthcare Cost Assistance Program, or HCAP, helps veterans, service members and military families with eligible out-of-pocket costs for prescriptions, medical appointments, dental and vision care, and behavioral health care. A Department of Veterans Affairs disability rating is not required.
Eligibility is determined through a referral-based review of individual circumstances and qualifying needs. Following approval, assistance is delivered through a restricted-use health care smart card. HCAP does not replace VA, TRICARE or other health care benefits; it bridges financial gaps preventing people from completing needed care.
Medic Now works with veterans’ service officers and other front-line organizations to connect eligible families with resources.
“We call it a force multiplier,” Duggan said.
According to Duggan, the foundation typically responds to assistance requests within 10 to 15 business days.
The centerpiece of the Nov. 7 celebration and fundraiser will be the unveiling of America’s Torch of Service, the bronze sculpture created by Buccacio.
“When I presented the idea to Jeff, he ended up saying he’d do the whole thing for free,” Duggan said.
“As an artist, I wanted to create something that goes beyond a sculpture,” Buccacio said. “The Torch of Service represents the courage, sacrifice, and commitment of the men and women who have served our country.”
The sculpture will remain in Plymouth for now, although its permanent display location has not yet been determined.
“The torch will stand as a reminder to the American people that turning honor into action is our responsibility,” Buccacio said. “My hope is that this torch becomes a lasting symbol of gratitude, inspiring future generations to carry that responsibility forward.”
The Nov. 7 event begins at 4:45 p.m. with the “Rev of Remembrance,” a free, 15-minute outdoor tribute honoring Gold Star families – those who have lost loved ones in military service – and the men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice.
A procession of approximately 20 classic and high-performance automobiles will accompany America’s Torch of Service along Main Street to Plymouth Memorial Hall. Organized by Volunteers of America Massachusetts and the Plymouth Area Veterans Center, the procession will include Buccacio, who will deliver the torch.
The sculpture will be formally unveiled at approximately 7:50 p.m. as Buccacio symbolically passes the torch to the Medic Now board member and military liaison Todd Hammer, representing the foundation’s commitment to carrying its message forward.
The ceremony will also include the presentation of the Carmine A. Casciano Salute to Service Award recognizing a veteran who continued serving the community after leaving the military.
Carmine A. Casciano, known as “Captain Cash,” was a decorated U.S. Marine helicopter pilot who flew more than 600 missions in Vietnam and received 32 Air Medals.
“His extraordinary courage included a June 1969 mission in which he evacuated wounded soldiers under intense enemy fire,” Duggan said.
“Carmine represented service above self, both in uniform and throughout his civilian life,” Duggan said.
“The Casciano family has become dear friends of the Medic Now Foundation, and we are honored to preserve his memory and keep his legacy alive,” he added. “This dedication to service is also the heart of America’s Torch of Service. The torch represents our responsibility to carry forward the values of those who served, turning remembrance and gratitude into meaningful action for future generations.”
Duggan said he believes Plymouth is a particularly fitting home for the foundation.
“In 1636, Plymouth Colony passed the first law in English North America providing permanent care for disabled soldiers. It promised that a soldier who returned maimed would be maintained by the colony for life,” Duggan said. “And back then, the colony supported the soldier 100%.”
The legislation established an early precedent for public veterans’ benefits in America.
The event includes a VIP-only reception dinner from 5 to 7 p.m. General admission doors open at 6:45 p.m. At 7:15 p.m., the public program begins with the Torch of Service presentation, unveiling of America’s Torch and presentation of the Casciano Award.
General admission is $39. Veterans and their families receive a 25% discount; call or email the foundation to receive a coupon code. For tickets and information, go here.
Duggan said he hopes attendees will leave with a better understanding of the challenges facing veterans and a renewed sense of responsibility.
“It’s not just our mission,” he said. “I always hear people talk about how they can help – but to me, it’s more like, how are you going to turn it into action? Our service members’ commitment did not end when they took the uniform off.”
“They carry their service with them forever.”
Julia Marie Davis can be reached at julia@plymouthindependent.org.