Captain Vincent Solomeno '07: I Find Myself in the Hands of God

Captain Vincent Solomeno '07 is assistant operations officer for New Jersey National Guard's Joint Task Force 57, which is responsible for the New Jersey Army and Air National Guard's support of COVID-19 statewide. In his full-time work, he is a principal staff officer with the New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, working in veterans programs and services.

Nowadays, Solomeno finds himself referring to an Ignatian prayer that he learned as a student at Scranton, "More than ever I find myself in the hands of God."

"That's a fair assessment of how I feel these days," he said.

He is taking care of himself in order to ensure he can help others.

"I am doing my best to eat healthy and sleep when I can," he said. 

Although he is deployed to his community, he gives credit to health care workers.

"My contribution to the overall effort is modest in comparison to others. I pray for the healthcare workers who are on the front line helping people through this pandemic.  here is a whole lot of suffering here in New Jersey and in the wider world," he said. "Our long hours and work may ease that suffering. That's the goal."

When the hours seem long and the light seems dim, he reassures himself and his team.

"When it feels difficult, I tell the others on my team to put one foot in front of the other," said Solomeno. "We find ourselves in the hands of God."