Many Native American Veterans want to return home to their tribal lands after their military service ends so they can be close to family and reconnect with the culture, traditions and community that shaped them. For many, this dream becomes reality through the Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) Native American Direct Loans (NADL) program. Each…
More Veterans are choosing VA healthcare. Find out what VA can offer you
No one knows Veterans better than VA. VA healthcare is built around Veterans’ unique needs and experiences, with comprehensive care that recognizes their service and supports their health and well-being. Through the Choose VA campaign, VA is helping more Veterans understand what is available to them by answering eligibility questions, addressing common misconceptions and explaining…
Live Whole Health #337: Your spine is your lifeline
“You are only as young as your spine is flexible.” This is a quote by Joseph Pilates who invented the Pilates method of physical fitness. He believed that if your spine is stiff at 30, it reflects premature aging, whereas a flexible spine at 60 indicates maintained youthfulness and functional strength. Your spine needs help…
VA Bedford volunteer named 2026 Volunteer of the Year
Owen Knight, an Air Force Veteran and volunteer with VA Bedford Healthcare System’s No Veteran Dies Alone (NVDA) program, was named the 2026 Volunteer of the Year at VA’s National Customer Experience Symposium. The award is VA’s highest honor for an individual volunteer. Knight makes sure Veterans at the end of life are never alone.…
Veterans find strength at National Veterans Wheelchair Games
Through adaptive sports, South Texas Veterans found healing, camaraderie and a reason to keep competing When 61-year-old Veteran Clinton Crumpton received his championship medal, he was wearing what he called “a new body.” Crumpton was one of 24 South Texas Veterans Healthcare System (STVHCS) Veterans who competed in the National Veterans Wheelchair Games (NVWG) in…
MCON connects the military community with innovative, free resources
Veterans often leave military service feeling as though they’ve lost their community overnight. Military families can feel the same shift. Nearly 18 million Veterans live in the United States, and many struggle to find a single place that connects them with both opportunity and support. MCON was built to help close that gap. This October,…
A dermatologist’s guide to beating UV rays
Why UV protection matters year round Ultraviolet (UV) protection is important year‑round, not just in summer. UV radiation from UV rays is one of the most common and most preventable causes of cancer in America. To highlight how daily sun exposure affects skin health, we spoke with Dr. Georgia G. Hughey, a resident physician in…
Women Veterans Book Corner: Air Force Veteran Lisa Ducharme
This month’s Center for Women Veterans Women Veterans Book Corner highlights Air Force Veteran and author Lisa Ducharme, whose military service, transition experience and Veteran advocacy inspired her book, “Becoming A Veteran: A Guide to Embracing Your Veteran Identity.” Ducharme served in Personal Affairs and Personnel in the Air Force from 1986 to 2006. During…
VA’s Hillary Garcia receives Service to the Citizen award
Join her in making a difference for Veterans The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is proud to celebrate our own Hillary Garcia, a national healthcare recruiter, who received a Service to the Citizen award on Sept. 18, 2026, for her commitment to “building a customer-focused culture for transforming physician recruitment across VA through a customer-centered…
Project GROW: How gardening helped a Veteran heal
Edward Beale found healing, connection and a reason to come out of his shell For the past three years, Air Force Veteran Edward Beale has reaped what he’s sown, literally. Beale joined Project GROW, a five-week virtual gardening course with Atlanta VA Healthcare System’s (VAHCS) Whole Health team. Being from Chicago, he knew nothing about gardening. “I…
Opening doors: VRCN partners connect Veterans experiencing homelessness to support
The VetResources Community Network (VRCN) gathered partners Sept. 18 for its latest Monthly Connect session, focusing on how communities can better support Veterans experiencing homelessness. The conversation centered on practical ways to connect Veterans with housing, healthcare and other essential resources—starting from the first moment of contact. The session theme, “Connecting Homeless Veterans to Resources,”…
Veterans regain hand function, thanks to adaptive technology
For Army Veteran Terry Knight, a former combat medic living with ALS, self-reliance was second nature. But when progressive hand weakness began robbing him of his right-hand mobility, simple daily routines became frustrating hurdles. Basic tasks like picking up a cup, holding utensils or grasping everyday objects required careful strategy and two-handed coordination. “Before, if…