Category: VA

Ricki Coleman’s path to standing up North Texas VA’s first ever ambulance transportation team began with tanks. Yes, a 62-ton U.S. Army M1 tank. Coleman’s journey to a career at VA began as an M1 tank gunner and, after a break in service, continued as part of a Special Operations Command Long Range Scout Surveillance…

In early August, participants—both in-person and virtual—attended the 2023 SLICE & Simulation Showcase. The event, organized by the Simulation Learning, Evaluation, Assessment, and Research Network (SimLEARN) Learning Management (LM) portfolio, celebrated the growth of its SimLEARN Innovation Center for Education (SLICE) Network, while charting a path to improve the agility, efficacy and expansion of simulation-based…

Sept. 26, 2023, marks the 50th Anniversary of the passage of the Rehabilitation Act (Rehab Act) of 1973, the first federal, civil rights legislation to address access and equity for people with disabilities. In conjunction with the Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), the Veterans Benefits Administration’s (VBA) Veteran Readiness and Employment…

The Pacific Islands Veterans Experience Action Center (VEAC) event, held in-person and virtually, served as a beacon of unity across the ocean’s expanse. This event highlighted a dual format and its impact on the Hawaiian and Guamanian communities. With resounding customer satisfaction statistics affirming its success, the Pacific Islands VEAC event is a testament to…

Are you a Veteran with aspirations of entrepreneurship and business ownership? Do you need guidance to help you put your idea into action? Warrior Rising is positioned to help you. A non-profit organization launched by Veterans for Veterans in 2015, Warrior Rising is dedicated to transforming Veterans into “Vetrepreneurs,” providing them opportunities to create sustainable businesses, perpetuate the…

Yoga is a mind and body practice with origins in ancient Indian philosophy. The various styles of yoga typically combine physical postures, breathing techniques, and meditation or relaxation. There are many types of yoga, including gentle restorative yoga where you are guided through supported postures held for longer amounts of time, and more active and physical…

There is a sign outside the volunteer office of the Chattanooga VA Clinic that reads, “Volunteers are not paid, not because they are worthless but because they are priceless.” Joseph Prevo and his wife of 62 years, Louise, are definitely priceless at the clinic. Prevo retired from the Marine Corps after serving 22 years—including service…

Secretary Denis McDonough says VA’s workforce is our number one asset and has made it clear that investing in VA employees is a top strategic priority. Aggressive hiring and retention efforts have helped lead VA to the point where we are currently providing more care and more benefits to more Veterans than at any time…

North Texas VA medical administrative officer Antrion Smith served 14 years in the Navy as a hospital corpsman including tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan. Nothing Smith saw or experienced as a combat medic for Marines could prepare him for the life challenges in front of him. In 2002 while still on active duty,…

The Texas heat couldn’t stop the San Antonio Vet Center outreach specialists from joining Soldiers’ Angels volunteers during a monthly drive-through food distribution for Veterans.  With this summer’s record-breaking temperatures, the mobile unit doubled as a cooling station to help volunteers helping to feed military personnel and Veterans. Each month, Marine Corps Veteran Steven Roland,…

Jayme Turner is no stranger to serving in key positions that make an impact. The retired Army sergeant was awarded a Bronze Star Medal and John R. Teal leadership award for exceptional service, including deployments in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New Dawn. In December 2021, Turner took on a new role at VA: intermediate…

Many of us know someone who lives with Alzheimer’s disease, including many Veterans. At VA, we stand ready to care for these Veterans and provide for their special needs, even as we work to find solutions for the difficulties they face. Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive disease that involves the deterioration of nerve cells in…