Category: VA

Army Veteran Robert Shave was recently reunited with four of his squad members for the first time in 57 years. They had located Shave through an internet search. Squad members Wayne Short and Robert Toporek traveled to Michigan from Pennsylvania. Ken Grimes and William Yates came in from Alabama. They met in the garden area…

Research indicates that individuals in the LGBTQ+ community are disproportionately affected by hate crimes, particularly those who identify as transgender. Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDoR), observed annually on Nov. 20, recognizes experiencers of anti-transgender violence to shine a light on the persistence of these crimes and to memorialize those who have experienced them. A report…

Orlando VA has successfully adopted an innovative rideshare program. It provides transportation to Veterans in critical need after being discharged from an inpatient stay, emergency department visit, or for assistance getting to and from a follow-up appointment related to their recent hospitalization. “Once I heard about this option for Veterans to independently get to critical…

Four World War II Veterans received flu vaccinations at the Jasper VA Clinic during the Birmingham VA Flu Fair. Veterans Dalton Sharpton, Eustis Pendley, Raymond Doss and Charles Richardson were invited and greeted by Mark Davis, clinic director. “This is a monumental event,” said Davis. “Not only do I admire and honor these heroes but…

There is no greater mission than to serve those that have served our great nation. The Southern Arizona VA Patriot Pantry, in Tucson, is a good example. Nutrition and Food Services partnered with the Center for Development & Civic to tackle the issue of Veterans’ food insecurity. Over a year ago, the Patriot Pantry got…

When Lynn Berry came to VA six years ago, she had already transitioned from being a small business owner for over two decades and then working as a surgery scheduler for a doctor’s office. While she enjoyed the work, she wasn’t sure it was the place for her. “So a friend of mine recommended I…

Smoking has a way of clouding nearly everything in a person’s life. VA can help Veterans clear the air with text, phone and in-person support and counseling, as well as prescription medications and nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) products to help them stop smoking. VA has more ways than ever to help Veterans make smoking a…

November 17, 2022: Gladys Blount Today’s #VeteranOfTheDay is Army Veteran Gladys Blount, a member of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion that delivered lost mail during World War II. World War II Army Veteran Gladys Blount grew up in East Orange, New Jersey, working as a beautician. However, due to a combination of restlessness and…

In this episode of the PTSD Bytes podcast, Dr. Pearl McGee-Vincent discusses PTSD and tobacco use with Dr. Ellen Herbst. Tobacco products and nicotine dependence Tobacco products include cigarettes and cigars, as well as chewing tobacco (dip). Nicotine is a highly addictive substance in tobacco. Electronic cigarettes, otherwise known as e-cigarettes or vapes, do not…

VA, in collaboration with the Oklahoma State Department of Veterans Affairs’ Women Veterans Program and Muscogee Nation of Oklahoma, hosted an in-person Tribal Women Veterans Summit in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on Nov. 3. The goals of the summit are to educate tribal women who served in the military about VA benefits and services they have earned…

Post-9/11 Veterans looking to find a new team have a special opportunity through the Southeast Conservation Corps Veterans Fire Corps (SECC) and its Veteran Fire Corps Program. SECC is an AmeriCorps-affiliated nonprofit group that engages post-9/11 Veterans by partnering with the U.S. Forest Service Southeast Region, which includes 13 states and Puerto Rico. SECC started…

Did you know one in three VA employees is a Veteran? While you don’t have to be a Veteran to work at VA, the experience provided by our Veterans who continue to serve at VA is invaluable. But why do Veterans choose to work at VA? What about our mission is so appealing to those…