Category: VA

How often do you glance at your phone, check your email, watch a funny video, or engage in social media each day? We all need breaks in our busy days, and those things can be fun to distract us for a few moments. In fact, finding ways to create mindful breaks can support our overall…

In this episode of the PTSD Bytes podcast, host Dr. Colleen Becket-Davenport discusses PTSD and aging, as well as potential treatment options, with Dr. Jennifer Moye, a geropsychologist at VA Boston, a professor of Psychology in the Department of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and a contributor to the Talking Later podcast, which focuses on…

VA has announced a significant advancement in caring for Veterans with concerns about military environmental exposures. More than 40% of Veterans seeking health care at VA have reported exposure to hazardous materials during their military service, prompting the development of two free specialized certification programs designed to address the needs of such patients directly. VA,…

Stopping a problem before it starts sounds like it requires time travel or movie magic, but sometimes it’s as simple as knowing the conditions that make the problem more likely. That’s the foundation of VA’s Help with Employment, Agency, Risk, Transitions and Housing (HEARTH) project. It’s a national pilot program which reaches out to Veterans…

After three years of working from home post-pandemic, the effects of isolation were taking a toll on service-connected disabled Veteran Bernard Murphy. Seeking relief, he bought a virtual reality (VR) headset from a friend and explored the potential for immersive technology to help tackle his loneliness. Veteran Bernard Murphy Murphy’s transformative experience inspired him to…

In an era dominated by screens, the Summer Junior Volunteer Program at North Texas VA offers a refreshing contrast to giving ideas on what one can do with free time. Run by the Center for Development and Civic Engagement (CDCE), this highly sought after program draws high schoolers away from their phones and into meaningful…

Finding great employees is important, but at VA, we also know that retention is just as important as recruitment. After serving as a combat medic for almost a decade, Edmund R. “Bobby” Patterson initially intended to become a physician assistant, with an eye toward specializing in psychology or psychiatry. That interest was originally fostered during…

William Wright Abbot III was born in May 1922, and was an American archivist and historian known for his work in compiling and editing The Washington Papers. However, before his illustrious academic career, he served in the Navy during World War II. Abbot joined the Navy in 1943 after graduating from the University of Georgia.…

VA’s National Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention (NCP) has partnered with DOD’s Defense Health Agency’s Armed Forces Wellness Centers (AFWC). Together, NCP and AFWC will help ensure the best standard of care for service members and Veterans. NCP helps Veterans achieve their best health by sharing information on how to prevent disease. It…

Two VA staff members shared personal testimonials of services received and services rendered by VA at the 105th American Legion Annual Convention. The following transcripts are from Bob Manness, Naval Reserve Veteran and executive assistant to the director (pictured above), and Dr. Ernest Sneed, a primary care physician; both work for the Southeast Louisiana Veteran…

As we embark on the 23rd anniversary of Sept. 11, 2001, and remember those who were injured and killed, let’s take time to give back to those Veterans who gave so much defending our country after these tragic events through service. September 11 is recognized as a National Day of Service. VA has many great…

The sharing of any non-VA information does not constitute an endorsement of products and services on the part of VA. Veterans should verify the information with the organization offering. In a new series that highlights advancements in VA health care, VA researchers and clinicians are appearing on a Veteran-themed media platform—Wreaths Across America Radio—to tout…