Category: VA

Veterans Canteen Service (VCS) is celebrating Veterans Day with exclusive deals for Veteran customers, including a free breakfast meal, free Starbucks coffee and extra savings on orders of tires and contact lenses. Starting with the most important meal of the day, VCS is honoring Veterans with a free breakfast combo meal and free brewed Starbucks…

As medication use increases with age and the presence of multiple chronic health conditions, it’s common for adults over the age of 65 to take multiple medications. Also known as polypharmacy, the use of multiple medications can sometimes lead to serious complications, including hospital readmissions and other adverse outcomes. As a part of safe medication…

Showcasing a combination of innovation and teamwork that makes VA such a unique place to work, advancements at the VA Portland Health Care System made this facility the second VA in the nation to perform osseointegration (OI) surgeries for above-knee amputees. The Osseo-anchored Prostheses for Rehabilitation of Amputees (OPRA) Implant System is designed for adults…

Editor’s note: 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. The following is an account from former lieutenant colonel and Army Veteran James Volkmar who, with the help of Togetherweserved.com, reconnected with his radio…

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. We’ve curated an assortment of events that aim to assist, educate and enrich Veterans and their families. Each week, we’ll continue to post relevant and timely…

Say hello to one of America’s most popular vegetables: the pumpkin! Pumpkin is a type of squash, which are native to North America. Besides pumpkin, there are a variety of different squashes to enjoy in the fall and winter, from the sweet and creamy texture of butternut squash to the earthy richness of acorn squash.…

VA is advancing efforts to give Veterans faster and simpler access to its mental health residential rehabilitation treatment programs (RRTPs), which provide around-the-clock support for substance use disorders, posttraumatic stress disorder, depression and other mental health conditions. More than 27,000 Veterans were treated at RRTPs in fiscal year 2024, and VA has the bed capacity…

Birmingham VA’s Headache Center of Excellence has recently been designated as a “Hub,” which is the highest level in the national program. The Birmingham program will receive an annual budget of $1.1 million to provide headache management to Veterans in the Southeast. This announcement includes an opportunity to participate in clinical trials for new headache…

When Sylvia Lombardo grew up in Altoona, Pennsylvania, she knew she wanted a profession where she could help care for others. After discovering she had strong skills in math and science, she shadowed a pharmacist in high school and knew that was the career path for her. Sylvia Lombardo After graduating from Duquesne University, she…

Physician assistant (PA) Matthew Vercauteren works at Pittsburgh VA but trains medical residents, attending surgeons and PAs from far and wide to use robotics during surgical procedures. Robotic surgery is a minimally invasive surgical technique that uses robotic arms to perform procedures while a surgeon manipulates the arms from a console equipped with a viewing…

You might have seen the therapy animals interacting with Veterans and staff around St. Louis VA. They’re essential to the healing of some of the most vulnerable patients, and this team is clearly dedicated.    From a gentle giant Newfoundland to a happy-go-lucky Cocker Spaniel, an English Labrador, a Coontick Hound/Beagle and finally a shorthair…

Like the Veterans we serve, rural communities are as diverse and exciting as you can imagine. You may find an opportunity to be closer to family and friends, or just enjoy a greater sense of privacy. Perhaps the lower cost of living or even the allure of open space appeals to you. Today, we’ll visit…