Category: VA

Earlier this month, VA and the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) united for a joint summit in Frederick, MD, to discuss strategic priorities for 2024-25, including reinforcing the commitment to enhancing the national medical construction program. Currently, VA’s major medical construction program oversees 30 health care facility construction projects in the U.S., with a…

If you’re looking to get your foot in the door of the health care industry, but don’t have the experience needed for an advanced clinical role, working as a certified nursing assistant (CNA) offers you a fantastic opportunity to begin your VA career, and do fulfilling work caring for Veterans. This week is National Nursing…

VA reaffirms its commitment to supporting Black Veterans and their families in the fight against cancer. By providing tailored support, information and best-in-class cancer care to promote improved wellbeing and outcomes, we highlight our efforts to ensure equitable care for all who served. When Black male Veterans are diagnosed with prostate cancer, one of the…

Three months after returning from his second deployment to Iraq, Army Veteran Henry Escobedo-Ramirez began having problems with his vision in late 2010. “My eyes were dry and I had pain off and on. I started having blurry vision and, by mid-2011, I could no longer make out faces. It was pretty quick,” he shared.…

VA’s Center for Women Veterans (CWV) is on the lookout for outstanding nominees for its 2025 Women Veterans Trailblazers “Women Veterans Forging a Path” initiative. The program seeks to recognize women who have separated from military service and have made significant impacts on the lives of Veterans, their families or caregivers. What defines a Trailblazer?…

It’s Loneliness Awareness Week (June 10–16), a time to recognize that social isolation and loneliness are serious health concerns affecting many Veterans. At VA, we’re committed to connecting Veterans with the support they need to thrive. We offer a range of programs and services to help Veterans build social connections and combat loneliness, including: Peer…

When applying for a job at VA, it pays to consider your personal and professional goals. Whether you’re just starting out or looking for a new challenge, your goals can have a big impact on how you approach applying for an open position on our team. But what’s the best place to start? By deciding…

For anyone struggling through homelessness or other hard times, Navy Veteran Anya McDonald has some words of advice: “Be patient even when there seems to be no light at the end of the tunnel, because the light will shine through when you least expect it.” McDonald has waited for that light many times, through her…

Heidi Albertie’s journey from the battlefields to battling breast cancer is a testament to human strength and perseverance. She is an Army Veteran with a decorated 12-year service record, including a significant transformation from an enlisted helicopter mechanic to an officer through the Green to Gold program. Albertie has demonstrated unwavering courage in both military…

How often do you find your mind jumping from one thought to the next? Or that you switch between tasks (or multitask)? Or your mind races through things without focus? Mindfulness is paying attention to the present moment without judgement. In mindfulness practices, we focus on using something as an “anchor.” An anchor can be…

Whether you’re a fan of their music or not, you’ve likely heard of the band Metallica. They pushed their way into the public consciousness in 1981 and gradually broadened globally with their characteristically fast tempo and thought-provoking lyrics. Forty-two years on, they continue to regularly sell out major amphitheater and stadium concerts during their worldwide…

At Michael E. DeBakey VA in Houston, leaders are working to improve care for Veterans and employee well-being by expanding use of new medical technology. In conjunction with a virtual reality (VR) fair the medical center held in December 2023, leaders opened a mini-grant program for clinical staff to apply to study virtual reality and…