VA, in collaboration with non-governmental organizations, hosts a series of monthly job fairs across the country for service members and Veterans. Whether you are looking for a job or considering a change in career path, attending one of these fairs in-person or virtually can be an excellent way to start or advance your civilian job…
Modernizing the disability claims process
VA is currently undergoing modernization efforts and using technology to improve the disability claims process. When a Veteran files a clam for VA benefits, there are several administrative actions needed before a decision can be made, such as gathering medical records and military service records. VA is automating many of these administrative tasks, allowing claims…
Embrace the power of primary care with a career at VA
A career in primary care offers a lot, and when you choose a career caring for Veterans at VA, you’re taking part in a mission that matters, a mission of service unlike any other in health care. There’s no greater calling for physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and more than working directly with Veterans and…
Mass-casualty exercise tests Bay Pines VA’s readiness
Here’s how Bay Pines VA responded in a mass-casualty exercise. The sound of sirens followed by multiple ambulances backing up to the Emergency Department (ED) at Bay Pines VA placed employees on alert the morning of Aug. 2. Minutes earlier, Bay Pines VA received a notification from first responders that an errant boat had crashed…
Together We Served.com provides faster method to find old service friends
For many Veterans, military service was a life-changing time that provided the kinds of experiences that few in the civilian world can possibly understand. One of the most enduring aspects of serving is the strength of relationships formed with those who shared those same experiences, often under dangerous and challenging conditions. Re-establishing those bonds by…
VA’s national cemeteries to host National Day of Service on 22nd anniversary of 9/11 attacks
VA’s national cemeteries will host a National Day of Service on September 11 to honor our nation’s service members, police officers, fire fighters and first responders on the 22nd anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. This day of service will take place at more than 60 national VA cemeteries and include opportunities for volunteers to clean…
Live Whole Health #183: Checking in with yourself through Body Scan Meditation
When was the last time you checked in with yourself and your body to see how you were feeling physically and emotionally? We are often so busy that we really aren’t even aware of what is happening in our own body and mind. Luckily there are many different short practices and tools we can use…
VA mental health apps can support Veterans with PTSD
Veterans and service members experience PTSD at higher rates than the general population. But many Veterans are unaware of the resources available to them. Or they’re hesitant to seek treatment. VA provides mental health services for PTSD, mood disorders, anxiety disorders and more. VA’s TeleMental Health program remotely connects Veterans with a VA mental health…
VetFest screens 280 Veterans, connects 400 with benefits
The Waco VA Regional Office partnered with North Texas VA in Garland, Texas, for a PACT Act Summer VetFest. The event offered toxic exposure screenings (TES), face-to-face appointments with VBA compensation specialists, battlefield acupuncture, CPR training and whole health education. The 8-hour event, attended by 750 North Texas Veterans, family members and caregivers, screened 280…
#VeteranOfTheDay Army Air Corps Veteran Thomas Mantell Jr.
Thomas Mantell, Jr. was killed in a stateside crash while piloting a P-51 Mustang for the Kentucky Air National Guard near Franklin, Kentucky on Jan. 7, 1948. The events surrounding the crash remain unclear. At the time, Mantell was said to be in pursuit of an unidentified flying object. Accounts of the incident varied, with…
Alaska youth volunteered for 800 hours on the way to Air Force career
Jacob Schwartz began his Alaska VA youth volunteer journey over eight years ago. It was his father, nurse Mark Schwartz, a 30-year Alaska VA employee, who told him about the many ways he could volunteer. Over the course of those eight years, he accumulated over 800 volunteer hours and a few accolades. In 2018, the…
First VA mammography unit in Oklahoma opens
Women Veterans in eastern Oklahoma can now receive mammography screenings at VA thanks to the first VA mammography unit to open in Oklahoma. Mammography is an X-ray exam of breast tissue and the best breast cancer screening tool available. The new unit produces state-of-the-art images called mammograms, which help diagnose breast cancer as well as…