With the help of a skilled art instructor, 25 pounds of ceramic clay and an open studio, Veterans tapped into a community they had yet to discover. Leaping out of their comfort zones, they learned pottery techniques through the new offering of art therapy at local community partner Lighthouse ArtCenter. Veterans did more than reshape…

Martinsburg VA prides itself on fostering a team-like workforce that is always ready and willing to answer the call. Recently, a Team Martinsburg Nurse Anesthetist Jim Roupe was attending his son’s high school football game season opener when he witnessed an emergency. During the second quarter, a player from the opposing team fell down on…

On Aug. 31, Michael E. DeBakey VA in Houston welcomed a new, honorary police chief when it swore in Devarjaye “DJ” Daniel was during a special ceremony. DJ, a 10-year-old local boy battling terminal spinal and brain cancer, has always dreamed of becoming a police officer. He is on a mission to be sworn-in with as…

Navy Veteran Jesse Allison Linam was a chief fire controlman during WWII in the South Pacific from 1940 to 1946. He recounted several memories of his service to the team at VA’s Texarkana Community Based Outpatient Clinic. “It was never a dull moment. We would watch those young fighter pilots come in for a landing…

At VA, we know that inclusion equals innovation. By making sure that every Veteran receives care that matters to them and their whole health, VA providers and staff get to know each Veteran personally to better provide care tailored to the patient’s health and wellness goals. All Veterans are different, and we know that health…

For the first time, researchers are beginning to understand the genetics of suicide attempts. In a new study this year, VA researchers compared the genes of Veterans who attempted suicide to the genes of Veterans with no report of a suicide attempt. A study like this had never been done before. What was discovered may…

Secretary McDonough will participate in meetings and briefings at VA’s Central Office throughout the day. Author: Dominique Ramirez

Your mental health plays a fundamental role in your overall well-being. So, it’s important to have access to mental health care when and where you need it. VA offers Veterans secure virtual tools for mental health care outside the traditional office visit. With the VA Video Connect app, you can access your mental health visits…

September 22, 2022: Willis Lee Benton Today’s #VeteranOfTheDay is Army Veteran Willis Lee Benton, a prisoner of war who survived the Bataan Death March. Willis Lee Benton was born in December 1910. He was the second eldest of five siblings and the son of an evangelist. Benton enlisted in the Army and was stationed at…

VA is on the front lines caring for Veterans and non-Veterans with a patient-centered holistic approach. This includes caring for patients with Long COVID. Here is vital information on signs and symptoms. If you recognize any of these symptoms, tell your VA health care provider. What is Long COVID? Some people can have ongoing or…

Medgar Evers Today’s #VeteranOfTheDay is Army Veteran Medgar Evers, who was a prominent civil rights leader motivated by his military service to abolish racial discrimination. Medgar Evers was born in July 1925 in Decatur, Mississippi. Growing up in the South during the Jim Crow era, Evers experienced segregation, discrimination and racially motivated violence firsthand. Throughout…

While serving in the Army and Mississippi National Guard from 1981 to 1994, Dan Fordice never took part in combat. But he has always maintained a passion for helping other Veterans who suffered physically, mentally and emotionally from their combat experiences. A little more than a decade ago, Fordice met fellow Army Veteran Gregory Williams,…