When a Veteran comes home, or their military service comes to an end, their support shifts from military comrades and superiors to family members and close friends. Frequently it is friends and family who are first to notice their Veteran …
The Veterans Health Administration has an important goal: Defining Excellence in the 21st Century. This can be challenging in a department that has existed for over 100 years, but through collaboration, research and advances in technology, the goal is attainable. …
Several weeks ago, I wrote about the National Veteran Small Business Conference and Expo in New Orleans on August 15-18. The conference will provide information and opportunities for Veteran-Owned and Service Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses to network and build partnerships …
Early this spring I attended a briefing about the importance of dogs in the medical treatment, recovery, and quality of life of Veterans. Not having been around this much, I had no idea the integral role that animals, particularly dogs, …
I spent July 4th, 2009 and July 4th, 2010 in Baghdad, Iraq. I was not there serving as a member of the military or the foreign service, but as the lead for Vice President Biden’s Advance Team. My job was …
A report from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), released on Thursday, highlighted the fact that the number of Veterans employed by the federal government increased in 2010. The report shows a definite step in the right direction–with a 1.6 …
Last month, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) released a report that looked at possible connections between Agent Orange and Blue Water Navy Veterans who served in Vietnam. The report concluded that there isn’t enough information available to justify tying a …
On his way back from visiting Veterans and local officials in Guam and Hawaii last week, Secretary Shinseki made a few stops in Alaska over Memorial Day weekend. His itinerary included the cities of Bethel and Anchorage, along with the …
My grandfather was a Veteran of World War II and Korea. He died in 1998, six years before the completion of the National World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C. As I was getting ready to leave my apartment on …
Last Thursday, Dr. Patricia Hayes, Chief Consultant for Women Veterans Health, and Stacy Garrett-Ray, Deputy Director for Patient Care Services, held the first of what will be monthly roundtables on women Veterans healthcare. You can check out VA’s live tweeting …
Where Does Nutrition Fit in Healthcare?
21 May 2013
VA Nutritional Study Design (VANS-D) Project
We’re seeking ways to prevent the onset of diabetes, to reverse its progress, and to one day offer Veterans hope of eliminating the disease permanently.
Spring is Home Buying Season
15 May 2013
Communications specialist with the Veterans Benefits Administration
It’s finally spring – a time for spring cleaning, dusting off those softball cleats and for some, looking for a new place to call home.
Celebrating One Year of VRAP
15 May 2013
VA Deputy Undersecretary for Economic Opportunity
One year ago today, the Veterans Retraining Assistance Program, a program that offers a renewed opportunity for education/training and job assistance to unemployed Veterans, started accepting applications.
Every Body, Every Day: How to Get Fit
9 May 2013
Dietetic Intern at the Memphis VA Medical Center
How many times in one week do we hear about exercising? Eating right? Losing weight? Keeping our heart healthy?
Separate System Ensures Wounded Troops Receive Disability Benefits Quickly
9 May 2013
Director of the Office of Corporate Communications at the Veterans Benefits Administration
The backlog of disability claims for Veterans is getting a lot of media coverage, and everyone throughout the Department of Veterans Affairs, from the Secretary on down, has acknowledged that this is an urgent problem they are working to fix.
Updating Your Insurance Beneficiary Can Bring Peace of Mind
7 May 2013
Chief, VA’s insurance claims division
Life insurance should give you and your loved ones peace of mind that they will have funds available if anything happens to you. Here’s how to update it.
MyPlate: Healthy Eating Made Easy
2 May 2013
Dietetic Intern at the VA Medical Center in Memphis
MyPlate is the nutrition guide that the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) publishes as a recommendation for Americans. As seen in the picture below, it depicts a plate with all four food groups—fruits, vegetables, grains, and protein—with a cup of dairy on the side.
VA’s New Hotline Dedicated to Serving Women Veterans
23 Apr 2013
Chief Consultant for Women’s Health Services for the Department of Veterans Affairs
As part of VA’s goal to implement improvements to its health care for women Veterans, we recently launched our new Women Veterans hotline.
