This #OperationSong spotlight is on “He Took My Place” by Veteran Gary Lima who served in the Marine Corps as a staff sergeant and the Army as a major. Gary served during the Cyprus Conflict in 1974 as part of a Marine helicopter unit and later had a full career in the Army, from which he retired at the rank of major.

VA partnered with the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) at a recent Operation Hero-Animal Bond event at the VA Maryland Health Care System (VAMHCS). The event was held to promote awareness of the benefits of the human-animal bond.

In 2014, the U.S Department of Veterans Affairs began partnering with the nonprofit organization Tech for Troops in Richmond, Virginia. Tech for Troops’ mission is to eradicate Veteran homelessness and poverty by bridging the digital divide for U.S. Veterans in need through gifting refurbished computers and providing opportunities to develop their computer skills. Tech for Troops has three programs: IT Training, Technology Reuse, and Computer Recycling.

 VETERAN OF THE WEEK

This week we honor Coast Guard Veteran Olivia Hooker. Olivia served from 1945-1946 and and was known as one of the last surviving members of the Tulsa race riots of 1921.

During World War II, Olivia became the first African-American woman to join the U.S. Coast Guard.