U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs CWV - News Update

On this Memorial Day, today’s #VeteranOfTheDay is dedicated to the 58,318 Americans who gave their lives in service to their country during the Vietnam War. Three years after the Civil War ended, on May 5, 1868, the head of an organization of Union Veterans — the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) — established Decoration Day as a time for the nation to decorate the graves of the war dead with flowers. Decoration Day started on May 30. [From VAntage Point]

We honor their service.

Have you ever found it hard to sit quietly in silence? Do you ever feel your mind wandering during relaxation exercises? These are normal sensations, and many people express similar feelings when they first begin relaxation practices. [From VAntage Point]

Grissett has loved to cook since she was a child. From her kitchen in Washington, D.C., she remembers the cakes at her grandmother’s house. “They had coconut, chocolate layer cake, pies, delicious.” To her, the cakes represented the warmth of her family. And to this day, baking is a source of joy for Yvonne. “I dream of owning my own cake restaurant.” [From VAntage Point]

In this time of physical distancing, VA knows it’s easy for women Veterans to feel isolated. Life plans and health can change in an instant. That is why VA is working to remove barriers and improve access to essential services. These services include reproductive health care, refilling prescriptions, and accessing the Veterans Crisis Line and Women Veterans Call Center. [From VAntage Point]

Paula Neira’s greatest service came after she put away her Navy uniform. She later became a nurse, lawyer and transgender advocate. Paula M. Neira’s childhood dream was to serve in the Navy and be an aviator. She described her dream the like the movie Top Gun: she wanted to be “Maverick” and fly jets off aircraft carriers. [From VAntage Point]

Stress is a normal part of life. Learning how to manage it well keeps us healthy. When I asked Veterans in my chronic pain classes what they knew about stress, I heard the same answers repeatedly. “It leads to heart attacks.” “It makes you sicker.” “It causes ulcers.” “It makes you depressed.” “It wears you out.” [From VAntage Point]

It’s unfortunate that many men and women experience sexual assault and sexual harassment during their military service. Too often, those who experienced military sexual trauma (MST) suffer alone and in silence—but that needn’t be the case: VA provides free care for Veterans recovering from MST. [From VAntage Point]

During the coronavirus pandemic, Americans have turned to accessing critical health care and financial services online and on their mobile devices. VA’s Office of Information and Technology (OIT) has security tools to protect Veterans’ personal information online. [From VAntage Point]

The just released VA coronavirus chatbot is available 24/7 to quickly triage COVID-19 symptoms and answer your questions on testing options, stimulus payments and telehealth, and even how to reschedule VA appointments. With chatbot, you can send a My HealtheVet secure message and call VA311 or your local VA medical center. [From VAntage Point]

VA’s Center for Women Veterans is advancing a cultural transformation throughout VA and aims to serve as a portal – monitoring and coordinating VA’s benefit services, outreach and programs – for women Veterans. One advocate is Ashley Gorbulja-Maldonado, a VBA employee and Army National Guard Veteran, who empowers other women Veterans with her mantra, “I can, I will… watch me.” [From VAntage Point]