Madison VA Names New Executive Director, Hall of Heroes Induction and more...

Veterans Health Administration sent this bulletin at 12/26/2023 02:55 PM EST

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Madison VA Hospital & Clinics

Local News

Christine Kleckner

Kleckner Named Executive Director

Christine Kleckner was selected as new executive director for the Madison VA Hospital and Clinics in October.

Prior to this appointment, Kleckner served as the associate director, where she executed the director’s guidance for planning, organizing, coordinating and controlling the daily operations.

She has served in the Veterans Health Administration for 33 years, with more than two decades of experience as a clinician and manager before stepping into executive roles.

LaVerne Griffin (Courtesy Photo)

Griffin Inducted into Hall of Heroes

In November, we inducted United States Air Force Col. LaVerne Griffin into the Madison VA Hall of Heroes.

In 1954, long before satellites and drones, he flew three top secret missions over enemy territory to gather military intelligence earning three Distinguished Flying Cross decorations.

His daughter, family and friends remembered him fondly. See more about Col. Griffin here.

For information about our Hall of Heroes or to nominate a Veteran, visit here.

Ann Buchwald

Iraq Vet Survives Abusive Relationship

“Don’t talk about my best friend that way.”

After mustering the courage to leave an abusive relationship, most domestic violence victims don’t want people to scold them like this. Ann Buchwald is okay with this one. In fact, she needs to hear it.

The Madison VA Women’s Health Peer Specialist and Navy Veteran can hold her head high knowing she’s survived and advanced, but the road traveled to get there wasn’t easy. In fact, far from it.

In the Spotlight: Kelly Backhaus

If you’ve visited the police department at the Madison VA hospital, there’s a good chance you were greeted by Capt. Kelly Backhaus. She’s been with the Veterans Administration Police Department four years and previously served with Minocqua PD, Vilas County Sheriff's Department and the Transportation Security Administration. Prior to her military service, she played basketball at Lakeland Union High School, UW-Stevens Point and UW-Marathon County.

Hometown? Minocqua, WI

Nickname and how you got it? Spritzy - my dad has been calling me that since I was very little. It is what his German grandmother called him.

Hobbies? Camping, fishing, four-wheeling, reading

Describe your military experience? Joined the Army National Guard in 1999. Did that for about a year and enjoyed it so much I decided to go active. Was stationed in Dexheim, Germany, about four years. Was stationed there on 9/11 so was getting ready to deploy to Iraq. That got cancelled and I relocated to Ft. Hood, Texas. At the end of 2004, I was deployed to Iraq and returned at the end of 2005. I got out of the Army in 2006 as an E-5 Sergeant.

What do you enjoy most about your job? I enjoy interacting with the Veterans and staff. I enjoy being able to help people. The criminal justice system is filled with Veterans and non-Veterans alike who wouldn’t be in that situation if their underlying issues were addressed. Working here, we can get people the treatment they need and hopefully keep them out of the system.

Weirdest/funniest situation you’ve responded to? Being called to the parking garage for a very large turkey wandering around and chasing people near their vehicles.

What is the most common reason the police is called? Generally, Veterans who are upset about something and we are called to help defuse the situation.

If you could get all Veterans to understand one thing about you/PD, what is it? Police officers are people just like your mothers, fathers, brothers or sisters. We are members of your community, and we all chose this profession because we have a deep desire to help people. VAPD is in a unique position to be able to help Veterans and staff no matter the situation.

What is it about the military that you’d want others (non-military) to know? It is an amazing experience that teaches you so many valuable life lessons. The discipline, habits and knowledge that I gained in the military has benefited me tremendously in both my professional and personal life. Being a part of something so much bigger than yourself is something to be proud of and cannot be explained with words.

First concert you attended? John Mellencamp with my mom

Greatest childhood memory/achievement? Playing high school and college basketball

What made you choose VA? The ability to merge law enforcement with continuing to give back by serving Veterans made the VA a very easy choice for me.

What advice would you give your 18-year-old self? Slow down and enjoy being young. Listen to your parents, they actually know what they are talking about and their advice is sound as it comes from life experience.

Best advice you’ve ever received? Not to worry or stress about things outside of your control.

Did You Know...

Get Your Vaccines at VA

Flu Vaccines are available by appointment (or during already scheduled appointments) at all of our clinics and by walk in at the Main Hospital. Veterans can contact their primary care clinic to get scheduled.

We will be offering the 2023-2024 Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine at our hospital and clinics. This is the updated COVID-19 Vaccine for the year and it is being recommended for most adults to prevent against severe illness. We are anticipating that we will have this available in Mid-October and will be available by appointment; however appointments are not yet available.

For Veterans 60 years or older, you can schedule your RSV vaccine through your primary care clinic.

You Are One in a Million. Literally.

The Million Veteran Program is a nationwide volunteer program with the mission to recruit 1 million veterans to volunteer to share genetic, health, lifestyle and military background to understand how genes affect health and illness.

Understanding differences in our genes can help explain why some people get diseases and respond to certain treatments while others don’t.

Fittingly, we exceeded the 1 million goal the week of Veterans Day. Veterans can still enroll in the program at any of the 60 sites nationally or online at mvp.va.gov.

Read more about MVP's scientific discoveries here.

Travel Department Speeds Things Up

We know how important travel reimbursement and transportation services are for Veterans. We recently underwent a significant staff turnover in our Travel Department, which is not abnormal nationally. However, those staff losses had a negative impact on our ability to process travel claims timely and reduced our ability to provide transportation services. It also severely limited our ability to answer Veteran phone calls.

The good news is that we are making significant progress in catching up on travel claims and restoring reliable customer service. We established a new process for addressing phone calls that should significantly improve the reliability of our response time and your confidence in our follow-up service.

If you have questions about travel claims or transportation, call 608-256-1901 x11919. This extension is answered or allows you to leave a message. Voicemails are reviewed daily and we are committed to returning all Veteran calls within two business days.

Please remember that requesting a ride does not guarantee a ride. You must receive confirmation of a scheduled ride before it can happen.

As we move forward and add to our team, we expect service to improve incrementally. We appreciate your patience and understanding during this process. Happy traveling!

Vet Conquers Abuse, Prison and Addiction to Help Other Vets

Army Veteran Brent Hass has a story that makes the best Hollywood thriller seem like a snoozer. It has it all: addictions, mental illness, prison time, physical and sexual abuse…and that barely scratches the surface.

Soon to be 70, he’s overcome it all and now serves Veterans as a peer support specialist at the Rockford VA Clinic in Illinois.

Growing up, his house wasn’t one to model success. He never knew his father and his stepfather was an abusive alcoholic. He was beaten so severely at the age of three that he suffered a compound fractured skull.

“Whenever something happened to my parents, they took it out on me, causing me to rebel even more,” Hass shared. “My way of coping was to run. I didn’t know where I was going but I just wanted to run.”

Read Hass' story.

Marine Corps Veteran Empowered by Gratitude and Resilience

As a retired Veteran and Madison VA employee, Roland “Rollie” Carothers’ perspective on the impact of depression and chronic pain is personal. He hopes he can use his 22 years of experience to help other Veterans.

Carothers first served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1967–1969 and was exposed to Agent Orange in Vietnam. Several years later, he joined the Army Reserves and Army National Guard, where he injured his back during training.

“My ears are goofed up from the noise in Vietnam and I have tinnitus,” Carothers shared. “I hurt my back in war games training as an instructor and have a valve in my heart that is due to Agent Orange exposure. The VA said maybe I could get some benefit from addressing the depression and chronic pain.”

Read Carothers' story.

The Century Club

Happy 100th Birthday Ken Becker!

Becker served in the Army Air Force during World War II and in the Air Force during the Korean War. The University of Wisconsin-Madison graduate retired from his finance career at age 60…because his doctor had told him at 45 that his life expectancy was only ten more years due to a heart murmur, so he thought he was already on borrowed time. He drives himself to play cards every Thursday and says the keys to staying healthy are exercise, fresh air and a daily Manhattan drink (only one!). Oh, and eating breakfast...every day....before going to bed. Click here to leave him a note on Facebook.

Happy 100th Birthday Mae Bryant!

The University of Wisconsin-Madison graduate served in the Army during World War II. She's volunteered 5,650 hours the last 25 years at the Madison VA Hospital.

When she’s not busy volunteering, she keeps busy knitting, attending church and delivering newspapers at Trinity Pines Retirement Center every morning at 5:30.

See more and leave her a message here.

(Do you know a Veteran turning 100? Let us know!)

William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital & Clinics

2500 Overlook Terrace, Madison WI 53705

Website: www.madison.va.gov
Facebook: Madison VA Hospital

To contact Madison VA, please email us at VHAMADWebMaster@va.gov
(Please do not reply to this email as the account is not monitored.)


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