All this week VA and the Paralyzed Veterans of America are hosting the National Veterans Wheelchair Games. Veterans will participate in 18 wheelchair sports events in Salt Lake City. Read the full story
In early May about 30 patients and staff gathered on the front patio of the Milwaukee Veteran Affairs Spinal Cord Injury building to witness a special ceremony: the release of hundreds of butterflies. Read the full story
WASHINGTON – Today, the Department of Veterans Affairs announced the departure of Danny G.I. Pummill from his post as Acting Under Secretary for Benefits at the Veterans Benefits Administration. Mr. Pummill has served as the Acting Under Secretary since October 19, 2015. Mr. Pummill had previously planned to retire by the end of 2015, but upon the departure of previous Under Secretary for Benefits Allison Hickey, he remained as head of the administration at the request of Secretary Robert A. McDonald. His continuing service helped ensure the critical continuity required to complete VBA’s transformation, and help expand the MyVA effort at the administration level.
Sometimes play is the best medicine. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is announcing a partnership with the national non-profit organization KaBOOM! to make play more accessible to children visiting VA Medical Centers and VA Fisher Houses. KaBOOM! is one of a number of partnerships formed under the MyVA initiative, the largest transformation in VA’s history, which focuses squarely on the needs of Veterans through customer service and strong community partnerships.
After 17 months in Iraq he came home and felt he was “drifting through life.” After he was diagnosed with PTSD, he entered a VA treatment program called Cognitive Processing Therapy. It worked for him. Read the full story
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) today announced that it has removed three senior officials at the Phoenix VA Health Care System. The move follows an announcement in March in which VA proposed the removal of Lance Robinson, the facility’s Associate Director; Brad Curry, Chief of Health Administration Service; and Dr. Darren Deering, Chief of Staff. In addition to other causes, the three were removed for negligent performance of duties and failure to provide effective oversight for not ensuring Veterans were either properly scheduled for appointments or placed on an appropriate wait list.
Warren, an Army Veteran, had surgery for a cancerous tongue tumor. He spent only three days in the hospital. Read how VA surgeons solve complex problems with minimally invasive procedures. Read the full story
The Department of Veterans Affairs’ Center for Women Veterans today announced a partnership with LeanIn.Org, the nonprofit organization founded by Facebook Chief Operating Officer, Sheryl Sandberg, to empower women to achieve their ambitions. Building on the successful launch of LeanIn.Org circles within the Department of Defense, VA is following the same model to increase support to women Veterans.
Secretary of Veterans Affairs Robert McDonald has granted equitable relief to more than 24,000 Veterans following a national review of Traumatic Brain Injury medical examinations conducted in connection with disability compensation claims processed between 2007 and 2015.