Memorial Day — a time for the nation to pause and remember the service of deceased Veterans and military members who died on active duty, a time when Americans honor the fallen.

The Department of Veterans Affairs has a new hotline to respond to questions from Veterans, their families and caregivers about the many VA services and resources available to women Veterans.

Can you name the three VA medical centers named for United States presidents? Here’s a story on the Franklin Delano Roosevelt campus of the Hudson Valley Healthcare System in Montrose, New York.

May 13-17 is National VA Research Week with the theme “VA Research Inspires.” VA Research has been part of advances in treating heart disease, diabetes, spinal cord injury and mental health disorders.

VA is making it possible for Veterans to access PTSD information in mobile friendly formats. Check out the mobile self-help apps and “treatment companion” apps. Find “Where to Get Help for PTSD.”

VA salutes our 80,000 nurses during National Nurses Week…and every week. Every day, VA’s nurses provide state-of-the-art, cost-effective nursing care to America’s Veterans and their families.

Moving Forward is an online program that helps overcome life’s challenges. Designed specifically for Veterans and Military Service Members, but can anyone can use it to make problems more manageable.

VA, with help from Veterans, has created a more patient-friendly statement that is easier to understand. The improved statement has a concise layout and several new features that Veterans wanted.

When a Veteran’s life hung in the balance, two volunteers worked together calmly and efficiently to render aid. Their efforts may have made the difference between life and death.

In an effort to develop PTSD treatments that are geared more precisely to the unique needs of men and women, VA researchers have begun to investigate how men and women learn to fear.

An Occupational Therapist talks about VA’s Wellness Program and how Tai Chi helps Veterans and their families with memory, improved sleep, decreased stress and overall health.

Military sexual trauma (MST) refers to sexual assault during military service. April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month, time to talk about services VA has available for Veterans who experienced MST.

Catharine’s story is a familiar one for anyone with aging parents. Her dad, an Air Force Veteran, and her mother, needed full time care. “It would have been easier if they had a game plan for aging.”

Veterans! It’s National Public Health Week, time to think about changing our behaviors so we all can live healthier, safer, and better lives. And maybe give your 2013 resolutions a second chance?

The National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic in Snowmass, Colorado, provides adaptive sports instruction for about 400 Veterans and active duty servicemen and women with disabilities.

A new VA program is sending teams of health care providers into the streets to find and help an invisible army of sick, discouraged Veterans who spend their nights under bridges, on park benches, or on the sidewalk.

VA’s Telehealth lets doctors and patients meet for health services without physically being in the same place, providing greater access through the use of telecommunications and videoconferencing.

VA has over 800 Community Based Outpatient Clinics throughout the United States providing a variety of services to eligible Veterans, saving them that long drive to a VA medical center.

My HealtheVet is an online personal health record which hundreds of Veterans are using every day, finding it the most efficient way to keep track of all their health and medical information.

Veterans suffering from PTSD or other mental health challenges are being offered a new and innovative form of therapy at the VA in Palo Alto, Calif. They’re taking pictures. Lots and lots of pictures.

There are social workers at all VA medical centers. How do you know if you need a social worker? Read about some of the ways VA social workers can help you or refer you to the right person for help.

Veteran “Jersey Jeanne” has not let multiple sclerosis slow her down — adaptive sports have changed her life in a positive way. Her life’s motto is: “I got ‘ta’ keep on movin’!”

VA’s National Center for Patient Safety is responsible for developing a culture of safety throughout the Veteran’s Health Administration. One of VA’s top priorities is reducing and preventing inadvertent harm to VA patients.

March is Women’s History Month, and VA is celebrating by taking a closer look at three of its women employees who are making a difference in the lives of veterans every day.

From Viet Nam to Afghanistan, some Veterans are finding it hard to cope with their memories and experiences. The VA Crisis Line is here to help Veterans who are thinking about giving up. Don’t give up. Call for help.

Dr. Mary Rorro, VA psychiatrist, shares her love for music with Veterans in group therapy sessions. She gets positive results from Veterans with just “A Few Good Notes.”

Here are links to the ten most popular articles of 2012 which appeared on the VHA Health home page. They cover a wide range of helpful information from Benefits and PTSD to Women’s Health and Vet Centers.

From George Washington to George W. Bush, 26 of America’s presidents served in the military before becoming Commander in Chief. From all of the soldiers in uniform today, is there a future president of the United States?

Time for Valentines! Every year, a group of entertainers and volunteers present the Salute to Veteran Patients program when we pay tribute to our hospitalized Veterans. And a chance for you to become involved as a volunteer.

Michael Johnston, a Navy Veteran amputee, is featured in a VA video that encourages disabled Veterans to get involved in sports or activities, an important step to help them “redefine their mission” and see what’s possible.

Veteran Alyce Dixon has seen a century of changes in her 105 years. She reflects on African American History Month and the transitions in her life as a Veteran. She was born with a resiliency that told her she would overcome.

Veterans! American Heart Month is a great time to begin your journey to healthy living. Your VA health team will work with you on your eating habits, weight control, and exercise program. Learn your risks for heart disease.

A shorter stay in the hospital can actually be more beneficial to you than a longer stay, according to a recent VA study that appeared in the December 18, 2012 issue of Annals of Internal Medicine.

Are you uncomfortable around people? Don’t like crowds? Is it PTSD? You can learn about PTSD from Veterans who live with it every day. Listen to their stories and find out how PTSD affects the people who love you.

Preventing and treating the flu is a top priority at VHA medical facilities around the country. VHA has delivered over 1.62 million influenza vaccinations since September of 2012. It is not too late to get your flu shot.

VA encourages all women Veterans to have regular screening tests which can help to prevent cervical cancer or detect it early. Most deaths from cervical cancer are among women who are screened infrequently or not at all.

It’s Glaucoma Awareness Month, time to remind Veterans to take action to prevent this sight-stealing disease. Over a million Veterans have an eye disease which can threaten their vision and 285,000 Vets have Glaucoma.

There are a lot of pieces to the Long Term Care puzzle. VA puts them together with an online Guide to Long Term Care. See descriptions of Home and Community Based Services, Nursing Homes, Residential Settings, and much more.

VA has a program that can help Veterans successfully lose weight and change their lives. It’s called MOVE! Find out how it can help you lose weight and keep it off.

Parades, presents, music and special visits. VA staff, young soldiers, generous volunteers and an appreciate community made this holiday season a wonderful time for the Veterans at the VA Medical Center in Dublin, Ga.

Over 100 Veteran residents of the San Francisco VA Medical Center Community Living Center enjoyed a special holiday celebration lunch on December 14. VA’s Community Living Centers: Care for Vets in a home-like environment.

From the VA Community Living Center at Cheyenne, Wyo. to the Texas Veterans Health Care Systems, VA staff, volunteers and communities bring holiday cheer to America’s Veterans during the 2012 holiday season.

A new report shows that homelessness among Veterans was reduced between January 2011 and January 2012. We are on track to meet the goal of ending Veteran homelessness in 2015, a top priority at VA.

For some Veterans, the holidays are a time of loneliness and anxiety. Many things can cause the “holiday blues.” It could be stress or fatigue. The demands of family reunions can lead to tension. VA can help.

Women Vets don’t realize their risk of heart disease. Through an outreach and patient education initiative, VA is raising awareness of the risks associated with heart disease and the importance of regular screenings.

Veterans! Did you get your flu shot? They are available for Veterans enrolled in VA health care. Influenza, or “flu,” is a contagious respiratory virus. Anyone can catch the flu virus. Get the shot, not the flu!

As national recommendations propose HIV tests for all Americans age 15 to 65, VA is ahead of the curve. We have recommended routine HIV testing for all Veterans since 2009. Mark World AIDS Day by saying Yes to the Test!

VA presents an ongoing portrait project entitled “Strong at the Broken Places” which tells stories of courage and strength by Veterans who have moved forward in positive and constructive ways.

Hundreds of Veterans enjoyed an early and free Thanksgiving Day dinner at the VA Ambulatory Care Center in Columbus, Ohio. Voluntary Services organized the meal in space donated by American Legion Post 144.

With a mound of mashed potatoes in your immediate future, you may not want to think about diets and nutrition. At least promise you will read this article so important to the health of our Veterans after Thanksgiving’s over on Friday.

Mike had tried to quit for years. He did a VA smoking cessation clinic three times with no success. Then he decided to quit for himself. And it worked! Join Mike during the Great American Smoke Out.

CDC estimates that nearly 26 million people in the US have diabetes. Nearly one in four Veterans receiving care from VA has diabetes. Many Veterans are at risk for diabetes due to being overweight.

VA Medical Centers across the country are marking Veterans Day with special ceremonies. Here’s just a few examples with a link that will help you find out what the VA Medical Center in your area is doing.

This is National Family Caregivers Month when VA salutes the brave family members and friends who are taking care of our Veterans. We are here to provide you with the support and services you need.

The VA Medical Center in Portland, Ore. has become the testing site for an interesting new approach to helping Veterans cope with thoughts of suicide: the self-soothing box, or “hope box.”

New public service announcement reminds women Veterans that VA is ready to serve them. Too many women Veterans are unaware VA offers high quality women’s health care. VA’s Women’s Health Services intends to change that.

A Department of Veterans Affairs study published recently in the journal Stroke reveals that starting yoga — even long after you’ve suffered a stroke — may noticeably improve your balance (as well as your confidence).

Do you stay in that weight rut? Eat a lot, then lose a lot, then do it over again? VA has a program that can end that cycle and change your life. It’s called MOVE! and it can help you lose weight and keep it off.

VA has a new goal to care for and heal our wounded Veterans. In addition to repairing their damaged bodies and minds, VA has embarked on a unique campaign to repair their crumbling intimate relationships.

VA has numerous ways to help Vets. Many do not know our programs exist. You can help. Print out this story, put a few of them in your car, and hand them out when you meet a Vet, on the street, at church on Sunday, wherever.

On August 23, the Bedford, Mass. VA Medical Center welcomed home Natalie Dell, a health research scientist who won a bronze medal during this summer’s London Olympics as a member of a four-woman sculls rowing team.

Each year, Veterans compete in creative arts competitions. There are 120 categories in the performing arts — such as music, dance, drama and creative writing. Winners attend the National Veterans Creative Arts Festival.

VA pharmacists know medications, how they work, and their effects on Veteran patients. They work closely with health care providers to optimize Veterans’ drug therapy so Vets get the most benefit from their medications.

VA leads the nation in breast cancer screening rates and has outperformed non-VA health care systems in breast cancer screenings for more than 15 years, with 87 percent of eligible women receiving mammograms in fiscal year 2011.

Surveys are essential to future health care policy for Veterans. Three current surveys focus on Vietnam-era Army, Gulf War, and OEF/OIF Vets. When you complete the survey, you are helping yourself and your fellow Veterans.

For Veterans who live many miles from a VA medical center, Telehealth is the answer. With telecommunications and videoconferencing, Vets have greater access to healthcare without having to spend an entire day on the road.

Veterans tell what it’s like to live with PTSD and how VA treatment turned their lives around. Website features candid videos of Vets sharing their PTSD experiences and how they dealt with them. It’s raw but it’s real.

VA’s National Veterans Summer Sports Clinic in San Diego promotes life-changing, year round healing. It encourages Vets to be active and continue to participate in many activities they enjoyed in the past.

VA’s annual TEE Tournament, held every year in Iowa City, Iowa, lets eligible Veterans participate in therapeutic adaptive sporting activities demonstrating that a disability is not an obstacle to an active, rewarding life.

It’s Suicide Prevention Month. Get involved and help Vets who think there is no help. We are asking you to “Stand by Them: Help a Veteran.” Read how you can help make more people aware of this crisis.

Veterans tell what it’s like to live with PTSD and how VA treatment turned their lives around. Website features candid videos of Vets sharing their PTSD experiences and how they dealt with them. It’s raw but it’s real.

September is National Preparedness Month, reminding us that knowing what to do during an emergency is an important part of being prepared and makes all the difference when seconds count. Do you have an emergency supply kit?

VA has discovered that a brief therapeutic phone conversation called motivational interviewing is an effective way to convince Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans with mental health diagnoses to begin getting treatment.

VA health care requires that we ask the Veteran, “How can we help you live your life fully?” Veterans committed their lives in defense of our country. We can help them with their health care focused on what matters to them.

VA is providing health care for some Vets on active duty at Camp Lejeune between 1957 and 1987. You may have been exposed to contaminated drinking water. See if you have any of the medical conditions described in a new law.

August is Immunization Awareness Month. Are you up-to-date with all of your vaccines? They protect you and your family. Make sure you’re up to date with shots you need and schedule the vaccinations you should get every year.

Because 41% of all Veterans enrolled in the VA Health Care System live in geographically remote areas, VA has an Office of Rural Health dedicated to making sure they have access to quality care.

In an effort to improve Veterans’ access to mental health care and perhaps lower the suicide rate among the Veteran population, VA hopes to provide 200,000 video conferencing consultations before the end of the year.

Some Veterans will be hired temporarily this summer to help enroll other Veterans in My HealtheVet, VA’s Online Personal Health Record, where Vets can store health information, refill VA prescriptions online and much more.

International Assistance Dog Week — Saluting hardworking dogs helping Veterans live more fulfilled lives. These dogs transform the lives of their Veteran partners, performing tasks the Veteran cannot do without assistance.

Veterans who served in combat operations after 1998 are eligible for an extended period of eligibility for VA health care for cost free medical care for any condition related to your service in the Iraq/Afghanistan theatre.

VA has numerous ways to help Vets. Many do not know our programs exist. You can help. Print out this story, put a few of them in your car, and hand them out when you meet a Vet, on the street, at church on Sunday, wherever.

Women’s Health Research Network — designed to address important women’s health research questions. Example: heart disease — in a large VA study, there would not be enough women at one VA. The solution is banding together.

VA, the largest provider of HIV care in the United States, will discuss how electronic health records have improved VA’s treatment of Veterans with HIV at the International AIDS Conference July 22-27 in Washington DC.

The Department of Veterans Affairs now has the technology to enable Veterans with above-the-knee amputations to walk with a healthy, natural gait, just the way they did before they were injured.

Looking for a job with a purpose? And a competitive salary, great benefits and flexible schedules? Check out the opportunities available at the Department of Veterans Affairs. Our heroes need you…now!

VA is combining new, high tech interventions with existing Evidence Based Treatments for PTSD — a ‘combination punch’ that could mean quicker relief for Veterans coping with stress-inducing memories.

VA’s Paralympic Program encourages disabled Veterans to redefine themselves by competing in adaptive sports which are played by people with physical, cognitive and visual disabilities.

VA has over 20,000 mental health clinical staff. We are adding about 1,600 clinicians to that workforce including psychiatrists and psychologists. In addition, 300 people will be added to support this new clinical staff.

July 4th — It’s our birthday! Independence Day, when the new United States of America adopted the Declaration of Independence in 1776. Picnics and parades, concerts and fireworks, and a great time to fly the American flag.

Popular farmer’s market is a weekly stop at VA Palo Alto. The market lets Veterans and employees at the medical center find fresh, healthy foods and allows inpatients a chance to get out for a stroll with their families.

More than 500 athletes participate in the National Veterans Wheelchair Games, largest wheelchair sports event in the world. Sports and rehab program is for military service Veterans who use wheelchairs for sports competition.

Skin cancer can be prevented and, if caught early, is highly curable. Detected early, skin cancer is almost 100 percent curable. Almost 50 percent of people who live to age 65 will develop at least one form of skin cancer.

“About Face” videos feature Vets talking candidly about dealing with PTSD. We encourage you to learn more about the disorder and how Vets with PTSD were helped by VA treatment.

During PTSD Awareness Month, VA encourages Veterans, their families, and all Americans to learn more about the disorder and discover ways you can help yourself and others. Learn from Vets with PTSD how treatment helped them.

June 14 is Flag Day but Old Glory flies proudly at VA medical centers every day. The American Flag and Veterans go together like, well, Veterans and the American Flag. You can’t have one without the other.

VA collaborates with national campaign to help find permanent housing for 10,000 vulnerable and chronically homeless Veterans this year. Will help accomplish Secretary Shinseki’s goal of ending Veteran homelessness in 2015.

Summertime — a lot of outdoor activities are planned. Vets should remember that ultraviolet radiation from the sun’s rays can be damaging to your eyes and potentially affect your vision. Every Veteran should wear sunglasses.

VA’s National Golden Age Games are a national sports and recreation competition which introduces older Veterans to the benefits of sports and recreation. A chance for athletes to showcase their skills, mental and physical.

Memorial Day is when we remember those who died in the service of their nation. At 3 p.m., Americans pause for the annual Moment of Remembrance to reflect on the sacrifice of America’s fallen warriors and honor their memory.

Find out if you are eligible for VA health care benefits. Apply online, at any VA medical facility where VA personnel can answer your questions, or call toll-free at 1-877-222-VETS (8387) to apply over the phone.

This is National Women’s Health week. VA knows women Vets and is best-equipped to meet their needs. Good health is a commitment you make to yourself. Let VA help you keep this commitment this week and beyond.

Many Veterans don’t realize they have high blood pressure. It often has no warning signs or symptoms. That’s why it’s important for Vets to get their blood pressure checked regularly.

Got motivation? Need some? Read how Veterans Joe, Sonya and Ernie lost big weight big time with VA’s MOVE! program. Come on! You can do it! MOVE! can help you lose weight, keep it off and improve your health. Goodbye Couch!

With more than 77,000 nurses, the Department of Veterans Affairs has one of the largest nursing staffs of any health care system in the world. Join us in saluting them this National Nurses Week.

On the home page of every VA Medical Center, there is a direct connection to information about the many benefits OEF/OIF Veterans have earned. Look for the yellow ribbon and click to start applying for your benefits.

May is Mental Health Month. VA is dedicated to improving the mental health and well-being of all Veterans. We are adding 1900 health care professionals to the many programs VA has to help achieve mental wellness for all.

Vets should know the difference in a food allergy that occurs when a food you eat abnormally triggers your body’s immune system and a food intolerance which is different from a food allergy.

VA Research Week: Dedicated to the achievements of VA research and its importance in providing quality care for Veterans. An opportunity to focus on research and its impact on preventing disease and disability.

Job Fairs are being held at VA Medical Centers across the county with VA employees and service providers helping Vets find job opportunities and assisting with application submissions, resume preparation, and tips on how to get hired.

Eighteen-year-old Elizabeth Leneski has racked up over 1,200 volunteer hours at the VA Medical Center in Ann Arbor, Mich., doing everything from answering phones to organizing entertainment programs for patients.

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM), giving VA an opportunity to share information about the impact of sexual trauma and the services VA has available for Veterans who experienced military sexual trauma (MST).

VA’s Occupational therapists help Veterans perform meaningful and purposeful activities. Therapists help Vets improve basic motor functions and reasoning abilities, and also to compensate for permanent loss of function.

The National Veterans Creative Arts Festival is coming to Boston in October. Thousands of Vets across America combine therapy and competition in the annual VA program that recognizes progress and recovery through therapy.

Over eight million Vets enrolled in VA’s health care system can contribute to a healthier America. It’s National Public Health Week when we promote healthy habits and safe practices. Join the movement by making good choices.

VA Medical Centers across the country have tobacco cessation support programs for veterans. Get tips on preparing to quit, how to overcome roadblocks, and settling into life as a tobacco-free person.

The 26th National Disabled Winter Sports Clinic — motivating Veterans to live life to the fullest by experiencing Miracles on a Mountainside.

New Health Benefits Handbook provides personalized listing of health benefits based on each Veteran’s specific eligibility along with information on your local VA medical facilities and appointment scheduling information.

VA has many resources to help with recovery from Military Sexual Trauma, including free treatment for related mental and physical health conditions. Veterans do not need to be “service connected” to receive services.

Throughout U.S. history, women have heeded the call to serve our country. Their strength and determination are an inspiration. VA works hard to keep women Veterans healthy. Join us in celebrating Women’s History Month.

Learn how the Veterans Health Administration is delivering health care to victims of Traumatic Brain Injury and read how we are working to improve the treatment of America’s Veterans. March is Brain Injury Awareness Month.

MaketheConnection.net — a website that lets Veterans and their families connect with the experiences of other Veterans and connects them with resources to help confront the challenges of transitioning from service.

VA is training young residents — tomorrow’s doctors — that it’s OK to report their mistakes and even their ‘near misses.’ At VA, mistakes are regarded as teachable moments.

In fulfilling its responsibility to provide the best care for every Veteran, VA is moving away from problem-based disease care toward something very different: patient-centered care based on relationships.

Veterans who served in any combat zone can find support at one of 300 Vet Centers, including counseling, outreach, and referral services that can help you make a satisfying post-war readjustment to civilian life.

The Department of Veterans Affairs is now offering marriage retreats to help returning Veterans heal themselves, and their relationships. Research shows that 70 percent of combat Veterans are experiencing marital problems.

The Department of Veterans Affairs is determined to end Veteran homelessness in five years. A 12 percent decrease in homeless Vets in 2010 is a good sign the program is working.

Veterans Treatment Courts were developed to avoid unnecessary incarceration of Veterans who develop mental health or substance abuse problems.

This is “National Salute to Veteran Patients” week when you can visit your local VA Medical Center and meet America’s Veterans and thank them for the sacrifices they have made.

February 12-17 is “National Salute to Veteran Patients” week, a chance for the public to visit their local VA Medical Center, meet America’s Veterans and learn about the sacrifices they have made.

February is American Heart Month. Talk with your health care team about changes you can make to help you reduce your risk and improve your heart health.

The theme of African American History Month is “Black Women in American History and Culture.” VA encourages Americans of all backgrounds to honor the countless critical roles black women have played in shaping America.