WASHINGTON – The Department of Veterans Affairs Thursday launched an employee blog on VA’s Hurricane Katrina website.

The blog includes stories from VA employees in and around the disaster left in the wake of Hurricane Katrina and brings into sharp relief the experience of those who survived the storm and those who helped them.  A few samples from the blog include:

“He was hunkered down under a four-foot tall pile of debris that minutes before had been part of an apartment complex with a view of glittering gambling boats and the gentle ebb and flow of the Mississippi Sound. . . .”

“Another veteran was an inpatient for back surgery at the New Orleans VA Medical Center when the hurricane hit.  He reports it was hot, so they opened the windows, and he could hear gunfire so heavy outside the VA that he thought it was a war zone. . . . VA is going to take care of me. . . .”

“He had other medical problems as well, including heart disease and diabetes.  But his biggest concern was finding his wife. . . . .”

The blog is the latest component of VA’s Hurricane Katrina website, designed to provide information to veterans, family members and VA employees affected by the disaster.  

The website includes comprehensive information on VA hospital and health care facilities, information links to locate veterans evacuated to different VA medical centers, updates on veterans benefits and operations at VA’s national cemeteries.  Since its launch on September 2, the day before the Labor Day Holiday, the website has received more than 40,000 visits.

The URL for the VA Hurricane Katrina Blog is:

 http://www1.va.gov/opa/katrina/story/.

The blog and other information on the Hurricane Katrina website can also be accessed directly from the main VA homepage at www.va.gov

# # #

###

Reporters and media outlets with questions or comments should contact the Office of Media Relations at vapublicaffairs@va.gov

Veterans with questions about their health care and benefits (including GI Bill). Questions, updates and documents can be submitted online.

Contact us online through Ask VA

Veterans can also use our chatbot to get information about VA benefits and services. The chatbot won’t connect you with a person, but it can show you where to go on VA.gov to find answers to some common questions.

Learn about our chatbot and ask a question

Subscribe today to receive these news releases in your inbox.

More from the Press Room