Stories | VA Bay Pines Health Care

Marine Corps Veteran Dave Mapp remembers the day he was told he had 18 months to live after being diagnosed with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL).

Nine months removed from the devastation caused by Hurricane Ian, Bay Pines VA Healthcare System continues to strengthen its readiness and response efforts to support Veterans as the possibility of inclement weather strengthens for this year’s hurricane season in southwest Florida.

Evelyn Brady, a mother of three and retired U.S. Navy Veteran, had her world turned upside down in 2019. She’s now championing efforts to bring awareness to those, like her, who carry the title of Gold Star Family.

U.S. Air Force Veteran Jesse Gabbert doesn’t pull any punches when you ask him about Bay Pines VA Healthcare System’s police service.

Like so many men and women he served with, and those who followed, Eduardo Alegria will never forget his first deployment. It was 2003, and he was smack in the middle of Iraq as part of the surge.

U.S. Army Veteran Eduardo Alegria (left), his wife, Melinda, and Pedro Gomez at Bay Pines VA Healthcare System.

Bay Pines VA Healthcare System’s Veteran Experience Officer Amy Whitaker understands why her father, a Marine Corps Veteran, never wanted to elaborate on his time in Vietnam. However, as fathers do, Whitaker’s dad did share his thoughts about life.

A woman stands outside in a floral dress, smiling for her portrait which was taken in front of a building. It is a sunny day.

To protect those who served is the motto of the VA Police Service. Bay Pines VA Healthcare System recognizes that, to achieve that mission, its officers must cultivate strong ties within the communities where Veterans live and work.

Officers from Bay Pines VA's Police Service interact with students during Pinellas Park High School's Annual Law Day.

There may be no better example of a team traversing the complex needs of Veterans everyday than the 200 social workers at Bay Pines VA Healthcare System.

Three women pose for a portrait outside.

Trauma is a state that many Veterans are all too familiar with. Like wounds of the body, wounds of the mind are not something that typically dissipate on their own; they often require careful attention and time to heal.

A man standing in front of a microphone smiles. Next to him, is a photo of him in uniform from his time in the Vietnam War.

Navy Veteran Marc McCabe has spent a lifetime serving our country, and this weekend he’ll have the chance to share a few stories as one of eight Veterans selected by USAA® to attend Super Bowl LVII in Arizona.