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Read about what's happening in our VA Charleston health care community.

Chronic pain is an experience that many Veterans know all too well, and the devastating effects that it can introduce into a Veteran’s life can have drastic consequences.

U.S. Army Veteran Darryl Gadsden practices yoga as part of his alternative therapy treatments for pain management. (Photo by Erin Curran)

The Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center will soon join the rest of the Veterans Health Administration in implementation of a smoke-free campus at its medical center, its community outpatient clinics and off-site locations

The Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center is soon joining the rest of the Veterans Health Administration in implementation of a smoke-free campus at its medical center, its community outpatient clinics and off-site locations.

Over the past few years, the Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center and the Department of Veterans Affairs have made access to care a top priority.

At the Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center, 99% of all patient care clinics are now able to get Veterans in for an appointment within 30 days of their requested date. (Photo by James Arrowood)

The Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center, in collaboration with WCIV ABC News 4, will host a special symposium “Attacking Pain: Alternatives to Opioids” aboard the USS Yorktown on Thursday, July 18, from 7:00 – 8:00 p.m.

The Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center, in collaboration with WCIV ABC News 4, will host a special symposium “Attacking Pain: Alternatives to Opioids” aboard the USS Yorktown on Thursday, July 18, from 7:00 – 8:00 p.m.

Many Veterans struggle to readjust to civilian life when they leave the military, and those struggles can all too often include battling with substance abuse and alcohol addiction. For those Veterans, the road to recovery can be a lonely and hard road that takes years.

Army Veteran Jerry Weaver works in the Sterilization Services for the Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center. Weaver completed the Compensated Work Therapy program along with the Charleston Adult Drug Treatment Court diversion program and was hired full-time by the Charleston VAMC. (Photo by Erin Curran)

Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center’s first official competition team braved grueling training hours, long, cross-country flights, jet lag and even a mama bear and her cubs on the golf course to come home victorious from the 2019 National Veterans Golden Age Games.

Team Charleston Veterans (left to right) Rae Carlers, Richard Ligon and Terry Stewart pose with their coach Physical Therapist Steve Giammona at the top of the Dena’ina Civic and Convention Center in Anchorage, Alaska, before their competitions at the 2019 National Veterans Golden Age Games in early June. (Photo by Meredith Hagen)

U.S. Army Veteran Joyce Letellier never thought she’d be 61-years-old and encouraging others to take control of their mental health. In fact, Letellier didn’t know if she’d even be alive to tell her story.

U.S. Army Veteran Joyce Letellier sits out front of the Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center where she receives her mental health treatment. Photo by James Arrowood.

The VA MISSION Act will go into effect on June 6, 2019 and stands to be one of the most impactful changes to the way that VA provides health care for Veterans.

On Friday, May 31 at 10 a.m., Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center is scheduled to break ground on its new Myrtle Beach VA Outpatient Clinic during a ceremony at the site’s location at 1800 Airpark Drive, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

The groundbreaking ceremony for Charleston VA’s consolidated Myrtle Beach VA Outpatient Clinic will take place on May 31, 2019 at 10 a.m. at the new site’s location at 1800 Airpark Drive, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

Each year, the Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center pays tribute to the fallen service members who paid the ultimate price for freedom with a Memorial Day Remembrance Event in their honor. This year, the event will be held on Friday, May 24 at 10 a.m. in the Charleston VAMC Main Auditorium.