Cheyenne VA helps Veterans use technology safely
By Mel Turner, Veteran Experience Officer
At Northern Colorado VA Clinic in Loveland, Colorado, technology gives Veterans more than new skills.
It gives them confidence, connection, and new ways to take an active role in their VA healthcare.
Through Tech4Vets, Cheyenne VA Health Care System’s My HealtheVet Coordinator, Michelle Walton, and community volunteers help Veterans safely use digital tools that support their healthcare, benefits, and everyday lives. The program serves Veterans across northern Colorado, southern Wyoming, and eastern Nebraska.
During a recent Tech4Vets event, Walton and volunteers helped 20 Veterans access VA.gov, renew prescriptions, request medical records, and send secure messages to their VA healthcare teams.
“Technology can make it easier for Veterans to stay connected to the care and benefits they have earned,” Walton says. “Our goal is to make sure Veterans feel comfortable, informed and supported as they use these tools.”
Technology expands access to care
For many Veterans, especially those living in rural communities or managing multiple appointments, VA’s online tools deliver a convenient way to stay engaged with their healthcare.
My HealtheVet and VA.gov let Veterans take important actions from home, including:
- Refill eligible VA prescriptions
- Review and manage health information
- Request medical records
- Communicate securely with members of their VA healthcare team
- Access information about VA services and benefits
Learning to use a smartphone, computer, or online account can feel overwhelming, particularly when Veterans encounter unfamiliar apps, unwanted messages, or complicated sign-in processes.
Tech4Vets builds a welcoming, hands-on space where Veterans can ask questions, receive individualized help, and build the skills they need at their own pace.
Building digital confidence and online safety
Technology support is about more than navigating VA websites. It is also an opportunity to help Veterans protect their personal information, finances, and identities online.
Cheyenne VA volunteer Cruz Munoz recently joined Tech4Vets to share practical cybersecurity guidance with participating Veterans. Munoz, who is pursuing a degree in cybersecurity, helped Veterans recognize possible scams and protect themselves from online threats.
His online safety guidance included reminders to:
- Be cautious of unexpected emails, text messages, and phone calls requesting personal or financial information
- Use strong, individual passwords and avoid sharing account credentials
- Verify the sender before clicking links or opening attachments
- Keep devices, applications, and security software up to date
- Contact a trusted organization directly when a message seems suspicious
Munoz says volunteering has similarly strengthened his confidence in communicating with new people and strengthened the value of connecting Veterans with resources in their own communities.
“Helping Veterans feel safer and more confident online can make a meaningful difference in their daily lives,” he says.
A community partnership for Veterans
Walton is expanding Tech4Vets through collaborations with local libraries, helping bring technology assistance closer to the communities Veterans call home. These joint efforts have shown that Veterans need support not only with VA tools but also with online banking, shopping, social connections, community information, and safe use of the internet.
Walton’s long-term plan includes partnering with county libraries throughout northern Colorado, southern Wyoming, and eastern Nebraska so more Veterans can access trusted, local technology support.
Tech4Vets reflects Cheyenne VA’s pledge to meet Veterans where they are, whether that means in a VA clinic, in their local community, or online.
Learn more
Veterans interested in learning how technology can help them stay connected with their VA healthcare are invited to contact Cheyenne VA’s My HealtheVet Coordinator office at 307-778-7550, extension 17031. Learn how VA is using technology in healthcare.