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VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System top stories.

  • VA Greater Los Angeles Health Care System (VAGLAHS) held National VA Research Week on May 11–15, with the theme "Launching into the Future of Veterans' Care."

    During the award ceremony, Dr. Steven Simon, Chief of Staff at VAGLAHS, presented Dr. Michael Ong, Associate Chief of Staff for Research, with the Inaugural National VA Office of Research and Development Field Research Leadership Excellence Award, drawing a standing ovation from the audience.
  • Medicine often focuses on treating injuries after they happen, but the fall prevention program at the Community Living Center (CLC) is flipping the script by celebrating preventive success.

    In March, the CLC team proudly celebrated Veteran Brian Deguzman for reaching a significant milestone of one year without a fall, recognizing not only his dedication but also the collaborative efforts of the care team.
  • VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System (VAGLAHS) is helping lead a national conversation about how artificial intelligence (AI) should support, rather than replace, the judgment of the dentists who care for Veterans.

    At VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, dental trainees are offered educational and research opportunities in artificial intelligence, focused on responsible use.
  • If a Veteran in Los Angeles is considering suicide and calls for help, there’s a good chance they will be met with the calm, supportive voice of a VA Police Department (VAPD) Dispatcher.

    The VAPD Dispatch (or emergency communications center) team at West LA VA
  • On a quiet Thursday afternoon in Chatsworth, a group of Veterans stand together, all dressed in uniform. Only today, their uniforms are white protective suits.

    Finding Calm in the Hive: How Beekeeping is Helping Veterans Reconnect
  • For many Veterans battling the invisible wounds of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), a dog is far more than a companion; it is a lifeline.

    Marlyn Lee, a Critical Care Clinical Nurse Educator who created the Greater Los Angeles Veterans Service and Therapy Dog Program, works with her dog Violet, a future therapy dog, during a weekly training class.
  • For U.S. Air Force Veteran Salvador Vasquez, the National Veterans Winter Sports Clinic is about more than just skiing; it’s about reclaiming strength and confidence after devastating injuries.

    U.S. Air Force Veteran Salvador Vasquez (center), raises his arms in celebrations with ski instructors Bruce Tubbs (left) and Molly Nickel (right) after a successful ski run at Snowmass Village, Colorado during the National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic, April 6, 2026.
  • When Army Veteran Dan Westberg traveled from Central Iowa to Southern California to play Santa at a local mall, he had one goal: to make children happy.

    Santa Claus and a woman in a green chair with a Christmas tree and decorations in the background.
  • For many Veterans receiving life saving care at the West LA VA Medical Center, one of the challenges isn’t treatment; it’s the distance families and caregivers must travel to remain close during recovery.

    The Fisher House team, pictured left to right: Omar Luna, Erma Mickens, and Sandra Baldwin at the 17th-anniversary Fisher House Mardi Gras celebration.
  • If you visit Heroes Golf Course in West Los Angeles on a sunny morning, you might be pleasantly surprised to find a World War II Veteran welcoming players with a smile. That man is Larry Manzo, a Navy Gunner turned community fixture whose life centers on service, connection, and hope.

    Three photos of the same elderly men receiving care: seated, in wheelchair, and with caregiver.