Director's Message August 4, 2023
VAPIHCS Veterans, The American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) has identified scams being used to get personal information from Veterans in connection with the Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxins (PACT) Act which was passed in August of 2022.
These scams involve people calling Veterans and offering to help them enroll under the PACT Act. The scammer will then extract personal information from the Veteran which can be used in various forms of fraud.
It's very important that Veterans know: The VA Pacific Islands Health Care System (VAPIHCS) will not call you asking for personal information to enroll you under this legislation. You may call us at 1-800-214-1306. If you select option 8, you can speak to the National PACT Act help center and ask any questions you may have. If you select option 4, you can speak to the VAPIHCS eligibility enrollment team and enroll over the phone with us. You may also file a PACT Act claim online as long as you have one of the following third-party identification services: Login.gov, ID.me, DS Login, or a Premium My HealtheVet account.
We have held more than 20 events so far throughout the Pacific Islands to enroll Veterans under the PACT Act in-person. We will continue to hold this enrollment events. You can follow us on Facebook or check our website to find out about events happening near you.
The next PACT Act event will be this Sunday, August 6, 2023, at the Ala Moana Hotel. It will be from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Garden Lanai Ballroom. Parking will be validated. No registration is required. Bring you a picture ID, your DD214 and any medical documentation you have of toxic exposures, and we will help determine which benefits you are eligible for. We encourage all Veterans who think they may be eligible to come and talk with us. VAPIHCS wants to work to ensure that all Veterans get the benefits that they have earned and deserve.
The SERVICE Act
The Supporting Expanded Review for Veterans in Combat Environments (SERVICE) Act applies to all Veterans who served in designated areas during specific timeframes where they may have been exposed to burn pits or other toxic exposure. While no direct link has been found between toxic exposure and breast cancer, VA is concerned about individual tragic cases and continues to support research and the examination of case data.
Unless Veterans are determined to be at high risk, VA follows the American Cancer Society guidelines which recommend that average risk women begin mammography at age 40-45. For female Veterans identified in the SERVICE Act who are below the age of 40, VA recommends a risk assessment to determine whether they are high risk for breast cancer and if a mammogram is clinically indicated.
The risk assessment is a clinical review containing a series of questions that consider a patient’s possible toxic exposure, family medical history, and other risk factors. If any Veterans have questions about getting screened for breast cancer before the American Cancer Society’s recommended age ranges, they should call to make an appointment. Speaking with your doctor can help clarify what may or may not be needed in your specific case.
The Million Veteran Program
The Million Veteran Program (MVP) is a project which aims to collect DNA from one million Veterans to understand health conditions better than ever before among those who served. The goal is to one day give Veterans specialized care based on their genes, lifestyle, military experiences, and exposures. So far, this program has already helped perfect screening for some diseases, but there are many research projects in progress currently which will improve veteran healthcare in the future.
This spring, VA announced that it is less than 50,000 Veterans away from reaching its goal. It’s particularly important that Veterans in the Pacific Islands participate. Diverse genetic contributions will help create a more meaningful picture with the data. That’s why people from historically underrepresented heritages like those from the Pacific Islands are strongly encouraged to consider participation. If you haven’t donated to the program yet, I urge you to consider doing so. It’s an important project that will help Veterans for generations to come.
Thoughts from Chaplain Richie
What unexplainable passions and interests draw you instinctively? What would you describe as your “sweet spot”, that is, the areas where your natural talents enable you to thrive? Beyond the natural human instincts, which make survival possible, you may sense that you have deeper instincts that are like mystical whispers from the soul, urging you to embrace your unique gifts and talents. However, pressures to fit a predefined mold can lead us to overlook our distinctiveness, conforming to molds that can be stifling. To truly thrive, however, it's essential to acknowledge and nurture your unique wiring for service and cultivate your distinct gifts.
Consider the real-life example of Albert Einstein. As a child, he didn't start speaking until the age of almost 3. His teacher once said that he would never amount to anything. Later in life, after graduating in 1900, Einstein faced rejection from every academic position he applied for, reaching a low point in 1902 when he was unemployed and desperate. He took jobs tutoring little children but was even fired then. A turning point came later that year when the father of his lifelong friend was able to recommend him for a position as a clerk in the Swiss patent office in Bern. At about the same time, Einstein’s father became seriously ill. For years, Einstein would experience enormous sadness remembering that his father had died thinking of him as a failure.
But his job at the patent office proved to be a blessing, allowing him time to ponder profound questions about light beams. His revolutionary discoveries eventually led to the publication of four papers in 1905, altering the course of modern physics.
Like Einstein, have you ever sensed that you can offer more in service to others? Are you making the most of your unique talents, gifts, and abilities to serve our Veterans? To reach your fullest potential, pay closer attention to the voice of your deeper instincts, and endeavor to bring to fruition all that you were destined to be.
One Team, One Ohana!
Adam M. Robinson, Jr., MD, MBA, CPE
Director, VA Pacific Islands Health Care System
VADM, MC, USN, (RET)
36th Surgeon General, USN
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