Director's Message December 1, 2023

To me, there is nothing like December in the United States. The lights, the charity events, and the love that is spread this time of year is heartwarming. From our ohana at VA Pacific Islands Health Care System (VAPIHCS) to your ohana, Happy Holidays! 

National Pearl Harbor Day of Remembrance

December 7, 2023 is the 82nd annual Pearl Harbor Day of Remembrance. The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike carried out by the Japanese Imperial Navy Air Service against the U.S. Naval Base at Pearl Harbor just before 8 a.m. on Sunday, December 7, 1941. Of the eight Navy battleships present, all were damaged, with four sunk. The Japanese also sank or damaged three cruisers, three destroyers, an anti-aircraft training ship, and a minelayer. More than 180 aircraft were destroyed. A total of 2,403 Americans were killed, and 1,178 others were wounded, making it the deadliest event ever recorded in Hawaii. 

President Franklin Roosevelt called the unprovoked attack on Pearl Harbor a “date which will live in infamy.” The attack led the U.S. to join the second world war; a massive global war that lasted from 1939 to 1945 and involved more than 100 million people from 30 countries. The territory of Guam suffered attack and occupation during the war but was liberated by U.S. troops during the Battle of Guam on July 21, 1944. To this day, the Chamorro people celebrate Liberation Day on the 21st of July each year. The Pacific Ocean and all her islands are strewn with the remnants of the war, and with monuments to those who were lost. 

As we observe this solemn day, let us think deeply and carefully about WWII and the consequences that it has had on all our lives, the lives of our ancestors, and the histories of our peoples. Let us also remember that in 1945 they called for a ceasefire, and in 1947, world powers came together and negotiated peace treaties. The cost of war should never be forgotten. However, we must also strive to remember the value of peace. 

Whole Health: Self-Care Through Spiritualty

Whole Health is about all of you: mind, body, and soul. Studies show that a healthy spiritual life improves mental and physical well-being, even longevity. Spirituality involves connecting to something or someone bigger than yourself such as God or a Higher Power, nature, or community. A spiritual practice gives purpose and meaning to your life so you can Live Whole Health. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_Mzl5U5WOM

Thoughts from Chaplain Richie Charles

There was once a farmer who grew excellent quality corn, and every year he won the award for growing the best corn in town. One year a newspaper reporter interviewed him and discovered the secret of how he managed to consistently grow the best corn, year after year. After questioning him, to his surprise, the reporter made a startling discovery. He discovered that the real reason why the farmer was able to grow the best corn was because the farmer shared his best corn seeds with his neighbors!

“How can you afford to share your best corn seeds with your neighbors when your neighbors are competing with you each year?” asked the reporter.

“Why sir,” said the farmer, “Don’t you know? The wind picks up pollen from the ripening corn and swirls it around from field to field. If my neighbors grow inferior corn, cross-pollination will steadily degrade the quality of my corn. If I am to grow good corn, I must also help my neighbors grow good corn.”

Some people measure success by how much better they are than others, while others measure success by how much better they helped others become. The farmer’s insight was far-reaching enough for him to realize that his success was bound up in the success of those around him. If his neighbors’ fields grew poor quality corn, then that would eventually affect his own field as well. Although they worked in different fields, what happened in one area would eventually affect his area.

The farmer reminds us that despite the fact that we all work in different “fields”, with different roles, we are all still One Team, One VAPIHCS Ohana! What happens to one always has an impact on the whole. Let’s be determined to share our best “seeds” with those around us, remembering that true success is seen not only in being great ourselves, but also in making those around us better.  

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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