Director's Message January 27, 2023
VAPIHCS Veterans, It was only last week that we were celebrating the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. His message was famously a message of peace; a rare thing for a person struggling against injustice to choose as a means for change.
I served for more than 30 years in the US Navy. To me personally, the value of peace can never be understated. It may seem ironic, but it is not. Like Dr. King, I see the value of peace because I have seen what violence will get us. I know that an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind, and that’s not the world I want to live in.
It’s also not lost on me that the California shooting took place during the Lunar New Year Celebration; a time that should be all about hope and joy. Seeing images of violence marring such an event is particularly poignant, and painful. I see this, and like many veterans, I am particularly affected by the unnecessary and horrific violence. To say that my heart goes out to the families and friends of the victims is a given, but my heart also goes out to my fellow veterans who might find this kind of violence a trigger for deeper issues. It seems appropriate to remind you all that the new number for the Veterans Crisis Line is 988, then press 1. Suicide Prevention is a priority at VA, and I hope you know that there’s no shame in getting help. Wounds of the mind and spirit are every bit as serious as wounds of the body, and we treat them with the same seriousness. If you need to talk to someone, please reach out.
PACT Act Enrollment
VA Pacific Islands Health Care Systems continues to make PACT Act enrollment a priority in the new year. Last year, successful Community Call events were held all over VA Pacific Islands Health Care System (VAPIHCS) to enroll veterans who are newly eligible under the PACT Act. However, there may still be veterans that we haven’t reached. We will continue to hold outreach events, but we’d also like to ask for your help. Do you know a veteran who isn’t enrolled with VA? Send them our way! There have been many changes in eligibility criteria, and people who were not eligible in the past may be eligible now. Encourage the veterans you know to come and speak with someone and see what benefits they may qualify for. Let’s work together as a community to make sure that no one misses their chance to get covered by VA.
On February 8, 2023, and February 9, 2023, there will be a PACT Act Registration Community Call on Saipan where VA health care professionals will be available to share information and resources with veterans related to the PACT Act. Saipan has had VA events before, but this one is different. In addition to staff from Oahu, there will also be staff from the Guam Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC) going to Saipan. In addition to PACT Act benefits counselors, health services will also be available. There will be health screenings, infectious disease testing, vaccinations, diabetic foot checks, blood pressure checks, and help getting connected with VA services. Hopefully all the veterans in Saipan and the rest of the Commonwealth of the Northern Marians Islands (CNMI) will try to be there.
COMPACT Act
VA has released new guidance on helping veterans who are dealing with suicidal ideation. It’s called the COMPACT Act, and it has the power to help millions of veterans receive emergency care for free. “Veterans in acute suicidal crisis will be able to go to any VA or non-VA health care facility for emergency health care at no cost – including inpatient or crisis residential care for up to 30 days and outpatient care for up to 90 days. Veterans do not need to be enrolled in the VA system to use this benefit,” the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs described in a release.
While there are some requirements for length of service, it’s believed this could help up to nine million veterans.
Eligible individuals, regardless of VA enrollment status, are:
- Veterans who were discharged or released from active duty after more than 24 months of active service under conditions other than dishonorable or higher.
- Former members of the armed forces, including reserve service members, who served more than 100 days under a combat exclusion or in support of a contingency operation either directly or by operating an unmanned aerial vehicle from another location who were discharged under conditions other than dishonorable.
- Former members of the armed forces who were the victim of a physical assault of a sexual nature, a battery of a sexual nature, or sexual harassment while serving in the armed forces.
Veterans don’t have to worry about getting a bill, which helps remove a barrier that had existed between suicidal veteran and health care.
Veteran Engagement Sessions
The Department of Veterans Affairs will be holding two Veteran Engagement Sessions on February 7, 2023, February 8, 2023, and February 9, 2023. The purpose of these sessions will be to speak with Gulf War Veterans, their family members, and caregivers about their health. If you or your loved one served in the Gulf War in 1990 or 1991, our research team would like to know more about your quality of life, and any health issues that you have experienced. Please consider coming to one of our Veteran Engagement Sessions and making your voice heard. Your participation can help VA understand your needs and the needs of those you served with.
FEB 7, 2023, Session #1 https://www.va.gov/outreach-and-events/events/52483/
FEB 7, 2023, Session #2 https://www.va.gov/outreach-and-events/events/52484/
FEB 8, 2023, Session #1 https://www.va.gov/outreach-and-events/events/52500/
FEB 9, 2023, Session #2 https://www.va.gov/outreach-and-events/events/52501/
The Password to these sessions is: GWVets1991! Join by phone: (Toll-free) 1-833-558-0712, Access code is 2763 972 4848. For more information about these meetings and other GWV-related items visit the RACGWVI website at: Research Advisory Committee on Gulf War Veterans' Illnesses Home (va.gov)
Keep Those Resolutions!
As we finish off our first month of the new year, perhaps some of you are having trouble keeping your new year’s resolutions. Don’t worry; VAPIHCS is here to support you!
For example, the MOVE program can be very helpful to veterans who are looking for a way to get motivated about exercise. VA also offers tobacco cessation programs for those who want to quit smoking or vaping. VA even has services like Acupuncture for those with chronic pain and other issues. Talk to your doctor about our Whole Health program to find out more about what VAPIHCS can do to support your goals for better health in the new year. To make an appointment or to ask about our programs, please call 1-800-214-1306.
I’d also like to aske everyone to remember that mental health is part of being healthy. You can hit the gym and prepare healthy meals to nourish your body, but it’s also important to take time to nourish your mind. Whether you’d like to take up yoga and meditation, or start seeing a mental health professional for therapy, VAPIHCS wants to ensure that your mental health is cared for. Next time you talk to your doctor, ask them about ways that you can improve your mental and spiritual health through programs at VA.
Thoughts from Chaplain Richie Charles
There was once a farmer who grew an 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 even though 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 all of us. Let’s determine 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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