Director's Message July 21, 2023

If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts, please reach out and call 988, then press 1. Someone is available to talk to you at all times of the day and night, even on holidays.

According to our most recent data, most Veterans who die by suicide are not receiving care at the VA at the time of their death. These are Veterans who got out of the military, but then never signed up for their VA care or are choosing not to come to the VA for care.  The VAPIHCS Suicide Prevention Team collaborates with county and state suicide prevention task forces, community-based health care programs, county and state agencies, hospital systems, community members, faith-based groups, Veteran service organizations, and more to cast a wider net.  The goal is to work on upstream solutions to suicide prevention; that is, rather than jumping in the river to rescue someone, we’re trying to reach Veterans before they get in the water. The hardest time to intercept someone is when they are already in a state of crisis. 

If you know a Veteran who is struggling and who hasn’t signed up for VA care, send them our way. They can call 1-800-214-1306 to talk to someone about enrolling for care, and to find out what services and programs are available. Connecting with VA is a good first step towards taking responsibility for your physical and mental health. Talk to the Veterans in your life, and make sure they are connected to the services and programs available to them, because even one suicide death is too many.

Toxic Exposure Legislation

In August of 2022, the President signed the Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT Act), a law that allows Veterans exposed to toxic chemicals during their military service the ability to access expanded VA benefits. Since the passing of this law, we’ve held monthly events to register Veterans who are newly eligible. Our next event is this weekend in Guam on July 22 and July 23, 2023, at Micronesia Mall at 1088 West Marine Corps Drive, Space 215AB, Center Court, 2nd floor (near the food court) from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on both days. This event will include PACT Act registration, vaccines, blood pressure checks, diabetic foot checks, VA Benefits Assistance, and health screenings. Veterans in Guam should come see us at this event if they are already signed up with us, or if they need to sign up. We hope to see you all there! Even if you don’t want to come to an event, you can still call 1-800-214-1306 and make an appointment to speak with a benefits counselor.

Whole Health: Power of the Mind

We often think of our bodies and minds as separate, but common statements such as “gut feeling,” “stress headache,” or “butterflies in my stomach” acknowledge the connection. It is helpful to notice the connection between your body and mind so you can use each to support the other. By calming your mind, you can calm your body and allow it to function better. You can notice this by taking calming breaths to decrease feelings of stress or by doing a guided meditation to decrease your heart rate. Your Whole Health includes all of you – working together with mindful awareness to guide you to an optimal state.

What do we do when something really matters to us? We pay attention to it. While mindfulness can be practiced in many ways, the goal is to live our day to day lives while paying attention and being present. If you are washing the dishes, keep your mind on washing the dishes, if you are talking to someone, stay present with them. Allow yourself the restful experience of doing one thing at a time. You may be surprised at how much more manageable life is one moment at a time, taking things as they come.

UV Safety Awareness Month

July is UV Safety Awareness Month. Spending time outside can be a great way to be physically active, reduce stress, and get vitamin D. You can work and play outside without raising your skin cancer risk by protecting your skin from the sun.

Most skin cancers are caused by too much exposure to Ultraviolet (UV) light. UV rays are an invisible kind of radiation that comes from the sun. They can damage skin cells, and that damage can lead to skin cancer. Therefore, you should always take steps to prevent damage to your skin when you are outside.

Whenever possible, you should take breaks from the sun by standing in the shade when you can and wearing a hat and sunglasses. Sunscreen is also very important, but you must ensure that you wear a variety that is marked as “reef safe.” Simple precautions can help you prevent serious health problems, so be conscious of your exposure so you can stay healthy!

Thoughts by Chaplain Richie Charles

An anchor provides ships with a level of stability and control against the sea’s almost overwhelming forces – forces that would otherwise take the ship in a direction that it never intended to go.  But the same way a ship needs an anchor to prevent it from drifting off course, we too, need anchors to keep us from being pulled away from what matters the most.

Priorities function like anchors. They can keep us from drifting away from what matters most. Priorities help us differentiate between what is good, and what is essential.  Priorities provide us with a sense of personal clarity, direction, and focus. Drifting often happens silently, slowly, gradually, and sometimes, unknowingly. And without regularly attending to our priorities, little by little, we can stray away from our intended path, and find ourselves where we never intended to be. To drift, one does not have to reject what matters most, just simply neglect what’s most important.

The same way the wind can make the seas a busy, restless place, as its waters are constantly being tugged in different directions, we also can be tugged in a myriad of directions by life’s innumerable factors – leaving us constantly in motion, but continually away from our intended destination.

What matters most in your line of service? What matters most in your life? What’s your personal mission statement? How can you steward each moment to be in service to your ultimate purposes? Let’s allow our priorities to serve as our anchors, continually keeping us tethered to what’s most important.

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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