Director's Message November 9, 2023

Our mission is to care for those who have worn the cloth of our nation and their families. On our national Veterans Day holiday, our entire nation stands with us as we honor those who have served, and often sacrificed their lives, sacrificed their bodies, their minds, and their spiritual well-being in order to secure our freedoms and our way of life in the United States of America.

The Department of Veterans Affairs is the largest integrated health care system in our nation.

Our mission is to provide health care to our military Veterans, and to make sure our country never forgets nor reneges on our pledge to our Veterans to give them the care and assistance that they, through their service and sacrifice, have earned.

We at VAPIHCS are committed to our Veterans. Our whole health initiative is one example of this commitment. Our Veterans are placed in charge of their health care, and we act as mentors, guides, and trusted partners in order to help them achieve their health care goals.

Military service is a sacred commitment. Military service is voluntary. Military service means sacrifice. Military service means missing some of the most important moments in your own life.  Military service is the most profound way that we acknowledge and give payment to our nation through our service and sacrifice for the honor of living in a free society where each life is valued, and we are free to live our lives within the context and boundaries of our laws and constitution.

We Veterans have placed our commitment and loyalty not to any person, or group, but to our constitution. We pledged our devotion to support and defend our constitution against all enemies - foreign and domestic. We take our oath of service without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion, and we pledge ourselves to execute our military service with honor, courage, and commitment to our constitution and the country whose course it directs.

Military service comes at a cost, but I’ve never met a Veteran who wasn’t proud to have paid it. The devotion of our men and women to this nation - and the commitment of this nation to our Veterans - is an integral part of the tapestry of our society. It is fundamental to our nature as Americans. We value our liberty and those who defend it as much as we value our free press, the right to worship as we choose, and our constant pursuit towards the ideal of equality.

I believe we are a nation with strong values, and that the VA Pacific Islands Health Care System honors and upholds our values and the best of who we are. I am proud to serve the VA, just as I was proud to serve the Navy. In my 34 years of US Navy service, and in my VA career, I work every day to deliver safe, compassionate, and quality care to our service members and Veterans.

Our challenges go far beyond our patient care commitments. This year alone, we have faced challenges in the Pacific Islands. Typhoon Mawar caused destruction across the islands of Guam, Saipan, Tinian, and Rota. The wildfires in Maui were also devastating. In times of disaster, my staff stepped up for our Veterans and the communities they live in.

I am proud of the work they have done to aid in the recovery process on our islands.

I am also honored to work with people who display such integrity, character, and professionalism. Many of our staff set aside person loss and tragedy so that they could serve the Veterans and the community on their islands. Their service has proved again and again that we will always do what is right - no matter how difficult it may be.

As we move forward and look toward the future, we are excited to expand services and continue to register new Veterans for care. We have clinic renovations taking place in American Samoa, and expansion of our clinic in Guam. We also have a major new clinic finishing construction in Kapolei on Oahu’s west side – the Akaka CBOC, and a new Kona clinic, which will finish construction in early 2024.

We are also proud of our new and continuing community partnerships across the islands.

We will continue to work to expand services and add locations to better serve the Veterans of the Pacific Islands, because every Veteran deserves access to VA services, and we are committed to ensuring they get all the benefits that they have earned and deserve.

The VA Pacific Islands Health Care System isn’t just an extension of the Department of Veterans Affairs on the mainland.

We are also a collection of community members from the Hawaiian Islands, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands, American Samoa, and beyond. We have a variety of languages and cultures, and we work within this diverse world in order to effectively care for our Veterans.

Our 4.5 million square miles of islands and ocean are often described as being isolated because they are far from continents and from each other. And yet, when I look at the welcoming communities of caring individuals that we interface with, we don’t feel isolated at all. We feel connected to each other, and to the ocean that we all share. It’s inspiring to see that added dimension of community closeness and care that makes us not only Americans, but people of the islands as well.

This year has shown me that a commitment to the communities that we operate in is essential to our mission. It has also shown me the commitment of those communities to us and to our Veterans.

I am so grateful to our partners in the community. Where our services end, their services begin, and we collaborate to make sure services are complete and comprehensive.

When we work together, we can ensure Veterans the quality of life that they deserve, and the help that they need in times of struggle. It means so much to me that we can work together with the communities we serve in good faith towards good results for all.

And that brings me back to gratitude. I find more and more that gratitude is fundamental to my life because I have so much to be grateful for.

Thank you to my wonderful staff.

Thank you to everyone in the communities where we live and work.

And most of all, today and every day, I want to thank our Veterans for their service and sacrifice.

Today and everyday at the VA – it is our honor to serve our Veterans. 

Happy Veterans Day!

Lana’i to Resume Face-to-Face Appointments

VA Pacific Islands Health Care System is excited to announce we are resuming face-to-face healthcare appointments on the Island of Lana’i.  The Veterans of Lana’i will again be able to schedule both face-to-face and virtual appointments with their VA medical provider.  Dr. Bernadette Obmaces has recently assumed the role of primary care physician for all Lana’i Veterans.  Dr. Obmaces, nurse Karli Miyazono, and clinical social worker Julie Patry will be on Lana’i the second Tuesday of every month from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.  They will be located at the Straub Medical Center, Lana’i Clinic, starting on Tuesday November 14, 2023.  Virtual appointments with Dr. Obmaces will also be available for Lana’i Veterans.  These appointments can be scheduled by calling the VA Pacific Islands Call Center at 1-800-214-1306. 

We are excited to be able to offer more options to the Veterans of Lana’i and to return to the island to serve Veterans in person.  We are hopeful this will enhance the care for our current Veteran patients and will encourage new Veterans to choose VA for their healthcare needs.    Any Lana’i Veterans with questions can contact Julie Patry, LCSW at 808-268-8002. 

Great American Smokeout

Quitting smoking isn’t easy. It usually requires a plan. Remember, you don’t have to stop smoking in one day - it can take time to break such a strong addiction. People often want to quit, but they aren’t sure how, and that’s where VAPIHCS comes in. Talk with your doctor about options and strategies to help you quit smoking. Our Whole Health program has resources to help you, and we’ll be there every step of the way until you are tobacco free.

Most Americans know that smoking causes cancer, but did you know that it can damage other parts of your body as well? Smoking can contribute to problems all over your body, including your heart, your eyes, your skin, and much more. Many people think that vaping is less dangerous, but unfortunately, vaping is just as dangerous as cigarettes. Chewing tobacco can also have devastating effects on your health. There is no safe way to continue a nicotine addiction.

Each November, medical facilities participate in The Great American Smokeout. The program asks people to give up nicotine for 24 hours on the third Thursday of November. This is meant to be a place to start. If you can make it one day, then why not two? If you can make it two days, then why not three? Giving up nicotine for one day can often help people to envision a future where they may become tobacco-free. With an estimated 480,000 people dying from tobacco-related illnesses each year, isn’t it worth a try? Make an appointment with us today and learn how we can help you reach the goal of kicking your nicotine addiction.

Thoughts from Chaplain Richie Charles

There’s an ancient story of builders who aspired to build a majestic temple. Their strategy involved using prefabricated stones from a quarry. By the time these stones reached the construction site, they were already polished, squared, and precisely hewed. Each stone slid seamlessly into its designated position in the builders’ grand design, except for one irregular stone, which seemed glaringly out of place.

The builders, puzzled by this anomaly, quickly cast that stone to the side, favoring the other uniform stones. Over time, this rejected stone became something of an unwelcome nuisance, and some even stumbled over it as they navigated the construction site.

However, to complete the edifice, they needed a cornerstone - the most critical element. This cornerstone needed to be of significant size and strength, capable of supporting the monumental weight that would rest upon it. It had to be able to withstand the capricious whims of the weather, from scorching sunrays to biting frost and relentless storms. A wrong choice here could imperil the entire structure.

Every stone subjected to the builders' tests and scrutiny faltered under the weight they applied, crumbling into fragments. But then, the builders remembered the peculiar stone they had previously rejected, realizing it had weathered storms, relentless sun, and harsh winds without displaying the slightest crack. It remained to face the ultimate test: supporting the temple's weight. Remarkably, this stone not only bore the weight, but when slid into place, was seen to be a perfect fit.  The very stone that the builders initially rejected, became the chief cornerstone that helped support the entire building.

It is often assumed that to become successful at whatever line of service, one must mimic and become a carbon copy of another. But when we do this, we can suppress the unique perspectives, insights, and contributions that we could have brought to the table. Rather than conceal our distinctiveness, what the world most needs are your voice, your perspectives, and your insights. Like the stone, you might be unique and different, but the service you provide might be just what our Veterans need.

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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