Director's Message October 6, 2023

At the start of the 2023 legislative session, 124 bills had already been introduced with the intention of restricting LGBTQ+ rights. Some of those bills targeted gay couples. Other targeted transgender individuals. However, all were sponsored to remove rights from members of the LGBTQ+ community.

Sometimes, it seems like the largest struggles are behind us. On September 20, 2011, the legislation known as “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” was repealed. This allowed gay and lesbian service members to be honest about their lives and their sexual orientation at work, just as straight soldiers had always done. In the landmark 2015 case Obergefell v. Hodges, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that all state bans on same-sex marriage were unconstitutional. This was viewed by many as a huge win for the LGBTQ+ community; one that established equality with straight citizens at last.

For a time, it seemed as though the country had become more tolerant and that all people might finally be afforded the same rights. Unfortunately, the climate of acceptance has begun to evaporate. Hate and discrimination are becoming commonplace again in much of the country. We sometimes forget this in the islands where people are kind, and the sense of community is strong. However, we must all stay vigilant regardless of where we live. Discrimination against minority groups should never be codified in U.S. law. If we let LGBTQ+ rights be taken away today, who knows whose rights they will try to take away tomorrow?

Vocational Rehabilitation Recognition Week

Compensated Work Therapy (CWT) Vocational Rehabilitation Week is recognized at VA Pacific Islands Health Care System (VAPIHCS) between October 1, 2023, and October 7, 2023. We are proud to recognize the Vocational Rehabilitation Program, which has assisted approximately 57,000 Veterans annually with employment barriers resulting from mental health or physical disabilities. Compensated Work Therapy (CWT) Vocational Rehabilitation Week will kick-off National Disability Employment Awareness Month, a national campaign that raises awareness of disability employment issues and celebrates the many and varied contributions of America's workers with disabilities.

Compensated Work Therapy (CWT) vocational rehabilitation services are recovery-oriented and focused on each Veteran’s strengths, abilities, needs, and preferences rather than on illness and symptoms. CWT is an umbrella term encompassing several models of treatment: Transitional Work, Supported Employment, Community Based Employment Services, Supported Self-Employment, and Supported Education. There are 142 CWT Programs in operation located at every VA medical center. To find out more, call us at 1-800-214-1306.

Take Charge with Whole Health

October is Person-Centered Care Month, and there’s no better time to get started with Whole Health, VA’s approach to health care that centers around your needs and priorities. Whole Health is about what matters to you, not what is the matter with you. It represents a shift away from disease-focused care and toward care based on your values and aspirations. It may include self-care strategies and complementary therapies such as meditation, massage, and yoga, along with your conventional medical care. Learn more to Live Whole Health.

Thoughts from Chaplain Richie Charles

Consider the humble ant, one of the tiniest creatures known to us. Yet despite its minuscule size, the ant embodies wisdom and offers valuable lessons on thriving in a dynamic world.

Firstly, ants are forward-thinking. They exhibit remarkable foresight by storing food in the present to prepare for the future. Different ant species employ various strategies, such as collecting and storing leaves underground for the winter. Ants accept the reality of the cyclical nature of seasons and the reality of change. They understand that abundance today may not mean the same for tomorrow. But rather than worry about what they cannot control, ants use that reality to help motivate them to make prudent choices now.

Secondly, ants embrace the reality of their size. Individually, they are incredibly strong, capable of lifting astonishing loads relative to their stature. However, ants still recognize their vulnerability to larger creatures and compensate by living in highly organized colonies with a shared mission. These colonies function as superorganisms, where unity enhances their power exponentially. Ants teach us that a divided house cannot stand, but unified, we can achieve greatness beyond our individual capabilities.

Thirdly, ants take initiative. Leafcutter ants, for example, have been observed to need neither a master plan nor an overseer to build lengthy trails when they see that one is needed. These ants can build and make preparation for sophisticated ant highways by a sense of teamwork driven by instincts. These ants see a need before them and cooperate to solve the problem. They are wise enough to take initiative without the need for external motivation.

Ants present us with amazing examples of how to thrive with circumstances outside their control. Though they are some of the smallest creatures, they possess wisdom that allows them to thrive nonetheless. Let’s be inspired to do the same.

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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