VAnguard outlook

January/February 2004

SeamlessSeamless TransitionTransition UnderstandingUnderstanding thethe BudgetBudget ProcessProcess CommunityCommunity ServiceService NationalNational RehabilitationRehabilitation EventsEvents January/February 2004 1 VAnguard

Features

Understanding the Budget Process 6 how the department gets a budget every year Good Neighbor Policy 8 8 employees are showing their community spirit One Man’s Legacy 12 keeping the memory of Juel Marifjeren alive Mission Status: Not Business as Usual 16 VA and DoD are making gains on the goal of seamless transition Last Man Standing 20 James Little may be the last of VBA’s Vietnam service contact reps still on duty Healing Body and Spirit 22 a look at what it takes to host one of VA’s national rehabilitation special events 17 Continuing a Tradition of Honor 25 presidential memorial certificates help comfort grieving families

Departments

Letters 3 Medical Advances 29 Management Matters 4 Have You Heard 30 Outlook 5 Honors and Awards 31 25 Around Headquarters 26 Heroes 32 Introducing 28 VAnguard VA’s Employee Magazine January/February 2004 Vol. L, No. 1 Printed on 50% recycled paper

Editor: Lisa Respess Assistant Editor: Matt Bristol On the cover Photo Editor: Robert Turtil Xiomara Telfer, a social worker at the Washing- Published by the Office of Public Affairs (80D) ton, D.C., VA Medical Center, was detailed to Department of Veterans Affairs the VA seamless transition office at Walter Reed 810 Vermont Ave., N.W. Army Medical Center, where she works side by Washington, D.C. 20420 side with military case managers helping (202) 273-5746 wounded soldiers. Photo by Robert Turtil E-mail: [email protected] www.va.gov/pubaff/vanguard/index.htm

2 January/February 2004 VAnguard letters

Vietnam Women’s honors nurses with the state- other two figures represent more?” I thought you’d like Memorial Honors ment: “The bronze sculpture women serving in a variety of to know it’s not just VA em- All Who Served depicting three American specialties. ployees who are concerned Thank you for your story combat nurses” and a refer- The objective of the about our soldiers but their “Healing the Healers” on the ence that I said it is a tribute Vietnam Women’s Memorial families too. Vietnam Women’s Memorial to Vietnam veteran nurses. Foundation is to acknowl- Susan E. Gaffney 10th anniversary in the No- The monument has no iden- edge and honor all women Nursing Supervisor vember/December issue. But tifying insignia; it represents who served around the world St. Louis VAMC your beautiful tribute to the all women who served during during the Vietnam era. We women of the Vietnam era the Vietnam era without ref- must remember and embrace Back to Work needs clarification. erence to specialty. The inter- them all in our tributes. To I just returned to work at the While the article does pretation is left up to the learn more about these VA in the Indianapolis Re- highlight that the memorial viewer. Yes, the woman tend- women, please go to www. gional Office. The same week was dedicated to military ing to the wounded soldier is VietnamWomensMemorial.org. I returned to my friends at women in the nation’s capi- a medical professional, a Diane Carlson Evans the VA, the November/De- tal, it leaves the reader won- caregiver, nurse, doctor or Founder and President cember VAnguard was dis- dering if the monument only corpsman. However, the Vietnam Women’s tributed in our office. Memorial Foundation Matt Bristol did a great job capturing my story and I Halloween Treats to Iraq appreciate his efforts on be- At Halloween my children half of all the veterans called always get way more candy up for OIF from the ranks of than I ever want them to eat. the VA. It feels great to be This year my 8-year-old back amongst the ranks of daughter (who has been very those serving our veterans. concerned about our sol- Good job, VAnguard! diers) decided she would pick Carroll N. Harris III a few pieces out and send the Veterans Service rest to soldiers in Iraq. Representative Our church routinely Indianapolis VARO prays for the soldiers and the congregation members that have loved ones or friends We Want to there put their names in our Hear from You bulletin so we can pray for them by name. Anna (my 8- Have a comment on year-old) decided to pick a something you’ve seen in name and send the soldier VAnguard? We invite her candy as a surprise. She reader feedback. Send told her friends and soon she your comments to had others offering their trick [email protected]. or treat candy as well. My 5- You can also write to us year-old wanted to get into at: VAnguard, Office of the act so she donated her Public Affairs (80D), De- candy as well (minus the partment of Veterans Af- chocolate—that was just too fairs, 810 Vermont Ave., much for her to give up!). N.W., Washington, MARIAN MCCONNELL We gathered up about 7 D.C., 20420, or fax your Garden Delights pounds of candy and sent it letter to (202) 273-6702. Colorful annuals and perennials, along with ripe vegetables and to one soldier that Anna had Include your name, title fresh herbs, fill the greenhouse at the Salem, Va., VA Medical Cen- picked with a request that he and VA facility. We won’t ter. Veterans in the medical center’s Compensated Work Therapy share with others there. Every be able to publish every program sow the seeds, tend to the plants and maintain the green- night the girls ask if we are letter, but we’ll use repre- house year round. They also build custom display gardens that still fighting and we answer sentative ones. We may highlight their creative talents, like the one above designed by vet- eran Dawson Akridge. Their list of customers includes the City of “yes.” Anna responds, “Do need to edit your letter Salem, Roanoke College, the Greenvale School’s Five Senses Gar- you think they liked the for length or clarity. den, and a local landscape contractor. candy? When can we send

January/February 2004 3 management matters VAnguard

Supporting Veterans in Business Scott Denniston Director, Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization

“Veterans in Business—Still business name, a contact lumbia shuttle accident. Vet- population. The complete re- Serving America” is the name and an e-mail address. erans and service-disabled port is available on CVE’s motto of VA’s Center for Vet- The firm will then receive a veteran-owned small busi- Web site, www.vetbiz.gov. erans Enterprise (CVE). This mail message asking it to nesses are vital partners with One of the recommen- headquarters organization is complete some additional in- the Departments of Defense, dations took effect in Octo- a division of the Office of formation before the com- State and Homeland Security ber. VA’s executives are now Small and Disadvantaged pany is put on the public in the war on terrorism. being formally evaluated on Business Utilization. Created page. Every federal agency has their achievements with vet- in 2001, the CVE’s mission CVE is conducting a a performance goal of spend- eran-owned small businesses is to assist veterans who want campaign from February ing at least 3 percent of their and service-disabled veteran- to open or expand a small through mid-May to popu- prime contract dollars with owned small businesses. business. late the database. The VA businesses owned by service- VA has a proud history CVE staff work with employee who registers the connected disabled veterans. of supporting veterans community and corporate most businesses and the VA This goal has been measured through worldclass health partners across the country. facility that registers that since fiscal year 2001. To care, effective and timely de- There are more than 1,000 most businesses will be hon- date, no cabinet-level depart- livery of benefits, and burial local Small Business Devel- ored during the annual ment has achieved the 3 per- with dignity and honor in opment Centers that provide Champions of Veterans En- cent minimum requirement. national cemeteries. For start-up assistance and train- ing for individuals beginning the entrepreneurial path. In We all have an obligation to provide opportunities for December, President Bush signed legislation that will veterans to participate in the economic system they enable veterans to use their fought to defend. GI Bill education benefits for business development courses from selected providers. terprise awards program in VA is the only agency to vol- many veterans, entrepreneur- Once a veteran is in June. Details are available on untarily establish a 7 percent ship is a lifelong dream that business, CVE matches that the Web site. goal for our employees to VA can support with little ef- owner with buyers, mentors Today, veterans and ser- contract with veteran-owned fort. We all have an obliga- and trading partners who vice-disabled veteran-owned small businesses. Regulations tion as we make decisions in have volunteered to support small businesses are provid- are being written now to give spending resources entrusted the veterans’ business com- ing VA with a wide variety of buyers a set-aside tool to help to us to provide opportuni- munity. One principal tool is products and services, in- them contract with service- ties for veterans and service- the new VetBiz Vendor Infor- cluding medical/surgical disabled veterans. Addition- disabled veterans to partici- mation Pages, an online data- products, construction ser- ally, many federal contractors pate in the economic system base where veterans can de- vices, IT services including have two subcontracting per- they fought to defend. scribe the products and ser- security transcriptions and formance goals—one for ser- In 2004, let’s surpass the vices they sell. This service is medical coding services, and vice-disabled veterans and a 3 percent and 7 percent free to the owners. Buyers many others. A veteran- second for veteran-owned goals! Veterans in Business— can browse the vendor pages owned small business de- small businesses. Still Serving America! to locate businesses selling signed and built the contain- Secretary Principi has the products or services they ers used for the national publicly expressed his sup- need. The database is avail- stockpile of pharmaceuticals port for veterans in business. able on the Internet at for homeland defense. A ser- Last year, he accepted the On the Web www.vetbiz.gov. vice-disabled veteran-owned recommendations of a task Anyone who finds a vet- business developed VA’s force chartered to study Visit the Center for Vet- eran-owned small business VetBiz database and is now methods that will improve erans Enterprise Web can register that company doing data collection for our department’s perfor- site at www.vetbiz.gov. online, just by entering the NASA in support of the Co- mance with this business

4 January/February 2004 VAnguard outlook

Our Other MIAs: Those Missing in America Pete Dougherty Director, Homeless Programs Office

They served in different gional offices in cooperation agency councils on In 1988, several Viet- ways, but many now share a with community-based orga- homelessness, and more than nam veterans in San Diego common tragedy. Misunder- nizations. It was an effort to 100 major cities and counties felt compelled to respond to stood, isolated, often unseen, provide medical care, access have developed 10-year plans the tragedy of homeless vet- they are our other MIAs— to benefits and new links to to end chronic homelessness. erans they saw unfolding ev- those missing in America. community resources that of- Nine years ago, VA initi- ery day on the streets. In a The vast majority of fer residential care and treat- ated the Homeless Grant and singularly American manner, men and women who served ment to homeless veterans. Per Diem Program. State and their response led to a our country endured the These initiatives have helped local governments, Native grassroots effort where those temporary disruption of mili- hundreds of thousands of American tribes and non- in need could enjoy the basic tary service to return and re- veterans. profit organizations may ap- comforts of showers, clean sume a normal life. Sadly Under the active leader- ply for up to 65 percent of clothes, good food and, most though, a small percentage ship of Secretary Principi, their costs to create a variety importantly, a respite from came home to find they were who will become chair of the of services for homeless veter- the harsh environment. unable to reach the American Interagency Council on ans. So far, the program has Over the past 10 years, dream they had served to Homelessness in April, the awarded more than $60 mil- 1,000 stand downs have been protect. Relationships that Departments of Housing and lion in grants that have been held across the country, pro- nurture, the comfort of a Urban Development, Health used for such things as tran- viding places where veterans stable home, and the satisfac- and Human Services and VA sitional housing, storefront and their families could tion of productive work have developed and offered fund- benefits and drop-in centers, briefly escape their battle for eluded these veterans. Some ing to communities that cre- clinics and mobile medical existence and find a “hand of them struggle with devas- ated coordinated plans to ad- units, and the purchase of ve- stretched out to assist—not a tating addictions, mental ill- ness and debilitating physical problems. Most homeless veterans exist quietly, almost invisibly, Many Americans accept the common misconception trying to cope in an environment as hostile and tough that most homeless men and as the one they faced in the service. women sit in doorways beg- ging for handouts or accost people on the street, aggres- dress the chronically home- hicles to transport clients to hand out.” Stand downs vary sively panhandling. The less (a person who is cur- services. Through this effort, in length from one-day truth is that most homeless rently homeless more than VA has authorized more than events (generally called “ben- veterans exist quietly, almost one year, or has been home- 8,000 transitional housing efits fairs”) to two- or three- invisibly, trying to cope in an less four or more times dur- beds in every state in the na- day events. More than environment as hostile and ing the past three years, with tion. An additional 1,500 190,000 veterans, aided by tough as the one they faced a disabling condition). This transitional housing beds will 160,000 volunteers, have in the service. Their only effort has led to 11 commu- be added this year. been reached through this ef- mission is to get through the nities receiving grants total- The achievements of fort with events in every day, and for the most part ing nearly $35 million. such federal interventions state, the District of Colum- they do it alone. In addition, these de- have been more than fiscal— bia, many U.S. territories As the beneficiary of partments and Labor col- they have raised national and on tribal lands. these veterans’ military ser- laborated in sponsoring awareness of the true extent Americans have a heart vice, what has our nation “policy academies” to help and seriousness of the prob- for those who have served. done for those still wounded? states improve services to the lem and spurred efforts by This department has and The answer is we have made chronically homeless. Nearly state and local governments, continues to offer a “hand- significant strides. all states and territories have community organizations up” to these veterans. We are More than 15 years ago, attended these academies, and veterans service groups committed to leaving no vet- VA began developing pro- many states have established to develop additional ways to eran behind and we are mak- grams in hospitals and re- or re-established state inter- assist the homeless. ing significant gains.

January/February 2004 5 feature VAnguard Understanding the Budget chief, the President and his staff pro- duce an outline of the goals each de- partment should achieve in the up- Process coming year. These informal goals are expanded on by the President’s staff, with help from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), until the President’s goals are ex- pressed as a firm set of budget and policy guidelines which will eventu- ally form the backbone of the bud- get submitted to Congress in Febru- ary of the next year. While the President provides guidelines for all of VA, he does not always spell out how his goals are to be achieved, or provide specific guidelines for VHA, VBA and NCA. So it’s up to VA to take the President’s guidelines and expand them into a document that codifies VA’s mission and the mission of each administration in the upcom- ROBERT TURTIL ing year. This is the job of VA’s Ex- ecutive Board. pending. Revenues. Deficit ernment. It lays out the money de- Chaired by Secretary Principi, and surplus accounts. Discre- voted to each department and dic- the Executive Board examines and Stionary and direct spending. tates the goals and programs each redefines the mission and goals of Operating and capital funds. The cur- department can afford. the department and each adminis- rent year, the budget year, the With 158 hospitals, 57 regional tration. Working in tandem with outyears. benefits offices, 120 national cem- the Executive Board is the Strategic The federal budget process has a eteries, and more than 230,000 em- Management Council. Chaired by lexicon all its own that helps mystify ployees, VA has the second largest VA’s Deputy Secretary, the Strategic a system that allocates taxpayer dol- budget in the federal government. Management Council lays out how lars to keep VA and the rest of the Yet despite the enormous size of each administration will achieve the federal government at work. Yet for VA’s budget and its central role in Secretary’s goals, while remaining all its arcane language and behind- defining our mission, many VA em- within the President’s guidelines. the-scenes mystique, the budget pro- ployees don’t know much about how cess is elemental to government, to the budget is formulated. From Guidelines to a VA, and to what and how much we Proposal do and when we do it. President’s Guidelines These final sets of guidelines are The federal budget is the most The formulation process begins then sent through VA’s Office of important document in all of gov- with the President. Our leader and Management and Budget to each of

6 January/February 2004 VAnguard feature

the department’s three administra- done, VA’s proposed budget is com- proposed budget and justifications to tions to be fleshed out into a budget plete and it is sent to OMB along the House and Senate Veterans Af- proposal. Identifying the Secretary’s with VA’s legislative proposals and fairs Committees. The committees program priorities and the resources annual performance plan. use these documents to prepare for needed to fulfill not only the the Secretary’s testimony in the President’s policies but also congres- OMB coming months. sional mandates, VHA, VBA and VA’s proposed budget is closely Congress requests testimony NCA begin constructing the budget. examined within OMB to ensure from the Secretary, key VA leaders They pay special attention to any compliance with the President’s and VSOs with the aim of combin- requests for resources outside of guidelines and Congress’ mandates. ing the President and Secretary’s vi- those requested by the President or Throughout the entire process, VA sion for the department with their mandated by Congress. experts are on hand to provide own. Congress then drafts non-bind- Aside from formulating the pro- OMB staff critical and timely infor- ing resolutions that are sent to the posed budget, VHA, VBA and mation. Once OMB has finished go- full House and Senate for debate. NCA develop legislative proposals ing over VA’s proposed budget, it Once both the House and Senate for programs outside of the goes through one more round of pass their versions of the budget President’s requests and congres- pass-backs before being submitted to resolution, a joint conference oc- sional mandates. These legislative the President. curs. Here, senators and members of addenda are then sent along with A pass-back is a formal and de- Congress work out their differences each administration’s proposed bud- tailed process in which VA’s Office and determine the final amounts for get to the assistant secretary for of Management and Budget and in- submission to the total budget. management, assistant secretary for dividual program staff review OMB’s Only here in the last step does policy, planning and preparedness, revision of VA’s proposed budget. If Congress bring the budget back to- and the assistant secretary for con- VA and OMB are found to have dis- gether and consider spending for the gressional and legislative affairs. agreements over programs or fund- entire government. Working once ing, the Secretary appeals the bud- again in subcommittees, the House Review get to OMB and works with OMB’s and Senate draw up their final bud- Beginning the second week of director to resolve any differences. get resolutions considering VA’s June, each assistant secretary combs Once the Secretary and OMB direc- spending, along with that of HUD, through the proposed budgets for tor have resolved their differences, Homeland Security, DoD and oth- consistency with the President’s and VA’s proposed budget becomes part ers. Secretary’s guidelines. It’s a detailed of the President’s budget and is When each subcommittee has review process; each assistant secre- ready to be submitted to Congress. drafted a budget resolution, it is sent tary must go back to each adminis- to the House and Senate for a vote. tration and discuss any programs Congress If there are still differences between that either fall outside of the The most visible part of the the House and Senate’s budget, they President’s budget or congressional budget process begins on the first go into a joint committee where a mandates, or have requested an un- Monday in February when the Presi- final budget is worked out. Only at realistic amount of funds. dent submits his budget to Congress. this point, 18 months after the This back and forth allows VA On that day, the Secretary holds a President sent his guidelines to VA, to ensure the proposed budget is in press conference and briefs congres- does Congress convene to vote up or line with the President’s vision and sional staff and veterans service or- down on one bill to be sent to the that adequate legislation and infor- ganizations on VA’s budget. Going President and signed into law. mation accompany any additional or into more detail on VA’s budget The budget is a long and con- new programs. These meetings also than the President does during his fusing process, but it alone deter- define the agenda for the Strategic submission, the Secretary reminds mines what we as an agency will, Management Council’s review. both Congress and VSOs that they and will not, be able to do. So don’t The Strategic Management are not adversaries, but partners in let the next budget cycle pass you Council then reviews VA’s proposed helping VA provide veterans the by—be aware of what’s going on and budget, setting specific amounts of best in health care and benefits. how it will affect VA operations in spending for each program and lay- While the President submits his your area. ing out a timetable for the distribu- budget and the Secretary conducts tion of those funds. Once that’s his briefings, OMB submits VA’s By Antonio Williams

January/February 2004 7 feature VAnguard

Good DEANNA PIERCE Neighbor Policy VA employees from coast to coast are discovering that community service pays big dividends.

otivated by generosity and other skills and resources to their ef- end, weather permitting. Some thankful for their own forts. events take a few hours on a Satur- Mblessings, VA employees They’ve learned that being a day morning, while others go on for are giving back to their communities good neighbor reaps big rewards, not 24-hour stretches. in both time-tested and innovative just for the individual but for the or- With additional contributions ways. And they’re bringing strength ganization as well. Community giv- from individual and group projects in numbers, diversity, organization, ing and volunteerism promote posi- such as auctions, bake sales and quilt commitment and a wide range of tive public views of VA, encourage raffles, VA employees have gener- staff interaction, boost employee ated much-needed funds to fight or Above: Omaha, Neb., VA Medical Cen- morale and team spirit, and enhance support victims of cancer, cerebral ter employees volunteer to paint homes employee pride and job satisfaction. palsy, AIDS, Alzheimer’s, diabetes, of elderly or disabled residents in a program called Brush Up Nebraska. birth defects and other devastating Last year, teams of volunteers painted Mixing fun, fitness and giving diseases. 115 homes; since the program started Thousands of VA employees At the Aleda E. Lutz VA Medi- in 1989, more than 1,700 area homes have been painted. participate in various walk-jog-bike- cal Center, employees participated roll-bowl-a-thons nearly every week- in the Saginaw County, Mich., Co-

8 January/February 2004 VAnguard feature

Med-ey Baseball Tournament, which VAMC was recently asked to pro- facilities that have hosted commu- raised $3,000 for organ transplant vide judges for the Little Rock Cen- nity health fairs, often partnering recipients and added names to the tral High School Student Science with other local businesses and gov- Michigan Donor Registry. Fair. ernment agencies. Last year at these The Denver Distribution Cen- two facilities, a combined total of Partnerships in Education ter is VA’s distribution point for more than 100 VA volunteers gave Partnering with schools is a hearing aids and products, prosthetic free screenings for cancer, kidney popular form of community service socks and components, aids for the disease, diabetes, blood pressure, in VA. Facilities around the nation visually impaired, and orthopedic cholesterol, vision and hearing tests, report hundreds of volunteer hours items. The center partners with and more to about 1,750 people. donated in classrooms, numerous Jefferson County schools, bringing Alexandria, La., VA Medical school supply drives, transfers of ex- benefits to both students and VA. Center employees volunteer their cess equipment, and training oppor- Emotionally and physically time and medical expertise at the tunities. challenged students spend two to People’s Free Clinic, a nonprofit Employees at the Salem, Va., three hours a day assembling pack- agency that provides medications VA Medical Center receive two ing boxes which are used to ship and health care for the working un- hours of authorized leave each week products worldwide. In the process, insured in Central Louisiana. to participate in the Help One Stu- the students dent To Succeed program. The improve HOSTS program has brought eight their dexter- volunteers to local elementary ity and get a schools to tutor second-graders. valuable in- The Tucson, Ariz., VA Medical troduction to Center filled the need of local the work en- schools lacking computer systems vironment. because of budget constraints. The facility donated 87 surplus comput- Healthier ers to six southern Arizona school and Safer districts. Communi- The Louisville, Ky., VA Medical ties Center’s EEO Committee partici- It’s sec- pated in the Kentucky School for ond nature the Blind’s 25th annual Junior for VA to Olympics Track and Field Event. combine its Volunteers served as guides for 190 health care blind or visually impaired athletes and teaching from four states. “Our participation traditions was significant because we filled a and bring void that was created by other spon- them to the sors and volunteers opting not to general pub- participate this year,” said Esther lic through Kaufman, a social worker at the health fairs medical center. and commu- Employees from the North nity out- Little Rock, Ark., VA Medical reach. Center’s Office of Resolution Man- The agement built and ran a booth for Dallas VA photo ID and fingerprinting at a lo- Medical cal school’s fall carnival. They’ve Center and JOHN WILSON also started an annual career day, the Denver which involves a “When I Grow VA Regional Russ Hardin, an optometry technician with the Dallas VA Medical Cen- ter, performs a vision test during the 14th EEO Community Health Fair. Up” essay, art and poetry contest for Office are About 1,500 people participated in the event, and more than 100 vol- fifth-graders. And the Little Rock among the unteers staffed the service booths.

January/February 2004 9 feature VAnguard

During National Children’s need for those unable to prepare clothes and gift cards to retail stores. Dental Health Month, one of the meals for themselves. The employee AFGE Local 1631 at the Martinsburg, W.Va., VA Medical association at the VA Regional Of- Chillicothe, Ohio, VA Medical Center’s dental hygienists visits a lo- fice and Insurance Center in Phila- Center supports the local domestic cal school and conducts free dental delphia stores meals in their freezer violence shelter. Staff at the exams, demonstrates proper dental and delivers 200 a week to those in VAMC, which is the town’s second care and provides free toothbrushes need. Twenty-two members of the largest employer, have provided the and toothpaste. As part of Fire Pre- employee association spend at least shelter with furniture, school sup- vention Week, students attend one hour a week with their “client/ plies and stuffed animals, and they safety demonstrations at the medical friend” developing a relationship recently furnished the new home of center’s fire department and then and offering a lifeline to the outside a former resident. are treated to lunch. world. These volunteers then com- Union president Jeaneen Sum- municate special needs, such as mers recalls the time the shelter re- A Helping Hand smoke detectors, fans and heaters, to quested a used formal dress for a 17- Employees at a number of VA the parent group Aid for Friends. year-old resident, an abuse victim facilities are choosing to help some who dreamed of attending her prom. of their most vulnerable neighbors. Focusing on One Mission “One thing led to another and [VA The Albuquerque, N.M., VA Employees at the Alvin C. York employees] came through with a Medical Center partners with 30 lo- VA Medical Center in new dress, new shoes, professional cal, state and federal agencies in Murfreesboro, Tenn., chose to hairstyling, limo service and dinner Project Hand-Up, an annual com- “adopt” The Good Shepherds at a restaurant. It was a real munity outreach event for the Home, a local orphanage. Each Cinderella story.” Summers was un- homeless and near-homeless popula- month employees help clean and re- able to give an update on the teen- tion. Similar to a VA stand down, pair the home using their skills in ager. “We never knew her name,” the event provides meals, haircuts, light carpentry and electrical work. she said. clean clothing, health screenings, A school supply drive recently net- The Battle Creek, Mich., VA hygiene kits and baby items. ted backpacks full of materials, Medical Center’s employee volun- Birmingham, Ala., VA Medical Center’s Wachita Haywood, R.N., founded the Bridging the Gap Homeless Mission in 1998 after seeing a group of homeless men living in a tunnel. She was so moved, she re- turned that night with food and clothing. Now medical center employees donate and help distribute food and clothing to the city’s homeless through her mission. “Everyone at the medical center sup- ports her totally,” said ED CARLSON Jeffrey Hester, public affairs officer. The Cheyenne, Wyo., VA Medical Center’s American Cancer Society 24-hour Relay for Life team raised Meals on Wheels more than $6,000 to fight cancer in Wyoming. The VA team was the second-highest fund-raiser in the com- programs fill a basic munity. They also took home the Best Costumes Award.

10 January/February 2004 VAnguard feature

drives which collect used women’s career clothing and accessories to benefit a women’s shelter and a na- tional nonprofit group called Dress for Success. The clothes are used by low-income women who are going on interviews to re-enter the workforce.

Hometown Heroes Volunteers from the Omaha, Neb., VA Medical Center contrib- ute their time, muscle and skills to paint the homes of elderly or dis- abled residents in a program called Brush Up Nebraska. “It’s a partner- ship between VA management and the union that makes this work,” said Dick Williams, a carpenter- locksmith at the medical center. MONTI WALTHALL Several workers are given au- During their first Adopt-a-Highway clean-up effort, the El Paso, Texas, VA Health Care Sys- thorized leave to pressure-wash the tem crew collected nearly enough auto parts to make a car. house, and the following weekend up to 45 VA employees come out to teer program is called Getting to Center’s Employee Association scrape and paint. “These houses Know You. Among other things, its Community Service Committee re- need it real bad and the recipients volunteers lead activities at sponded to a local food pantry’s in- are very appreciative. And we make NorthPointe Woods, a senior resi- creased need for baby formula, baby a good time of it as well,” said Will- dential and assisted living facility. food and diapers with a drive held in iams. Belinda Murray, coordinator of memory of Dr. Martin Luther King Adopt-a-Highway signs are the VA program, directs a sing-along Jr. VA staff donated more than 350 found all over the country, but em- with VA music therapist Margery jars of baby food, six packages of dia- ployees at the El Paso, Texas, VA Dusek. “It’s really a blessing for us,” pers and cash. Health Care System may be the says Murray. “Coming right from Many VA facilities hold blood only ones to have stepped up to the work, we are so tired, but after just drives four to six times a year. Rose- asphalt. Up to 20 VA employees and one hour we feel absolutely rejuve- mary Wasluck, with the Board of associates donate one Saturday every nated. We go home with a sense Veterans’ Appeals office in Wilkes- quarter to cleaning a two-mile that we’ve served their needs, but Barre, Pa., recently received a pin stretch of the Purple Heart Memo- we feel fulfilled.” for donating a total of 50 gallons of rial Highway in El Paso. blood. “One thing I’ve seen at the Food and the Gift of Life clean-ups is the camaraderie be- The Hines, Ill., VA Hospital Clothes Drives tween everyone,” said Monti donates 600 pounds of food each Sioux Falls VAMC employees Walthall, volunteer coordinator at year to the Chicago Food Pantry. gave 87 new sweat suits and seven El Paso. “You never know who you’ll The Office of Employment Dis- sweat shirts to local families strug- get to work with … and it’s usually crimination Complaint Adjudica- gling to make ends meet as part of someone you don’t know well. tion in VA Central Office sponsors their 2002 Project Warm All Over Naturally, when the clean-up is food drives benefiting So Others campaign. Through this year’s cam- over, there is a bond that would Might Eat (S.O.M.E.), a D.C. non- paign, called Shower Our Guests, never have developed while working profit organization that provides they contributed hygiene kits. elsewhere.” food and shelter to the homeless in Federal Women’s Program mem- the nation’s capital. bers at Hines VA Hospital and at Sioux Falls, S.D., VA Medical the Denver VARO sponsor clothing By Robert Turtil

January/February 2004 11 feature VAnguard One Man’s Legacy

In ways large and small, VA keeps the memory of slain employee Juel Marifjeren alive.

n the soccer fields and bas- ketball courts of Fenwick OHigh School in Oak Park, Ill., a 6-foot “little guy” can almost always be seen hunkering down, lowering his head, and offering thunderous claps to spur his team- mates on to victory. Steve Marifjeren is the spitting image of his father in likeness and action, something his mother finds slightly eerie. She regrets that Steve never got to see his father do the very Juel Marifjeren was a devoted father to kids Liz and Steve, encouraging their participation same things for his fellow VA team- in sports, one of his own passions; his others were family life, work and community ser- vice. mates. Steve is the son of Juel Marifjeren, a former section chief Award given to a first- or second- could never truly encapsulate the with the Chicago VA Regional Of- line supervisor in the Veterans Ben- man Juel Marifjeren really was, ac- fice who was fatally shot in 1998 efits Administration “who best per- cording to his wife of 18 years, shortly after leaving his office. The sonifies the caring spirit of service to Kathy, and many of his former co- gunman was a disturbed employee family, friends, community and vet- workers at the VARO. Juel had fired 12 years earlier. erans which characterized Juel “Juel was not the kind of man Since his death, Juel’s legacy has Marifjeren’s contributions to the De- you could put in a nutshell,” Kathy been honored through both a local partment of Veterans Affairs and ev- said. “He was so family-oriented, so award in his name given by the Chi- eryone touched by him.” team-oriented and so motivating. cago VARO, and a national Juel Still, plaques of wood and brass He was a very fair man. He was the

12 January/February 2004 VAnguard feature

kind of guy who always did what was ing employee, and tireless volunteer. the Chicago VARO. “When I heard right. He was amazing in that re- He was patient, kind, and always a about what had happened, I just spect.” peacemaker. He was a leader who couldn’t believe such a thing could everyone willingly followed.” happen to such a wonderful man.” The Memory Aside from being a motivator Juel Marifjeren was an Army and pacesetter at work, Juel was The Tragedy veteran who came to work for VA as most remembered for his participa- On May 19, 1998, 53-year-old a claims examiner in August 1971. tion in VA sporting leagues, volun- Juel was shot five times in the back Within a year he was promoted and teer efforts, and service to his local outside the Chicago VARO while within five, he landed a position as church and school. descending into the station where a unit chief. By 1980, he was named “Juel was simply a man who had he caught the subway home every a section chief and stayed in that to serve in every way he could,” day. The shooter was Robert position, pioneering an appeals con- Kalish said. “He was on the school Sawicki, a former employee who had trol team and earning 18 different board, he volunteered for church become increasingly mentally dis- performance awards during his ca- drives and community drives, turbed before Juel had to fire him. reer. coached local baseball and soccer Sawicki, now a diagnosed para- “Juel was a very experienced su- teams. He did everything.” noid schizophrenic, had threatened pervisor in our division,” said Dave One passion that was always in to kill Juel the day he was dismissed, Stelzner, Chicago VARO public af- the forefront was his love of sports. but shortly afterward, disappeared to fairs officer and longtime friend of According to Kalish, he and Juel Thailand for 10 years. While memo- Juel. “He had a firm grasp of the would eat lunch together every day ries of his erratic behavior, delu- work and what had to be done to and the first thing Juel would always sional beliefs and threats faded over get claims paid timely and accu- talk about was sports highlights. As that time, Sawicki was falling deeper rately. I used him constantly as a re- Juel’s children grew and started par- into madness, believing the govern- source for claims processing informa- ticipating, their daily talks would in- ment was reading his thoughts in a tion. He had compassion for his evitably turn to how his children’s vast conspiracy, and Juel Marifjeren work associates and willingly helped teams were doing. had become a figurehead for the everyone who came to him. Many of “Even on the playing field, Juel whole imagined plot. our employees considered Juel their was a motivational leader,” Kalish “It was strange because through mentor. He was a leader who pro- moted morale in the division.” Juel created so much motiva- “I didn’t know what to think. I kept telling tion in his workplace that his fellow employees still work tirelessly to myself it couldn’t be Juel. Juel was probably honor his name. Both of the awards there helping.” named for him came about through the grass roots efforts of workers at the Chicago VARO. Marifjeren’s said. “He was athletically gifted and the criminal trials we discovered family is always invited to the cer- really quick, but his primary focus writings by Sawicki that said the emonies. Stelzner and David Kalish, always remained making sure every- only way he could uncover the a loan guaranty officer and Juel’s one got a chance to play and pro- whole conspiracy was to kill one of best friend, go out to see his son moting chances for the not-as-tal- the government people involved,” Steve’s games, and Kalish is cur- ented players.” Kathy said. “Unfortunately, he chose rently working in his spare time to While Juel is remembered for my husband.” push forward a motion initiated by outstanding motivational leadership, It was actually quite some time the American Legion that would no one could recall a time when he before Kathy and her two children name the new Chicago VARO was boisterous or demanding. He learned of Juel’s death. His usual ac- building, completed this January, af- was known for his quiet and confi- tive volunteer status had kept any ter Juel. dent demeanor. “He was always soft- alarms from ringing for Kathy that “Juel was one of those people spoken, compassionate and atten- night. who makes a difference in tive, never rowdy. Juel loved the VA “It was a weird afternoon be- everyone’s life,” Kalish said. “He was and his workers,” said Pat Virgin, cause I had been home with a back a fair-minded supervisor, hard-work- executive assistant to the director at problem and had fallen asleep on

January/February 2004 13 feature VAnguard

That’s when things steadily got more alarming for Kathy and her children. Kathy’s girlfriend walked her over to the ceremony, all the while thinking the rumor couldn’t be true, because Kathy would know. As they entered the school hall together, Kathy noticed that every- one was looking at her awkwardly as she grew more confused. Then the pastor of the school approached Kathy, made some small talk and asked where Juel was. After a slight pause that seemed like minutes to Kathy, she told the pastor that Juel was in the church meeting. The pas- tor immediately told her he hadn’t shown up for the meeting. An Army veteran, Marifjeren, above and below, began his VA career in 1971 as a claims “Finally, I knew something was examiner and worked his way up to section chief at the Chicago VA Regional Office. definitely wrong.” Kathy said. “Pan- icked, I turned to a friend and said supposed to chair a 5:30 meeting at Juel hadn’t taken the car, he wasn’t their church. Juel was nowhere to be at baseball practice, he didn’t go to found. She asked Steve where his fa- the church meeting and now he ther was and he told her that his fa- wasn’t here for this—I have to go. ther had never shown up. My friend asked me what El Kathy reasoned that Juel must (Chicago’s mass transit) stop Juel have gone straight to the church to uses, and when I told her she prepare for his meeting. She went gasped.” home to make dinner for her chil- Kathy’s friend had heard the dren and get them ready for an news that someone had been shot event honoring the sports and aca- and killed on the stairs of the demic achievements of the school LaSalle and Congress stop. She told year, and the coaches of the teams. Kathy and the two ran back to the Juel was the 5th grade soccer coach Marifjeren house. for Steve’s team. The plan was for “I didn’t know what to think,” Juel to meet his family there after Kathy said. “I kept telling myself it his church meeting let out shortly couldn’t be Juel. Juel was probably before the ceremony began. there helping or something.” “While I was making the din- Other people from the cer- the couch,” she recalled. “When I ner, the kids were kind of goofing emony followed Kathy back to her woke up, it was about a quarter to around upstairs and one of them house, as she made rounds of calls to five and our car was still out in front screamed,” Kathy said. “My girl- find her husband. “I remember Bob of the house and Juel was supposed friend from down the street ran into Monaco, who worked at the VA and to be coaching baseball practice for my house and I apologized to her, was a parishioner at our church, was our son’s team. Juel was usually telling her I was sorry my kids had there,” Kathy said. “I remember he home by 4:15 or so but I just figured startled her. What I didn’t know was seemed out of place in the crowd of he had walked straight to the park she had already heard about Juel and women in my kitchen. I was frantic. since it was only about a half-mile she was running in to comfort us. I don’t even remember but I’m told I away.” But when she came in and all just yelled, ‘What Bob, what!’ like I By 5 p.m., Kathy had taken the seemed normal, and I was there knew he didn’t belong there and he car to pick up Juel and Steve from apologizing for my children, she as- was supposed to be telling me some- the baseball park because Juel was sumed it must not have been true.” thing. He was the one who told me

14 January/February 2004 VAnguard feature

there was a rumor that Juel had The Legacy the same kind of compassionate VA been killed, and that is how I found Since his death, Juel’s legacy has employee with a drive for doing out.” lived on in many more substantial what is right for veterans that her The fears of Kathy and her chil- forms than fond memories. The two father was. She is currently attend- dren were confirmed later that night VA awards given in his name en- ing Triton Junior College, and aims when a Chicago police officer ap- courage other employees to live up to be a social worker at a VA medi- peared at the Marifjeren door. “She to the professional, personal and cal center. really didn’t say anything to me,” ethical standards Juel always in- “She is a very caring person Kathy said. “I just started crying and stilled in his staff. with a lot of wisdom, just like her fa- we hugged, and we knew.” “We love going to those award ther, who just needs to help people,” Later, when police questioned ceremonies because it just is a great Kathy said. “She always asks me Kathy, her first instinct was to ask way to honor Juel,” Kathy said. “It’s how cool would it be if she could them about Sawicki. Sawicki turned a way of honoring Juel and keeping work in the VA just like her father.” himself in the following day. his memory alive. The VA has been According to Kathy, Liz was ex- so good to us that way.” tremely close to her father and still But according to Kalish, Kathy, carries a lot of the pain of the loss and Stelzner, Juel was always a fam- with her. ily man first, so his two greatest “I think Liz needs to achieve legacies are his children, each of this in her life,” Kathy reflected. whom carries an essence of their fa- “Juel loved his job and doing a ser- ther in their chosen ventures. vice for the vets to do the right Steve, who in every way physi- thing. He always worked hard to cally resembles his father, according clean up the old cases and expedite to Kathy, has inherited his father’s them. He didn’t think that people athletic talent, quiet demeanor, and should ever have to wait for those motivational abilities. Steve is the decisions. He loved the career he lead striker on his soccer team, with had there and the people he worked 39 goals already this season, and a with. Liz shares those same goals point guard on the Fenwick basket- and that same need to make a differ- ball team. ence, and she wants it to be with “People have always recognized the VA.” that Steve is something special and In the meantime, the he’s got a drive that is very easy to Marifjerens continue with their see if you are a spectator,” Kathy lives, ever appreciative of the mea- said. “After his dad died, Steve’s sures VA has taken to preserve Juel’s Marifjeren’s widow Kathy and daughter Liz level of intensity went up a notch. memory, and truly feeling like a part at last year’s VBA Leadership Conference with Juel Award recipient David Roesner, He believes that his dad is with him of the VA family. Juel’s survivors of the Philadelphia VA Regional Office and all the time and I think he really also include three sisters, one of Insurance Center. feels that presence. He can change whom, Judith Stoughton, is a 32- the level of a game when he’s on the year VA employee who currently “Juel told me two months ear- field.” works at the Long Beach, Calif., VA lier that he had seen [Sawicki] out- Kalish recalls several instances Medical Center. side of work but he never brought it in VA softball tournaments where “We’re very honored that the up again,” Kathy said. “He had been Juel would provide that same level VA continues to keep Juel’s memory unusually distracted for those two of intensity and be the one who alive and it really helps us in our months and the night before it all changed the momentum of the grieving process,” Kathy said. “As happened, Juel and my daughter had game. “He had boundless talent as much as it’s hard to keep going over been watching some sort of cop an athlete,” Kalish said. “Whether it, it really is very heartwarming to drama on TV. My daughter turned we were playing softball or bowling, know that his life had a purpose and to him and asked, ‘Daddy, has any- he was the star of the game even people still think very good things one ever threatened your life?’ And though his focus was pushing the about him.” Juel told her about the day he fired rest of the team to victory.” Sawicki.” Juel’s daughter, Liz, hopes to be By Ryan Steinbach

January/February 2004 15 cover story VAnguard

ure in Iraq, was told she would have War has prompted greater cooperation to wait three months to see a VA doctor following her discharge. between VA and the Defense Department. Rather than defend the system, Secretary Principi vowed to fix it. “Events like this are unacceptable. They cannot happen again,” he wrote in an Aug. 22 message to all employees. “Our actions over the next few months will define our de- partment for the lifetime of the vet- erans who are now returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.”

A Shift In Policy The first step was to assemble a team to examine what went wrong. Dr. Michael J. Kussman, deputy chief in the Office for Patient Care Services, and Carolyn Hunt, deputy director of Compensation and Pen- sion Service, served as team co- chairs. One of their initial findings was the lack of VA involvement in the discharge process, particularly for servicemembers wounded in the line of duty. It wasn’t agency neglect or in- difference that left newly discharged veterans on their own. It was simply MissionMission Status:Status: NotNot BusinessBusiness asas UsualUsual RICHARD J. TREMAINE etting the federal ans who slipped through the cracks. business as usual—traditional pro- government’s two largest Their stories made national cedures require veterans to take Gagencies to work together headlines last August: the Enduring the first step when applying for has been a priority on President Freedom veteran whose appeal for VA health care or benefits. But Bush’s management agenda. But it increased disability rating languished this wasn’t business as usual. wasn’t a sharing agreement or MOU for months, and the single mom America was at war and casualties that prompted VA and the Depart- who, after nearly dying of heart fail- were mounting: 2,413 men and ment of Defense to re-examine one of the most fundamental aspects of Above: Army Sgt. David Pettigrew, who lost his entire leg to an RPG on July 8 near their working relationship—how Tikrit, Iraq, tries out his new computerized prosthetic leg at the Denver VA Medical they care for the men and women Center. A news crew from CBS’ “48 Hours” filmed his first steps for an episode that aired Dec. 10, 2003. “When I look at these young men and women, I think that could wounded in our nation’s defense. It be my son or daughter,” said Judi Guy, transition coordinator at the Denver VAMC. was the plight of two combat veter-

16 January/February 2004 VAnguard cover story

women have been wounded in ac- to tell wounded soldiers about VA be transferred from person to per- tion in Iraq as of Jan. 8, according to benefits and help them fill out pa- son,” she said. With the problem Pentagon figures. The sheer volume perwork to start the claims process. identified, the solution became demanded a shift in VA policy. As an amputee and combat- clear. Within a few weeks Telfer had “Mr. Principi talks about our wounded vet, he also lent valuable the name and telephone number for core constituents, the ones who bore emotional support. But he couldn’t a transition coordinator at every VA the battle, and we weren’t reaching enroll them for VA health care or medical facility and benefits office out to them as much as we should transfer them to VA medical facili- nationwide. have,” said Kussman. “Our feeling ties. “The VBA counselors were do- “Now it works much smoother,” was that we needed to become part of their discharge planning process where we could offer assistance in “Our actions over the next few months will both medical and non-medical VA define our department for the lifetime of the benefits.” veterans who are now returning from Iraq The effort got underway at Walter Reed Army Medical Center and Afghanistan.” in Washington, D.C., where se- verely wounded Army soldiers begin ing a wonderful job, but we needed acknowledged Jill Roark, an Army their recovery. Kussman, a retired VHA people involved and the logi- social worker at Walter Reed. She general who commanded Walter cal ones were social workers,” said stressed the value of having a VA Reed prior to joining VA, simply Jill Manske, director of Social Work representative available to sit down called up his old Army buddies to Service. and talk with wounded or sick sol- get the ball rolling. “We just cut Xiomara Telfer, a 28-year-old so- diers. “When they actually see through the paperwork and got this cial worker at the Washington, someone face to face they realize going,” he said. D.C., VA Medical Center, was de- VA really cares for them, too,” she tailed to the VA seamless transition said. Social Workers: A ‘Logical’ Fit office at Walter Reed in August Beyond the walls of Walter From the start of Operation 2003. Working side by side with Reed, VA social workers James Iraqi Freedom, the Washington, military case managers, she found Lasater, Deborah Wakefield, and D.C., VA Regional Office sent ben- they often got the runaround when Brooke Eggimann began meeting efits counselor Chris Reid to Walter calling a VA facility. “It was very face to face with hospitalized Reed and Bethesda Naval Hospital frustrating for them because they’d servicemembers at Brooke, Eisenhower and Madigan Army Medical Centers, respectively. To- gether with Telfer at Walter Reed, they have helped nearly 700 wounded or sick Iraqi and Enduring Freedom veterans as of Jan. 8. Their help ranges from referrals, where they work directly with military caseworkers to transfer a patient’s care to a VA facility, to personal consultations with patients, their families or military hospital staff.

Progress, Not Process Secretary Principi made clear that it would be very difficult to be “overzealous” in serving casualties of ROBERT TURTIL America’s war on terror. Kevin Hillegas, 42, a veterans Washington, D.C., VA Medical Center social workers Xiomara Telfer, left, and Gabriella K. Kinsolving review patient status reports with Lt. Col. Joe Truelove, chief of care continuum service representative assigned to at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. continued on page 19

January/February 2004 17 cover story VAnguard

Wounded in Baghdad: Milwaukee VA Nurse Recovers

A second VA employee was When they reached the intersec- then on to Landstuhl, Germany, and wounded in combat operations in tion, the Iraqi police went forward ultimately to Walter Reed, where Iraq. Susan Sonnheim, 45, a li- while the Americans stayed near the doctors removed shrapnel from her censed practical nurse at the Mil- vehicle, which is standard procedure legs and face, including a 5-millime- waukee VA Medical Center and ser- according to Sonnheim. From her posi- ter piece—about the length of the geant in the Wisconsin National tion near the Humvee, she could see eraser on a pencil—lodged in her left Guard, was injured in Baghdad by the suspicious box, but the Iraqi offic- eye. Once stable enough to travel, an improvised explosive device in ers walking toward it didn’t seem to no- she went home to Milwaukee for a September 2003. She shared her ex- tice. “They were right on top of it,” she month of convalescent leave, then perience with VAnguard in January said. She went to warn them and as returned to Walter Reed in Decem- while recovering at Walter Reed she approached, she saw a small wire ber for more surgery. Army Medical Center in Washing- protruding from the side of the box. “I As she talked about her experi- ton, D.C. ence, she peeled away the Sonnheim left her job black patch covering her at the VA hospital last left eye. It didn’t look dam- March when her National aged—clear blue iris, dark Guard unit, the 32nd Mili- black pupil—but doctors tary Police Company, was told her it will never see activated for Operation again. She also pulled back Iraqi Freedom. She arrived the sleeve on her denim in Baghdad on June 29, a jacket to show the shrapnel time when U.S. forces were in her wrist. It sat just be- coming under increasing neath the skin, jutting out as guerilla attacks. “I was she rotated her wrist from very fearful,” said side to side. Her physical Sonnheim. “Every second scars are a constant re- you had to watch your minder of an experience she back.” can’t forget. “Sometimes I As a military police of- think I’m still in Baghdad. I ficer, her job involved work- can’t seem to detach my-

ing with local police and in- ROBERT TURTIL self,” she said, explaining formants to round up sus- that her unit is still over pected Iraqi insurgents. Secretary Principi visits Susan Sonnheim, recovering at Walter there. They maintained a strong Reed Army Medical Center. Sonnheim is the first visible presence, conduct- woman in the history of the ing mounted patrols with Humvees yelled to run and as I turned it went Wisconsin National Guard to be and at times taking to the streets on off,” she said. awarded the Purple Heart, according foot. The bomb blast blew her off her to Kevin Kavanaugh, Wisconsin state One evening around 10:30 p.m., feet and flung her through the air. commander for the Military Order of an informant ran into the police sta- When she hit the ground, she remem- the Purple Heart and a supply techni- tion to warn of a suspicious box in bers thinking she had lost her legs. cian at the Milwaukee VAMC. She is an intersection down the street. “They were so numb from all the the second VA employee wounded in Sonnheim grabbed her M203, the shrapnel,” Sonnheim said. Both of her the war. The other is chief dentist Dr. Army’s standard M16 fitted with a 40 eardrums were ruptured and blood Robert Frame, who was wounded in mm grenade launcher, and along clouded her vision. “I was in so much a Baghdad ambush last April. Both with her squad leader and a couple pain,” she said. are perhaps the only VA employees of Iraqi police officers, jumped into a She was medevaced to the 28th called to active duty to be wounded Humvee to investigate. Combat Support Hospital in Baghdad, in combat since World War II.

18 January/February 2004 VAnguard cover story so smooth,” he said. “They took care of my wife and everything.” Comments like that bring a smile to Jackson’s face. But she has little time to reflect. She is late for a conference call and has a Feb. 7 Homecoming Day to finalize. “We’re going to open the hospital just for returning vets,” she said. “Whatever they need, we’re going to provide.” The event is on a Saturday, but no one was forced to work. “They vol- unteered to do it,” said Jackson. “Be- cause they care about veterans, be- cause they have a heart. That’s the kind of people we have here.”

LUPE HERNANDEZ A Defining Moment Kevin Hillegas, a veterans service representative assigned to Brooke Army Medical Center The program is in place. But in San Antonio, assists Staff Sgt. Rashaan Canady with medical benefits. Canady was a will it fade away after the war? Not forward observer with the 11th Battalion, 44th Field Artillery, 3rd Infantry Division when he was injured in Iraq. if Kussman has his way. “We’re try- ing to make it permanent policy,” he said. The best scenario he envisions Mission continued from page 17 from recently discharged veterans. She works behind the scenes coordi- is to establish a care coordination Brooke Army Medical Center in nating the care of veterans like office in Washington, D.C., staffed San Antonio, agrees. “A little some- Phillip Fernandes, a National Guard by VHA and VBA representatives. thing I learned in the Army is called soldier from Middleboro, Mass., who The office would receive periodic selfless service,” said Hillegas, a re- nearly died after catching a virus in listings from DoD of all tired sergeant first class. “I don’t Iraq. “I didn’t want to eat and had servicemembers injured in the line want to hear that you can’t help stomach pains. A doctor finally di- of duty who are entering the disabil- these soldiers or their families. Do agnosed something with my heart,” ity process or being medically re- what you have to and let the paper- he said. He was whisked from a field tired. “We need to make this a per- work follow.” His colleagues at the hospital in Iraq to Landstuhl, Ger- manent process that will transcend VA outpatient clinic in San Anto- many, and finally to Walter Reed in the war in Iraq and Afghanistan,” nio and the Houston VA Regional Washington, D.C. said Kussman. Office feel the same way, he said. Back in Middleboro, his wife Rarely do isolated cases of sub- “There is a much heightened sense Lynn and their two children waited standard service result in policy of awareness now.” anxiously for his condition to im- changes of this scale. But clearly this That awareness isn’t limited to prove. Desperate for answers, Lynn was an exception. “We will no Houston, San Antonio or cities near picked up the phone and called longer wait for recently wounded military installations. The signs are Jackson at the Boston VA. “I didn’t servicemen and women who are everywhere. From the Operation know who else to call,” she said. As struggling to overcome combat inju- Iraqi Freedom link on the VA the weeks turned to months, she ries to contact VA about care and Homepage, www.va.gov, to the re- maintained contact with Jackson, benefits,” wrote Secretary Principi corded message that greets callers to sometimes calling five times a week. in September. His decisive response the VA Boston Healthcare System: Ultimately her husband was medi- marked a fundamental shift in de- “If you’re a recently discharged vet- cally discharged and received a heart partmental policy and ushered in eran please press 1 to hear an impor- transplant at the McGuire VA new heights of VA-DoD coopera- tant message.” Medical Center in Richmond. tion—achievements that may ulti- Pressing 1 directs callers to the Fernandes says he is recovering mately define his term as VA Secre- desk of social worker Shirley A. well from his heart transplant and tary. Jackson, who said she receives any- has nothing but praise for VA staff where from three to 17 calls a day in Richmond and Boston. “It went By Matt Bristol

January/February 2004 19 feature VAnguard

St. Louis VA Regional Office’s James Little may be the last of VBA’s Vietnam service contact representatives still on duty. Last Man Standing

herever there are large Regional Office and the Poplar Bluff His tour included action in ma- concentrations of U.S. VA Medical Center, remembers jor campaigns such as Operation Wmilitary personnel, VBA those days. He is likely the last re- Harvest Moon and countless other benefits counselors are sure to be maining contact rep who served in reconnaissance or search and destroy found—both stateside and over- Vietnam still working for VA. His missions. In July 1966, after nearly a seas—in places like Korea, Germany story is one of service and personal year in country, his unit engaged an and Japan. Could Iraq be their next sacrifice. Looking back, he calls it entire North Vietnamese division stop? simply “a way of life.” near the demilitarized zone. He re- That possibility isn’t too far- Little joined the Marines in members several days of intense fetched. During the late 1960s and 1953 at the age of 17 because he fighting. “We had them on the run,” early 1970s, about 90 VA contact “figured they needed help over there he said. “They were trying to break representatives were sent to Viet- in Korea.” He spent the next 13 contact.” nam for six-month tours in a pro- months toting a 75-mm recoilless As the enemy pulled back, gram dubbed Operation Early Word. rifle in the Korean War. “That was Little directed his platoon in pursuit. Their job was to explain VA ben- the start of the fall of communism,” They approached a clearing about efits to troops rotating back to the he said. “It was the first time we the length of a football field with states. But they weren’t holed up in stopped ‘em, and I’m proud to have some trees and brush on the far side. cushy offices in Saigon. They were served there.” It wouldn’t be his last Little knew he couldn’t send his out in the field with troops in Da taste of combat. men across blindly. He would have Nang, Cu Chi and Long Binh. They By 1965, American forces had to go first to make sure it was safe. wore flak vests and carried weapons. given up “advising” in Vietnam. The As he charged into the clearing, an Two of them, Vinson Rabern, from time had come for a more hands-on AK-47 rang out. Six rounds the Atlanta VA Regional Office, approach. Marines at Camp slammed into his legs and hip as he and Robert Butler, from the Hun- Pendleton, Calif., began preparing tumbled to the ground. “I remember tington, W.Va., VA Regional Office, for war. First Sgt. Little was among were killed in the line of duty in those who shipped out in August October 1968. 1965 with the 2nd Battalion, 1st Above: Vinson Rabern, left, was one of two VA contact representatives killed in James Little, 68, a field exam- Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Divi- the line of duty in Vietnam. iner with offices at the St. Louis VA sion.

20 January/February 2004 VAnguard feature thinking what a heck of a good time to get hit,” he said. “I was within days of going home.” He spent the next 23 months recovering at Philadelphia Naval Hospital. While there he became friends with the VA contact repre- sentative, a former Ma- rine and World War II Medal of Honor recipi- ent. “One day he took me out to the Philly VARO to take the civil service test,” Little re- called. “He told me I was joining VA as soon as I was medically re- tired.” And that’s just As a contact representative in Vietnam, what he did. Little wore a uniform with a VA patch After a few months (above) and carried a military ID card on the job, he heard listing him as a civilian “noncombatant” (right). He did his first tour in Vietnam about a program where as a Marine (above right), wounded just contact reps were being days before he was scheduled to go sent to Vietnam. So home. Little did what he al- ways does—he volun- teered. By March of 1969 he was on questions from those who wanted By 1970, the Marines were pull- a plane with a group of Marines more information. He estimates he ing out of Vietnam. Little returned heading back to Vietnam. His final filed about 5,500 claims during his to the Philadelphia VA Regional destination: Da Nang. “I was just six-month tour in Vietnam. Office and transferred to St. Louis in glad to get back,” he said. “After 15 Sometimes he took his message 1974, where he’s been ever since. years in the military it’s hard to just out to the field to reach the grunts Last summer, Little celebrated 50 give it up. Being in that environ- who couldn’t make it to Da Nang. years of federal service, but he has ment helped me with the transi- After one night in the bush he re- no plans to call it quits anytime tion.” turned to find his office had been soon. “I’m too young to just sit back hit by rocket fire. “They destroyed and relax,” he said. “There is still everything. All you could find was plenty that I can offer.” He may have been a the typewriter roller tube.” He may civilian, but this was have been a civilian, but this was Vietnam. Vietnam. By Matt Bristol

Little carried a military ID card listing him as a civilian “noncomba- Operation Early Word tant” and wore a uniform with a VA contact representatives briefed nearly 2 million servicemembers, con- Veterans Administration patch on ducted 250,000 individual interviews, and submitted 105,000 VA benefits ap- the left sleeve. His job was to give a plications while in Vietnam between 1967 and 1972. one-hour briefing to Marines rotat- ing back to the states and answer ROBERT TURTIL

January/February 2004 21 feature VAnguard Healing Body and Spirit

ew programs showcase the department’s mission more vividly than VA’s National Rehabilitation FSpecial Events. Never been to one? Then you haven’t experienced the awe of watching a blind vet- eran ski down a mountain, the wind in his face, the snow flying beneath him. The four events—the National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic, the National Veterans Wheel- chair Games, the National Veterans Golden Age Games and the National Veterans Creative Arts Festival—heal, rehabilitate and strengthen the resolve of the nation’s past and current heroes using physical, recreational and art therapy programs. Over the years, these national events have been held in locations as diverse as Leavenworth, Kan., and New York City, in every region of the country. In 2006, ROBERT TURTIL even Anchorage, Alaska, will get into the act, welcom- Veteran Wayne Beechy sizes up a batter during the softball compe- ing veterans from all over the country as host city for tition at the Wheelchair Games. the Wheelchair Games. The locations are chosen through a rigorous process that begins with VA medical centers willing to take on VA’s four National Rehabilitation the challenge of being a host site. Hosting an event re- quires meticulous planning and attention to detail, but Special Events are a showcase the effort can turn out to be the highlight of your ca- reer, according to several past local coordinators. So for the therapeutic value of what goes into hosting a national event and why do it? recreation, sports and creative The Bid Package “It started for us with consistently having a large arts. VAnguard takes a closer team for the Golden Age Games,” said Sean Hinds, lo- cal coordinator for the 2004 Golden Age Games in look at what it takes to host Fresno, Calif. “We took that interest as an opportunity to host the Games ourselves to showcase our city, com- one of these annual events. munity and VA medical center.” With the encourage- ment of their director, Al Perry, Hinds and other key players at the Fresno VA Medical Center submitted a bid package.

22 January/February 2004 VAnguard feature

A bid package consists of a let- only one of the four events that ordinator. The local coordinator ter of intent with logistics outlined doesn’t change locations. For the leads committee chairs and is the in such areas as hotel accommoda- past 18 years, the Grand Junction, point of contact for the national tions, volunteer support, financial Colo., VA Medical Center has staff and partnering veterans service support, transportation and ability hosted the Clinic. “Having the organization. The director of the to staff the event. “Our bid package event in the same location allows us host facility usually selects the indi- was a regional team effort,” said to continually improve our program vidual for this position. Hinds. “The application highlighted and develop a wide network of sup- “After the local coordinator is our abilities to meet and surpass ex- port in the local community,” said assigned,” said Hartmann, “the se- pectations for hosting the event in Sandy Trombetta, Clinic director. lection of the committee chairs in the areas of logistics, airport access, the areas of logistics, administration, hotel accessibility and community Staffing public affairs, ceremonies and meet relations.” Once the host site is chosen, director becomes the next priority.” When complete, a bid package the next step is to select a local co- Committee chairs are drawn is sent to the director of the special event, in some cases through the VISN director, according to Diane Hartmann, director of the Office of The Four Events National Programs and Special ■ National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic Established in 1987, the Events in VA Central Office. “After Winter Sports Clinic introduces profoundly disabled veterans with spinal receiving the package,” she said, cord injuries or disease, neurological conditions, or blindness to adaptive “the Games’ director schedules site sports such as downhill and cross-country skiing, rock climbing, sled visits and a decision is made within hockey, horseback riding and scuba diving. It is co-sponsored by VA and a few months.” Hartmann added the Disabled American Veterans. This year’s Winter Sports Clinic will be that hosting a special event must be held April 4-9 in Snowmass Village, Colo. planned years ahead since a host site can be selected up to four years in ■ National Veterans Wheelchair Games The largest annual wheelchair advance. sports event in the U.S., the Wheelchair Games gives newly disabled veter- ans the opportunity to gain and enhance sports skills while introducing Logistics them to experienced wheelchair athletes. Veterans compete in such sports When organizers begin the pro- as basketball, softball, track and field, slalom and rugby. The Games, which cess of choosing a location for one began in 1981, are co-sponsored by VA and Paralyzed Veterans of America. of the events, logistics is a key con- The 2004 Wheelchair Games will be held June 15-19 in St. Louis. sideration. “Organizers search for host sites ■ National Veterans Golden Age Games Physical activity and friendly com- that are convenient and accessible,” petition engage the mind as well as the body, so recreation therapy fills a said Dewayne Vaughan, director of special need in the lives of older patients at VA facilities. That’s why the the Golden Age Games. “A location Golden Age Games were created in 1985 to encourage older veterans to must be affordable and accessible for remain active both physically and mentally. Competitions include golf, athletes both for indoor and outdoor swimming, horseshoes and bicycling. The Golden Age Games are co-spon- venues.” sored by VA and the Veterans of Foreign Wars. This year, the Golden Age Likewise for the Wheelchair Games are set for July 17-24 in Fresno, Calif. Games: “Venue sites and hotel rooms need to be in close proxim- ■ ity,” said Tom Brown, director of the National Veterans Creative Arts Festival The Creative Arts Festival fos- event. ters creative expression in art, dance, drama and music for veterans For the Creative Arts Festival, treated at VA medical facilities. This annual event begins with competitions “finding a quality fine arts center or at the local level. Local winners are then judged on a national level, and theater is integral to the creation of medal winners are invited to a weeklong festival where they perform and a successful final stage show perfor- display their work. Established in 1989, the event is co-sponsored by VA, mance,” said Liz Mackey, the event’s the American Legion Auxiliary and Help Hospitalized Veterans. The Creative director. Arts Festival will be held this year Oct. 10-16 in Salt Lake City. The Winter Sports Clinic is the

January/February 2004 23 feature VAnguard tee reports, an event will be success- ful.” Many past local coordinators who have seen the benefits of the special events firsthand agree. “We showcased our hospital, city and region to the nation,” said Togus, Maine, VA Medical Center’s Dan Bence, local coordinator for the 2003 Golden Age Games. “Team building is a tremendous benefit of an event for both the medical center and its surrounding community,” Maureen Harvey, local coordinator of the Creative Arts Festival last year in Oklahoma City, pointed out.

ROBERT TURTIL Jewel sees hosting one of the events as an opportunity to recon- Veteran James Sandal hopes to bowl a strike at the Golden Age Games. nect VA staff to the veterans they serve. “Working on a special event gives the VA employee who has from the ranks of facility staff mem- the Wheelchair Games there in minimal contact with veterans per- bers who have volunteered to help 2001. “Communicating with large sonal interaction in a non-medical with the event. “Volunteers are organizations that have community environment,” he said. asked to hold a committee chair as- relations efforts is a tremendous way Other benefits of hosting for a signment in their specialty,” ex- to generate large numbers of volun- facility, he added, include creating plained Sharon Parks, past local co- teers,” Jewel said. Large organiza- or improving existing relationships ordinator for the Winter Sports tions have the infrastructure to with community, civic and corpo- Clinic. “For example, the voluntary reach large groups, he added. rate organizations; a big sense of ac- service program manager coordi- Other current and past local co- complishment after the event; an af- nates volunteers.” Parks added that ordinators have recruited volunteers terglow years removed from the clos- committee chairs usually see these through local churches, schools and ing ceremonies; and medical center positions as new twists on their spe- universities, and the media. They’ve management discovering untapped cialties. also relied heavily on medical center leadership potential in committee staff to volunteer. members and volunteers. Volunteers Each event needs volunteers There are financial incentives None of the events would be with a variety of skills. “Out of the for hosting an event too, said Parks. possible without the generous con- 500 volunteers at the Winter Sports For instance, the host medical cen- tributions of time, talent and effort Clinic, 200 are trained ski instruc- ter gets additional national funding by volunteers. The number needed tors and others are therapists and to hire a GS-12 as the local coordi- varies by event. The Wheelchair administrative volunteers who bring nator for the year of the event. “Na- Games needs the most volunteers: their contributions in other ways off tional funding helps offset the cost 1,500 to 2,000. Some 600 to 800 are the snow,” said Trombetta. to the medical center,” she said. needed for the Golden Age Games, Would Jewel host another na- 500 for the Winter Sports Clinic, How Do Host Facilities tional special event? “Absolutely,” and 200 for the Creative Arts Festi- Benefit? he said. “It gives one a sense of pride val. “Despite all the details and and satisfaction. The organization To recruit volunteers, the host planning, it is extremely rewarding and planning is more than worth it facility enlists the help of veterans to host a special event,” said Brown. … the rewards will last your entire service organizations and staff, ac- “With a strong local organizing career.” cording to Dave Jewel, chief of ex- committee, the national staff ternal affairs at the Cleveland VA committee’s experience and the Medical Center, who coordinated three to four site visits for commit- By Richard Olague

24 January/February 2004 VAnguard feature Presidential Memorial Certificates Continuing a Tradition of Honor

officer can begin the process on be- half of the veteran’s family. In addi- tion, VA regional offices also ini- tiate requests when they receive death notices for VA program ben- On the Home Front eficiaries. VA Employees Supporting the Troops The request process itself hasn’t changed much over the years, though the technology has greatly improved. The program staff in Washington, D.C., electronically transfer the information they receive to NCA’s Systems Integration Cen- ter in Quantico, Va. The center then forwards the information to VA’s Automation Center in Austin, Texas. The Automation Center im- prints the veteran’s name on the cer- MICHAEL L. MOORE tificates and overnight mails them Don Nitto, Frances Frederick and Ken Baxter (left to right) review newly printed certifi- back to the program office for in- cates for accuracy. spection. The program office staff then send the printed certificates to n conjunction with other VA- the certificates were provided, sur- a contractor for the gold seal im- wide efforts to support service passing a total of 10 million since printing and mailing. Imembers and their families dur- the program was established. High priority requests some- ing the war in Iraq, the National “The certificates express the times come in from the Defense De- Cemetery Administration continues nation’s gratitude for the military partment, VA regional offices, mem- a decades-long program to help service of departed veterans,” says bers of Congress and VA senior staff comfort grieving families. Don Nitto, current coordinator of who want to present the certificates More than 40 years ago, a the program and a retired Navy vet- to families at funeral services. In veteran’s request—to create a certifi- eran. “I’m glad that we’re able to these cases, assuming the veteran’s cate signed by the President to provide such a service.” eligibility information is readily honor the memory of deceased vet- The parchment-style certificate available, the three-person program erans—was passed from Sen. Hubert bears an embossed U.S. Seal staff can respond quickly: they print Humphrey to Administrator of Vet- stamped in gold, the President’s sig- the names on certificates already erans Affairs John Gleason. Presi- nature and a calligraphic rendering embossed with the gold seal. dent John F. Kennedy approved the of the veteran’s name. Earle Gleason, director of the request in 1962. The next of kin or others can Yates County, N.Y., Veterans Ser- As a result, the Presidential Me- request a certificate by visiting a VA vice Agency, strongly endorses the morial Certificate Program was es- regional office or by mailing or program. “I help families apply for tablished. Initially operated out of faxing the veteran’s name and a the certificate when they seek ben- VA’s Office of Administration, the copy of the military discharge docu- efit information after a veteran program was transferred to the Vet- ment and death certificate to NCA’s dies,” says Gleason. “What you do is erans Benefits Administration in Memorial Programs Service. deeply appreciated.” 1986 and to the National Cemetery When a member of the armed For more information on Presi- Administration in 1988. forces dies on active duty, a Depart- dential Memorial Certificates, visit In 2003, more than 254,000 of ment of Defense casualty assistance NCA’s Web site at www.cem.va.gov.

January/February 2004 25 around headquarters VAnguard

Disabled Veterans Get Priority Access to VA Health Care

The long wait for VA health appointments. The number variety of techniques to bring hind others while VA tackles care is over for some veter- of veterans waiting more waiting times down, includ- the backlog. ans. A new directive gives all than six months for primary ing adopting Advanced “I’ll work to honor our veterans with service-con- care appointments peaked at Clinic Access principles, hir- commitment to veterans,” nected medical problems pri- more than 300,000 in July ing more staff, and adding Secretary Principi said, “but ority access to VA care. 2002. The waiting list has appointment slots. But the when it comes to non-emer- Under the new rule, any dropped dramatically since priority access rules ensure gency health care, we must veteran who needs care for a then, and is now down to that veterans with service- give the priority to veterans service-connected disability about 30,000. connected medical problems with service-connected dis- must be scheduled for a pri- VA facilities have used a don’t have to wait in line be- abilities.” mary care appointment within 30 days of the re- quest. If a VA facility can’t Gordon Mansfield Named VA Deputy Secretary schedule an appointment within that time frame, it must arrange for care at an- said Secretary Principi. “We His combat decorations in- other VA facility, at a con- have challenges ahead, and clude the Distinguished Ser- tract facility or through a veterans have an advocate in vice Cross, the Bronze Star, sharing agreement. Gordon Mansfield who will two Purple Hearts, the Com- The directive covers hos- ensure their needs are a pri- bat Infantryman’s Badge and pitalization and outpatient ority.” the Presidential Unit Cita- care. It doesn’t apply to care Before coming to VA, tion. for medical problems not re- Mansfield had served as ex- Mansfield is a recipient lated to a service-connected ecutive director of the Para- of the Presidential Distin- disability. Veterans who need lyzed Veterans of America guished Service Award and emergency care, though, will since 1993. In that position, the Villanova University be treated immediately. he oversaw the daily opera- Alumni Human Relations The new provision is an tion of PVA’s national office Medal. He was inducted into expansion of a rule that took in Washington, D.C., and 37 the U.S. Army Officer Can- effect in October 2002 for Mansfield field offices. He held a num- didate School Hall of Fame severely disabled veterans. ber of positions at PVA from in 1997. That rule gave priority access Gordon H. Mansfield is VA’s 1981 to 1989, and served as to veterans with disabilities new deputy secretary. Presi- the organization’s first associ- rated at 50 percent or more. dent Bush nominated him ate executive director of gov- Are You Watching? For the severely disabled, the for the position on Nov. 3 ernment relations. He was an priority includes care for and the Senate confirmed the assistant secretary for fair Don’t miss your weekly nonservice-connected medi- nomination on Jan. 22. He housing and equal opportu- helping of “VA News,” cal problems. was sworn in on Jan. 30. nity at the Department of news for and about VA Increased demand for Mansfield previously served Housing and Urban Devel- employees delivered VA health care in recent as the department’s assistant opment from 1989 to 1993. each week in a digest- years prompted Secretary secretary for congressional Mansfield received his ible 10-minute video Principi to call for these pri- and legislative affairs, a posi- undergraduate degree from shown daily at 4 a.m., 8 ority access rules. Veterans tion he’d held since August Villanova University and law a.m., noon, 4 p.m. and have been coming in record 2001. He replaces Dr. Leo S. degree from the University of 10 p.m. (Eastern Time) numbers since Congress Mackay Jr., who returned to Miami, and practiced law in over the VA Knowledge passed a law in 1996 opening the private sector last sum- Ocala, Fla. Following his Network’s Communica- VA health care to all eligible mer. 1964 enlistment in the tions Channel. Can’t veterans who enrolled. The “Gordon has played a Army, he served two tours of get to a TV? View it flood of new enrollees key role in our accomplish- duty in Vietnam. from your desktop strained the system and led ments for veterans, helping While serving as com- computer on the VA to long waiting times for secure record budget gains pany commander with the Intranet at care. and shepherding a legislative 101st Airborne Division dur- vaww.va.gov/opa/feature/ Veterans had been facing agenda to improve services ing his second tour, he sus- index.htm. waits of up to two years for and benefits for veterans,” tained a spinal cord injury.

26 January/February 2004 VAnguard around headquarters

Honoring the Memory of a Powerful Public Speaker

Hundreds of VA Central Of- Highlighting Dr. King’s fice employees came together powerful public speaking Jan. 15 to honor the memory skills is a great way to honor of slain civil rights leader Dr. his memory, according to Martin Luther King Jr., on Judith Jamison, co-chair of what would have been his the VACO Black History 75th birthday. Month Committee and a The ceremony included program specialist in the Of- a series of guest speakers who fice of Regulation Policy and addressed the importance of Management. “It lends itself oratory skills in being an ef- to a broad range of ideas on fective leader and role model. how people interpret the Each speaker was a member King holiday, that they may of Toastmasters International reflect on how Dr. King and (www.toastmasters.org), an or- other great orators have in- ROBERT TURTIL VBA outreach coordinator Betty Moseley Brown paid tribute to Dr. ganization dedicated to help- fluenced their lives,” she said. Martin Luther King Jr. on what would have been his 75th birthday, ing people polish their public Among the speakers was Jan. 15, in VA Central Office. The observance of the slain civil speaking skills. Betty Moseley-Brown, VBA rights leader’s birthday highlighted his oratory skills. “People think of Toast- outreach coordinator and a masters in terms of public member of the VA Gaveliers. Dimensions of a Completed Have a Dream” speech are speaking, but it’s much more She spoke of Dr. King’s ora- Life” and “Rediscovering studied on college campuses than that,” said Yolanda tory abilities and shared her Lost Values.” Hearing his across America. His use of al- Johnson, who works in the reaction to reading his auto- voice deliver the words put literation, allusion and meta- Office of Public and Inter- biography. “His written them into new perspective. “I phor are legendary, painting governmental Affairs and words were letters on pages. I heard what was missing on a picture for audiences and serves as president of the VA felt that something was miss- the pages—his tone, his strengthening his call to ac- Gaveliers Toastmasters club. ing,” she told the audience. preacher’s pitch, and his pas- tion. His life was tragically “It’s about developing public She decided to listen to sion. Passion turned his cut short, but his words con- speaking, communication audio recordings of his ser- words into magic,” she said. tinue to inspire generations and leadership skills.” mons, including “The Three Details of Dr. King’s “I of Americans.

Administration Seeks $67.7 Billion Budget for VA in 2005

The Bush administration will The budget proposes partment to pay for emer- program, more than dou- seek a $67.7 billion fiscal $29.5 billion in funding for gency room care or urgent bling funds from last year to year 2005 budget for VA, a medical care, an increase of care for enrolled veterans in modernize VA’s health care $5.6 billion increase in bud- 4.1 percent over the 2004 non-VA medical facilities; infrastructure. get authority primarily tar- level. The medical care bud- ■ ending hospice Some $1.9 billion is geted for health care and dis- get includes $2.4 billion in copayments; proposed to support the ability compensation. collections from third-party ■ increasing pharmacy management of the six ben- The budget request rep- health insurance and benefit copayments for veter- efits programs VA adminis- resents a 3.8 percent increase copayments from veterans. ans in Priority Groups 7 and ters—disability compensa- in discretionary funding over Significant legislative 8 from $7 to $15; and tion, pensions, education, the enacted level for 2004. proposals in the budget in- ■ establishing an annual housing, vocational rehabili- Overall, the 2005 budget re- clude: user fee of $250 for veterans tation and employment, and quests $32.1 billion in dis- ■ ending pharmacy in Priority Groups 7 and life insurance. This funding cretionary funding (mostly copayments for veterans in 8. level is 2.2 percent above the for health care) and $35.6 Priority Groups 2-5; The 2005 budget in- 2004 level, and includes re- billion in mandatory funding ■ ending all cludes $524 million to move sources for about 12,200 (mostly for disability com- copayments for former pris- forward with the Capital As- full-time staff in the Veterans pensation, pensions and oners of war; set Realignment for En- Benefits Administration. other benefits programs). ■ authorizing the de- hanced Services (CARES) continued on page 28

January/February 2004 27 introducing VAnguard

Stan Stewart

Forget about lucky breaks. ementary school speech he whether this is something Hard work and perseverance gave to his 3rd grade class- you want to get into,” he are what it takes to make it mates. Impressed by his poise said. His amateur experience big in Hollywood, according and confidence, teachers fer- includes performances at the to Stan Stewart, who plays ried him over to Howard National Theater, the Studio dockworker New Charles on University for an encore be- Theater and Source Theater. HBO’s gritty original series fore a group of college stu- Stewart jumped from “The Wire.” The show, now dents and professors. A few the big stage to the small in its second season, follows years later, he stole the lead screen when he started acting the lives of cops, drug dealers in a school play when the in training films. He did a and union bosses struggling student assigned the role training film on disaster pre- to eke out a living along kept fumbling his lines. As a paredness for the Red Cross Stewart Baltimore’s harbor. teenager at Cardozo High and another on diversity his voice. With a principal For Stewart, 45, a pro- School, he took up the tuba awareness for the State De- role under his belt, he was gram analyst in VHA’s Com- and began performing with partment. Once he got com- now eligible to join the pliance and Business Integ- the school’s top-ranked fortable in front of the cam- Screen Actors Guild, which rity Office in VA Central Of- marching band. “I guess I’ve era, he started scanning The gave him additional rights fice, “The Wire” marks the always been a performer at Washington Post’s weekend and privileges, not to men- first big break in an acting heart,” he said. section for upcoming televi- tion better prospects for and performance career that When his Air Force ca- sion auditions. work. spans decades. “It’s a real reer was cut short, Stewart He landed a few com- Stewart’s start on “The good feeling,” he said. As the used VA’s vocational rehab mercials here and there, Wire” began with a call from show gained critical acclaim, program to go back to eventually picking up spots a casting agent in Baltimore. fans started recognizing him school, graduating from the as an extra on the television After a couple auditions, he on the street. A few people University of the District of programs “Hack,” “The Dis- landed a principal role on six even recognized him in the Columbia in 1990 as class trict” and “Philly,” among of the season’s 13 episodes. VACO canteen while he was president. While in school, others. His first principal role Stewart said he had no grabbing a sandwich. “It’s a he got started in amateur came as a bailiff on the show trouble relating to the char- real humbling experience theater. The experience “Homicide: Life on the acter, a tough dockhand. when someone says they saw taught him important lessons Streets.” It may not have “You put yourself in that the show and liked my char- about a career in acting. “If been top billing—his role moment in time and it no acter,” he said. you can put up with the hard was to call the court to order longer becomes acting—you A Washington, D.C., work and discipline for re- as the judge approached the literally become the charac- native, Stewart traces his per- hearsals as a volunteer per- bench—but viewers could ter.” formance history to an el- former then you really know clearly see his face and hear By Matt Bristol

Budget continued from page 27

The President’s 2005 tionary funding for operating ■ $28.4 billion (includ- claims—a total of $1 billion budget sets in motion the and capital costs for NCA ing $1.7 billion in collec- for all programs; largest expansion of the and the state cemetery grant tions) for health care, up ■ nearly $176 million nation’s cemetery system for program. $2.9 billion from last year; for health care and other pro- veterans since the Civil War. VA’s budget for the cur- ■ $32.8 billion in ben- grams to help homeless veter- When completed, the multi- rent fiscal year, which began efits programs; ans, an increase of more than year expansion will increase Oct. 1, 2003, was signed by ■ $143.4 million for $22 million from FY 2003; the capacity of VA’s national President Bush just days be- the National Cemetery Ad- ■ $101 million to sup- cemetery system by 85 per- fore the FY 2005 budget ministration, an $11 million port state extended-care fa- cent. Of the total $455 mil- proposal was announced. hike over last year, plus cilities, $3 million more than lion requested for the Na- The total is $64 billion, up nearly $32 million in grants last year; and tional Cemetery Administra- $4.2 billion from last year’s for state cemeteries; ■ $522 million for con- tion, $181 million is for VA spending level. ■ full funding to expe- struction, plus authority to burial benefits and payments, Highlights of the FY dite the handling of veterans’ transfer another $400 million and $274 million is discre- 2004 budget include: compensation and pension to health care construction.

28 January/February 2004 VAnguard medical advances

Palo Alto Scientist twin. The findings suggest thal malignancy in the U.S., Nov. 18 Annals of Internal Links Alcoholism with family environment may accounting for about 60,000 Medicine. The rates of liver Family Life moderate the influence of deaths a year? It may be as cancer have doubled over the Is alcoholism due to nature genes in alcoholism. easy as starting the day with past two decades, with the or nurture? The answer may “This strongly suggests a breakfast of high-fiber ce- largest increase seen during lie somewhere in between, that environmental influ- real and skim milk, accord- the 1990s. according to study findings ences can be brought to bear ing to a study published in The increase was ob- published in the January is- in the prevention of alcohol- the Journal of the American served in men and women sue of Archives of General Psy- ism,” said Kathy K. Bucholz, Medical Association. and in most racial and ethnic chiatry. a researcher at Washington Researchers at the Port- groups, including Caucasian Researchers led by University School of Medi- land, Ore., VA Medical Cen- men between the ages of 45 Theodore Jacob, a scientist at cine in St. Louis who also ter and colleagues at 12 other and 65, who are not conven- the VA Palo Alto Health worked on the study, in an VA hospitals studied more tionally thought of as a high- Care System in Menlo Park, interview with the Cleveland than 3,100 patients between risk group. “This is an alarm- Calif., examined sets of iden- Plain Dealer. the ages of 50 and 75. They ing increase in a highly lethal tical male twins in which one found men who consume cancer,” said lead investigator was an alcoholic and the Vitamin D, High Fiber more than four grams of ce- Dr. Hashem El-Serag, a other was not. They found Diet Reduce Colon real fiber a day and more health services researcher at children of the alcoholic twin Cancer Risk than 645 international units the Houston VA Medical were twice as likely to be- Looking for a way to lower of vitamin D a day are less Center and assistant profes- come alcoholics than chil- your risk of developing colon likely to have serious colon sor at Baylor College of dren of the non-alcoholic cancer, the second most le- polyps. The study confirmed Medicine. previous research findings The investigators deter- that daily use of non-steroi- mined that the rising inci- dal anti-inflammatory agents, dence of liver cancer is un- like aspirin, reduced the risk likely to have resulted from for advanced polyps, while changes in the demographic smoking, heavy drinking and features of the population, family history raised the risk. such as age, gender and race. “This data support rela- However, the study suggests tively simple and safe recom- that the increase may be mendations that may reduce linked to hepatitis C ac- the risk of colon cancer. Stop quired in the 1960s and smoking, reduce alcohol and 1970s. “We think that hepa- red meat consumption, take titis C virus infections, ac- a multivitamin, exercise regu- quired two to three decades larly, and consume vitamin earlier, are partially respon- D, calcium and cereal fiber sible for this increase in liver in your diet,” said the study’s cancer,” said El-Serag. “If this lead author Dr. David is true, then unfortunately Lieberman, chief of gastroen- we expect the cases of liver terology at the Portland cancer to continue to in- VAMC. About 10 to 20 per- crease over the next few cent of adults in the United years. States will develop advanced “These observations precancerous polyps in their should lead to further studies lifetime and about one-half on the risk factors, screening to one-quarter of such and management of liver growths will become cancer- cancer in the United States, ous if not removed, as there is a dearth of good Lieberman told USA Today. data to guide us in this im- portant area of research,” Liver Cancer Rates concluded El-Serag. This re- Have Doubled search is based upon work Liver cancer is on the rise in supported by the VA Health What role does family environment play in alcoholism? the United States, according Services Research and Devel- ROBERT TURTIL to a study published in the opment Service.

January/February 2004 29 have you heard VAnguard

Presidential visit in Houston President Bush’s signing of cal Center in Indianapolis legislation granting them in- hosted the department’s creased access to VA health 1000th stand down for care benefits. Under previous homeless veterans. Stand law, only a small group of downs have been held all Filipino veterans, the “old across the country to extend scouts,” received U.S. veteran VA and community services status and full access to VA to homeless veterans and benefits. The new law grants their families. The events veteran status to veterans liv- typically include a hot meal, ing in the U.S. who served showers and haircuts, as well with the Filipino Common- as housing and employment wealth Army, the New Fili- services, health screenings, pino Scouts, and other orga- and a chance to apply for VA nized guerilla forces. An esti- benefits. “It’s really quite an mated 9,000 Filipino veter- honor to be a part of this ef- ans who are U.S. citizens or fort,” said Robert W. Rogers, AGENDA BURNETT lawfully admitted permanent a social worker who coordi- U.S. residents may be eligible nates stand downs at the In- President George H.W. Bush visits with Navy veteran John for some of the expanded dianapolis VAMC. He said Sandidge during a stop on his tour of the Houston VA Medical Center’s spinal cord injury unit. benefits. the facility has hosted 25 VA reached a milestone stand downs over the years President George H.W. Bush visited the Houston VA Medi- on Dec. 19 when the Rich- that benefited 17,500 veter- cal Center on Dec. 18 to meet with veterans and learn ard L. Roudebush VA Medi- ans and their families. about the medical center’s vascular surgery program, one of the largest minimally-invasive surgery programs in VA. Holiday remembrance Peter Lin, M.D., chief of vascular surgery, and Ruth Bush, M.D., a vascular surgeon, gave a presentation on the latest treatment strategies for patients with vascular diseases. The former President also toured the spinal cord injury unit, where he signed autographs, posed for pic- tures and wished everyone a Merry Christmas.

The Battle Creek, ber 1965 battle for the Ia Mich., Enquirer helped raise Drang Valley, depicted in the more than $20,000 to ben- book We Were Soldiers Once efit hospitalized veterans at ... and Young. The forum in- the Battle Creek VA Medical cluded Lt. Col. Bruce JIM DOHERTY Center through its Remem- Crandall, commander of the Volunteers braved 18 inches of fresh snow to place holiday ber-A-Vet program. The an- helicopter company that car- wreaths on graves at the Togus, Maine, National Cemetery. nual campaign marked its ried the First Cavalry Divi- 50th anniversary in 2003. sion troops into battle, along The newspaper sponsors and with Chip Parker, Col. Ron Thanks to some generous donations and dedicated volun- promotes the fund drive Forest, Lt. Col. Bob Barker, teers, holiday wreaths adorned all 5,373 graves at the throughout the community. and Sgt. 1st Class Larry Togus, Maine, National Cemetery. VA employees and their The money collected is de- Guthrie. The veterans shared families joined members of the American Legion and other posited in the medical their perspectives on the volunteers to place the wreaths. center’s general post fund battle, which was the first Hundreds of the wreaths were donated by the and used to buy canteen cou- major test of the Army’s air- Worcester Wreath Company; the rest were paid for by pon books for veterans. mobile concept. American Legion posts throughout Maine, as well as cor- The Dallas VA Medical Hundreds of WWII porate and individual donors. Corporate donors to the Center hosted its 18th Veter- Filipino veterans flocked to project included L.L. Bean. ans Forum recently, featuring VA medical centers nation- five veterans of the Novem- wide in December following

30 January/February 2004 VAnguard honors and awards

Two physicians at the documentation and access to with the VA New Jersey solicitation and contract data Philadelphia VA Medical patient medical information. Healthcare System, received for eight medical centers. Center were honored re- It is used throughout the VA the 2003 Practitioner of the The VISN’s Consolidated cently. Sam Kuna, M.D., medical center and clinic sys- Year Award from the New Acquisition Service devel- chief of Pulmonary and tem. Jersey State Society for Respi- oped the Web log so they Critical Care and director of The Central Arkansas ratory Care, the state affiliate wouldn’t have to go to each the medical center’s Regional Veterans Healthcare System of the American Association individual medical center Sleep Center, received the received the Psychologically for Respiratory Care, at its when they needed to collect 2003 Mark Wolcott Award Healthy Workplace Award in annual conference in Atlantic contracting data. for Excellence in Clinical the large government cat- City Oct. 24. Baugh, a VA The National Recycling Care Delivery. He was cho- egory from the Arkansas Psy- employee for 22 years, works Coalition (NRC) and the sen from among five VA cli- chological Association. in the Pulmonary Function Iowa Recycling Association nicians who have made sig- George H. Gray Jr., medical Lab at the East Orange honored a computer special- nificant contributions to VA center director, and Dr. Campus. ist who works at the Iowa health care. Michael Craig Provost, counseling Winners of the Leader- City VA Medical Center for Sulewski, M.D., chief of psychologist, accepted the ship VA Alumni Association an innovative idea involving Ophthalmology, was awarded award during the association’s 2003 Exemplary Service computer recycling. Brad the Veterans Service Award fall conference. The five areas Awards are Elmer L. Moore Erlewine was awarded NRC’s by the State Governmental judged for the award were: Jr., lead patient services assis- 2003 Affairs section of the Ameri- Quality of Vision, Employee tant at the Carl T. Hayden Out- can Academy of Ophthal- Involvement, Employee VA Medical Center in Phoe- stand- mology. In addition, he was Growth and Development, nix, and David M. Caston, a ing Re- electedTuning to servein to as the next VeteranFamily Support and Health health systems specialist at cycling counselor to the American & Safety. the Birmingham, Ala., VA Innova- Academy of Ophthalmology “Respect: A Vision to Medical Center. Moore was tion for VA-related issues. Better Serve our American selected for his role in imple- Award Dr. Ruth Dayhoff, Indian Veterans,” a video menting the medical center’s for di- VHA’s VISTA imaging produced by the VHA Na- postcard reminder system verting project manager, was recog- tive American EEO Advi- and the advanced access ini- a Erlewine nized in the National Library sory Council, received the tiative. Caston was recog- group of Medicine’s “Changing the Award of Distinction in the nized for his work on the na- of 100 old computer termi- Face of education category at the tional CARES workgroup. nals from the landfill and up- Medi- First Indian Summer Festival The Baltimore VA grading their capabilities us- cine” Awards in Milwaukee last Medical Center’s Imaging ing open source software he exhibit. fall. The video was cited for Service was once again recog- got from the Linux Terminal The ex- its insightful portrayal of the nized as one of the nation’s Server Project on the hibit benefits of acknowledging top 10 hospital imaging ser- Internet. He learned about recog- spirituality, culture, tradition vices, according to a report the free software by typing nizes and sensitivity in delivering published in the October the words “thin client” into the health care to American In- 2003 issue of HealthImaging the popular Google search achieve- dian veterans. & IT magazine. Among the engine. “Programmers from ments Norman Goodwin, criteria used to rank facilities all around the world contrib- Dayhoff of chief chaplain at the Jerry L. were return on investment, ute little bits and pieces until women in medicine and Pettis Memorial VA Hospi- improved workflow and phy- it eventually becomes a honors Dayhoff for her work tal in Loma Linda, Calif., re- sician acceptance. “This is a pretty advanced program,” in bringing computer tech- ceived the Meritorious Ser- tribute to our dedicated and said Erlewine of the open nology to medicine through vice Medal from the Ameri- talented team,” said Eliot source software. His efforts the development and imple- can Volunteer Reserve, a Siegel, M.D., chief of imag- to cut back on waste will save mentation of the VISTA im- nonprofit group of former ing for the VA Maryland the medical center an esti- aging project. VISTA (Veter- military members dedicated Health Care System. mated $60,000 annually. The ans Health Information Sys- to supporting homeland de- VISN 6, headquartered idea has now spread to the tems and Technology Archi- fense and providing funeral in Durham, N.C., received VA Eastern Kansas Health tecture) is a unique VA con- honors for military veterans. VA’s Achievement in Con- Care System, where Matt tribution to medical record It is the organization’s highest tracting Excellence (ACE) Easley, a computer specialist management that employs honor. Award for developing an at the Topeka campus, is de- the latest computer technolo- Lourdes Baugh, a regis- Internet-based interface to veloping a server on which to gies to provide real-time tered respiratory therapist capture, record and analyze run thin client workstations.

January/February 2004 31 heroes VAnguard

and pulled the woman to Realizing the veteran’s wife Pulled from the flames safety. He stayed with the was still in the passenger seat, woman and her son until the Roach dropped the extin- paramedics arrived. She has guisher and rescued her. since made a full recovery. “That was just instinct, not Kit Teague, a manage- to let someone burn …” he ment analyst in the Office of said. Three others with fire Inspector General’s Contract extinguishers joined the of- Review and Evaluation Divi- ficers: David Eugene War- sion in VA Central Office, ren, Justin Juve and James was traveling from Washing- Clark, all from Facility Man- ton, D.C., to Fayetteville, agement. Director Richard J. N.C., for Thanksgiving when Baltz said the periodic train- an SUV traveling in the op- ing employees get on how to posite direction lost control handle incidents like these and rolled several times. “really paid off.” Teague was the first one on Lynette Short, a regis- TOM MARTIN the scene and helped get the tered nurse at the Hunter The Kentucky State Police recently bestowed the passengers, a family of four, Holmes McGuire VA Medi- agency’s highest civilian award on Thomas Schoenstra, out of the vehicle. The cal Center in Richmond, above, nuclear medicine technologist at the Lexington, mother, who had been driv- Va., witnessed an accident as Ky., VA Medical Center, for rescuing two teenage girls ing, was unconscious and she and her daughter were from a near-fatal auto wreck. one of the children was pulling into the parking lot bleeding from a bitten of a local elementary school. While driving home one evening, Schoenstra spot- tongue. Teague stayed on the A 10-year-old girl, whom ted a car in flames. Two female occupants had been scene until rescue vehicles ar- Short’s daughter recognized thrown from the front seats to the back seat when the rived. Fortunately, everyone as a fellow cheerleader, was car hit a tree. Schoenstra and another passer-by acted was wearing a seatbelt and no ejected from a van as it quickly, pulling the girls from the wreck moments be- one appeared to be seriously flipped over. Short jumped fore it burst into flames. “You kind of go into auto-re- injured. from her car as someone sponse, and you don’t think about anything—you just Employees at the G.V. yelled, “She’s not breathing!” react,” said Schoenstra. Police spokesperson Lt. Lisa (Sonny) Montgomery VA Working alone, Short began Rudzinski told the Richmond Register, “They went Medical Center in Jackson, rescue breathing with no suc- above and beyond the call of duty and put themselves Miss., rescued a veteran and cess at first. But the child fi- in peril.” his spouse from an automo- nally began breathing. When bile engulfed in flames. “The the EMTs arrived 30 minutes car, stopped outside the later, they confirmed that medical center outpatient en- Short’s efforts probably saved Waco, Texas, VA Re- Ellis learned that his unit will trance, was leaking some the child’s life. A week later, gional Office file clerk Tom soon be activated for service kind of fluid under the en- the girl was discharged from Ellis knew what to do when in Afghanistan. gine and it ignited,” said VA the hospital after receiving he saw fellow file clerk While in San Antonio, Police Chief Leonard Out- emergency surgery, with only Melody Farrar in respiratory Texas, for training at the law. “The lady opened the an eye patch as testament to distress and motioning to her Health Care Leadership In- passenger door and when she what she’d been through. throat, where a cracker had stitute, David West, associate did it flamed up,” said R.L. Melinda Fearn, a regis- become lodged. Ellis asked director of the Washington, Horton, a contract mainte- tered nurse at the Portland, her if he should perform the D.C., VA Medical Center, nance worker. “I went into Ore., VA Medical Center, Heimlich maneuver. After was enjoying a stroll with his the driver’s side, and it was on a flight home when two attempts, Farrar’s breath- wife along the city’s famed flamed up again.” Police Sgt. an elderly female passenger ing returned to normal. Ellis Riverwalk when a tourist Ben Ingram rushed to the next to her began having sei- was trained in emergency walking in front of them car when he saw the fire and zures. Fearn intervened and medical techniques while slipped and fell. Her head dragged the driver out to managed the woman’s health serving as a team leader in struck the sidewalk; she lost safety. Meanwhile, Police Of- crisis for close to two hours, the Army’s 3/75th Ranger consciousness and rolled into ficers Howard McBound until the plane was diverted Regiment. Now an E-5 Intel- the river. Forgetting about and Roderick Roach at- to Reno, Nev., where emer- ligence Analyst with the his clothes, shoes and wallet, tempted to douse the fire gency personnel boarded and Texas Army National Guard, West jumped into the water with hand-held extinguishers. took over.

32 January/February 2004