American Indian Veteran Newsletter

VA Office of Tribal Government Relations Newsletter ~ Summer 2020

Hello and welcome to the combined late summer edition of our VA Office of Tribal Government Relations newsletter. I hope this finds our readers healthy and safe during these continuing difficult days of the Covid-19 pandemic. We know that there are communities and families who have suffered losses in recent months, and we extend our sincere condolences to all who have been affected. We are making adjustments to our communications and outreach efforts during this time, and although much of our travel, in-person training and outreach work has been temporarily suspended, we continue to be available on a daily basis to the tribes, Veterans and service providers who earned and rely on VA benefits and services.

If you have questions, concerns or just need to touch base, please don’t hesitate to contact myself or any member of our team. [email protected] is my direct email address.

A major focus of those adjustments for us has been the need to “go virtual.” We launched a “WebEx Wednesday” series that will run through the fall and into next spring. The topic of each WebEx session will vary from one week to the next, and we plan to expand and add more topics as the weeks go by. Our first three Web Ex Wednesday topics included “Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women,” presented by staff from the HHS Administration for Native Americans; “Presumptive Conditions and Blue Water Navy,” presented by James Connolly from the Oregon Department of Veterans Affairs; and our most recent, “Tribal Veteran Service Officers/Tribal Veterans Representatives Panel – Best Practices,” where our presenters included Jim Miller, Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs, Kerry Metoxen, Oneida Nation Veterans Department, Michael Robbins, Choctaw Nation Veterans Department, Geno Talas, Hopi Veteran Services and Palmer Miller III, Gila River Veterans & Family Services. Initially, we weren’t certain as to what the response to these WebEx sessions would be, but we’ve had well over 100 participants each session. If you have a topic you would like to see covered, please send us an email with your recommendation to: [email protected].

Sometimes “virtual” meant WebEx, Skype, Zoom, Teams, other times it meant old fashioned phone calls. From March of this year forward, our team participated in White House Intergovernmental Affairs-hosted Indian Country COVID-19 weekly calls with tribal leaders and federal partners including (get ready for ‘alphabet soup’ acronyms): HHS, IHS, CDC, VA/IGA, BIA, ACF/ANA, DOE, DHS/FEMA, and USDA. These regular calls provided a forum for tribal leaders to raise concerns regarding the impact of Covid-19 on tribal communities nationally and ensured direct communication with senior federal agency officials.

VA stepped up and offered support during the pandemic as part of the agency’s “fourth mission” which I’ll explain more a bit later in this note. VA health care staff served on special detail assignments supporting tribal communities’ need for additional personnel and the VA New Mexico Health Care System provided decompression services, accepting patients from the Indian Health Service to offset the impact of the volume of patients suffering with Covid-19. VA continues to extend its resources and support during the pandemic and if there are any tribes seeking additional information or support from the VA, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our team directly and we can help make connections to the best contacts, if needed.

In April, VA launched the Alaska Native Vietnam Era Veterans Land Allotment Act Implementation Integrated Project Team (IPT). The IPT process ensured consistent communications with DOI and DOD as well as internally within VA, on all efforts pertaining to implementation of the legislation. Additional information about the effort was shared during a “Borne the Battle” podcast hosted by Tanner Iskra which originally aired in July. https://www.blogs.va.gov/VAntage/77393/borne-battle-205-alaska-native-veterans-program/

In May, we teamed up with the VA Center for Minority Veterans (CMV) to provide virtual “working with tribes 101” training to VHA, VBA and NCA Minority Veterans Program Coordinators. VA tribal government relations specialists Mary Culley and Homana Pawiki were the lead trainers for this training session.

In June, VA Secretary Robert Wilkie was joined by IHS Director Rear Admiral Michael Weahkee, in a joint visit with VA and IHS officials at the Phoenix Indian Medical Center. Discussions focused on existing as well as possibilities for joint efforts by both organizations to meet the needs of Veterans as well as non-Veterans. The visit was both productive and informative. We look to leadership from both VA and the IHS to visit more IHS, tribal and urban Indian health program locations, with a focus on better understanding the needs and concerns that Veterans have regarding health care and benefits, as well as increasing the number of collaborative partnerships between VA and Indian health providers.

VA Secretary Robert Wilkie and Rear Adm. Michael Weahkee at Phoenix Indian Medical Center, June 29, 2020

On the VHA, Office of Community Care front, VHA held working calls with the newly-formed VA Tribal Care Coordination Advisory Board and hosted virtual Tribal Consultation focused on care coordination for Veterans receiving care under the VA’s Indian Health Service/Tribal Health Program (IHS/THP) Reimbursement Agreement Program (RAP). The virtual consultation was held on August 25, 2020 and the comment period remains open through September 25, 2020.

There are other ongoing projects the OTGR team is supporting. Including working closely with Dr. Jay Shore from the VA Office of Rural Health on their “Rural Native Veteran Healthcare Navigator” pilot program. Dr. Shore and ORH is interested in interviewing tribal representatives, Veterans and Indian health subject matter experts with a focus on how this type of organizational function could improve access to care and the Native Veteran experience in navigating the VA and Indian Health systems of care. Stay tuned for more updates regarding the project and tribal/Veteran engagement.

At the regional level, over in in the Southern Plains/Southeast, Mary Culley participated in the Southern Plains Tribal Health Board Quarterly Board meeting. This is the first board meeting since the pandemic hit in March 2020. She also participated via conference call in the National Indian Health Board: U.S. Commission on Civil Rights (USCCR) Broken Promises webinar, an interactive call between the NIHB Civil Rights representative and the tribal leaders presenting on the GAO USCCR Report. Mary also participated in the OKC Area IHS Tribal and Urban Healthcare call where she was invited to speak to the VA’s fourth mission to the tribal and IHS CEOs participating in the call.

The VA’s “Fourth Mission” is to improve the nation’s preparedness for response to war, terrorism, national emergencies, and natural disasters by developing plans and taking actions to ensure continued service to Veterans, as well as to support national, state, and local emergency management, public health, safety and homeland security efforts. You can learn more about VA’s Fourth Mission at https://www.va.gov/about_va/ .

Mary engaged in more virtual events as we moved to the latter part of the summer. She participated in the VA National Center for Women Veterans Virtual Partners Meeting, which included 300 participants, followed by the Kansas Virtual Tribal Health Summit. For more information about these events and activities, please contact her at [email protected].

Meanwhile, over in the Southwest, Homana Pawiki has been hosting monthly calls entitled Outreach, Education and Services in New Mexico House Districts 69 and 39: Update and Gap Identification. During these calls, federal, state and tribal representatives meet with NM House Representative Harry Garcia to discuss programs and services available for Veterans residing in these districts. These calls improved coordination among different service providers during the Covid-19 pandemic. The latter part of the summer was busy for Homana. She participated in an event hosted by the Inter-Tribal Council of Arizona, Inc., and facilitated by the Arizona Indian Council on Aging. Her presentation covered “5 Things Every Veteran Should Do: VBA Topics for Older Veterans, VHA Topics for Older Veterans, NCA Topics for Older Veterans” and offered an overview of the work of the VA Office of Tribal Government Relations.

A bit later on the calendar, she made a presentation to 75+Veterans from the Navajo Nation Shiprock Agency area where she covered topics such as VA extending relief for Veterans who submit claims to VA (in the Covid-19 environment) and an overview of how Veterans can start applying for benefits from the VA. Homana also participated in the Navajo Nation Veterans Administration (NNVA) open house planning meeting to discuss an upcoming open house for the opening of a new location of the NNVA office from Window Rock, AZ to Tse Bonito NM (located about 4 miles away from Window Rock). Various local, state and federal government representatives as well as non-profit Veterans organizations participated in planning for the open house which is scheduled to occur on October 15, 2020. Homana has also been busy assisting the VA Center for Women Veterans (CWV) in their preparations for a virtual site visit meeting to Tucson, AZ that will occur the latter part of September. The CWV plans to host a virtual roundtable meeting for American Indian/Alaska Native women Veterans residing in Arizona as part of their virtual site visit. For more information from Homana’s region, don’t hesitate to contact her directly at [email protected].

Looking further west to the Pacific District, tribal government relations specialist Terry Bentley stayed busy with virtual presentations, which included assisting the VA Walla Walla with concerns regarding a MOA for demolition of a building on the VA Walla Walla campus that was of concern to the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR). Terry teamed up with CTUIR Councilman Lindsey Watchman and our very own tribal government relations specialist Peter Vicaire to offer cultural acclimation training to the VA Walla Walla leadership 3

and staff. On a broader scale, Terry gave a national update during the Portland Area Virtual Training, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid (training) for Indian Health Service, Tribal Health Programs and Urban Indian Programs.

In September Terry participated and presented to the Joint American Indian Veteran Advisory Council, which included a total of 36 tribal representatives from Washington and Oregon in addition to other federal, state and community partners. She also participated in the VBA Seattle Regional Office Web Ex training on the topic of VBA Aid and Attendance Benefits, which drew 111 participants. During the latter part of this month, Terry will participate in the VA Puget Sound Behavioral Health Summit as a panel member discussing tribal and county Veteran programs. In October, she will be presenting to the Veterans Committee of the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians and the Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board. If you have questions for Terry, please don’t hesitate to email her at [email protected]

As we transition into the autumn months, we are all looking forward to working together to continue to reach and serve Veterans across Indian Country. Please feel free to contact me and our team, directly with any questions, feedback or suggestions. We always enjoy hearing from our readers.

Take Care,

Stephanie Birdwell Director, VA OTGR

Articles or links to non-Federal services are provided solely as a service to our readers. They do not constitute an endorsement of these organizations or their programs by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and none should be inferred. VA is not responsible for the content of the individual organization web pages found at these links nor the information provided on these events by organizations or individuals. 4

Bust of Penobscot Nation elder who stormed the beach at

D-Day will be installed in Normandy

Here’s an article from Emily Burnham which ran in the Bangor Daily News on June 30, 2020

A new bronze bust of a Penobscot Nation tribal elder and World War II veteran who is credited with saving soldiers’ lives at D-Day will be installed Saturday at Omaha Beach in Normandy, France.

The bust of Charles Shay, now 96, will be installed on July 4 at the Charles Shay Indian Memorial at Omaha Beach, a park that also features a turtle sculpture, sculpted by Shay’s nephew, Tim Shay. The turtle sculpture, unveiled in 2017, is a sacred animal in the Penobscot tradition, representing wisdom and longevity. Many Indigenous people refer to North America as Turtle Island.

An official unveiling and dedication of the bronze bust was originally planned for June 5 of this year, one day before the 76th anniversary of D-Day, but due to the coronavirus pandemic and in lieu of Shay’s advanced age, it has been rescheduled for June 5, 2021, the day before the 77th anniversary of D-Day.

Shay was the only U.S. World War II veteran to attend the 76th anniversary ceremony earlier this month, with travel from the U.S. to France and other European Union nations still mostly 5

prohibited due to the pandemic, according to the Associated Press. Shay now lives in Picauville, a village just a few miles inland from Omaha Beach.

Shay served as a combat medic during World War II, and was present at the storming of the beaches of Normandy on D-Day, June 6, 1944. He is credited with saving the lives of a number of soldiers, pulling them from the sea and saving them from drowning. He also treated fallen soldiers at the battles of Aachen, Huertgen Forest and at the Battle of the Bulge, and was held as a prisoner of war by German forces until being freed on April 12, 1945.

Shay also served in the Korean War and was later awarded the Bronze Star and the Silver Star, as well as the French Legion of Honor in 2007.

Shay made annual pilgrimages to Omaha Beach starting in 2007. After many years living in Austria and then another 15 years living on Indian Island, Shay moved from Maine to Normandy in 2018. He resides with Marie Legrand, a longtime volunteer with World War II veterans who come to visit Omaha Beach, and who spearheaded the effort to commission the bronze bust of Shay.

D-Day Warriors – It Was Our War Too

Here’s a LINK to the video on Vimeo and note from Joe Podlasek of Trickster Art Gallery below with more

information on the project.

Premiering in November 2020, a unique look at D-Day through the eyes of Native American veterans. Charles Shay, Penobscot Indian, was just 19 years old when he landed on Omaha Beach in the first wave as a medic on June 6th, 1944. Travelling back to Omaha Beach each year with a delegation of Native American veterans, he honors those who gave their all that day with ceremony and prayer. This film will be coming to public television in June 2021.

June 5th was the ceremony at the Charles Norman Shay Memorial Park built on Omaha beach, France. It is an amazing park build by Marie Legrand and her vision to remember all the Natives 6

that served on D-Day. June 6th was the remembrance of D-Day 76 years later and Charles still goes back to remember those who gave their all, or who have survived but crossed over now. We are honored to be making a film of the several years of visits with Charles and Marie, the delegation and all the amazing people in France that remember this day and share it from generation to generation.

One of the amazing days, of many, was when we went through a town on the way to the 101st Airborne ceremonies and hoped to stop at a few gift shop on the way. But every one of the stores, gift shops, bakeries, etc. were closed to attend the ceremony. They made sure the kids were there too, to remember always the importance of all the men and women who changed the world.

Here is Trickster's trailer for a film 60 min or more that will premiere in November 2020 and be on national public TV in June 2021! We hope they will play it in France which is where many of us will be on that date in 2021, at the WWII Museum and other screenings. We are working on it here too and the dates in November.

If you would like information on how to sponsor this film, the marketing and screenings, please contact me at [email protected] or call at 847.301.2090, cell 630.640.3828. Here is the link to YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDeZPTGQDYY. We hope you enjoy and please feel free to share and/or provide comments to me. Thank you, Joseph Podlasek, CEO, Trickster Art Gallery, 190 South Roselle Rd, Schaumburg IL 60193 / 847-301-2090 www.trickstergallery.com

VA Reimburses Over $116 Million to Indian Health Service

(IHS) and Tribal Health Programs (THPs)

Tribal health programs interested in entering into a reimbursement agreement with VA for serving

veterans should send an initial note of interest to: [email protected]

The National Museum of the American Indian will host a virtual event on Nov. 11, 2020, to mark the completion of the National Native American

Veterans Memorial and acknowledge the service and sacrifice of Native

veterans and their families. More information about this event is forthcoming, and we hope you will join us online for the occasion.

There were a number of factors that contributed to our decision not to host a dedication ceremony or veterans procession this November 2020, most importantly current health and safety guidelines. When it is safe to do so, the museum will reschedule both the dedication ceremony and the procession so we may honor Native veterans and their families. We will continue to share updates with you about the timing for these events, and we strongly encourage you to postpone your visit to the memorial and the museum until then.

At this time, the museum remains closed, and we do not have a confirmed date for its reopening. If you would like to visit the memorial or museum

prior to the rescheduling of the dedication ceremony and procession, please check our website for updates and be prepared to follow all

Smithsonian health and safety guidelines. Please note that access to the memorial, when completed, or the museum is not guaranteed.

Thank you for your support. We look forward to celebrating the memorial's completion virtually in November 2020 and welcoming everyone to Washington, D.C., when it is safe to do so.

We welcome you to reach out to [email protected] with any

questions you may have.

If you know someone who might be interested in receiving updates on the memorial, or if you received this email from a friend, register to receive future messages from the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian on the memorial here.

National Museum of the American Indian:

Native Veterans

The National Museum of the American Indian has grouped many of their stories, coverage, and resources on Native veterans into one easily accessible page: https://americanindian.si.edu/online-resources/native-american-veterans

Click on the image cover below to discover 33 articles, blogs, websites and videos of Native American veterans.

OTGR WebEx Wednesday Series: Missing and Murdered Native Americans & Human Trafficking in Indian Country – Raising Awareness for Veteran Service Providers r if you received this email from a friend, In case you missed the OTGR webinar on Wednesday, August 19, here’s the recording. It is presented by Michelle Sauve and Elizabeth Pfenning and runs 1 hour and 30 minutes.

Click on the LINK or picture below and enter the password: KeK9mjU@

OTGR WebEx Wednesday Series: Presumptive Pathways and Blue Water Navy Updates r if you received this email from a friend, In case you missed the OTGR webinar on Wednesday, September 2, here’s the recording. It is presented by James Connolly, Training and Outreach Specialist for the Oregon Department of Veterans Affairs and runs 1 hour and 21 minutes.

Click on the LINK or picture below and enter the password: OTGRWebex@2020

OTGR WebEx Wednesday Series: Tribal Veteran Service Officers and Representatives – Best Practices Panel r if you received this email from a friend, If you missed the OTGR webinar on Wednesday, September 16, here’s the recording. It is presented by Jim Miller, Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs; Kerry Metoxen, Oneida Nation Veterans Department; Michael Robbins, Choctaw Nation Veterans Department; Geno Talas, Hopi Veteran Services; and Palmer Miller III, Gila River Veterans & Family Services. It runs 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Click on the LINK or picture below and enter the password: YenKPm?4

Borne the Battle #205: Alaska Native Vietnam Veterans Land Allotment Program

This week’s episode of Borne the Battle features one of its largest panels to date, as representatives from VA and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) break down the details of the Alaska Native Veterans Program of 2019. This episode features:

• Program manager Paul Krabacher (BLM). • Acting Chief, Adjudication Services Section, Native Allotment Lead Candy Grimes (BLM). • Land Transfer Resolution Specialist and Acting Native Liaison Ralph Eluska (BLM). • Deputy Communications Director and Marine Corps Veteran Eric Tausch (BLM). • Tribal Government Relations Specialist for the Continental/Midwest/North Atlantic Regions and Marine Corps Veteran Peter Vicaire (VA).

The Alaska Native Veterans Program of 2019 allows Alaska Native Veterans who served in the Vietnam era, or an heir of theirs, to claim between 2.5 and 160 acres of land in Alaska.

The BLM website hosts information about the program, including contact information, proposed rules for the program, a link to available lands, answers to frequently asked questions, and video from virtual public meetings about the program.

Are you an Alaska Native Vietnam War era Veteran? If so, you may be entitled to up to 160 acres of land.

How to Ensure You Receive your Application Potentially eligible Veterans should update their contact information with the Bureau of Indian Affairs’ (BIA) Realty Tribal Service Provider and with BLM.

• BIA Enrollment Verification: (907) 271-4506 • BIA Realty: (800) 645-8465 • BLM Native Allotment Section: (907) 271-5998

Potentially eligible Veterans should also request a copy of their DD-214 from the Alaska Department of Military and Veteran Affairs, US Department of Veteran Affairs. Your local VA office or Veteran Service Organization can provide assistance.

After updating contact information and receiving your DD-214, potentially eligible Veterans should ensure their eligibility documents are stored safely and, if necessary, their personal representative knows where the documents are and what land the Veteran wants to select.

How to Ensure the Program Works for You Potentially eligible Veterans can coordinate a personal representative appointed by an Alaska State Court, or contact the Alaska Legal Services Corporation, for help coordinating a personal representative.

Potentially eligible Veterans should also read the draft proposed rules for the program. There is a 30-day window for public commenting that ends on August 10, 2020.

This image shows what BLM’s interactive map looks like, as well as its features.

Use the interactive map of available lands for the program from the BLM website. You can claim and save a plot selection as a .pdf and turn it in with your claim. The map will be updated regularly as more lands become available and allotments are made. (This is an image of the interactive map; please click the link to go to the BLM website to use the interactive map.)

Help Spread the Word VA, BLM and BIA need every Veteran’s help to spread the word about the program. In order to reach the estimated 2,200 eligible Veterans or their heirs, the program needs its contact information to be as up-to-date as possible. Veterans and non-Veterans can use this PDF flyer to spread the news and ensure that every Alaska Native Veteran who has earned their land will receive it.

Cherokee soldier proud of serving country for 30-plus years

Here’s an article from the Cherokee Phoenix which ran on March 17, 2020

TONGANOXIE, Kan. – Cherokee Nation citizen Col. James H. Adams recently retired from the U.S. Army after 30 and-a-half years of service, which included 30 months in combat environments.

Adams, 52, grew up in Watts, Oklahoma, and graduated from Watts High School as valedictorian in 1985. He later graduated from Northeastern State University in Tahlequah in 1989 with a political science degree and was commissioned as a 2nd lieutenant in military intelligence. He said after he joined the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps at NSU he decided to stay in the military.

“I hadn’t really made up my mind at that point about what I was going to major in, so that’s how that happened,” he said. “I went over and spoke to them (ROTC), and I enrolled in the program, and then I went to basic camp in 1987 at Fort Knox (Kentucky) and got an Army scholarship. That sealed the deal.”

After attending an officer basic course at Fort Huachuca, Arizona, Adams was assigned to the 1st Infantry Division in Fort Riley, Kansas, where he served as an assistant battalion S2 in Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm in 1990-91. S2 officers are usually responsible for the administrative, operational and logistical needs of its unit.

He has also deployed and been assigned to Bosnia-Herzegovina for six months; Fort Irwin, California; Fort Leavenworth, Kansas; Fort Gordon, Georgia; the Pentagon; Iraq as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom; and Fort Belvoir and Fort Eustis, both in Virginia. He said when he 20

deployed to conflict areas, he felt like he and his unit helped the civilians.

“I think it is an honor and a privilege to serve this country and to wear that uniform and be in the places I’ve seen,” he said. “Most Americans don’t realize when you go into a third-world country or war zone just how it impacts and affects the indigenous population of those countries. What I saw most often was it was the civilians who suffered the most. I found great reward in doing that work in those situations. I felt like we were doing something very productive.”

He graduated from the U.S. War College in Newport, Rhode Island, with a master’s degree in national security and strategic studies. He also completed the Joint Advanced Cyber Warfare Course, Command and General Staff College and the “How the Army Runs Course.” He has been separated from the Army for only four months, but believes he will eventually miss the “camaraderie and Army family.”

“For 30 years, you’re moving from post to post. I think we moved 18 or 19 times when I was in, but you always knew what to expect when you arrived at your new duty station, it’s familiar. The friends, you make for a lifetime. I think that’s what I’ll miss,” Adams said.

Adams, who is also part Comanche, has twice received the Legion of Merit with one Oak Leaf Cluster, the Bronze Star with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters, and the Meritorious Service Medal with one Silver Oak Leaf Cluster and one Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster. He also earned Airborne and Air Assault badges.

“I’m very proud of my heritage. Traveling around like we have I always look back on it and I cherish fondly being a member of the Cherokee Nation. I grew up in Watts, Oklahoma, so I spent a lot of time down in Chewey,” he said. “Fortunately, I was exposed to the culture a lot. The church we attended down on the Illinois River was attended by a Cherokee audience. As a matter of fact the minister had to say his sermon in English and then come back and say it in Cherokee because a lot of the older members didn’t speak English. I am very proud of that and will be thankful for that for the rest of my life.”

Adams is married to his wife, Barbara, and they have a daughter and son-in-law, Lacie and David Upton and one grandson.

Barriers to Health Care Access and Utilization: A Study of Native American Women Veterans in Two Montana Reservations

Here’s a LINK to an older (2016) 60-page study regarding Native women veterans in Northern Cheyenne and Flathead reservations. It was written by Luma AlMasarweh and Carol Ward and was published in Special Social Groups, Social Factors and Disparities in Health and Health Care Research in the Sociology of Health Care, Volume 34, 33_60

Chillicothe VA (Ohio) offers free virtual drum circle program to veterans

For more information, call 740-773-1141, extension 6075. To enroll for VA healthcare, visit chillicothe.va.gov/enrollment.asp or call 740-772-7170 with questions.

CHILLICOTHE – This year has brought many challenges, with likely the largest one being the COVID-19 pandemic. For months, most people were asked to stay home, and practice social distancing.

One of the greatest challenges with social distancing is the isolation and boredom, which for some of us can trigger other challenges, such as depression and anxiety. Veterans often struggle with these mental health symptoms, along with chronic pain, hypertension and other physical conditions.

In order to address the needs of our veterans who might be stuck at home for the long haul during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Chillicothe VA Medical Center developed a partnership with the veteran-led drumming organization called Warrior Beats to bring the healing power of drumming to veterans. Since we cannot bring the Veterans to the drum circle, we will bring the drum circle to the veterans.

The Chillicothe VA Virtual Drum Circle is an opportunity to bring at least some of the benefits of drumming to veterans in the comfort and privacy of their homes, while still observing social distancing precautions.

The therapeutic advantages of drumming are evidence based and cover almost all domains of life. Drumming has been shown to improve anxiety and stress through mindfulness. Drumming also helps with struggles in impulse control, regularization of responses, altering the way the brain processes information, boosts the immune system, decreases levels of chronic pain and more than all of that, is fun.

There are social benefits to drumming as well. People who participate in drumming report a better sense of community, have enjoyed learning about the origin and cultures from which drumming originates, helps increase socialization and even fosters teamwork.

Veterans can register for the Virtual Drum Circle on the Warrior Beats website https://warriorbeat.org/chilicothe-va-streaming-drum-program-signup/

Once the registration is received by the Chillicothe VA, a staff member will contact the Veteran and make arrangements to have a small hand drum delivered to their home free of charge. Once registered, Veterans will receive an email directly from Warrior Beats prior to each drum circle. To join the session, veterans merely click on the link provided, enter the Zoom Meeting chat room, grab their drum and start playing.

VA sending nurses to Navajo Nation

Here’s an article which ran in the KOLD New 13 on August 11. Click on the image below to see a video [1:44]

Healthcare facilities around the country continue caring for COVID-19 patients. Veterans Affairs Secretary and member of the White House Coronavirus Task Force, Robert Wilkie, describes the VA's fight against COVID-19 in Arizona.

"Arizona has not only a massive veterans population but one of the fastest growing veterans populations in the country," Wilkie, said. "We started preparing early for the COVID emergency." Wilkie said the VA opened its doors to patients who aren’t veterans and is also extending its care to Native American territories.

"The largest percentage of veterans who serve are from Native American lands," he said. "We have sent nurses and doctors particularly into the Navajo Nation." Nurses from the VA are learning the Navajo language to provide better care and communication. Wilkie said one of the most challenging parts of fighting COVID-19 is having to separate people from their loved ones.

"We have been able to protect our nursing home patients by doing something drastic," Wilkie said. "We have had to cut them off from their families and friends and we don't let people come in."

[In mid-August] the Southern Arizona VA reports its had 328 positive cases with 16 currently active. The hospital has seen 26 deaths in total. The department is requesting early access to the vaccine for COVID-19. "I had a conversation with the Secretary of Health and Human Services about the need to put out veterans at the top of the list," he said.

Looking to the future, the number of veterans living in Arizona is only expected to increase and the VA is trying to plan accordingly. “We are going to be sending more resources into Arizona,” Wilkie said. “That means more people, more buildings to meet the demand of that growing veterans population.”

OTGR Eastern Region (AL; CT; FL; LA; MA; ME; MI; NC; NY; RI; SC; )

OTGR Southern Plains Region (KS; OK; TX )

OTGR Southwest Region (AZ; CO; NM; UT)