Durham Staff Enhances Military Awareness

Ed Kubacki

A 4th Fighter Wing munitions maintainer shows Durham VAMC

staff the various munitions which can be delivered by the F-15E

Strike Eagle.

By Hampton & Richmond

VAMC public affairs

Secretary of Veterans Af-

fairs Eric K. Shinseki paid vis-

its to the Mid-Atlantic Health

Care Network region on two

occasions in February, rst on

Feb. 3 when he toured Rich-

mond VAMC and on Feb. 9

when he made a stop in the

Hampton VAMC area to visit

a trade school with a growing

population of student Veterans.

During his visit to Rich-

mond, the Secretary received

a rsthand look at two of the

medical center’s most highly

touted programs, the McGuire

Polytrauma Rehabilitation

Center and the Servicemember

Transitional Amputee Rehabili-

tation (STAR) program.

Secretary Shinseki also

toured projects the facility has

implemented to become more

energy efcient. Virginia Con-

gressman Bobby Scott accom-

panied the secretary during his

visit.

McGuire’s Polytrauma

Rehabilitation Center is one

of ve facilities in the country

designed to provide intensive

rehabilitative care to Veterans

Inside in Brief

By Jeff Melvin

VISN 6 public affairs

Seeking to gain greater

understanding of the military,

Durham VAMC staff formu-

lated a plan to reach their ob-

jective. The journey began with

online Military Cultural Aware-

ness training, followed by a

continuing series of roundtable

discussions with Veterans, and

culminated with an exchange

of eld trips with the Airmen

of Seymour Johnson Air Force

Base in Goldsboro, N.C.

Durham VAMC Public Af-

fairs Ofcer Pete Tillman, one

of the lead organizers of the

initiative, offered his assess-

ment of the undertaking and the

desired outcome.

According to Tillman the

rst step began when about 30

staff members wanting to learn

more about military culture

took a 90-minute Military Cul-

tural Awareness training course

available in VA’s Talent Man-

agement System. The idea was

simple; Durham VAMC staff

would take the course to bet-

ter understand the military, and

in turn would be able to better

provide health care to those

who served.

“The informative training

explained military culture from

the ground zero,” Tillman said.

“In Jeopardy-style format, staff

learned about military branch-

es, ranks, and conicts. After

completion of the course, they

were primed for an experience

of real life proportions.”

The next step was for the

Durham Staff Enhances Military Awareness

Richmond podiatrist earns

recognition; New arrivals

enhance eld support.

VA Secretary Makes Two Stops In VISN 6

N.C. American Legion

Winter Conference.

Durham receives “gold

heart” from NC preven-

tion partners.

National salute tells Veter-

ans We Care.

Ofcers transition to new

baton; Sun to set on US

Treasury checks.

Marriage vow renewal cer-

emony; Vietnam Veterans

homecoming 2012.

Women can suffer same

deployment ills as men;

Facts about women Vets.

VISN 6 Sites of Care with

addresses and phone num-

bers for each location.

Pg 3Pg 4Pg 5Pg 6Pg 7Pg 8Pg 10Pg 12

Continued on Pg 5

Darlene Edwards

VA Secretary Eric Shinseki discusses Polytrauma with Dr. Shane

McNamee, chief, physical medicine and rehabilitation, Richmond

VAMC, and U.S. Rep. Bobby Scott.

Continued on Pg 4

This month, I’ll shift to a more

clinical focus and shine a light on

some very important work going on

behind the scenes that really speaks

to the heart of being a Veteran-cen-

tered health care organization.

It is well known that service-

members have experiences that

few who have not served can iden-

tify with. These can leave emotional

scars that may be invisible to the

eye, but are just as real as the physi-

cal scars we can see. I’d like to take

this opportunity to tell you about

what VISN 6 is doing to treat the in-

visible wounds of war.

VA is the undisputed leader in mending the physical traumas

of war. Equally as important, VA also leads national and interna-

tional efforts to heal psychological trauma as well.

Within VA, there are 15 specialized mental health centers of

excellence which include 10 Mental Illness Research, Education

and Clinical Centers (MIRECCs), four Mental Health Centers of

Excellence, and the National Center for PTSD.

The MIRECCs were established by Congress with the goal of

researching the causes and treatments of mental disorders and us-

ing education to put new knowledge into routine clinical practice

in VA. Each center addresses a particular mental illness, problem,

or environmental situation.

Post-deployment mental health challenges have been evident

for many years and in 2005, VA addressed this issue by awarding

the VISN 6 MIRECC a multidisciplinary team of clinicians, edu-

cators and researchers charged with the goal of bringing best prac-

tices in mental health care into deployment related mental health.

The overarching goal of Mid-Atlantic MIRECC is the clinical

assessment and treatment of post-deployment mental illness and

readjustment related problems, and the development of new men-

tal health interventions through basic and clinical research.

The MIRECC’s organizational structure includes three major

components: research, clinical, and education.

Locating a MIRECC in this network makes perfect sense be-

cause of the large population of Veterans within our boundaries.

Installations like Fort Bragg, Camp Lejuene, Norfolk Naval Base,

Langley and Seymour Johnson Air Force Bases, along with the

numerous Guard and Reserve bases allows the research registry

access to large numbers of Veterans who are willing to help their

fellow servicemembers by sharing their own stories.

The clinical component seeks to dene, model, champion and

rene the continuum of care for OEF/OIF/OND mental health.

Key to their approach is that there should be “no wrong door” for

Veterans seeking care or for their families in helping them nd and

work with that care. To achieve this, they have created an innova-

tive collaboration with state governments in North Carolina and

Virginia.

Finally, the education component works to bridge the gap be-

tween research and clinical care. The education component trans-

lates best practices and research concepts into educational materi-

als and ensures that the knowledge is shared with all health care

Voices of VISN 6 is published

monthly by VA Mid-Atlantic

Health Care Network.

Questions or comments about

the newsletter, e-mail Bruce.

[email protected] or call 919-

956-5541.

From the Director

Daniel F. Hoffmann, Network Director

Augustin Davila, Deputy Network Director

Mark Shelhorse M.D., Chief Medical Ofcer

Bruce Sprecher, Director, Public Affairs

Steve Wilkins, Network Public Affairs

Jeffery Melvin, Network Public Affairs

Patrick W. Schuetz, Newsletter Editor

The VISN 6 Retirement Specialty Center (RSC) is here

to assist you with your CSRS/FERS optional, disability,

military and civilian service deposit, and annuity estimate

retirement needs.

For retirement assistance, please contact us at our toll

free number 1-877-645-6015 or at [email protected]. Our

hours of operation are Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Face-to-face consultations are available by appointment

only.

Retirement Specialty Center Can Help

personnel, patients and families through a variety of accessible

means which include live presentations, print materials, record-

ings, and even the web.

So, why am I focusing on this work at this time?

Unlike past conicts where mental help for Veterans came too

little, too late, VA has made the commitment to address our Veter-

ans needs as soon as humanly possible and to assist our Veterans

with their transition back to their civilian environment.

It’s important to note that an unprecedented number, 53 per-

cent of the 2.2 million returning Veterans, have already sought care

within VA. However, this means that 47 percent have not. Those

who have not will likely seek care from community providers, who

may not have access to the resources necessary to fully address

traumatic brain injury or PTSD or related depression.

This is where MIRECC comes in. MIRECC is in constant

collaboration with North Carolina’s Area Health Education Cen-

ter and Citizen Soldier Support Program. The MIRECC team has

created training for community providers, such as primary care

doctors, caseworkers, and mental health providers to help them

better understand the culture of Veterans and their families. The

team also works to teach community providers how to best iden-

tify, assess, and treat mental health problems that may occur as a

result of war experiences. These workshops are available to all at

www.ahecconnect.com/citizensoldier. Of note, these presentations

are the basis for the rst national AHEC project ever approved! To

date, more than 12,000 community providers have received train-

ing about deployment mental health issues and about how to work

in partnership with VA to ensure the best possible care for Veterans

through this collaboration.

While participation is voluntary, all returning OIF/OEF/OND

Veterans are invited to participate in ongoing research about the

effects of recent deployments on the physical and mental health

of servicemembers, especially as they transition from deployment

back to civilian life. Our goals are to learn more about the readjust-

ment process, to recognize problems earlier, and to improve care.

We are interested in learning about Veterans who have problems as

well as those who have no problems at all.

In this network, we are working to ensure that there is no

wrong door from which a Veteran or his/her family can seek help.

Again, I encourage all Veterans and families to learn more about

what is being done and what is being offered to those who need as-

sistance. For more information, please go to www.mirecc.va.gov/

visn6/index.asp.

Sincerely,

Dan Hoffmann

By Darlene Edwards

Richmond VAMC public affairs

Dr. Jonathan Brantley,

chief of podiatry, Richmond

VAMC recently received the

Excellence in Education for the

Profession of Podiatry Award

from the Veterans Health Ad-

ministration for his dedication

and commitment to the educa-

tion of future podiatrists.

Among the many accom-

plishments the doctor of po-

diatric medicine is credited

with is his establishment of

the podiatric medical and sur-

gical residency program at the

medical center. The active resi-

dency program encompasses

a two-year training program.

Dr. Brantley also frequently

lectures to leading colleagues

in the eld most recently at a

national conference, the Desert

Foot Conference, in Phoenix

attended by more than 500 par-

ticipants.

Visitors to the podiatry

clinic will often nd Brantley

providing a detailed overview

of healthy foot care to his pa-

tients and explaining needed

procedures. He will even in-

clude diagrams, photos and

models to support his educa-

tional efforts to ensure the pa-

tient understands the informa-

tion related to their health.

The Richmond VAMC’s

busy podiatry clinic offers com-

prehensive foot and ankle care

to Veterans, ranging from rou-

tine preventative care for some

to surgery for others with com-

plex foot deformities.

Dr. Brantley grew up in

Edgewater Park, N.J., and at-

tended New York College of

Podiatric Medicine.

Richmond Podiatrist

Earns Recognition

Darlene Edwards

Richmond VAMC podiatrist Dr. Joseph Brantley has earned Veter-

ans Health Administration’s Excellence in Education for the Pro-

fession of Podiatry Award.

There are some new fac-

es in unfamiliar spaces and

old faces in new spaces in an

around the VISN 6. The fol-

lowing are some of the new

hires and position changes

since last August.

SaMonia Ford joined

VA and the

VISN in Au-

gust as trans-

portation

assistant.

Before join-

ing VA, Ford

served in the

U.S. Army for eight years and

most recently worked for the

NC National Guard. In her role

for the VISN, Ms. Ford is re-

sponsible for providing assis-

tance preparing transportation

needs.

Cathy

Hendrix

joined VISN

6 in No-

vember as a

management

and program

assistant.

Cathy is a newcomer to VA and

comes to us from the North

Carolina Department of Rev-

enue where she worked as the

administrative assistant for the

special corporate compliance

initiatives division for four

years. Prior to working for the

State of North Carolina, she

worked in logistics and admin-

istration in the private sector

from 1991 to 2003. Cathy was

an active duty Soldier with the

U.S. Army where she worked

in maintenance as a welder and

logistics as a medical supply

specialist. In her key role for

the VISN, Cathy is responsible

for providing administrative

support to the program of-

cials and network executives.

Patrick

March is the

telehealth

data manage-

ment coor-

dinator for

the VISN.

He joined

the VISN staff in January and

comes to us from the Depart-

ment of the Army where he

served as a DoD civilian in-

formation technology data

management specialist. Addi-

tionally, Patrick is a Navy Vet-

eran with 26 years of dedicated

service. In his new role for the

VISN, Patrick is responsible

for providing telehealth pro-

gram analysis.

Katherine McMullin

joined the

organization

last fall as a

health sys-

tems special-

ist for tertiary

care. She

transferred

from the Durham VAMC

where she started as a coordi-

nator in process and systems

improvement working on

process action teams, patient

satisfaction improvement ac-

tivities, and data gathering and

analysis. She also worked as a

program analyst in ambulatory

care, where her duties includ-

ed data analysis and managing

space and equipment. Kathi is

a native of Rockville, MD, and

moved to North Carolina in

2002 to attend graduate school

at UNC. She is responsible for

providing administrative lead-

ership for tertiary care.

Allen

Moye is the

new VISN

6, Health

Administra-

tion Service

Lead. Born

and raised in

Beckley, W. Va., Moye was a

mechanic and airborne-quali-

ed Sergeant in the U.S. Army,

serving for six and a half years.

He joined the VA in 1995 and

has served in various admin-

istrative roles at the Beckley

VAMC where he is currently,

chief, HAS. In his key role

as VISN HAS Lead, Moye is

responsible for serving as the

point of contact for matters

relating to Health Administra-

tion Service.

James

R. Payne III

has served

as a VISN 6,

Area Emer-

gency Man-

ager since

August. He

James is a North Carolina na-

tive and holds a bachelor’s and

master’s degrees from Western

Carolina University. A mili-

tary retiree, James brings 20

years of leadership in various

military and forward deployed

roles including two combat

tours to his new position. His

certications include certied

emergency manager, hospital

emergency coordinator (Level

III), and anti-terrorism special-

New Arrivals, Roles Enhance VISN 6 Field Support

Continued on Pg 4

group to participate in several

roundtable discussions to put

the online lessons into action.

Tillman, who served as

facilitator for the discussions,

said compelling stories poured

out of Veteran panelists from

various branches, genders, and

periods of service, respond-

ing to questions like, “Tell

me about the day you enlist-

ed; why did you choose that

branch of service; and how did

your family react when you

told them.”

“The stories were real and

the atmosphere was priceless,”

said Tillman. “By stepping

back from looking at Veterans

as patients, and learning to look

at them as brothers, sisters,

fathers, and friends, the staff

gained valuable insight about

the sacrices of all of the brave

people who served. The inter-

nal connection with VA’s mis-

sion took form in ways both

emotional and authentic.”

Energized by the online

training and the roundtable dis-

cussions, the group was eager

to learn more.

North Carolina is home to

eight military bases. Why not

arrange a trip to one of these in-

stallations to see rsthand how

the military operates? Most of

the participants were not Veter-

ans and had little idea what life

on a military base was like.

A mutually benecial col-

laboration was born. Thirty

staff, and several VA contrac-

tors, embarked on a special tour

of the Seymour Johnson AFB.

“Seeing impressive aircraft

like the F-15E Strike Eagle and

the Boeing KC-135 Stratotank-

er, energized the group,” Till-

man said. “While the aircraft

were intriguing, talking with

the Airmen was truly remark-

able and gave us a new appre-

ciation for Veterans.”

The trip spawned a recip-

rocal visit to further cement

the partnership. About 30 Air-

men from the Seymour John-

son AFB visited the Durham

VAMC for rsthand military

cultural exchange. The Air-

men learned about enrollment,

observed clinicians, and were

briefed on various VA pro-

grams.

Most recently, the Airmen

returned once again and took

part in the National Salute to

Hospitalized Veterans. The Air-

men delivered Valentine’s cards

and spent time enjoying the

company of inpatient Veterans,

including those in the Commu-

nity Living Center.

“The concept was simple

but the experience was complex

as well as profoundly meaning-

ful,” Tillman concluded. “Our

exploration opened the eyes of

staff even further to the life ex-

periences of those that choose

to wear our nation’s uniform.

We took the military cultural

awareness training to a whole

new level and have become a

more understanding workforce

because of it.”

He said medical center

leaders were ooded with posi-

tive comments from training

participants about how the ini-

tiative has given new perspec-

tive to the work they do every

day. Next up, Durham VAMC

is planning to do training and

visit Fort Bragg near Fayette-

ville, one of the Army’s largest

installations.

Steve Wilkins

N.C. American Legion Winter Conference

D. Mack Wood, a retired American Legion district manager,

greets VISN 6 Deputy Network Director Gus Davila following

Davila’s presentation to the North Carolina American Legion

Winter Conference in Raleigh. Davila highlighted VISN con-

cerns including beneciary travel and partnerships with com-

munity organizations to enhance health care opportunities for

Veterans during his talk.

Courtesy Photo

Duke and Durham VAMC Medical Residents Leon Cannizzaro and

Edward Coverstone sit in the cockpit of an Air Force KC-135 Stra-

totanker while learning more about Air Force operations.

Durham continued from Pg 1

ist. He is also a basic and ad-

vanced disaster life support in-

structor and homeland security

exercise evaluation program

instructor.

Barbara A. Rountree

joined the

VISN 6 staff

in December

as telehealth

program as-

sistant. She

transferred

from the Dur-

ham VAMC, where she served

as a program support assistant

in the home telehealth pro-

gram, while participating in

other programs. She graduated

from the Mid-Atlantic Devel-

opment Program in 2009 and

Leadership Development In-

stitute Program in 2010. She is

a certied mentor. In her new

role, Barbara is responsible

for providing administration

and program assistance to the

VISN Telehealth Manager.

Sheila K. Zeto became

VISN rural

coordina-

tor in Au-

gust. She has

served as

rural health

Integrator at

the Beckley

VAMC since January 2010

and as acting VRC since April

2011. She brings an extensive

background in project manage-

ment and data analysis to her

new position, stemming from

her experience as a research

biologist and administrative

ofcer with the U.S. Depart-

ment of Agriculture and as a

VA safety manager and emer-

gency preparedness coordina-

tor prior to her work in rural

health. Zeto is responsible

for providing project manage-

ment, technical expertise and

team leadership in order to co-

ordinate VISN 6 rural health

programs. She will also serve

as liaison between VISN 6 and

the Ofce of Rural Health at

VA Central Ofce.

New Arrivals

Continued from Pg 3

By Durham VAMC

public affairs

NC Prevention Partners

(NCPP), a non-prot leader

in reducing preventable ill-

ness and early death, recently

awarded the Gold Heart stan-

dard to the Durham VAMC for

its comprehensive treatment of

tobacco dependence in Veter-

ans.

“This distinction is a

tribute to all of the Durham

VAMC staff members who are

working here and at our afli-

ated community-based outpa-

tient clinics to help Veterans

get healthier by quitting tobac-

co,” says Dr. Clint McSherry,

Durham VAMC’s HBC. “And

it’s also a testament to the val-

ue and effectiveness of VA’s

national tobacco cessation

standards, guidelines, and pro-

grams.”

The Durham VAMC is

one of

the rst

of North

Caro-

lina’s

acute

care hos-

pitals to

achieve

Gold

Heart

status.

It mer-

ited the

award

by meeting NCPP’s key re-

quirements for a successful

quit-tobacco system for pa-

tients. The criteria include

screening patients for tobacco

use as a “vital sign,” providing

team-based cessation counsel-

ing, promoting evidence-based

treat-

ment,

and

evaluat-

ing the

system

on a

con-

tinuous

basis.

NCPP

has

part-

nered

with

several organizations to help

hospitals across the state suc-

cessfully implement effective,

empirically based quit-tobacco

systems similar to the one in

place at each of the Durham

VAMC facilities. As part of its

mission of “prevention rst for

a healthier North Carolina,”

NCPP plans to continue to

collaborate with the Durham

VAMC on additional wellness

initiatives.

“We are especially proud

of this achievement because

Durham VAMC is one of only

four hospitals in the state to

have earned the Gold Heart

award from NCPP,” says Mc-

Sherry, a health psychologist

with 20 years of experience in

tobacco cessation. “We’re go-

ing to continue to help VA lead

the way in its commitment to

promoting health and prevent-

ing disease in our nation’s Vet-

erans.”

Durham Receives “Gold Heart” From NC Prevention Partners

and servicemembers who experienced severe injuries (including

brain injuries) to more than one organ system. During his visit, the

Secretary underscored themes from the State of the Union address,

in which President Obama outlined his strong commitment to Vet-

erans.

He also met with patients and staff at the polytrauma center

and the center’s in-patient unit.

Following the visit to the polytrauma center, Secretary Shin-

seki and Congressman Scott participated in a demonstration of the

simulator now available for patients in the STAR program and to

discuss the simulator’s role in the program.

The STAR program provides comprehensive vocational and

physical rehabilitation to facilitate the transition of servicemem-

bers with amputations into unrestricted military duty or competi-

tive civilian employment.

The simulator, provided by Caterpillar and Simformotion,

provides patients an opportunity to gain an understanding of heavy

equipment machine controls and to learn proper operating proce-

dures well before their training on actual machines.

The simulated environment provides the patient a safe place

to learn about the machinery, while enhancing their performance

skills.

Hydraulic Excavator training is set in a construction environ-

ment and progressively takes the operator from basic controls ori-

entation through more complex training exercises.

The simulator provides hands-on learning in a safe and eco-

nomical way to enhance traditional operator training programs.

The equipment is an excellent addition to the STAR program, pro-

viding another tool that can be used toward achieving the goal of

returning servicemembers to full time employment in their com-

munities.

Less than a week later, the Secretary returned to the Mid-At-

lantic Health Care Network region when he made a short stop in

Hampton Roads/Norfolk, Va., area to bring attention to another VA

priority, helping Veterans nd jobs.

He visited Tidewater Tech, a trade school that recently began

accepting military Veterans using the Post-9/11 GI Bill. The school

offers training in auto repair, welding, building maintenance, and

heating, ventilation and air conditioning. A new provision that

went into effect in October extended the GI Bill’s benets to in-

clude apprenticeships, on-the-job training, vocational schools and

non-degree programs.

According to school ofcials, the number of Veterans enroll-

ing in its programs has increased signicantly since the change

took effect. Approximately 15 percent of Tidewater’s 200 students

are Veterans using the GI Bill. In addition, about half the school’s

instructors are Veterans

Shinseki began his visit by meeting privately with a handful

of student Veterans, followed by a quick tour of the school. Speak-

ing to reporters after the visit the VA Secretary said that, although

unemployment among Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans is slowly

falling, it is still far too high.

He said the original GI Bill helped remake America after

World War II, and that with the benets that include trade schools,

he thinks this GI Bill will do the same.

“I’m very condent,” Shinseki said, “that this generation is

equally capable of rebuilding our nation.”

Jennifer Askey

VA Secretary Eric Shinseki meets with Veterans attending Tide-

water Tech Feb. 9 to discuss Post-9/11 GI Bill changes that allow

student Veterans to enter the labor force with skills gained from

vocational training programs.

Shinseki continued from Pg 1

By VISN 6 public affairs

Veterans receive high quality care in VA fa-

cilities every day. The message that they are tru-

ly appreciated for their service and sacrices in

defending our country should never go unspoken

even when the demands of everyday life loom

large.

Because VA and its employees appreciate

the lives and sacrices of each and every Veter-

an, VA health facilities around the nation partici-

pate in a weeklong National Salute to Veterans

to celebrate Veteran patients, and remind them

VA doesn’t take Veterans for granted. The salute

usually takes place throughout a week in Febru-

ary spanning Valentines’ Day.

Executed by VA medical center voluntary

services staff, the annual VA National Salute to

Veteran Patients program began in 1978. Vet-

erans in and around VA facilities are treated to

special meals and activities, visits from distin-

guished guests and special entertainment events

meant to honor the service and lives of Ameri-

ca’s heroes.

More than a million cards and letters are sent to VA patients

each year during the National Salute. VISN 6 activities included

the various festivities held at each facility along with a “Valen-

tines’ For Veterans” concert featuring country music star Aaron

Tippin Feb. 9 in Salem, Va. Although Veterans have the respect

and devotion of VA employees every day, the National Salute to

Veteran Patients pronounces in an obvious way that we care.

National Salute Tells

Veterans We Care

Debbie Voloski

Country music star Aaron Tippin sings a tune for Veteran Mark

Sharp during Tippin’s visit to Salem VAMC Feb. 9. Later that eve-

ning, Tippin gave a “Valentine For Veterans” Concert at the Sa-

lem Civic Center.

Debbie Voloski

Air Force Retired Veteran Larry Snuffer entertains Miss West Virginia USA Andrea

Rogers with a story during her visit to Beckley VAMC in honor of VA’s National

Salute to Veteran Patients. Snuffer told staff that visits such as this “make him feel

lifted, elated, and help to make his last days worthwhile.”

Jennifer Askey

(Right) Air Force Gen. Gilmary M. “Mike” Hostage, commander,

Air Combat Command, delivers a card to Veteran Eugene Hodge

in the Hampton VAMC Spinal Cord Injury Unit during the Na-

tional Salute to Veterans Week.

Pete Tillman

Sydney Perry, Miss North Carolina USA, brought a smile to the

face of inpatient Hudson Huff as she delivered a Valentine’s Day

card and carnation at the Durham VAMC.

By Robin DeMark

Fayetteville VAMC

Eleven police instructors

from ve states along the East

Coast joined the Fayetteville

VAMC Police Service to com-

plete a new law enforcement

baton training and certication

course conducted by the mobile

training team from the VA Law

Enforcement Training Cen-

ter in North Little Rock, Ark.,

Feb. 3. The training comes as

VA Police Services nationwide

transition from carrying side

handle batons to new expand-

able straight batons.

“The new baton is de-

signed to stun our primary tar-

gets, the large muscle groups

of the body, and is less likely

to break bones or cause per-

manent paralysis,” said Sgt.

Peter McDannell, Fayetteville

VAMC Police Services. “We

are here to serve the Veterans

and seek voluntary compliance

rst.”

According to McDannell,

the primary mission for all VA

police ofcers is to provide

professional law enforcement

service to ensure the safety of

Veterans, patients and employ-

ees. Encounters require differ-

ent defensive techniques and

control measures that require

police ofcers to elevate or de-

escalate the level of force need-

ed.

Special Agent Anthony

Everett, who is the physical

branch lead at the LE Training

Center, served as lead instruc-

tor for the mobile training team.

He said police ofcers are often

placed in situations where they

must use force to control an in-

dividual while at the same time

employing a force option that is

necessary and justied.

“Batons are tools that al-

low a different force option

between empty hand controls

and deadly force,” Everett said.

“The goal is to achieve con-

trol without causing unneces-

sary injury or to use the least

amount of force to achieve that

control. This is how we educate

our trainers to teach our police

ofcers.”

He added the LETC in-

structors were as good as any

at other law enforcement agen-

cies across the country. “Law

enforcement trainers must

have the maturity and passion

to teach, and believe in their

mission always; to get their

students to the highest standard

without fail,” Everett said.

VA law enforcement is re-

sponsible for the protection of

patients, visitors, employees,

property, and maintaining law

and order on property as di-

rected by the Veterans Health

Administration.

For more information

about the VA Law Enforcement

Center or VISN 6 Police Ser-

vices, visit www.osp.va.gov/

Law_Enforcement_Training_

Center_LETC or http://vaww.

visn6.va.gov/police.aspx, re-

spectively.

Ofcers Transition To New Baton

Brad Garner

Fayetteville VAMC Police Ofcer Sgt. Allen Tolentino strikes ‘sus-

pect,’ lead mobile training team instructor Special Agent Anthony

Everett, with the expandable straight baton.

By Bruce Sprecher

VISN 6 public affairs

Like many items of the

past, U.S. Treasury checks are

being replaced by safer, more

efcient electronic means.

People and organizations pre-

viously paid by check will soon

receive payment via electronic

funds transfer to their bank ac-

counts.

During Fiscal Year 2010,

the U.S. government spent

more than $540 million to pro-

cess U.S. Treasury checks. In

December 2010, the Treasury

decided to eliminate, with few

exceptions, checks by May

2013.

In line with the Treasury

directive, VA will stop issuing

checks by Dec. 31, 2012.

The shift to EFT should be

welcome news to Veterans as

there will be no chance of lost

checks and people will spend

less time waiting in line at the

cashier’s window, according to

VA ofcials. Efforts are under-

way nationwide to prepare all

recipients to receive their funds

electronically.

Gus Davila, VA Mid-At-

lantic Health Care Network

deputy director, said the net-

work spent more than $47

million on beneciary travel

during Fiscal Year 2011. “Ac-

complishing these payments

required tens of thousands of

transactions that cost money

that will be better spent on pa-

tient care when the EFT pro-

cess is up and running,” Davila

said.

Davila went on to say that

while the medical centers are

each progressing toward the

EFT process, all efforts are be-

ing made to ensure the transi-

tion does not cause a hardship

for anyone. Because the transi-

tion to the EFT process requires

the inputting of data for mil-

lions of Veterans nationwide,

the implementation is being

staggered throughout the coun-

try and throughout the network.

VHA is working with the

nance service center in Aus-

tin, Texas, to automate the pro-

cess and has also undertaken an

initiative to reduce cash pay-

ments through use of a debit

card program through Treasury

and Comerica Bank. The pilot

debit card will debut later this

year in some locations around

the country. Until then, manu-

ally lling out the EFT Form

will be the way to go.

Although some Veterans

are seen at multiple VA sites,

only one EFT Form is required.

When turning in vouchers, Vet-

erans should inform the clerks

if they have previously turned

in the form. Filling out multiple

EFT forms may actually cause

delays in getting paid. The only

time a new EFT form should

be accomplished, ofcials said,

is when there is a change to a

Veteran’s banking information,

such as changing banks or hav-

ing the money go to a different

account.

While the goal is to reduce

cash on hand and eliminate

check payments, cash reim-

bursement will remain an op-

tion for those without resources

to return home that day or who

are unable to maintain a depos-

itory account.

To ensure no one is caught

off guard or experiences a

hardship, medical centers are

notifying patients through the

mail and with signage located

throughout each facility detail-

ing the dates of the conversion.

“Durham and Hampton

medical centers have begun the

changeover and both facilities

have sent letters to all patients

who received travel payments

in the past year explaining the

need to ll out and turn in an

electronic funds transfer form

SF -3881,” Davila said.

The forms can be picked

up at the medical centers, or

downloaded off the web from

www.fms.treas.gov/pdf/3881.

pdf. Veterans should ll out the

middle and bottom sections.

The medical center will ll out

the top portion.

Sun To Set On Treasury Checks

More than 216,000 North

Carolina residents served in

Vietnam, and some 1,600 made

the ultimate sacrice in that

war. The USO of North Caroli-

na and Charlotte Motor Speed-

way, with support from the

North Carolina Association of

Broadcasters, will honor their

service with a Vietnam Veter-

ans Homecoming Celebration.

The Vietnam Veterans

Homecoming Celebration

2012 is set to be an unforget-

table experience featuring live

entertainment, displays and

demonstrations, and military

salutes.

Representatives from VA

medical centers from North

and South Carolina will be on

hand to provide information

and enroll eligible Veterans.

Additionally, counselors from

area Vet Centers, along with

a team from the Winston Sa-

lem VBA regional ofce and

a representative from National

Cemetery Administration will

be on hand. Veterans interest-

ed in enrolling should bring a

copy of their DD-214.

Homecoming For Vietnam Veterans

George C. Duggins,

North Carolina

Vietnam Veterans of America

Region 3 Conference

Date: March 28 to April 1, 2012

Location: Doubletree Biltmore Hotel, 115 Hendersonville

Road, Asheville, NC, 828-771-2277

Contact person: Joe Kristek, Pres. NC VVV State Council,

910-673-4562

Room Reservations: Call 828-274-1800. Make sure you tell

them you are attending the Region 3 conference to receive

the group rate.

Conference and Hotel Registration Information available on

NC VVA State Council website: www.vva-nc.org

Courtesy Photo

Spenser Wempe, Miss West Virginia, toured Beckley’s new

Mobile Vet Center, a customized vehicle designed to provide

Veterans with vital, on-the-spot counseling and reintegration

services Feb. 17.

As part of the rural health ini-

tiative, Hampton’s Rural Health

Team reaches out in every di-

rection in their effort to enroll

Veterans for VA health care.

Hampton VAMC’s Rural Health

Initiative team members trav-

eled to the Outer Banks area

of North Carolina, Feb 22, to

conduct a Veteran’s benet out-

reach event in Kill Devil Hills.

The team (from left) Deborah

Frondelli, nurse educator, Eliz-

abeth Halvorsen, program sup-

port assistant, Eddie Hughes,

medical support assistant,

Carvin Harmon, social worker,

take a brief pause in front of the

monument to the Wright Broth-

ers at Kill Devil Hills.

James Coty

Hampton’s Rural

Health Team

Reaches Out

By Tim Devine

Durham VAMC

Last year the Durham VAMC Audiology Clinic was selected

as one of only 10 VA Centers nationally to participate in a pilot

program that allows an audiologist in Durham to program hearing

aids on a patient at a local CBOC.

With the help of an audiology health technician who travels

to the patient site, the doctor at Durham uses a teleconferencing

camera and specialized computer software to control the audiol-

ogy instruments located at the CBOC to verify hearing aid perfor-

mance and make needed adjustments.

An obvious benet of this new service is that patients will no

longer have to travel to Durham for follow-up hearing healthcare.

An equally important benet, said Dr. Nancy Jones, chief of au-

diology and speech pathology at Durham, may be that Veterans

will get better use of their amplication because, by providing this

service at a more convenient location, patients will be more likely

to attend follow-up appointments.

“We hope that instead of giving up on their hearing aids, Vet-

erans will now come back and talk with us about the situations that

still give them problems,” Jones said. “Often all that’s required is

a minor adjustment in the program.”

So far, patient feedback has been overwhelmingly positive.

One Veteran volunteered that the care was “just like being at Dur-

ham, but without the long trip.”

Currently, Veterans must still travel to Durham for their hear-

ing tests, but phase II of this pilot program will allow for many of

these exams to be performed at CBOCs too. This phase is due to

begin in September 2012.

Tele-Audiology Reduces Trips

Pete Tillman

Durham audiology staff demonstrate how the tele-audiology pro-

gram is used to help Veterans reduce travel and get high quality

care.

By Terri Moon Cronk

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON – It once was thought that servicewomen neither

were exposed to the same combat situations as men nor developed

the same psychological injuries. Ofcials now recognize other-

wise.

“With the type of combat we’re in now, it’s probably the only

place where men and women really are equal,” therapist Jeanine

Aversa says in “The Long Road Home,” February’s installment of

the Pentagon Channel series “Recon.”

Ofcials estimate that the percentage

of women in the military has doubled in the

past 30 years. But that increase, the “Recon”

segment noted, has come with a rise in prob-

lems such as homelessness, drug addiction

and post-traumatic stress disorder among

female Veterans.

The Defense and Veterans Affairs de-

partments work together to address service

members’ physical, mental and emotional

injuries, including those of women, so of-

cials say it’s now easier for female Veterans

to ask for help.

Kate McGraw, acting deputy direc-

tor for the psychological health, clinical

standards of care at the Defense Centers

for Excellence for Psychological Health

and Traumatic Brain Injury at the Walter

Reed National Military Medical Center in

Bethesda, Md., said a “huge inux” of con-

gressional funding and Defense Department

support on the issues facing female Veterans

have helped address psychological health

and traumatic brain injury.

Focus groups, growing numbers of sup-

port groups and a mental health anti-stigma

campaign are part of the DOD and VA support for female Veterans,

she said.

Battling the stigma of seeking mental health counseling also

has remained a concern among military leaders, McGraw noted.

Some servicemembers don’t seek help, she explained, because

they believe doing so could hurt their careers. So “The Long Road

Home” is an attempt to try to de-stigmatize those fears.

Peculiar to women is an apparent higher rate of “co-occur-

rence” of PTSD and depression when compared with men after

returning from deployment, McGraw said. Other behaviors also

can play a part in women’s lives, she said.

“Women tend to have a higher incidence of binge drinking …

and a higher incidence of eating disorder behavior … as compared

to males,” McGraw said, citing recent literature on studies con-

ducted during the past ve years.

More doors are open to women in the military now than be-

fore. That progress has come with a price.

Veteran Jen Crane knows about that price. She began to have

panic attacks while searching for work after she left the military.

She couldn’t continue her military job as a paralegal in the civilian

sector, so she took a bartending job. There, she was introduced to

cocaine. She said it brought her anxiety down and made her social.

Eventually, her penchant for drugs nearly cost her everything.

Crane turned to prostitution to support her drug habit, and

became homeless and broke. As her situation spiraled downward,

she decided to take her life. But before she could act on her plan,

police arrested her for drug possession.

Crane went to court, and began receiv-

ing counseling from Aversa. With support

from her therapist, the courts and her family,

today she is married, has a child and is the

national spokeswoman for a nonprot orga-

nization, traveling around the country to tell

her story.

Experiences like Crane’s are helping

to change the care female Veterans receive.

“We’re undergoing a culture change within

the Department of Veterans Affairs,” Pa-

tricia Hayes, the VA’s chief consultant on

women’s health, told “Recon.”

VA estimates that 6,500 female Veter-

ans are homeless and live on the nation’s

streets – double the number from 10 years

ago. VA also reported that one in ve wom-

en Veterans reported military sexual trauma

during their military service, and the num-

ber of women with PTSD is increasing.

McGraw outlined signs that someone

is struggling with readjustment issues. She

cited symptoms such as the inability to get

good sleep, nightmares, or the feeling of

reliving events from a deployment when

awake, disturbing dreams about deployment

events, changes in mood, irritability feeling increasingly on edge

or keyed up, or getting startled easily.

Veteran Genevieve Chase, who suffered a traumatic head in-

jury after the vehicle she was riding in exploded, told “Recon” that

in spite of the struggles women try to overcome, their patriotism

remains intact.

“Even the women who are trying to get on their feet or have

been struggling through military sexual trauma, substance abuse,

suicide or any major issue, when they come home, every single

one of them is still proud of their service,” Chase said.

The Pentagon Channel’s “Recon” series is a monthly, 30-min-

ute broadcast that provides an in-depth look at operations, mis-

sions, military events, history and other subjects highlighting the

accomplishments of U.S. military men and women. All “Recon”

programs are posted on the Pentagon Channel’s website at www.

pentagonchannel.mil/recon/.

Ofcials: Women Can Suffer Same Deployment Ills As Men

Women Veterans comprise one of the fastest growing populations of Vet-

erans. Today, there are more than 1.8 million living women Veterans of

the nearly 22.7 million Veterans. Mid-Atlantic Health Care Network (VISN 6) totals are as follows: North Carolina - 70,729,

Virginia - 93,637, West Virginia - 12,015. The population of women Veterans has increased from 1.1 million in 1980 to nearly

2 million today, and women are projected to be more than 10 percent of the Veteran population by 2020. The average age of

female Veterans is 48 (male 63). Of the 1.8 million U.S. women Veterans, more than 500,000 have enrolled in the VA health care

system. That number is expected to grow by 30% in the next ve years. Women currently comprise more than 14% of the active

duty military, nearly 18% of Guard and Reserves, and nearly 6% of VA health care users. More than 50% of female OEF/OIF

Veterans have received VA health care.

Facts About Women Veterans

WASHINGTON – The Depart-

ment of Veterans Affairs part-

nered with the First Army at

Camp Shelby, Miss., to launch

a streamlined version of its on-

line application for VA health

benets (VA Form 1010EZ)

for service members return-

ing from deployment. VA will

introduce it at demobilization

sites nationwide by early spring

2012.

“This online application

demonstrates VA’s commitment

to work with the Department of

Defense to make it easier for

servicemembers to get the care

they earned by their service,”

said Secretary of Veterans Af-

fairs Eric K. Shinseki. “The

new, online system noticeably

reduces the paperwork and re-

duces a 10-day process to three

days.”

The application is used to

enroll in the VA health care sys-

tem, which has more than 1,000

sites of care across the country.

Enrollment for VA health

care is done as part of a service-

member’s demobilization. The

online form allows the appli-

cation to be completed during

a regularly scheduled brieng

for all service members on VA

benets.

Quick enrollment is im-

portant for returning troops

because recently discharged

combat Veterans are eligible

for ve years of cost-free care

and medications for conditions

potentially related to combat

service.

The new application was

piloted as part of the demobili-

zation process at Camp Shelby.

Based on the results, VA plans

to collaborate with DoD to of-

fer this online application at all

61 demobilization sites nation-

ally.

For more information,

contact VA at 1-877-222 VETS

(8387) or visit www.va.gov/

healthbenets.

Streamlined Online Application To

Launch At Demobilization Sites

WASHINGTON – Building

upon a 66-year partnership

with the states, the Department

of Veterans Affairs has signed

a formal agreement with the

National Association of State

Directors of Veterans Affairs

(NASDVA) to enhance their re-

lationship.

“State agencies are invalu-

able partners in providing ser-

vices to Veterans,” said Sec-

retary of Veterans Affairs Eric

K. Shinseki. “Our historic col-

laboration with NASDVA has

ensured that countless Veterans

receive the benets they have

earned.”

The agreement pledges the

two groups to maintain “effec-

tive communications, an ex-

change of ideas and informa-

tion, identication of emerging

needs, and continuous reevalu-

ation of existing programs.”

NASDVA represents the

state departments of Veterans

affairs in dealings with VA and

with Veterans residing in their

respective states. The states

fund about $5 billion in benets

and services for Veterans.

The involvement of state

governments in Veterans af-

fairs goes back to the Ameri-

can Revolution, with the fed-

eral government becoming

involved after the Civil War. In

1946, NASDVA was created to

coordinate programs between

VA and the states, territories

and the District of Columbia.

Secretary Shinseki signed

the agreement Feb. 13 during

the NASDVA mid-winter con-

ference in Alexandria, Va.

VA, NASDVA Sign Partnership Pact

Yearly u vaccination

should begin in September, or

as soon as the vaccine is avail-

able, and continue throughout

the u season, which can last

as late as May. This is because

the timing and duration of u

seasons vary. While u season

can begin as early as October,

seasonal u activity peaks in

January, February or later.

Inuenza is responsible for

200,000 hospital admissions

and 36,000 deaths nationwide

every year. According to the

federal Centers for Disease

Control and Prevention, vacci-

nation of all health care work-

ers is strongly recommended

to prevent transmission of the

illness to patients, especially

those with long-term medical

conditions who are at high risk

for serious complications from

the u. The CDC recommends

that all health care workers –

even those who are not directly

involved in patient care (e.g.,

clerical, housekeeping and ad-

ministrative staff, volunteers,

etc.) – be vaccinated annually.

If you have questions

about whether you should get a

u vaccine, consult your health

care provider.

When To Get Seasonal Flu Vaccine

WASHINGTON – VA an-

nounced its participation in the

largest state-federal legal settle-

ment in history that deals with

problems within the mortgage

industry.

VA joined with the Depart-

ment of Justice, a coalition of

state attorneys general and oth-

er federal agencies in the settle-

ment.

The nation’s ve largest

mortgage servicers have agreed

to this landmark $25 billion

settlement that addresses past

mortgage loan servicing and

foreclosure abuses, provides

substantial nancial relief to

borrowers, and establishes sig-

nicant new homeowner pro-

tections in the future.

In addition to cash pay-

ments to avoid litigation, the

banks also agree to undertake

other activities, such as prin-

cipal forgiveness, interest-

rate-reduction renancing, and

forbearance during unemploy-

ment.

The settlement also en-

hances protections available

under the Servicemembers

Civil Relief Act and provides

additional assistance when ser-

vicemembers are forced to sell

their home at a loss due to reas-

signment to another location.

VA has always provided

assistance to Veterans and ser-

vicemembers who experience

trouble paying their mortgage,

whether they have a VA loan

or not. Depending on the situ-

ation, VA’s loan specialists can

intervene on a Veteran’s behalf

to help pursue home-retention

options such as repayment

plans, forbearances and loan

modications.

To get help, Veterans and

servicemembers – even those

without a VA guaranteed loan

– may call a national toll-free

number, 877-827-3702 to speak

with VA loan specialists who

will provide information about

the process of obtaining a VA-

guaranteed home loan, or as-

sistance in retaining their home

loan or avoiding foreclosure.

Information about the VA

Home Loan Guaranty program

is also available online at www.

benefits.va.gov/homeloans.

To see videos of Veterans who

reached out to VA and were able

to keep their homes or avoid

foreclosure, please visit www.

benets.va.gov/homeloans/alt-

foreclosure.asp.

VA Joins Mortgage Bank Settlement

Volunteer Opportunities

For info. on opportunities to volunteer in your area, contact:

Asheville Darlene Laughter 828-299-2514

Beckley Cheryl Yost 304-255-2121, ext. 4162 or 4165

Durham Ronni Miller 919-286-0411, ext. 7810

Fayetteville Norma Fraser 910-822-7027

Hampton Judith Curtis 757-722-9961, ext. 3124

Richmond Janet Langhorne 804-675-5000, ext. 4989

Salem Ann Benois 540-224-1919

Salisbury Nancy Perry 704-638-3409

Albemarle POC

1845 W City Drive

Elizabeth City, NC

252-331-2191

Asheville VAMC

1100 Tunnel Road

Asheville, NC 28805

828- 298-7911, 800-932-6408

www.asheville.va.gov/

Beckley VAMC

200 Veterans Avenue

Beckley, WV 25801

304-255-2121, 877-902-5142

www.beckley.va.gov/

Beckley Vet Center

1000 Johnstown Road

Beckley, WV 25801

304-252-8220

Brunswick Outreach Clinic

20 Medical Campus Drive

Supply, NC 28462

910-754-8574

Charlotte Vet Center

2114 Ben Craig Dr.

Charlotte, NC 28262

704-549-8025

Charlotte CBOC

8601 University East Drive

Charlotte, NC 28213

Charlottesville CBOC

650 Peter Jefferson Pkwy

Charlottesville, VA 22911

434-293-3890

Danville CBOC

705 Piney Forest Rd.

Danville, VA 24540

434-710-4210

Durham VAMC

508 Fulton St.

Durham, NC 27705

919-286-0411, 888-878-6890

www.durham.va.gov/

Emporia CBOC

1746 East Atlantic Street

Emporia, VA 23847

434-348-1500

Fayetteville VAMC

2300 Ramsey St.

Fayetteville, NC 28301

910-488-2120, 800-771-6106

www.fayettevillenc.va.gov

Fayetteville Vet Center

4140 Ramsey St.

Fayetteville, NC 28311

910-488-6252

Franklin CBOC

647 Wayah St.

Franklin, NC 28734-3390

828-369-1781

Fredricksburg CBOC

1965 Jefferson Davis Highway

Fredericksburg, VA 22401

540-370-4468

Greensboro Vet Center

2009 S. Elm-Eugene St.

Greensboro, NC 27406

336-333-5366

Greenbrier County CBOC

804 Industrial Park Rd.

Maxwelton, WV 24957

304-497-3900

Greenville CBOC

800 Moye Blvd.

Greenville, NC 27858

252-830-2149

Greenville Vet Center

1021 W.H. Smith Blvd.

Greenville, NC 27834

252-355-7920

Hamlet CBOC

100 Jefferson Street

Hamlet, NC 28345

910-582-3536

Hampton VAMC

100 Emancipation Dr.

Hampton, VA 23667

757-722-9961, 888-869-9060

www.hampton.va.gov/

Hickory CBOC

2440 Century Place, SE

Hickory, NC 28602

828-431-5600

Hillandale Rd. Annex

1824 Hillandale Road

Durham, North Carolina 27705

919-383-6107

Jacksonville CBOC

241 Freedom Way

Midway Park, NC 28544

910-353-6406, 910-353-6406

Jacksonville, N.C. Vet Center

110-A Branchwood Driv

Jacksonville, NC 28546

910-577-1100

Lynchburg CBOC

1600 Lakeside Drive

Lynchburg, VA 24501

434-316-5000

Morehead City CBOC

5420 U.S. 70

Morehead City, NC 28557

252-240-2349

Norfolk Vet Center

1711 Church Street

Norfolk, VA 23504

757-623-7584

Princeton Vet Center

905 Mercer Street

Princeton, WV 24740

304-425-5653

Raleigh CBOC

3305 Sungate Blvd.

Raleigh, NC 27610

919-212-0129

Raleigh II Annex

3040 Hammond Business Place

Raleigh, NC 27603

919-899-6259

Raleigh Vet Center

1649 Old Louisburg Rd.

Raleigh, NC 27604

919-856-4616

Richmond VAMC

1201 Broad Rock Blvd.

Richmond, VA 23249

804-675-5000, 800-784-8381

www.richmond.va.gov/

Roanoke Vet Center

350 Albemarle Ave., SW

Roanoke, VA 24016

540-342-9726

Robeson County CBOC

139 Three Hunts Drive

Pembroke, NC 28372

910-521-8452

Rutherford County CBOC

374 Charlotte Rd.

Rutherfordton, NC 28139

828-288-2780

Salem VAMC

1970 Roanoke Blvd.

Salem, VA 24153

540-982-2463, 888-982-2463

www.salem.va.gov/

Salisbury VAMC

1601 Brenner Ave.

Salisbury, NC 28144

704-638-9000, 800-469-8262

www.salisbury.va.gov/

Staunton CBOC

102 Business Way

Staunton, VA 24401

540-886-5777

Tazewell CBOC

123 Ben Bolt Ave.

Tazewell, VA 24651

276-988-2526

Virginia Beach CBOC

244 Cleareld Avenue

Virginia Beach, VA

757-722-9961, ext. 1900

Virginia Beach Vet Center

324 Southport Circle, Suite 102

Virginia Beach, VA, 23452

757-248-3665

Wilmington CBOC

736 Medical Center Drive

Wilmington, NC 28401

910-763-5979

Winston-Salem CBOC

190 Kimel Park Drive

Winston-Salem, NC 27103

336-768-3296

Winston-Salem Annex

2101 Peters Creek Parkway

Winston-Salem, NC 27127

336-761-5300

Wytheville CBOC

165 Peppers Ferry Rd.

Wytheville, VA 24382-2363

276-223-5400

VISN 6 Sites of Care