Veterans MuseumsVeterans MuseumsVeterans MuseumsVeterans MuseumsVeterans MuseumsA growing trend at VAfacilities — page 8

VAnguard

Inside: 'Clean' Audit, 4 ✩ AO Helpline, 5 ✩ Earth-friendly National Cemeteries, 10

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

APRIL 2001

2 VAnguard

INTRODUCINGJohn P. Lewis

CCCCCONTENTSONTENTSONTENTSONTENTSONTENTS

CCCCCOLUMNSOLUMNSOLUMNSOLUMNSOLUMNS 13-16

VAnguardVA’s Employee Magazine

April 2001Vol. XLVII, No. 3

Printed on 50% recycled paper

Editor: Lisa RespessEditorial Assistant: Matt Bristol

Photo Editor: Robert Turtil

Published by theOffice of Public Affairs (80D)

Department of Veterans Affairs810 Vermont Ave., N.W.Washington, D.C. 20420

(202) 273-5746E-mail: vanguard@mail.va.govwww.va.gov/pubaff/vanguard/

index.htm

❏ ‘Clean’ Audit 4VA gets unqualified opinion for 2nd year

❏ Veteran Entrepreneurs 4Center for Veterans Enterprise opens

❏ Agent Orange Helpline 5Telephone information service launched

❏ Seattle Earthquake 7VA facilities suffer little damage

❏ Veterans Museums 8-9A growing trend at VA facilities

❏ Earth Day 10National cemeteries are earth-friendly

❏ Job Shadowing 12San Diego VAHCS hosts local students

On the cover: This photo of items left at theVietnam Veterans Memorial isone of several similar imagesoften displayed with a VBAtraveling timeline exhibit onveterans benefits. Items like theseare on display in museums at VAfacilities all over the country,where they help personalize thesacrifices made by veterans.

Burned-out. It’s a phrase someuse to describe those who are unableto cope with the difficulty of growingclose to, and then losing, terminallyill patients. John P. Lewis, a chaplainwith the Central Arkansas VeteransHealthcare System who oftencomforts dying patients, uses atechnique he calls “visualjournaling” to help digest the pain ofloss.

Visual journaling combinessketches, pictures or newspaperarticles—any image that reflectsfeelings or reactions—with writtenresponses. “Igrow close tomy patients overthe course oftheir illness and Ineed some wayto process myfeelings of grief,”said Lewis. “Thisis a copingmechanism wecan use to helpprocess grief. Ifind that if wedon’t do that thenwe become me-chanical aboutwhat we’re doing,so we won’t get tooclose to people.”

In March, he leda workshop on visual journaling at afive-day training seminar hosted bythe Association of ProfessionalChaplains, a national organizationproviding education, standards ofcare and certification for professionalchaplains. Lewis is state chair of theassociation’s Arkansas chapter.He developed the technique whileworking with troubled teens in astate-run juvenile detention center,where he served as chaplain prior tojoining VA in 1993. “Most of the kidsdidn’t want to talk with you, becausethey saw you as an authority figure,”he recalled. “I found that if I starteddrawing, then they’d begin to openup a bit.”

When he began working at VA,

the Army veteran adapted hiscreative sketching to meet a morepersonal need—coping with the lossof patients. “One patient lived on theLittle Red River and he loved tocompare himself to a tough oldCypress tree that grew on a shoalnear his house,” he said. “So, I drewthat Cypress tree in my journal tohelp me remember the value of thatparticular person and my feelings atthe time.”

Another journal entry simplyreads, “Your quiet and caringmanner preaches a very loud ser-

mon.” The words werespoken by a patient’swife shortly after herhusband’s death. “Thatpassage helps meremember that it isokay to be a quietguy,” said Lewis.“The message will getthrough if I amgenuine and care.” His colleagues callhim unassuming andsay his low-keymanner comfortspatients and theirfamilies as theyconfront life-threatening ill-nesses. “He’s a very

mild-mannered person,” notedJames A. Ryan, Jr., supervisorychaplain in the Central ArkansasVeterans Healthcare System, “andhis approach has been very effectivewhen he’s providing palliative care.”

In addition to his work at themedical center, Lewis is also a pastorin a rural community church and anaccomplished artist with a penchantfor outdoor settings. His activeimages of fly fishermen, huntingdogs, birds and other wildlife sceneshave appeared in exhibitionsthroughout the state. “Art is acreative and enriching part of lifethat enables me to be a better chap-lain,” Lewis said. ❏

By Matt Bristol

April 2001 3

OutlookCatherine Rick,Chief Consultant,Nursing StrategicHealthcare Group

VA Nursing: A Tradition ofCaring and Competence

It’s myhonor andprivilege to leadour nation’slargest nursingworkforce inVA’s challeng-ing and dy-namic healthcare delivery

system. When I arrived in Washing-ton last June to begin my new role aschief consultant for the NursingStrategic Healthcare Group, I wascommitted to focus on our strengthsof caring and competence.

I came to headquarters after morethan eight years working at theMilwaukee VA Medical Center,where I experienced the honor ofserving our nation’s veterans andgained a sincere respect for the valueof VHA as a health care resource forveterans and the broad-reachingcontributions we make towardadvancing clinical practice.

I believe that if we want toadvance nursing practice, we mustdevelop strong collegial relationshipswith our clinical partners. Positivenurse-physician partnerships arepivotal to achieving quality patientcare. And building systems tosupport this working relationship areessential. The VA Nursing StrategicPlan was recently developed withthis in mind. The goals outlined inthe plan include:

� Leadership development –operationalize the High PerformanceDevelopment Model for all levels ofnursing;

� Technology/systems develop-ment – develop and/or enhancesystems and technology to supportthe role of nursing in health caredelivery models;

� Health care delivery systemsdevelopment – collaborate in thedevelopment of interdisciplinaryhealth care delivery models acrossthe continuum of care in the contextof a changing health care environ-ment;

� Nursing workforce – recruitand retain a qualified nursingworkforce;

� Collaboration with externalforces – develop partnershipsbetween nursing and externalorganizations (i.e., professionalnursing and health care leadershiporganizations, veterans serviceorganizations, academic affiliates);and

� Nursing practice indicators forquality and performance – identify/develop key indicators to supportevidence-based nursing practice thatenhance cost-effective care.

Over the past few months, I’vedevoted about half of my time tofacility visits. I’ve had the pleasure ofvisiting more than forty facilities todate. It is clear to me that our veter-ans are served by a dedicated, caringand competent nursing staff. As weapproach National Nurses Week

(May 6-12), I offer my recognitionand gratitude for the contributions ofVA nurses. These positive attributesare particularly noteworthy in lightof the multiple stressors facing ourhealth care workers today.

The challenges of implementingnumerous cutting-edge clinicalinitiatives, including Pain Manage-ment, End-of-Life Care, Bar-CodeMedication Administration, Comput-erized Patient Record System,Minimum Data Set, Millennium Actand Root Cause Analysis, raises thebar for our caring and competence.I’m impressed by the hard work thatmakes all of these initiatives come tolife.

When I ask nursing staff whatmakes work fun, the most commonanswer I get is, “Making a difference,helping our veterans.” That’s thebeauty of what nurses do—have funmaking a difference! ❏

President Bush has proposed a $51 billion budget for VA in fiscal year2002, $4 billion more than the current spending limit. Continuing improve-ments in health care and a new push to speed up benefits claims processingare major features of the proposal.

The budget request proposes about $28 billion for entitlement programs,including disability compensation, education, home loans and vocationalrehabilitation. It also includes more than $23 billion for health care, thecemetery system and other programs. The proposed budget recognizes thatsome military retirees who receive health care from VA will switch to a newPentagon-funded program that allows them to receive free care from theirprivate doctors, plus a generous prescription drug benefit. ❏

VA has taken another high-tech quantum leap by using video streamingtechnology to put its employee news video “VA Report” on the Department’sInternet Web site. Thousands of VA employees, veterans and interestedparties can watch the 23-minute, 45-second program on their computerdesktop by going to www.va.gov/opa/feature/index.htm, or from the VA homepage, clicking on “Public Affairs” and then “Feature Items & Information.”

It’s not the first time VA has used the technology, but it is the longestvideo stream posted on the Internet by VA. VA’s Office of Public Affairs(OPA) used video streaming to put brief messages by former Acting Secre-tary Hershel Gober on the VA home page. It also posted a brief greeting fromnew Secretary Anthony Principi when he took office in January. OPA plansto post all future editions of “VA Report,” as well as other video of Depart-ment-wide interest, on the Web site. ❏

Web Streams ‘VA Report’ to Computer Desktops

President Proposes $51 Billion Budget for FY 2002

4 VAnguard

VA is one of 18 federal agenciesthat received an unqualified, or“clean,” audit opinion this year, andone of only 14 to receive it two yearsin a row. Twenty-four agencies arerequired to submit the annual audits.

“This year’s clean audit opinionclearly demonstrates that our finan-cial organizations are committed tobeing effective stewards of thisDepartment’s resources,” said VAActing Assistant Secretary forFinancial Management D. MarkCatlett. “It sends a strong message toCongress and American taxpayersthat VA can accurately account for its$48 billion in expenditures in FY2000.”

Independent auditor Deloitte &Touche LLP, under the direction ofVA’s Office of Inspector General(OIG), performed this year’s audit.Prior years’ audits have been con-ducted by the OIG. Working with anindependent auditor presentedchallenges, in that Deloitte & Toucheauditors were not as familiar with

VA’s programs and financial ac-counts as the OIG. Catlett said thesechallenges were met and VA’ssuccess in audit improvements wasdue to the efforts of VA staff—including the OIG, the three adminis-trations, and the Office of the Assis-tant Secretary for Management—working in concert with Deloitte &Touche.

The OIG agreed with the opin-ions and the conclusions in theauditor’s report, which indicated thatVA’s financial statements presentfairly, in all material respects, VA’sfinancial position, and that theDepartment’s overall fiscal opera-tions and reporting are sound.

The OIG complimented VAmanagement for its commitment toaddressing previously reportedmaterial internal control weaknesses,and making significant improve-ments in several financial manage-ment areas. Because of identifiedimprovements in cash reconciliationswith Treasury, the material weakness

cited for this area in last year’s auditreport was closed.

The auditor’s report also citedVA’s progress in improving informa-tion technology security controls andHousing Credit Assistance (HCA)program accounting. Progress madein HCA program accounting in-cluded the conversion of this activityto VA’s core financial managementsystem.

The audit did address twointernal control weaknesses that willbe the focus for continued improve-ments during the coming year:information technology securitycontrols and lack of an integratedfinancial management system. TheDepartment is committed to pursu-ing existing planned remedial actionsand system initiatives in these areas.

For the first time, VA’s statementswere submitted to the Office ofManagement and Budget by theMarch 1st deadline established by theGovernment Management ReformAct of 1994. ❏

VA Gets ‘Clean’ Audit for Second Straight Year

Veterans who own or want tostart their own businesses now havea one-stop resource for informationabout loans, business managementprograms, online training andprocurement opportunities withfederal, state and local agencies.VA’s new Center for VeteransEnterprise, a sub-division of theOffice of Small and DisadvantagedBusiness Utilization, opened inFebruary at VA headquarters.

The Veterans Entrepreneurshipand Small Business Development Actof 1999 gave VA specific responsibili-ties to help veteran entrepreneurs.VA designed the center to act as aclearinghouse for information aboutfederal, state and community smallbusiness programs, and to serve as afocal point for carrying out the law’srequirements.

VA partnered with the SmallBusiness Administration (SBA) andthe Association of Small BusinessDevelopment Centers (ASBDC) todevelop the one-stop concept fortechnical and management assis-tance. The ASBDC has a network ofnearly 1,000 community-based

centers to serve veterans and smallbusiness owners.

VA, the SBA and the Departmentof Labor are working together tohelp service-disabled veterans whowant to open or expand businesses.VA and the Department of Defense(DoD) have partnered to helpcompanies in the DoD marketplace.And veterans also receive supportfrom Corporate Advocates forVeterans and Government Advo-cates for Veterans, two groupsformed by the center staff.

The law established goals forfederal agencies and large businesseswith federal contracts to promotecontract opportunities for veteransand service-disabled veterans.Federal agencies should spend 3percent of their prime contractdollars with firms owned by service-disabled veterans. For VA, thatamounts to about $150 million ayear.

“It makes sense that VA shouldhelp veterans start businesses,” saidScott Denniston, director of VA’sOffice of Small & DisadvantagedBusiness Utilization. “Three new

businesses are thought to be createdas a result of each business thatopens in a community. Veteranshelped preserve the freedom weenjoy—they should have the oppor-tunity to enjoy the American dreamof owning a business.”

Ninety-eight percent of thenation’s 22 million businesses aresmall businesses with fewer than fiveemployees. The center estimates thatveterans own 5 million businesses.To be considered veteran-owned, abusiness must be at least 51 percentowned and controlled by one ormore veterans. One of the center’sresponsibilities is to identify thesebusinesses and annually inform theveteran owners of federal procure-ment assistance available to them.

When veterans call the center, thestaff asks where they live, wheretheir business is located, andwhether they have an established oran emerging business. Emergingentrepreneurs can be referred back totheir home community to receivehelp the same day. Veterans withestablished businesses are referred tocorporate and government advocates

New Center for Veteran Entrepreneurs Opens

April 2001 5

On theRoad...

and federal agency small businessspecialists.

Program oversight groups reportto the White House and Congresswith recommendations on howagencies can improve support toveterans in business. These groupsinclude the National VeteransBusiness Development Corporation,and the SBA’s Advisory Committeeon Veterans Business Development,Office of Advocacy, and Office ofGovernment Contracting.

VA Secretary Anthony Principi,Rep. Lane Evans (D-Ill.), Rep. JackQuinn (R-N.Y.) and Bill Elmore, theSBA’s associate administrator ofveterans’ business development,

VA has a new national toll-freetelephone information and referralservice to help Vietnam veteranswith questions and concerns aboutAgent Orange exposure and VAbenefits. The Veterans BenefitsAdministration (VBA) expanded thehelpline operation at the St. LouisVA Regional Office that has servedGulf War veterans since 1995.

The new service for Vietnamveterans comes on the heels of theDepartment’s decision to add adult-onset (Type II) diabetes to the list ofpresumptive diseases associatedwith herbicide (Agent Orange)

participated in the center’s dedica-tion ceremony. Other speakersrepresented veterans advocacyorganizations that were instrumentalin helping to get legislation passedestablishing a federal veteransentrepreneurship program.

“After the dedication, the phonesstarted ringing and they haven’tstopped,” said Gail Wegner, deputydirector of the center. “We’ve been sobusy trying to stay ahead, we haven’thad time to take a breath.”

The VA Center for VeteransEnterprise will focus on identifyingveteran-owned businesses, offeringtechnical assistance and informingbusiness owners about procurement

exposure. A regulation to providemonthly disability compensation toVietnam veterans with adult-onsetdiabetes is expected later this year.VA estimates that around 200,000Vietnam veterans will receiveservice-connection for diabeteswithin the first five years under thenew policy.

By dialing (800) 749-8387, callerscan either speak directly to VArepresentatives Monday throughFriday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., CentralStandard Time, or access a 24-hourautomated system. They can leavevoice mail messages to have informa-

tion sent to them or listen to record-ings about health care and benefitsavailable to Vietnam veterans whomay have been exposed to AgentOrange.

The new Agent Orange helplineis part of a stepped-up outreacheffort by VA to in-country Vietnamveterans as they age and as scientificstudies continue to expand knowl-edge of the possible long-term healtheffects of exposure to the defoliant.VA now recognizes 10 medicalconditions as being associated withAgent Orange, which was used

VA Launches Toll-Free Agent Orange Helpline

New VA SecretaryAnthony Principi hasbegun venturing out ofheadquarters to visitVA field facilities. Atthe Baltimore VAMedical Center (right),Cheryl Minnehan, aregistered nurse,showed him how theBar-Code MedicationAdministration systemworks. In Philadelphia(far right), theSecretary announcedduring a newsconference that the

Philadelphia VA Medical Center is the site of one of sixParkinson’s Disease Centers VA is establishing. Looking onis Rep. Chris Smith (R-N.J.), chairman of the HouseVeterans’ Affairs Committee.

(continued on page 11)

opportunities. The SBA concentrateson helping veterans with financialassistance and business develop-ment. Veterans interested in grantsor loans can also contact the veteransaffairs officer at the local SBA districtoffice or through the SBA’s Web site,www.sba.gov/VETS/reps.html.

The center’s Web site,www.vetbiz.gov, includes informationon pertinent laws, federal acquisitionregulations and other resources forveteran entrepreneurs. For moreinformation on the Center forVeterans Enterprise, call (202) 565-8336 or toll-free at (866) 584-2344. ❏

By Fran Heimrich

6 VAnguard

The National Cemetery Adminis-tration (NCA) has appointed direc-

tors of the five newMemorial ServiceNetworks (MSNs)replacing itsprevious three areaoffices. The newfield structure,announced lastfall, is designed toincrease oversightof VA’s nationalcemeteries through

a reduced span ofmanagementcontrol. Thelocations of thethree previous areaoffices—Philadel-phia, Atlanta andDenver—remainthe same, whiletwo MSNs arebeing added atIndianapolis andOakland, Calif. All will be collocatedwith VBA offices.

The increasing workload and

NCA Appoints Five New Field Office DirectorsNCA’s objectiveto implementhigh-level appear-ance standardsnationwiderequired closersupervision in thefield and realign-ment amongcemeteries report-ing to the super-vising offices, said

Fred Watson,NCA’s director ofField ProgramsService.

The new MSNdirectors includethree longtimeNCA managers:� in Atlanta,Robert Wilk,previous areamanager there formore than sixyears, who has worked in NCA for14 years;� in Oakland, Steve Muro, mostrecently acting director of theWestern (Denver) Area Office and

Muro

Pemberton

the Golden Gate, Calif., NationalCemetery, who has been with NCAfor 22 years; and� in Philadelphia,Ronald Pemberton,director of theFlorida NationalCemetery for thepast six years, andNCA employee formore than 20 years.New to VA are:� in Denver,Cheryl Row, whoheld severalpositions at the Department ofEnergy (DOE)’s Denver field officeover the past nine years, includingfacility manager for DOE operationsand chief of the Emergency Pre-paredness Branch; and� in Indianapolis, George M. Webb,most recently director for plans andprogram analysis with the AmericanForces Information Service at theDepartment of Defense in Washing-ton, D.C. Webb was with Stars andStripes newspapers from 1995 to2000, and had a 23-year career in theNavy. ❏

Row

Webb

Wilk

Former Secretary Jesse Brown was honored lastmonth at VA headquarters, where his officialportrait was unveiled. VA Secretary AnthonyPrincipi, former Mississippi Congressman G.V.“Sonny” Montgomery, and members of Congressoffered remarks and personal reflections on Brownand his tenure as VA Secretary.

Guests at the March 14 ceremony includedformer VA Deputy Secretary Hershel Gober,veterans service organization representatives, andVA staff. “I’m going to take advantage of thisopportunity to thank all of the VA employees whostood with me throughout my years as Secretary,”Brown said after helping unveil the portrait. “I willnever forget that you were at my side, cheering meon.”

The portrait artist, Tom Nielsen, is a retired VACentral Office employee who now has a studio inAugusta, Ga. Brown’s portrait will hang alongsidethose of his predecessors outside the Omar Bradleyconference room in the Secretary’s office suite onthe 10th floor. Brown served as VA Secretary from1993 to 1997.

Former Secretary Jesse Brown waves to VA Central Officeemployees who gathered to watch his portrait unveiling from theglass elevator lobby overlooking the conference room where theceremony was held. With Brown are artist Tom Nielsen (left) andSecretary Anthony Principi.

Brown Portrait Unveiled

April 2001 7

VA Puget Sound HCS Shakes as Earth Quakes

The nation’s oldest knownveteran was laid to rest in Tennes-see on March 4. Nearly six monthsearlier, VAemployeesfrom all overthe countryhad helpedJohn Paintercelebrate his112th birth-day. Afterhearingabout themilestonefrom ane-mail message, they sent himmore than 500 birthday cards.

Painter died of an apparentheart attack at his home in theHermitage Springs community.His funeral drew hundreds to thetown of Red Boiling Springs.Roland Moore, director of the VATennessee Valley HealthcareSystem, represented the WhiteHouse, and shared comments anda letter from VA Secretary An-thony Principi. Wendell Gilbert,commissioner of the TennesseeDepartment of Veterans Affairs,

delivered a letter from TennesseeGovernor Don Sundquist.

After the ceremony at thefuneral home, a long caravantraveled to the Hermitage Springscemetery where Painter wasburied. For the last mile of the trip,his casket was transferred onto ahorse-drawn carriage led by ariderless horse, a fitting tribute to aveteran who drove horse-drawnammunition wagons to the frontlines during World War I.

Oncoming cars stopped for theprocession, and some parkedalong the roadside to witness thehistoric moment and pay their lastrespects. At the hillside gravesite,members of the Sons of Confeder-ate Veterans dressed in re-enact-ment uniforms fired three volleysfrom Civil War-era muskets tomark the passing of the nation’soldest known hero.

Painter’s remarkable lifeincluded working as a blacksmithand raising two daughters with hiswife Gillie, his childhood sweet-heart. In 1999, he received theFrench Legion of Honor medal forhis World War I service. ❏

Oldest Known Veteran Dies

Painter

M any of us in Los Angeleshad already noticed thatSouthern California, adesert in disguise, and the

Pacific Northwest, a rainforest indisguise, have exchanged weather.With L.A. drenched by more thanthree times the rain in Seattle thisyear, it was as if a giant hand hadturned the West Coast upside down.

A couple of weeks ago, we had acorresponding reversal of geology.“Seismology Central,” another namefor Los Angeles, has not had one ofits famous temblors in a long time.But on February 28, at 10:55 a.m.(PST), the Puget Sound area, whoselargest city is Seattle, was hit by anearthquake reported preliminarily bythe University of Washington asmagnitude 6.8.

The epicenter was 11 miles northof Olympia, on the Cascadia fault, 30

miles deep. The Northwest Earth-quake, as it was instantly named,was felt as far south as Portland,Ore., and as far inland as Salt LakeCity, Utah.

Washington state capital Olympiasuffered significant damage.Throughout the Northwest, 270earthquake-related injuries werereported, most of them minor.Amazingly, the earthquake causednot even one death, with the possibleexception of a heart attack fatalitysome media accounts attributed tothe quake.

VA fared quite well. The morningafter the earthquake, VISN 20(Portland, Ore.) Director Ted Galey,M.D., Clinical Manager Les Burger,M.D., and Emergency ManagementStrategic Healthcare Group LiaisonBruce Binder toured the Seattle andAmerican Lake (Tacoma) Divisions

of the VA Puget Sound Health CareSystem (HCS). The inspection teamfound no injuries to VA employees,patients or others at either location,with both divisions having success-fully completed all actions requiredby their emergency preparednessplans.

The Seattle Division sustainedonly minor problems, such as atemporarily stalled elevator. Alldivision clinics resumed activity onthe same day as the earthquake.Even in the immediate quake after-math, it was not necessary to evacu-ate patients from any clinical care ornursing unit. This good news wasdue in large part to the fact that thenursing tower, the main patient carebuilding, is of relatively new con-struction and was built to seismicstandards.

The 75-year-old American LakeDivision, in Tacoma, sustained moredamage than did the Seattle facility.Patients were temporarily moved toareas outside of buildings, as aprecautionary measure, until VAengineers could complete surveysand deem the structures safe. Surger-ies were temporarily cancelled. Areasof one building remained closed for afew days until a more detailedseismic inspection could be com-pleted, requiring, as a safety precau-tion, relocation of staff but not ofpatients. All American Lake Divisionclinics almost immediately resumednormal activity.

In a letter to VA Puget SoundHCS staff published in the employeenewsletter, Galey praised theirhandling of the situation. “I cannotbegin to enumerate all the episodesof quick thinking and very soundresponses that were carried out inthese busy facilities that were full ofpatients when the earthquake wasoccurring in the middle of theworkday,” Galey wrote.

“I want to especially recognizethe employees of all the disciplineswhose first thoughts were for theveteran patients. In the face of realpersonal peril, they stayed with thepatients making sure they wereprotected, cared for and calmed.” ❏

By Joe BarisonLos Angeles OPA Regional Office

8 VAnguard

” If you build it, they will come,”James Earl Jones said confi-dently in a classic line from the1989 film, “Field of Dreams.”

Though he was referring to a base-ball diamond, the same can be saidfor museums. In fact, the actual fieldused to film the movie has become amuseum of sorts—a hot spot forbaseball fanatics visiting Dyersville,Iowa.

And now, communities across thenation are getting a close-up look atveterans’ sacrifices and the evolutionof VA benefits thanks to the growingnumber of veterans museumsappearing in VA medical centers,regional offices and national cem-eteries.

A strong supporter of veteransmuseums during his 1989-1992tenure as VA Deputy Secretary,Secretary Anthony Principi recog-nizes the significance of VA muse-ums. “Not only are museums idealfor preserving our nation’s history,but they’re also an effective way ofreaching out to the community andsharing our history of caring forveterans,” he said.

Perhaps one of the best-knownVA museums is located in what was

Museums Chronicle Veterans’ Saonce a crowded waiting room at theNew York VA Regional Office. Itopened in 1998, featuring a timelineof veterans’ memorabilia, artifacts,photographs and other items chroni-cling military history and the deliv-ery of veterans benefits. As part of anoutreach plan, the museum is nowhosting elementary school studentseager for a lesson in Americanhistory.

According to Joseph Collorafi, aprogram analyst who frequentlyserves as museum tour guide, manyof the children initially believe a“veteran” is someone who takes careof animals. “The younger genera-tions are really not aware of thecontributions veterans have made toour country,” he said. But theregional office is hoping to changethat. “Over the summer we had aHACU [Hispanic Association ofColleges andUniversities] internwho really dedi-cated her efforts toraising our visibil-ity,” said Collorafi.“She worked ondeveloping abrochure, compilinga mailing list,writing letters. Nowher efforts arecoming to fruition.”

Across the riverat the East Orangecampus of the VANew Jersey HealthCare System,development of aveterans museumhighlightingwartime medicaladvances is under-way. “One of ourgoals is to create anenvironment wherethe heritage of ournation’s veteranswill be preservedand where thepublic has anopportunity tolearn about thehistory of veteransand militarymedicine,” saidMary Therese

Hankinson, public affairs specialistand chair of the museum committee.

Central to the museum is aneight-sided carousel composed ofindividual segments, each featuringa significant medical discovery. Onesegment depicts the development ofX-ray technology during the Span-ish-American War; another replicatesthe lab of Dr. Oscar Auerbach, whoin the 1950s established a direct linkbetween cigarette smoke and cancerand served as chief of laboratories atthe East Orange VA Medical Center.Around the Memorial Day weekend,the museum will unveil a newsegment depicting military life in theVietnam era and how helicoptersincreased the odds of survival for thebattlefield-wounded.

A unique museum at theSalisbury, N.C., National Cemeteryfocuses on Civil War POWs and theMerriman Barnes, who works in the Exhibits

Section of VACO Media Services, constructscabinets for the VA New Jersey Health CareSystem’s museum.

Stephanie McGuiness, former HACU intern, and Joe Collorafi, aprogram analyst, take local schoolchildren on a tour of the veteransmuseum at the New York VA Regional Office.

Displays highlighting wartime medical advances are featured atthe VA New Jersey Health Care System’s veterans museum.

April 2001 9

crifices, Evolution of VA Benefits

Here are some VA locations with veteransmuseums…Hot Springs, S.D., VA Medical CenterAtlanta VA Regional OfficeNew York VA Regional OfficeHouston VA Regional OfficeJackson, Miss., VA Regional OfficeNorthern Arizona VA Health Care SystemVA New Jersey Health Care SystemMontgomery, Ala., VA Medical CenterSalem, Va., VA Medical CenterMountain Home, Tenn., VA Medical CenterBirmingham, Ala., VA Medical CenterSan Antonio VA Medical Center, Audie Murphy

MuseumWest Los Angeles VA Regional OfficeLittle Rock, Ark., VA Medical CenterPhoenix VA Regional OfficeAmarillo, Texas, VA Health Care System

A Growing TrendA Growing TrendA Growing TrendA Growing TrendA Growing Trend

Confederate-run POW camp fromwhich the cemetery traces its origins.Inside the museum, a wooden modelof the camp’s original layout issupplemented by black and whitephotographs, uniforms, flags andother items showing visitors “whatlife was like back then,” said cem-etery director Ralph E. Bennett. He

Salisbury, N.C., National CemeteryVA Sierra Nevada Health Care SystemVA White City, Ore., DomiciliaryVA Roseburg, Ore., Health Care SystemSan Joaquin Valley, Calif., National CemeterySioux Falls, S.D., VA Medical & Regional Office

CenterLoma Linda, Calif., VA Medical Center

…and others with permanent displaysMilwaukee, Wis., VA Medical Center, Clement J.

Zablocki OfficeSaginaw, Mich., VA Medical Center, Aleda E. Lutz

displayWaco VA Regional Office, Texas POW/MIA & Medal

of Honor displayTomah, Wis., VA Medical Center, historical archives

display

said the museum typicallyattracts both Civil War buffsand those researching familyhistory. “A lot of peopleheard about the cemeteryand want to see it for them-selves. Some say as many as11,700 Union soldiers diedhere and were buried in massgraves.”

Interested in setting up adisplay or museum? The VACentral Office (VACO)Media Services Office canprovide some tips. Visualinformation specialistWilliam Hester, Jr., who’shelping coordinate develop-ment of the New JerseyVeterans Museum, has assisted anumber of facilities with contentplanning and design for both dis-plays and museums.

Funding for museums varies, hesaid, but no VA appropriated fundsare used. “Money for cabinet work,track lighting and other designelements is typically donated byveterans service organizations,private individuals and corporations.And display items are also donatedor on loan from veterans, employeesor other museums.”

Even VACO is getting in on the

act. Tabletop displays and posterexhibits marking the observance ofBlack History Month went up in thelobby in February, and Marchwelcomed displays for Women’sHistory Month and VA outreach.David Bell, chief of VACO MediaServices, said the displays will varyeach month to reflect nationalobservances and VA achievements.For more information on setting updisplays or museums, contact Bellvia e-mail or at (202) 273-9781. ❏

By Matt Bristol

A display of antique hospital furniture at theHot Springs, S.D., VA Medical Center’smuseum.

A museum at the Salisbury, N.C., NationalCemetery features a wooden model of the Civil WarPOW camp that once occupied the grounds.

10 VAnguard

Earth DayEarth DayEarth DayEarth DayEarth DayNational Cemeteries Practice Earth-Friendliness

The Los Angeles National Cemetery, a 115-acre greenbelt in the middle of a busycommercial center, is becoming a model for resource conservation.

G lobal warming…powerblackouts…declining watertables…deforestation ofnatural areas and contami-

nated drinking water. In the year2001, these are all real issues fromaround the world.

Ironically, April 22 marks the 31st

Earth Day—begun in 1970 with themessage “New Energy for a NewEra.” But before you think all is lost,keep in mind there are many cities,businesses and organizations thathave moved forward on environ-mental issues.

Take the city of Los Angeles.While there are more people and carsthan ever clogging the arteries of thisbusy metropolis, air pollutants andsmog have been on a steady declinethrough a concerted effort of respon-sible programs.

Or take the Los Angeles NationalCemetery. Can a cemetery, you mayask, possibly be conservation-minded/earth-friendly/environmen-tally sound? A model for Earth Day?

“Absolutely,” says BillLivingston, Los Angeles NationalCemetery director. The cemetery, a115-acre greenbelt in the middle ofone of the busiest commercial centers

of Los Angeles, is becoming a modelfor resource conservation. Livingstonbegan making some significantchanges in 1999 that are not onlyreaping environmental rewards, butfinancial benefits as well.

“One of the most importantthings we did was change to a newhigh-tech irrigation system thatsaved over 1 million gallons of waterin the first year of its use,” saidLivingston. “That one change hassaved over $37,000 of taxpayerdollars so far.”

Livingston also changed equip-ment. Instead of using the traditionallawn mowers, new “recycle” mowerswere brought in. The significance ofthis equipment is that instead ofhaving piles of grass clippings thatneed to be collected and discarded,the mowers actually put grassclippings back into the earth to act asfertilizer and replace nutrients in thesoil.

Needless to say, there is a signifi-cant side benefit of manpowersavings. Asked if the employeesusing this equipment had difficultyadapting to the new process, JohnLockhart, a groundskeeper at thecemetery for more than thirty years,

replied, “The equipment took somegetting used to, but now I thinkthey’re the best. They give a nice,clean cut and no clippings to speakof.”

Next, the facility installed its veryown state-of-the-art weather station.By constantly monitoring the groundand weather conditions, the weatherstation automatically adjusts waterschedules.

“Rather than depending on ahuman schedule and possiblywasting hundreds of gallons ofwater, this equipment now lets theactual soil and weather determinewhen and how much water isneeded,” Livingston explained.

Likewise, a new method offertilization allows the grass to be fedwhen the grass needs it—not when acalendar dictates it. The process usesa time-release product that lasts forthree months—saving manpower,dollars and excessive chemicals.

In the 1980s, national cemeteriesbegan to be designed in concert withenvironmental protection ideals tomaintain wetlands, flood plains,endangered species and historic sites.Many cemeteries now incorporateportions of acreage kept in its naturalstate.

The 4-year-old Tahoma NationalCemetery in Kent, Wash., is oneexample. Beautiful areas of trees andwetlands were preserved throughoutthe cemetery to keep its natural look.Deer can still be seen in some parts ofthe site. The result is a serene andthoughtful place that blends into itsenvironment without destroying orharming the ecological balance.

In Phoenix, the National Memo-rial Cemetery of Arizona is all desertlandscape. According to cemeterydirector Mark Maynard, 10,000 newbushes, shrubs, and foliage are beingadded to enhance the cemetery’slook.

“All of these plants are indig-enous to the desert so we can plantthem without adding an unnaturalburden to the desert,” said Maynard.Since the planting is native flora,natural wildlife in the area won’t be

April 2001 11

VA’s SocialWork Servicehas been awhirlwind ofactivity sinceJill Manske’sappointmentas servicedirector. Evenbefore she lefther post aschief of SocialWork in theNew Mexico

VA Health Care System, she waspreparing to revive the long-vacanttop spot.

In August, she met with stafffrom the House Veterans’ AffairsCommittee to pitch legislativeremedies for a 1991 law that’s beencausing headaches for VA socialworkers for nearly a decade. Thatlaw required social workers to belicensed in the state in which theypracticed. But if they transferred toanother facility, in another state, theywould have to get a new license.That meant additional paperwork,additional licensing fees, additionalheadaches.

But thanks to her efforts, and lotsof help from Human Resources,General Counsel and other staffoffices, the Veterans Benefits andHealth Care Improvement Act of2000 permits VA social workers tomaintain out-of-state licensing—apractice consistent with licensurelaws for physicians and other healthcare professionals—and also replacessocial work’s stiff three-year licens-ing mandate with a more flexibletime frame.

“This is a wonderful opportunityto impact social work VA-wide,”said Manske, referring to her newrole. But having an impact is familiarterritory for this nearly 20-year VAveteran.

In the mid-1980s, she developedoutreach programs for womenVietnam veterans through the St.Paul, Minn., Vet Center. She laterbecame the first women veteranscoordinator at the Minneapolis VAMedical Center. And in the early-’90s, she developed programs forwomen veterans in what wereformerly VA’s Central and WesternRegions.

As director of Social Work

Service, Manske says her primarymission is to provide guidance andconsultation on issues affecting theroughly 3,500 social workers operat-ing under VA. It’s a vital mission, asnearly half of all VA medical centersfunction without a chief socialworker—meaning many socialworkers are hired, evaluated andsupervised by someone who may notfully understand their discipline.

As a result, Manske is helpingmedical centers establish Social Workpractice boards responsible forconducting peer reviews, assessingsocial worker competency andtracking continuing education andstate licensure requirements. She’salso preparing a directive to guidesupervisors on the essential socialwork functions that should continueregardless of the facility’s organiza-tional structure.

“Social workers provide care toveterans in virtually all VHA pro-grams,” Manske said.

“My job is to assure that theyhave all the tools they need toprovide that care, such as SocialWork standards of practice andpractice guidelines.” ❏

Manske

disturbed either. “We’re living inharmony with the environmenthere.”

Other good examples of earth-friendly sites include the FloridaNational Cemetery in Bushnell,where they are using recycled waterfor irrigation from a state prisonnearby. Likewise, Fort Sam HoustonNational Cemetery in San Antonio,Texas, is also using recycled waterfrom the city’s water system.

Back in Los Angeles, BillLivingston says earth-smart changesare helping the cemetery becomemore ecologically responsible andhe’s willing to explore any newideas. Recently, during some severethunderstorms that moved throughthe area, Livingston lost one of theoldest trees on the property, an 87-year-old Italian Stone pine.

Rather than have the tree de-stroyed and discarded, Livingstondetermined that parts of the historictree could be recycled. One of hisnovel ideas: cutting out slices andusing them as plaques for employeeawards.

As Livingston explained, “Whynot give an award that is meaningfulin its content as well as its sentiment?After all, these are real pieces ofhistory from the cemetery and willmean more to our employees than apiece of paper mounted on card-board.”

Granted, most people wouldn’tthink of connecting Earth Day with aVA national cemetery. In fact, mostpeople think of national cemeteriesas large parcels of green grass thatserve as a final resting place for thosewho served. They can see thatnational cemeteries are shiningmonuments of respect to the nation’sveterans. Now they can add MotherEarth to the list.

For more information on the LosAngeles National Cemetery, contactBill Livingston at (310) 268- 4675. Formore information on earth-friendlytrends at national cemeteries, contactNCA’s Office of ConstructionManagement at (202) 565-4890. ❏

By Susan FishbeinLos Angeles OPA Regional Office

New Social Work Chief Revives Long-Vacant Job

primarily to expose enemy hidingplaces during the war.

Another element of the increasedoutreach effort is the expansion ofthe mailing list for VA’s AgentOrange Review newsletter. In partner-ship with the Veterans HealthAdministration’s EnvironmentalAgents Service, VBA has added375,000 in-country Vietnam veteransto the distribution.

A special issue of the newsletter,summarizing VA benefits andservices available to veterans ex-posed to Agent Orange and theprocedures to obtain these benefits,has been mailed to the more than300,000 veterans currently on VA’sAgent Orange registry. It is alsobeing sent to the veterans added tothe mailing list through a VA-DoDcomputer matching project. And as acomplement to the helpline,VBA’sCompensation and Pension Servicehas developed an Agent Orange Webpage at www.vba.va.gov/bln/21/benefits/herbicide/. ❏

AO Helpline (cont.)

12 VAnguard

A rising sun cast curiousshadows upon the grounds ofthe VA San Diego HealthcareSystem this Groundhog Day,

as 30 local high school students spentthe morning following in the foot-steps of medical professionals there.

As part of National GroundhogJob Shadow Day, the Mt. CarmelHigh School students were teamedwith San Diego VA employees tolearn about the wide range ofmedical career possibilities and howthe skills they learn in school can beapplied to the workplace. “Offeringstudents a closer look at variousmedical professions is an invaluableexperience,” noted Gary J. Rossio,director of the VA San DiegoHealthcare System. “We want to letthem see a day in the life of a doctor,nurse or lab technician. You neverknow, some of them may one dayreturn to the VA health care systemto pursue a medical career.”

An 18-year-old senior withnursing aspirations spent the morn-ing shadowing Steve J. Fulston, aregistered nurse in the medicalcenter’s Spinal Cord Injury Unit.After a tour of the area, Fulstonexplained how he got started innursing and came to specialize inspinal cord injury. “She had a lot ofquestions,” he recalled. “I told herthat it was a good time to get intonursing, and I also told her about VAand the benefits of working here, like

the tuitionreimbursementprogram.”

Otherstudents had lessclear careerambitions.Supervisoryradiologytechnologist JoeGagliardo’s highschool shadowshowed up forthe day sportingspiked blue hairand super-sizedLevi’s. Ratherthan preachingDress for Success101, Gagliardotook hisshadow’sunconventional

appearance in stride. “He looked likea teenager,” he said. “But I think thisexperience opened his eyes as to theprofessional expectations of amedical environment.”

Gagliardo admitted that he justmight have learned as much from hisshadow as the teen did from hisexperience at the medical center. “Hewas a great kid, and I’m glad we hadthe opportunity to interact with himbecause it allowed us to see severalthings, like how structured oursystem is and how we can bettercater to younger, new hires,” he said.Andy Mosley hopes to see highschool shadows more often. “This isa great outreach mechanism,” saidthe chief of Respiratory Therapy. Heexplained that the number of stu-dents enrolling in respiratorytherapy programs has dropped overthe years. “Recruiting is difficult, somaking contact with young people isessential.”

To give his shadow a glimpseinto the role of a respiratory thera-pist, Mosley asked the family of apatient in the Intensive Care Unit(ICU) if his shadow could watch atherapist at work. The family con-sented and the student got a first-hand look at how a respiratorytherapist operates a ventilator andinteracts with other ICU staff to carefor critical patients. “Hopefully, shecan take that experience and share itwith her friends,” said Mosley.

San Diego Welcomes Groundhog Day ‘Shadows’According to Sue Wojcieszek, a

career technician with Mt. CarmelHigh School who helped coordinatethe shadowing event, the studentswere very impressed with the VAstaff they met. “We were talkingabout their experiences on the busride back to school and all thestudents agreed that it was helpful.For them to actually spend time withsomeone in a career field they’reconsidering, it benefits them in somany ways.”

Created in 1997 by the jointefforts of America’s Promise, JuniorAchievement, School-to-Work, andthe American Society of AssociationExecutives, National Groundhog JobShadow Day introduces youngpeople to the day-to-day activities ofa particular career field and demon-strates how their education can beapplied in a work setting. Last year,more than 1 million middle and highschool students, together with some75,000 businesses, participated in theevent. For more information, checkout www.jobshadow.org. ❏

By Matt Bristol

High school student Janice Correa questions Cindy Cunningham, aregistered nurse at the VA San Diego Healthcare System, about herjob duties.

Buying Savings Bonds helpspromote thrift and increase personalsavings. Bonds offer a safe vehicle forinvestment, tax advantages andmarket-based interest rates from thedate of purchase. And your annualopportunity to start or increase anallotment is coming up.

This year’s federal Savings Bondscampaign will run throughout themonth of May. Secretary AnthonyPrincipi is the chair of VA’s cam-paign and Under Secretary forHealth Thomas L. Garthwaite, M.D.,the vice chair. There’s no need forsign-up cards—Savings Bondallotments can be started or modifiedusing HR LINK$.

VA will not be offering the newSeries I bond. A volunteer canvasserfrom your organization will contactyou soon about starting or increasingyour allotment. For more informa-tion about the advantages of buyingsavings bonds, go towww.savingsbonds.gov. ❏

Savings BondsCampaign Coming Up

April 2001 13

MEDICALadvances

Flu Shots Could Save Nation $1.3 BillionIt’s hard to imagine something as simple as a flu shot

having a national impact, but according to a recent VAstudy, if all of America’s 94 million full-time workers, ages18 to 64, received annual flu shots, the nation could saveabout $1.3 billion each year.

The study, which appears in the March 12 issue of theAmerican Medical Association’s Archives of InternalMedicine, describes how VA researchers examinedhealth, labor and economic statistics using a complexcomputer model that accounted for rates of illness frominfluenza, time lost from work, hourly wages, costs ofvaccination and other factors. The results showed healthcosts could be reduced by an average of $13.66 perperson vaccinated.

According to lead author Dr. Kristin L. Nichol, of theCenter for Chronic Disease Outcomes Research at theMinneapolis VA Medical Center and professor of Medi-cine at the University of Minnesota Medical School, thestudy provides important evidence to support a nationalpolicy of routine flu vaccinations for all working adults.Current medical guidelines recommend routine fluvaccines for people age 50 and older, and for those inother high-risk groups.

Flu affects up to 25 percent of Americans each yearand, according to 1995 figures, causes up to 75 millionlost workdays and 22 million doctor visits annually.Symptoms generally include fever, sore throat, coughand headaches, and may last up to a week.

Buffalo Researchers Link EyeMovement with Ringing in the Ears

Reporting in the February 27 issue of Neurology,researchers from the Buffalo Division of the VA WesternNew York Health Care System and the State Universityof New York at Buffalo (UB) have identified connectionsbetween tinnitus—or ringing in the ears—and eyemovements.

The study suggests that tinnitus is a complex phe-nomenon involving more than one site in the brain, andmay be due to an imbalance in brain systems. It is aunique concept and could point the way to new ap-proaches to tinnitus and related disorders, which affectsome 50 million Americans.

“This is the first research to show that a failure of thecomplicated way our brain systems talk to each othercontributes to the cause of tinnitus,” said lead author AlanH. Lockwood, M.D., a neurologist at the Buffalo VAMedical Center and professor of Neurology, NuclearMedicine and Communicative Disorders and Sciences atUB. “Tinnitus is not the simple problem we hoped for.”

Researchers used positron emission tomography to

identify specific parts of the brain associated with theringing sounds in patients with gaze-evoked tinnitus, arare disorder that causes a patient’s ears to ring louderand higher in pitch whenever they move their eyes.

They found lateral gaze activated an extensive neuralnetwork in both controls and patients. However, incontrols, lateral gaze suppressed brain activity in theauditory system. In patients with gaze-evoked tinnitus, itdid not. “We believe tinnitus is the result of changes inthe auditory circuits of the brain,” said Lockwood. “Tinni-tus might be viewed as the auditory-system equivalent tophantom limb pain,” he added.

Tinnitus may be associated with anxiety, sleepdisturbances, depression and other disabling symptoms.Currently, there is no effective drug treatment for thiscondition. Primary funding for the study came from a $1.2million grant from the National Institute on Deafness andOther Communication Disorders, with additional supportfrom The James H. Cummings Foundation of Buffalo,N.Y. The study’s co-authors are Richard Salvi, Ph.D.,and Robert Burkard, Ph.D.

San Diego Researchers DevelopBlood Test to Detect Heart Failure

The expensive and time-consuming tests doctorscurrently use to detect congestive heart failure may soonbe a thing of the past. Cardiologists from the VA SanDiego Healthcare System have developed a quick andsimple blood test to accurately detect heart failure inpeople admitted to hospital emergency rooms experienc-ing shortness of breath.

“The new test is easy; anyone can do it,” said AlanMaisel, M.D., director of the Coronary Care Unit at theSan Diego VA Medical Center and professor of Medicineat the University of California at San Diego. “This testhelps save lives and time. With two drops of blood, youget results in 15 minutes.” Maisel reported these findingsin a study published in the February issue of the Journalof the American College of Cardiology.

Researchers say the blood test detects elevatedlevels of the hormone B-type natriuretic peptide, or BNP,which is secreted by heart ventricles when pressure goesup, signaling the potential for heart failure. The test isanalogous to a white blood cell count; it is more accuratethan Pap smears for cervical cancer, PSA tests forprostate cancer and mammograms for breast cancer,with very few false positives, according to Maisel.

Until now, no blood test has been available to diag-nose congestive heart failure in urgent-care settings.Patients brought into hospital emergency rooms experi-encing shortness of breath are often required to take aseries of protracted tests, including a physical exam, X-rays, stress tests and an expensive echocardiographytest, which is not readily available in all hospital emer-gency rooms.

The BNP test, which was approved for use by theU.S. Food and Drug Administration late last year, isexpected to be available soon for use with patients inhospital emergency rooms. VA physicians annuallydiagnose approximately 100,000 veterans with conges-tive heart failure. ❏

14 VAnguard

HONORSand awards

Gerald F. DiBona, M.D.,chief of Medical Service at theIowa City VA MedicalCenter, was elected as aForeign Member of the RoyalSociety of Arts and Sciencesin Goteborg, Sweden. Theacademic society wasfounded in 1778 by KingGustav II and subsequentlygave rise to the ChalmersInstitute of Technology andthe University of Goteborg.DiBona has been a staffmember at the Iowa CityVAMC for 32 years. He is alsoprofessor and vice chairmanof Internal Medicine andprofessor of Physiology andBiophysics at the University ofIowa College of Medicine.

Registered nurse BarbaraRounds, from the CincinnatiVA Medical Center, was

selectedforinductioninto theOhioVeteransHall ofFameClass of2000.She joins

an elite group of veteransselected to the Hall of Fame,including CongressionalMedal of Honor recipients andformer service members fromthe Buckeye State who wenton to become U.S. Presi-dents.

Staff from the VA PugetSound Health Care Systemreceived the Nicholas E.Davies Award for exemplaryachievement in implementingthe Computerized PatientRecord System. Computer-ized patient records allow

health care providers to viewprogress notes, clinicalentries, medical alerts,radiology images and testresults. The Computer-basedPatient Record Institute andHealthcare Open Systemsand Trials, an organizationdedicated to accelerating thedevelopment and deploymentof computer-based patientrecord systems, presented the2000 Davies Award to bothVA Puget Sound and HarvardVanguard Medical Associates.

Eliot Siegel, M.D., chief ofRadiology/Imaging Servicesat the VA Maryland HealthCare System, received the2000 Excellence in DiagnosticImaging Award in the innova-tion category at the Radiologi-cal Society of North America’sScientific Assembly andAnnual Meeting held recentlyin Chicago. Siegel is a leadingforce in developing andtesting the performance offilmless radiology. In 1993, heimplemented the nation’s firstfilmless medical imagingsystem at the Baltimore VAMedical Center, and isrecognized as a pioneer andkey figure in the acceptanceof the Picture ArchivingCommunication System andfilmless radiology in Americaand throughout the world.

The National Associationof Alcoholism and Drug AbuseCounselors elected ThurstonS. Smith, a substance abuseprogram coordinator at theCharleston, S.C., VAMedical Center, as vicepresident of the association’sSoutheast Region. In this role,Smith serves on theassociation’s Executive Boardof Directors and as liaison

between the national officeand its seven-state SoutheastRegion.

Mark Bigwood, from theSalt Lake City, Utah, VAMedical Center, and ShirleyJackson, from the VABoston Healthcare System,were named VA minorityveterans coordinators of theyear for 2000. They wererecognized for their outstand-ing service to minorityveterans during an awardsceremony at the 5th annualtraining conference forminority veterans programcoordinators held in Pitts-burgh last fall.

During a meeting of theNew Orleans City Council, theMayor’s Military AdvisoryCommittee presented theAndrew Jackson HigginsLeadership Award to the NewOrleans VA Medical Centerfor its leadership and commu-nity commitment in organizing

Stand Down 2000, the city’slargest outreach event aimedat combating homelessness.The medical center teamedwith the New Orleans VARegional Office, the Louisi-ana State Department ofVeterans Affairs, branches ofthe armed forces, localcolleges and universities andhundreds of volunteers toorganize the two-day Septem-ber stand down. The eventreached more than 1,000veterans and their families.

Dr. Leslie Gonzalez-Rothi, a speech pathologist atthe Gainesville Division of theNorth Florida/South GeorgiaVeterans Health System andprogram director of the BrainRehabilitation Center, isslated to become president ofthe International Neuropsy-chological Society. She is thefirst speech pathologistselected for the position sincethe organization was foundedin 1967. ❏

The Leadership VA Alumni Association presented its2000 Exemplary Service Award to two VA employeeswho have demonstrated exceptional potential for

increased leadership and manage-rial responsibilities. JasonMcClellan, a veterans servicerepresentative at the Little Rock,Ark., VA Regional Office, won theaward in the GS-9 through 12category. He was a member of VA’sLEAD training program in 2000 andwas recently promoted to asupervisory position at the regionaloffice. Sandra

Hayes, a management andprogram assistant with the VA SanDiego Healthcare System, wonthe award in the GS-8 and undercategory. She was cited for herstrong organizational skills, workethic and eagerness to learn.McClellan and Hayes wereselected to receive the award fromapplicants nationwide.

Hayes

McClellan

LVAAA Honors Two EmployeesLVAAA Honors Two EmployeesLVAAA Honors Two EmployeesLVAAA Honors Two EmployeesLVAAA Honors Two Employees

Rounds

April 2001 15

you heardHAVE

A Promise Made—ACommitment Kept, The Storyof America’s Civil War EraNational Cemeteries, hasarrived. The 287-page bookdescribes the NationalCemetery Administration(NCA)’s 59 Civil War eracemeteries and their accep-tance into the NationalRegister of Historic Places.Therese Sammartino, whorecently retired from NCA’sOffice of ConstructionManagement, wrote the bookafter carefully preparing andsubmitting applications to theNational Register. She usedcolorful narratives anddescriptive illustrations totrace each cemetery’s CivilWar origins, and bound thebook in a decorative blue andgray cover complete with goldfoil printing. MichaelNacincik, of NCA’s Manage-ment Outreach Division, useddesktop publishing programsto develop the book’s layout,design and graphics. Copieswere sent to each cemeteryand Memorial ServiceNetwork director. NCA isinvestigating whether theGovernment Printing Officewill make the book availableto the public.

Worried about today’syouth? Don’t be! Just get toknow a VA student volunteer,like high school juniorCatherine Mack, a volunteerat the Columbia, S.C., VAMedical Center. She earneda perfect score of 1600 on theSAT college entrance exam. Itwas her second attempt, afterscoring a 1540 on her first.The 16-year-old didn’t want tobe outdone by her brotherJames, a senior who earlieralso scored a 1600. Although

no formal records exist, theorganization that administersthe test annually to more than1 million high school studentsknows of no other circum-stance where one childmatched the perfect score ofa sibling. “Catherine isoutgoing, animated and eagerto learn. Her respect forveterans is apparent in all thatshe does,” says PriscillaCreamer, Voluntary Serviceofficer. She has volunteeredfor two summers in theExtended Health Care ServiceLine, working in the pettherapy program, recreationtherapy and the nursinghome. According to recreationtherapist Thomas Streater, “Ithas been a pleasure to haveCatherine as a recreationvolunteer. She is not only veryprofessional, but extremelycaring and friendly toward ourveterans.”

When the communitycalled for volunteers to helpbuild a house sponsored byHabitat for Humanity, employ-ees from the James A. HaleyVeterans Hospital in Tampa,Fla., stepped up to do theirpart. Some 50 employeesdonned overalls and armedthemselves with shovels andhammers for the task at hand.They provided most of thelabor for digging the footings,constructing the roof andinterior walls, and installingthe vinyl siding, while localvendors came through withmoney and materials to buildthe house for a low-incomefamily. The army of VAvolunteers completed most ofthe project in just two week-ends and made a significantcontribution to their commu-nity. Habitat for Humanity

dedicated the new house inearly March, when the familymoved into its new home.

An agreement betweenVA and the American Federa-tion of Government Employ-ees is paying big dividends tocomputer specialists. All GS-11 computer specialistsworking for the VeteransHealth Administration (VHA)were awarded nearly $1million in back pay forovertime dating back toJanuary 1995, plus time and ahalf for future overtime hours,after VHA determined theyshould have been coveredunder the Fair Labor Stan-dards Act.

The National CemeteryAdministration (NCA) Website—www.cem.va.gov—passed the 1 million hit marklast month. The popular sitewent online in March of 1996.Search engine and Web sitereviewer Lycos ranked NCA’ssite among the top 5 percentof all sites on the Internet in1998, and gave it a number-one rating in the sectionGovernment-Military-ArmedForces. Among NCA’s morepopular sites is the section onthe Presidential MemorialCertificate, available to familymembers of honorablydischarged veterans upontheir deaths. NCA receivessome 260 e-mail inquiriesthrough its Web site eachmonth.

VA patient safety got aboost in March with theunveiling of VetPro, anadvanced, secure, Web-based health care profes-sional credentialing systemoperational at VHA facilitiesnationwide. Credentialingassures that health careprofessionals have theappropriate degrees andcurrent licenses for theirclinical roles, while alsoverifying that practitionershave a track record of high-

quality and safe patient care.When a provider is creden-tialed using VetPro, apermanent, electronic file iscreated that will be immedi-ately transportable throughoutVA and ultimately acrossfederal health care programs.As the system is used, the re-credentialing process will bestreamlined, as files need onlybe updated and not recreated.

Chattanooga, Tenn., VANational Cemetery staffinterred one of their own latelast year. Juanita Walkerbegan her VA career as aclerk at the cemetery in 1969,but went on to become thefirst female superintendent inthe former National CemeterySystem. She served assuperintendent at the Leba-non, Ky., Mountain Home,Memphis, Nashville and LosAngeles National Cemeteriesbefore retiring in 1986.

Have you seen SecurityAlert, the VA InformationSecurity Stand Down video?The Employee EducationService sent copies of thetape to VA facilities forviewing by all VA staff andcontractors. The videofocuses on the importance ofprotecting VA’s computersystems and informationresources.

The two-hour drivebetween the ChattanoogaVA Outpatient Clinic and theMurfreesboro, Tenn., VAMedical Center is now afamiliar route for Charles“Speedy” Bearden, avolunteer driver with theDisabled American Veterans(DAV) van service who haslogged more than 85,000miles and 2,990 hourstransporting veterans to theirappointments at the medicalcenter. He’s been a volunteerdriver for more than nineyears, and when a DAV van isnot available, he often drivesvets in his own vehicle. ❏

16 VAnguard

HEROES✩ ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩

Our story in the MarchHave You Heard columnabout the VA employees whohelped a Florida veteran fulfillhis dying wish to hold and kissthe U.S. flag once more,contained some inaccuracies.The veterans benefits officerwho was contacted by socialworker Mercedes Mukati forhelp obtaining the flag isAlbert, not Jorge, Ramos. Shealso contacted LarryBergman, VFW serviceofficer. Ramos obtained a flagfrom the Miami VA Police andSecurity Service and pre-sented it to the veteran at hisbedside.

Corrections

Fueled by alcohol andanger, a distraught veteranwalked up to Fred Smith,chief of Police and Security atthe Oklahoma City VAMedical Center, and whippedout a loaded .357 magnum.When Smith snatched theweapon from the man’shands, he began to cry andasked for help. Chief Smithcalmly provided emotionalsupport and escorted the manto the Mental Health Clinic foran evaluation. Afterward, theveteran asked if Smith couldhelp escort him as he wasbeing admitted to the inpatientPsychiatric Unit.

Using his knowledge ofhome loans, senior loanspecialist Kevin Gallagherhelped an Illinois veteran savehis home from a property taxsale. It happened when theveteran called the St. Paul,Minn., VA Regional LoanCenter and asked for helpsaving his home, which wasbeing sold the next daybecause his mortgagecompany had not paid theproperty taxes. Gallaghercontacted the county taxassessor’s office to learn whatwould happen at the tax saleand the exact amount neededto stop it. He then contactedthe mortgage company andarranged for the funds to bedelivered by express mail tothe tax office. Finally, hecalled the veteran and,because of the seriousness ofthe problem, recommendedhe attend the sale withenough money to pay thedelinquent taxes. Fortunately,the veteran followedGallagher’s advice, becausethe funds did not arrive in time

to stop the sale and he had topay the back taxes himself.The cost put a financial strainon his family and he neededreimbursement as soon aspossible. Once again,Gallagher contacted themortgage company. Heobtained the express mailtracking information, and afterdiscovering the tax officereceived the payment late onthe day of the sale, arrangedfor them to return theveteran’s check.

Thanks to the insightfulthinking of Laird Britton,Disabled American Veterans(DAV) coordinator at the VAPuget Sound Health CareSystem, a tragedy wasavoided. A veteran hadscheduled a ride in the DAVvan, but when the driverstopped at his house to pickhim up, no one answered thedoor. The driver relayed thisinformation to Britton, whoknew the veteran was verypunctual and always can-celled if he couldn’t make anappointment. Concerned,Britton called the local policeand asked them to investi-gate. The police entered theveteran’s home and found himon the floor, unable to move.It turns out the veteran hadbeen lying there for eighthours. Without Britton’s callfor help, the situation couldhave proved very tragic.

David Hescock, aresident of the REACHProgram for homelessveterans at the BrocktonCampus of the VA BostonHealthcare System, knewhow to respond when a

veteran from the ChelseaSoldier’s Home beganchoking during an annualdinner at the Braintree MooseLodge. Hescock promptlycame to the woman’s aid,explaining that he was goingto perform the Heimlichmaneuver, and successfullyclearing a chunk of cornedbeef that was blocking herairway.

Joan Clifford, R.N., hadescaped old man winter’s icygrip. The acting associatechief of Nursing Service at theBoston Campus of the VABoston Healthcare Systemwas enjoying a sun-filledvacation in the DominicanRepublic. One day, her quietgetaway was interrupted by awoman’s frantic cry for help.As soon as she heard thescreams, Clifford looked upand saw a man sweatingprofusely and about to passout. She jumped up from herchair and ran to the beach toget help from her friendsMarie Pizziferri, R.N., KathyGermany, R.N., SusanShannon, R.N., and PaulaRonan-Simoni, a respiratorytherapist. Together, theyattended to the vacationer,who was from Germany andspoke no English. Later, aphysician arrived and took theman to the hospital.

Judi D. Warren, R.N., acritical care nurse at theColumbia, Mo., VA MedicalCenter, was driving homefrom the post office when shesaw a strange sight—a pair oflegs jutting out from somebushes by the side of theroad. She decided to pull overto investigate and discovereda woman with skin cold to thetouch, who seemed to havesuffered a seizure. Sheimmediately asked a pass-erby, who also stopped tohelp, to call for an ambulance.In no time, an ambulance,

several police officers andlocal news reporters were onthe scene. Warren’s actionsmay have saved the woman’slife.

Nursing assistant DeanAnderson was walking downthe main hallway in the SpinalCord Injury building at theMemphis, Tenn., VA MedicalCenter when he saw a manstanding on the narrow ledgeoutside a Plexiglas retainingwall. “Some patients weresaying this guy was going tojump,” said Anderson, “and Iknew I had to do something,so I climbed across the ledgeand pushed him back againstthe glass.” Holding on to theman by his pants, Andersontried to persuade him to climbback over the wall. “I tried totalk to him, but he wasn’tresponding. So I just said,‘look, one way or the other,you’re going back over.’”Using his shoulders forleverage, he boosted thepatient back over the wallwhere others pulled him tosafety. “Looking back, I neverthought of it as a big deal,” hesaid. But others did. Hereceived a Special Contribu-tion Award for his heroicactions. ❏

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