VA Hospital News

On April 6, Veterans and their families are invited to join The War Horse News and The University of Chicago’s Harris School of Public Policy for a day-long convening where members of the public can discuss the human impact of military service with legendary journalists, world-class scholars, and the senior government officials shaping the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs. [From VA News]

Are you spending too much time sitting at the computer or watching TV? Is your neck complaining of stiffness and pain? Try this acupressure self-care routine to loosen up the muscles in your neck and bring relief. In just 10 minutes, you can get the benefits of acupressure. Simply follow along with Laurieanne Nabinger, registered nurse, in this acupressure self-care for neck pain video. [From VA News]

VA celebrates 100 years of advancing health care for women Veterans. For this Women’s History Month, we wanted to share the names and achievements of some of the women who have shaped VA’s history. [From VA News]

Today’s #VeteranOfTheDay is Marine Veteran Brittany Elliott, who was hurt in an auto accident and is competing in the 2023 National Winter Sports Clinic. Brittany Elliott was born and raised in West Virginia before moving to Tennessee at 15. After graduating high school, Elliott attended college for a few semesters before losing interest. [From VA News]

We honor her service.

Watch VA’s free, recorded “Protecting the Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act Benefits from Identity Theft Scammers” webinar to learn valuable tips to protect your VA benefits and financial well-being. Veterans are prime targets of scams and identify theft, so VA’s Privacy Service hosted the Feb. 1 webinar to help you understand how to safeguard your benefits and other finances from scammers. If you missed the webinar live in February, you can watch it now for free on the VA Privacy Service Events webpage. No login is required. [From VA News]

Two decades later, they remain ‘the invisible Veterans.’ The increase in women soldiers, and the visibility of their service, led to policy changes over the next 20 years. [From The 19th]

“When you think aircrew, your first thought may not be about in-flight bladder relief, but it can pose major health and safety issues for pilots,” the statement noted. [From Military Times]

During an interview with the Executive Director, of the VA Center for Women Veterans, Lourdes Tiglao, told the Guardian that she was one of few women with the United States Air Force’s critical care air transport team in Afghanistan after 9/11. “I felt that I had to prove myself every time that I belonged there,” said Tiglao, who was tasked with stabilizing wounded troops as part of a three-person team that operated pordiv intensive care units on transport aircraft. At 4ft 11in, her body armor came down to her thighs. “You’re a woman and you’re super short, and so … you feel like you can’t show any weakness because they will look at you like, ‘If you’re going to crack under pressure, how can we trust you with someone’s life?’” she said. [From The Guardian]

Today’s #VeteranOfTheDay is Air Force Veteran Roberta “Bobi” Pike-Oates, who served for 23 years and retired as a senior master sergeant. Although she “didn’t think she’d make it [for] four years” in the Air Force, Roberta “Bobi” Pike-Oates has successfully pursued a 23-year career in the branch, serving in several influential positions. She first joined the Air Force in 1976, when she was stationed in Texas to complete basic training at Lackland Air Force Base and tech school in Sheppard Air Force Base. [From VA News]

We honor her service.