Nov/Dec 98 copy - U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs a training program to export what the...

November/December 1998 1

Veterans Day 1998Veterans Day 1998Veterans Day 1998Veterans Day 1998Veterans Day 1998France Honors Doughboys — page 20

VAnguard

Inside: Carey Awards, 4 ✩ Wheelchair Games, 6 ✩ Plain Language, 10

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 1998

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Published by the Office of Public Affairs (80D)

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

(202) 273-5746/5735E-mail: [email protected]

www.va.gov/pubaff/OPAIndex.htm

INTRODUCINGCCCCCONTENTSONTENTSONTENTSONTENTSONTENTS

Melodee Mercer

VAnguard VA’s Employee MagazineNovember/December 1998

Vol. XLIV, No. 7Printed on 50% recycled paper

Editor: Lisa RespessGraphics: Michael Nacincik

CCCCCOLUMNSOLUMNSOLUMNSOLUMNSOLUMNSOn The Cover:

Members of the AmericanLegion “27 Flags” from Marylandparade into the Memorial Amphi-theater at the start of the annualVeterans Day ceremony at Arling-ton National Cemetery. Theyrepresent the history of the Ameri-can flag in the state — 27 versionshave flown over Maryland fromcolonial times to the present asstates were added to the union.

14-19

❏ Carey Award Winners 4-5Denver Distribution Center takes trophy

❏ Homeless Grants 526 awarded to non-profit groups

❏ Wheelchair Games 6-7Athletes go for the gold in Pittsburgh

❏ Budget Bill Signed 8VA funded at $42.6 million

❏ Foreign Office 9Staff oversees international activities

❏ Plain Language 10-11Government writing initiative launched

❏ Workplace Violence 13VA employee offers prevention training

❏ Veterans Day 20Observances held across the nation

Melodee Mercer is a federal plainlanguage pioneer whose time hasfinally come. She has worked 16years at the VA Insurance Center inPhiladelphia, but her expertise inclear, understandable writing hasmade her presence felt throughoutgovernment.

The October 1 launch of thePresident’s Plain Language inGovernment Writing program hasmade clear, understandable commu-nication the standard for federalwriters. That’s something Melodeehas long advocated and is now doingsomething about as one of the federalgovernment’sleading plain lan-guage experts.

“Writing issomething almostevery VA employeedoes on the job,” shesaid. “And plainlanguage writing doesmake a difference.When you begin tofocus as much on whoyou are writing for ason what you are writing about, youcan’t help but increase understand-ing, and that changes the entireprocess.”

It made a big difference inMelodee’s life. In 1993 she wascalled back to work early from avacation to take part in local trainingaimed at helping the InsuranceCenter revamp its pattern lettersused to respond to veterans’ inquir-ies.

That work earned Melodee aplace as eastern region representativeon VBA’s Simplified CommunicationTask Force, whose job was to de-velop a training program to exportwhat the Insurance Center and otherVBA facility writers had learned tothe rest of VBA. By 1996, the taskforce, with the help of a contractor,had come up with VBA’s ReaderFocused Writing (RFW) program.Melodee became one of its principalinstructors.

She was detailed to VA CentralOffice for four months during thesummer of 1996 and, with the help ofVBA’s newly established satellitetelevision network, taught the basicsof Reader Focused Writing to 800employees in 32 offices.

“We were on the air four to sixhours a day, five days a week,” sherecalled. “We knew we had a greatproduct and all that practice honedthe presentation into an effectivepackage.”

Vice President Gore vouched forthat in June when he presented VBAand its RFW team the NPR Hammer

Award for leading theway in reinventing theway the governmentwrites.

In five years,Melodee has seen alocal initiative shehelped start developinto a nationalprogram. She isVBA’s lead satelliteRFW instructor; is acharter member of

the NPR Plain English Network; andprovides orientations for otheragencies. Last year, she was detailedto NPR in Washington and wrote the“letter writing” guidance now on theNPR plain language web site atwww.plainlanguage.gov.

The VA Plain Language WorkingGroup, charged with implementingthe President’s directive throughoutthe Department, is working withMelodee and other VBA RFWexperts to adapt that program forVA-wide use.

“The instruction does work,” shesaid. “People come back after classessaying this is the right thing to do.When you write so people under-stand, you get something back. Youfix the process. You make surepeople know what they need toknow.” ❏

By Chris Scheer


OutlookIrwin Pernick,Associate DeputyAssistant Secretaryfor Policy

First, a quiz.Which versionof this letterfrom the VAInsuranceCenter do youprefer?A) We areproviding thefollowinginformationabout an

insurance payment you indicate youhave not received or which is other-wise missing. We have given theTreasury Department the necessaryinformation to trace the check inquestion; or

B) We received the missing checkform you sent us. We asked theTreasury Department to find outwhat happened to your check.“B” is the obvious choice. Why? It’ssimple, direct and understandable. Itis written in plain language. “A”was the original VA response. Thegoal of the recently launched federalgovernment plain language initiativeis to get all federal employeeswriting “B” letters as we reinvent theway we communicate with theveterans we serve, other customersand fellow employees.

In announcing the President’splain language initiative last June,Vice President Gore provided thisthumbnail guide to plain language:short is better than long; active isbetter than passive; everyday termsare better than technical terms and itis all right, even preferable, to usepronouns like “we” and “you.”

We in VA know these principleswork. The Veterans Benefits Admin-istration has packaged and taughtthem to hundreds of employees overthe past year through its HammerAward-winning Reader FocusedWriting program.

Plain language shrinks complexsentences, reduces paragraphs,simplifies titles and, most of all,creates understanding instead ofconfusion and frustration.

Secretary of Veterans AffairsTogo D. West, Jr., issued a VA plainlanguage memorandum and actionplan in September directing imple-mentation of the President’s initia-tive.

The implementation schedule forplain language is to write all newdocuments, other than regulations,that explain veterans’ benefits andhow to apply for them in plainlanguage as of October 1, 1998; towrite all proposed and final regula-tions published in the FederalRegister in plain language beginningJanuary 1, 1999; and to rewrite allolder documents still in use, includ-ing letters, forms, notices andinstructions, in plain languagebeginning January 1, 2002.

Secretary West said that VA isand will continue to be a leader inthe plain language initiative. TheVBA Reader Focused Writingprogram has put us in the lead andthe Plain Language Working Group Ichair is now working with VBA toadapt that approach to VA-wide use.

Plain language provisions arebeing added to VA correspondencemanuals and plain language guidesand best practices web sites will beadded to the VA intranet home page. The National Partnership forReinventing Government (NPR) hasa very good plain language web sitethat all VA employees shouldreview. It’s an excellent introductionto what plain language is, how itworks, and how it can work for you.Check it out atwww.plainlanguage.gov.

Training will be critical to imple-mentation of plain language in VA,but even more important will be theinvolvement and support of all VAmanagers and supervisors in makingsure they personally write andcommunicate in plain language andexpect the same from all VA employ-ees.

You have heard colleaguesscoffing about this initiative. Indeed,some may be deriding what they

claim is the “dumbing down” ofbureaucratic language they holddear. Well, they are wrong. Plainlanguage works. It is real and it iseffective. Its principles can betaught, practiced and perfected.

But ultimately it is more; it iswriting with an attitude — anattitude of concern and respect forthe person with whom you arecommunicating. When you startyour sentence with that attitude, a lotmore than your writing changes. ❏

Plain Language Writing PromotesUnderstanding, Reduces Confusion

“The first place researchersshould turn if they need informa-tion about VA databases.” That ishow Dr. Denise Hynes and DianeCowper describe the new VAInformation Resource Center(VIREC) they co-direct at theHines, Ill., VA Medical Center.

VA recently approved develop-ment of the new national center toserve as a wellspring of informa-tion on VA databases and providean information infrastructure tohealth-services researchers usingthese databases to address health-research issues important to VA.

VIREC staff also will act asliaison between health-servicesresearchers and the Office of theVA Chief Information Officer.

The VIREC will provide onecentralized location for researchersto ask questions on the numerousdatabases VA owns and storesthroughout the country.

The VIREC can point research-ers in the right direction to findanswers to their questions. Centerstaff will lead investigators tospecific databases likely to containthe information they require and toconsultants knowledgeable withthose databases.

The new center can be reachedat (708) 216-2413. ❏

New DataCenter Opens

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has reduced waits for products andpaper handling while improvingaccuracy for a 44 percent increase inproductivity over five years. Andnew products have been added toinventory in the past year. The DDCis reducing its costs further byoffering audiology services to fiveArmy regional hospitals. While theArmy facilities pay the same as VAfacilities, they absorb the DDC’soverhead costs as well.

At the awards program, Shieldssaid his employees had an 80 percentincrease in workload in the last twoyears and expect another 40 percentincrease next year with no additionalstaff.

He asked his own question:“How can such a small group ofpeople handle a customer base suchas this and maintain quality incustomer service?” And answered:“Plan and follow through; continu-ally provide training; encourageautonomy; delegate authority; buildself-maintaining teams that work toachieve a common purpose.” Shieldsadded, “We need to provide the toolsto our customers and our employees.We must keep pace with technology;but it’s people who will make ithappen. They have to have passionand that has to come from the heart.”

Category winners were: forhealth care, the Erie, Pa., VAMC; forbenefits services, the St. Paul, Minn.,

VARO and Insurance Center; fornational cemeteries, the FloridaNational Cemetery Complex based atBushnell. Achievement winners alsowere named: the Walla Walla, Wash.,VAMC, the Manchester, N.H.,VARO; and the Jefferson BarracksNational Cemetery, St. Louis, Mo.

Erie VAMC Director StephenLucas said with the reorganizationinto integrated service lines, thestaff’s well-being was his firstconcern in developing a moreproductive operation.“Reengineering is just one tool in thetool box,” he added.

The medical center began a 50-hour training program that coveredleadership, coaching and mentoring,customer service and interpersonalskills and allowed employees to earncredit hours from a local university.The goal was to encourage employ-ees to be engaged in their work andto work smart. Lucas said they havetaken charge of their futures and theresult is outstanding service.

Some of those results include: 33percent improvement in medical careoutcomes, reduced waits in severalclinics and 11 percent cost reductionthrough reorganization. Eighty-fourpercent of surveyed patients ratedtheir care as very good or excellent.

The St. Paul VARO took on thejob of handling veterans’ calls thatcannot get through to 13 other

Robert W. Carey Award Winners AnnouncedDenver Distribution Center Takes Top Honor

Carey Quality Award WinnersTrophy WinnerDenver Distribution Center

Category WinnersHealth Care Erie, Pa., VAMCBenefits St. Paul, Minn., VARO & ICNational Cemeteries Florida National Cemetery

Complex, Bushnell, Fla.Achievement WinnersWalla Walla, Wash., VAMCManchester, N.H., VAROJefferson Barracks National Cemetery, St. Louis, Mo.

“ This is flag-waving achieve-ment — the kind for which theAmerican people should bewilling to stand up and

cheer,” said Secretary of VeteransAffairs Togo D. West, Jr., in praise ofthe productivity and “significant”cost reductions of some of the 1998Robert W. Carey Quality Awardhonorees at the annual ceremony inlate September.

Among the trophy winner, threecategory winners and three achieve-ment winners, four had also won thefederal government’s top honor forquality and reinvention, the VicePresident’s Hammer Award.

Secretary West was quick to notethat the best ideas for improvingservice to customers (or, in VA’scase, veterans) have come fromemployees who do the front-linework for them. It was also a recur-ring message from honorees whoaccepted awards on behalf of theirstaffs.

One of those, Bob Shields, saidnot only ideas but teamwork on thefront line creates the quality andproductivity that customers appreci-ate and that resulted in the DenverDistribution Center (DDC) winningthe Carey trophy this year. AndShields, who has directed the pro-curement and supply source forprosthetic and audiology devicessince 1980, knows about being aDDC customer — the Center sup-plies his prosthetic feet and socks.

He is one of more than 388,000disabled veterans who receiveassistive devices from the DDC; theyplace an average of 1,000 orders aday — filled by most of the 54 peoplewho staff the Center. In addition toproviding aids, batteries, compo-nents and prostheses, the DDCrepairs hearing aids and tracks morethan a million hearing devicesthrough their life cycles.

Compared to purchasing thesedevices privately, DDC contractssave VA a lot of money. Softwaredesigned by DDC staff has savedeven more money and time byallowing medical centers to orderprescribed products electronically. The Remote Order Entry System


Administration created regional loancenters (RLCs), St. Paul startedplanning to become a consolidatedRLC for six states, and soon willcover three more. Better telephoneaccess and timeliness on policyservice has resulted. The VocationalRehabilitation and CounselingDivision has doubled the number ofveterans served with out-based sitesand itinerant counseling. TheInsurance Center exceeded the goalof 91 percent of customers beinghighly satisfied per quarter, with a 96percent rating at the end of June.

Ronald J. Henke, director of theVARO & IC, accepted the awardalong with staff members.

“It’s not rocket science,” said RonPemberton, director of the FloridaNational Cemetery Complex, refer-

New Round of Homeless Grants Awarded

regional offices in the Central Areawhen lines are busy. Research withcallers showed satisfaction ratingsaveraging 4.3 on a 5-point scale.More than 292,000 callers whootherwise would not have receivedprompt assistance were servedbetween the Information Center’sopening in 1996 and the end ofAugust 1998.

The VARO opened a toll-freephone line for veterans and serviceofficers to discuss their adjudicatedclaims. “Call George” (named foradjudicator/benefits counselorGeorge Zechmann), has reduced thenumber of claimants who file dis-agreement notices and increased thenumber who reopen claims withmore useful evidence.

When the Veterans Benefits

ring to the team-building leadershipthat earned the category award.Having started with the NationalCemetery Administration (NCA) inthe 1970s as a caretaker, Pembertonalways believed managers couldlearn how to create a productiveworkforce from front-line employees.

Employees at the Florida complexdeveloped mission statements and ateam to create a business plan linkingcemetery goals with those of NCA.Employee ideas that have paid offinclude: sharing water and vehicleswith other federal facilities, provid-ing information about the cemeteryon a radio frequency message asvehicles enter the grounds, anddeveloping new gardens for scatter-ing cremation ashes, thereby con-serving space.

The Florida National Cemetery isonly 10 years old. The complex alsoincludes the St. Augustine and BayPines cemeteries, which have nomore space for casket burials.

Gary Williams, assistant directorof the Muskogee, Okla., VARO,spoke for the Carey Award examin-ers and site visitors who chose thewinners this year. He visited all ofthe nominated VA sites. Williamsurged all VA facilities to use theCarey criteria each year to evaluatetheir performance — not to competeto win but to enlighten themselvesand have a benchmark to measuresuccess. ❏

By Jo Schuda

T wenty-six public and private nonprofit groups from 23

cities and the District ofColumbia have been awarded

grants totaling almost $5 millionfrom VA to develop new programsto assist homeless veterans.

Awarded under the HomelessProviders Grant and Per DiemProgram, these grants will supple-ment up to 65 percent of the cost ofacquiring or renovating facilities thatwill be used for supportive housingor service centers.

With this new round of grants,VA has assisted 127 grant recipientsin 39 states and the District ofColumbia, with new recipients in

three more states (North Carolina,Utah and Virginia).

The majority of this year’s grantrecipients will use the funds toacquire or renovate facilities toprovide transitional housing forhomeless veterans.

For example, the recipient of thelargest grant awarded this year,Operation Dignity, Inc., of Oakland,Ca., will use its more than $487,000award to help renovate 28 housingunits at the Alameda Naval Stationto create transitional housing thatwill provide 100 beds for homelessveterans.

When these new projects arecompleted, approximately 2,500

community-based beds for homelessveterans are expected to be available.Veterans can generally stay in atransitional housing facility for up totwo years before moving intopermanent housing.

Four of the grant recipients willuse the funds to create supportiveservice centers for homeless veterans.The organizations expect that whenoperational, these service centers willlog a total of more than 900 contactswith homeless veterans each month.

Services available through thesecenters can include mental healthand substance abuse counseling, jobtraining and legal assistance. ❏

Team members from the Denver Distribution Center join Director Bob Shields in acceptingVA’s top quality award in Washington in September.

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1998 Wheelchair GamesAthletes Triumph atThree Rivers

Spirit of the Games winner Gil Garcia, of SanAntonio, Texas, began competing in the Games in1993, less than a year after he was injured in adiving accident while serving in the Army.

M ore than 560 veterans from46 states, Puerto Rico andGreat Britain gathered inPittsburgh, Pa., this summer

to compete in the 18th NationalVeterans Wheelchair Games.

The Games, co-sponsored by VAand the Paralyzed Veterans ofAmerica (PVA), were hosted thisyear by the VA PittsburghHealthcare System and the KeystoneChapter of PVA.

While this event has producedmany world-class athletes in thepast, for many newly injured veter-ans it is their first exposure towheelchair sports. At this year’sGames, which were one of the largestin the 18-year history of the event,veterans “went for the gold” in trackand field, swimming, basketball,weightlifting, softball, airguns, quadrugby, billiards, bowling, tabletennis, archery and wheelchairslalom. The competition also intro-duced the equestrian event as an

exhibition event.One of the athletes who

was successful in his questfor a gold medal was Ed“Frenchy” DeLauriers.“The excitement was justunbelievable,” DeLauriers,President of the KeystoneChapter of PVA, said.“This year’s Games inPittsburgh will be talkedabout for years tocome…for generations.”

The VA PittsburghHealthcare System beganpreparing for the Games18 months before the eventand more than half of thehealthcare system’semployees were on handto assist with the Games atsome point during theweek.

A spectacular cer-emony at the PittsburghConvention Center opened

the Games.Former

Pittsburgh Steelerand Army veteranAndy Russellserved as master ofceremonies.Speakers includedSecretary Togo D.West, Jr., Pennsyl-vania GovernorTom Ridge,Pittsburgh MayorTom Murphy, andCappello.

The keynotespeaker wasformer PittsburghSteeler and honor-ary chairman ofthis year’s Games,

Rocky Bleier. Bleier was the idealhonorary chair for the event. Betterthan almost anyone, he could relateto the veteran athletes and theirability to overcome adversity.Seriously wounded in Vietnam, hewas awarded the Purple Heart,Bronze Star, and two campaignribbons.

After his injury, doctors told himhe might never walk again and hecertainly would never play footballagain. But like the 562 athletes whocompeted in Pittsburgh, Bleierrefused to give up, and fought hishardest to rehabilitate from hisinjury. The results of his outstandingachievements include a great careerwith the Pittsburgh Steelers and four

Secretary Togo D. West, Jr., greets former Pittsburgh Steeler andHonorary Chairman of the 1998 National Veterans WheelchairGames, Rocky Bleier. At right is VA Pittsburgh HealthcareSystem Director Thomas Cappello.

MA

RK C

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Super Bowl rings.“I experienced, in a smaller

portion, what they’ve gone through,”Bleier said of the Wheelchair Gamesathletes. “I know about goingthrough the steps of doubt, aboutwondering how far they will be ableto go with their recovery and what’sgoing to happen to them. That is whythese Games are so good because itgives individuals goals to worktowards.”

Bleier, a sought-after motivationalspeaker, commented that he did nothave to give these athletes a pep talk.“These athletes were an inspirationto me and anyone who came and hadthe privilege to watch them com-pete.”

Dr. Rory Cooper had the distinc-tion of much more than just partici-pating in the 1998 WheelchairGames. In addition to being acompetitor and a gold medal winner,Cooper, who is the chairman of theUniversity of Pittsburgh Departmentof Rehabilitation, Science andTechnology, helped put the bidtogether to bring the Games toPittsburgh.

One of the pioneers in the field ofwheelchair racing design, Cooperhas long been one of the event’smore accomplished athletes. Heserves as a role model and mentor tomany other wheelchair athletes andspends much of his time during theGames supporting and encouragingthe novice athletes.

“The focus of the NationalVeterans Wheelchair Games is tokeep veterans active and to getnewly injured people out of the

hospital and involved— kind of a fitness forlife thing,” said Coo-per.

The closing cer-emony for the 1998Games was highlightedby Luis Clemente, sonof the late baseball Hallof Famer RobertoClemente, passing thetorch from Cappello tothe team from SanJuan, Puerto Rico —Clemente’s home andthe site of the 1999Wheelchair Games.Deputy SecretaryHershel Gober, attend-

ing his fifth WheelchairGames, delivered theclosing address. “I stillmarvel at the ability ofthe athletes and theheart of the competi-tion at the WheelchairGames,” he told theathletes. “You aretruly heroes — youinspire me.”

Next year’s Wheel-chair Games are set forJune 20-27. For moreinformation, contactEdgar Diaz, Chairman,Local OrganizingCommittee, San JuanVAMC, at (787) 766-5333. ❏

By David CowgillVA PittsburghHealthcare System

Kevin Moellenberndt, of Fayetteville, N.C., takes aim at histarget in the archery competition.

Patricia Flynn, an Army veteran from Pace, Fla., competesin the discus event.

Patricia Sapp, of Rockwell, Texas, and Ed “Frenchy”DesLauriers, of Lower Burrell, Pa., offer each other support andencouragement during a softball game.

8 VAnguard

P resident Clinton signed theVA, HUD and IndependentAgencies appropriations billfor fiscal year 1999 (Public

Law 105-276) on October 21. The billprovides nearly $42.6 billion for VA,$438 million above the President’srequest and $1.6 billion above the1998 spending level.

Of the total appropriation, morethan half will be used for entitlementbenefits programs, such as paymentsto veterans with service-connecteddisabilities, pensions, educationbenefits, death benefits, home loanguaranty and other credit programs.Nearly 90 percent of the remainingamount — a total of $17.3 billion —will be used for medical care. Inaddition, since VA now has theauthority to retain third-partycollections, estimated to bring inanother $625 million in fiscal year1999, discretionary resources formedical care total $17.9 billion.

VHA’s Medical Administrationand Miscellaneous OperatingExpenses (MAMOE) funding isappropriated $63 million, includinga one-time increase of $3 million toallow time for VHA to exploreoptions to support enhanced clinical,quality and performance manage-ment activities without the need fora reduction-in-force (RIF) in theOffice of Facilities Managementtactical support function.

VHA research funding is set at$316 million, an increase of $16million over the President’s request.Of that amount, $6 million is ear-marked for the MusculoskeletalDisease Center at the Loma Linda,Calif., VAMC.

The bill also includes languagedirecting VA to maintain Gulf Warillnesses as a high priority in fiscalyear 1999, and to use up to $10million to continue and expandParkinson’s Disease research.Funding for major constructionprojects is $142.3 million, $45.3million above the request. Includedare projects for ambulatory careimprovements at the Cleveland,Ohio, VAMC; an ambulatory careaddition at the Tucson, Ariz.,VAMC; nursing home renovations atthe Lebanon, Pa., VAMC; andadditional gravesite development at

care account, $90 thousand from theNational CemeteryAdministrationand $30,000 from the Office of theInspector General to fund the Officeof Resolution Management and theOffice of Employment DiscriminationComplaint Adjudication. ❏

The Veterans Programs Enhancement Act of 1998 (H.R. 4110), acomprehensive veterans benefits package, also was signed by thePresident on Veterans Day.

This bill features the following provisions:• Directs the Secretaries of Veterans Affairs, Defense and Health and

Human Services to create a Military and Veterans Health CoordinatingBoard to improve the health protection and care provided to active dutymilitary, veterans and their families by gathering data on the health risksassociated with deployment, distributing information on those health risksand improving health record-keeping by the military;

• Extends VA’s special authority to provide medical care to Gulf Warveterans to December 31, 2001. It requires VA to work with an indepen-dent organization to develop a national center for the study of war-relatedillnesses and post-deployment health issues. It also establishes theauthority for VA to provide priority health care to treat illnesses that maybe attributable to a veteran’s service in the Gulf;

• Changes the name of the National Cemetery System (NCS) to theNational Cemetery Administration (NCA) and the title of the director toUnder Secretary for Memorial Affairs. It also extends eligibility for burial innational cemeteries to those who served in the Merchant Marine fromAugust 16, 1945 to December 31, 1946 and increases the federal share ofgrants to states for establishment of state veterans cemeteries to 100percent;

• Provides a cost of living adjustment for service-connected disabledand survivor benefits;

• Simplifies and improves VA educational programs by expandingoutreach and updating policy on employment rights for members of theGuard and Reserve;

• Increases the monthly pension for those on the Medal of Honor Rollfrom $400 to $600;

• Authorizes VA to guarantee loans for transitional housing for home-less veterans and extends the home loan program for Guard and Reservemembers to September 30, 2003;

• Authorizes appropriations for fiscal years 1999 and 2000 of $241million for major construction projects;

• Authorizes VA to provide health care for treatment of cancer of thehead or neck to veterans who can document nasopharyngeal radiumirradiation treatment in service;

• Extends VA’s sexual trauma counseling program through the end of2001;

• Affords the Board of Veterans Appeals more scheduling flexibility tohelp eliminate delays; and

• Makes numerous changes to internal operations of the Court ofVeterans Appeals. ❏

Budget Adds $438 Million to President’s Requestthe Jefferson Barracks NationalCemetery in St. Louis, Mo.Funding for General OperatingExpenses is $855.7 million, with $6million earmarked for activitiesassociated with restructuring VBA. The bill also calls for $27.4 millionto be transferred from the medical

Veterans Programs Enhancement Act


Special Office Assists Overseas Veterans

J.D. Nicholson, Canada’s Deputy Secretary of Veterans’ Affairs, visitswith Washington VA Regional Office Director Fay Norred. Coordinatingvisits to VA facilities by foreign officials is one of the duties of VA’sForeign Office staff.

W ho provides VA benefits tothe 40,000 veterans anddependents that are onVA’s benefits rolls but

living overseas? It may be one of anumber of offices.

The VA Foreign Medical ProgramOffice, located at the VA HealthAdministration Center in Denver,handles medical claims of veteransliving or traveling overseas. Thereare 6,200 veterans enrolled in VA’sforeign medical program.

Reimbursement is provided forservice-connected disabilities only.Exceptions are in Canada, where careis provided through the Canadianequivalent of VA, and in the Philip-pines, Puerto Rico and Guam, wherethere are VA medical facilities.

For compensation, pension andother non-medical benefits, U.S.embassies and consulates provideassistance to Americans overseas.Four different offices are responsiblefor compensation and pensionclaims. If the veteran or dependentis living in Canada, the claim ishandled by the VA Medical andRegional Center in White RiverJunction, Vt. Claims in the Philip-pines are processed by the VARegional Office in Manila. Claimsfrom Mexico, South and CentralAmerica and the Caribbean areprocessed by the HoustonRegional Office.

All other compensation and

Department.“Rarely do we have to turn down

a proposed visit,” says Fuller. “But itis just good policy to check with theDepartment of State before schedul-ing visitors to meet with VA officialsand visit VA facilities.”

The correct procedure when aforeign official contacts a local VAoffice directly is to call the ForeignOffice, located at the WashingtonRegional Office, at (202) 691-3102.

One of the more poignant visitsarranged by the Foreign Officeconcerned J.D. Nicholson, theDeputy Secretary of Veterans’Affairs, Canada. Nicholson’sbrother, Patrick P. Nicholson, was aCanadian who served in the U.S.Marine Corps and was killed inVietnam. While in Washington,Nicholson visited the Vietnam Wall.Fay Norred, director of the Washing-ton Regional Office, presented himwith a photograph of the wallframed with a rubbing of hisbrother’s name.

In recent months, visits have beenarranged for a Romanian defenseattache, military officers fromVietnam and a Chinese delegation.Working with the State Departmentis a two-way street. Each year, forexample, Fuller leads a three-daytraining course for State Departmentemployees charged with helpingveterans overseas. State requests onVA matters come through Fuller’soffice.

Based on addresses on file, thelargest contingents of Americanveterans overseas today are inGermany, Canada, Mexico, Italy,Japan and Korea. But there areAmericans receiving VA benefitsfrom Australia to Costa Rica, andmost countries in between. One ofthe office’s unusual duties is gettingofficial passports for VA employees,usually top officials, traveling toforeign countries on official business.

But giving a paper at a medicalconference doesn’t count. There areonly 150 active official passports onfile for VA employees, and only ahandful of official trips are madeeach year. ❏

By Bonner Day

pensionclaims fromoverseas areprocessed bythe Washing-ton RegionalOffice.Educationclaims forveterans ordependentsattendingforeignschools areprocessed bythe RegionalProcessingCenter inBuffalo, N.Y.The excep-tion is

attendance at foreign branches ofAmerican universities, which isprocessed by the Regional ProcessingCenter having responsibility for themain U.S. campus of the university.

The coordinator for VA activitiesoverseas is the Foreign Services Staff,headed by Diane Fuller.

Fuller, who has been with VA foralmost 30 years, has worked with theforeign program for more than 19years. “It has been a very challeng-ing responsibility for me, but it hasalso been personally rewarding,”says Fuller.

The job is a demanding one. Asdirector, Fuller is responsible for:

• Monitoring the delivery ofbenefits in foreign countries, exceptfor the Philippines;

• Coordinating briefings forforeign visitors and officials offoreign governments interested inVA activities;

• Dealing with foreign embassiesand consulates on matters relating toVA benefits and services; and

• Monitoring policies and proce-dures of the allied beneficiaryprogram established under recipro-cal agreements with the UnitedKingdom and Canada.

Because of the sensitive nature ofrelations with foreign countries, theVA Foreign Office serves as thecentral contact point for clearingforeign visitor requests with the State

10 VAnguard

R einventing the federal gov-ernment has been a top pri-ority throughout the Clintonadministration, and Vice

President Gore recently unveiled thelatest initiative in this effort — rein-venting the way we write.

The President’s Plain Language inGovernment Writing initiative,which went into effect on October 1,requires federal agencies to prepareall new letters, policy statements,forms, publications and other writteninformation explaining their pro-grams so readers canunderstand them. ByJanuary 1999, all regula-tions must be writtenplainly, and by January2002, all documents forpublic use created beforeOctober 1998 must berewritten in plain lan-guage.

Although plain lan-guage requirements differfrom one document toanother depending on theintended audience, theserevamped documents dohave the same generalcharacteristics — they arelogically organized, haveeasy-to-read design fea-tures, and use:• common, everyday words, exceptfor necessary technical terms;• “you” and other pronouns;• the active, rather than passive,voice; and • short sentences and sections, withadequate white space.

In response to a government-wide request from the NationalPartnership for Reinventing Govern-ment (NPR), Secretary of VeteransAffairs Togo D. West, Jr., approvedVA’s action plan to implement thedirective with the help of a workinggroup representing nearly all VAcomponents and chaired by Associ-ate Deputy Assistant Secretary forPolicy Irwin Pernick.

The working group will developways to help VA employees imple-ment the plain language directive,and will monitor the progress of theinitiative throughout the Depart-ment.

The Vice President’s interagency

VBA launched the RFW programafter officials recognized that simpli-fying their written communicationshad become a necessity. Focusgroups, surveys and controlledstudies had shown that too manyVBA employees were not communi-cating clearly in writing with cus-tomers or each other.

Letters were taking a toll onefficiency by generating unnecessarycalls from veterans struggling todecipher them, and employees werespending too much valuable work

time plowing throughcomplicated referencemanuals.At one focus group ofveterans conducted inPhiladelphia, customersvented their frustrationsover unclear letters.“[VA letters] are wordedin such a way that it’s‘doublespeak,’” oneveteran complained.“They are not intended tobe clear.”

“If they gave you aclear explanation up frontof what they needed,”another said, “theywouldn’t have to sendyou the additionalletters.”

The VBA employees who servedon the task force to create RFWbelieved the benefits of the programthey envisioned would include:greater customer satisfaction withthe easier-to-read letters, pamphletsand forms; fewer claims processingdelays, because more veterans wouldsupply all the information needed toprocess their claims the first timethey are asked; and ultimately, bettervalue for taxpayers from the reducedneed for excess work on claims,fewer overpayments and less timeneeded by employees to find infor-mation in manuals.

Assisted by outside consultants,the RFW team led the effort torewrite some 200 frequently sentVBA letters and other documentsthat reach millions of veterans eachyear. Revamped documents weretested with customers to ensure theywere understandable. Team mem-bers also developed an instructional

VA Leading the Way in President’s Plain Language Action Network(PLAN) — which oversees govern-ment-wide implementation —recently distributed VA’s action planto its members as an example of howto get their own plain languageprograms started.

In part, that recognition reflectsthe fact that VA is already a leader inthe plain language initiative. TheVeterans Benefits Administration’sReader-Focused Writing (RFW)program, in place for more than twoyears, teaches employees how to

write clearly; the Veterans HealthAdministration has used plainlanguage principles in developinginformation for veterans describingthe new health care enrollmentsystem.

The RFW program’s 21-membertask force received a Hammer Awardfor its success in June, capping off anexciting two days for VBA employ-ees who worked on the RFW project.The day before the award waspresented, Vice President Gore usedVBA examples in his speech an-nouncing the President’s directive onplain language.

Standing in front of two largeposters depicting before and afterversions of a VBA letter, Gore readportions of that and another VBAletter at the beginning of his remarks,explaining that they represented howplain language principles can suc-cessfully be applied to simplify andimprove written communications.

Members of the Reader Focused Writing Team in VBA’s EducationService review correspondence. They are (left to right): Chuck Baxter,Lee Sherrill, Jim Palanchar, Giles Larrabee, Lynn Cossette, Jim Rudnickand Gerrit Dejager.


Use common, everyday words, except for necessary technicalterms

Plain language writing emphasizes the use of simple, familiar wordsinstead of unfamiliar words. You may sometimes need to use a technicalterm to communicate accurately and convey a precise meaning, but try tosubstitute everyday language for jargon as often as possible. Here aresome examples of simple words and phrases you might substitute:

Instead of: Use:accomplish doascertain find outdisseminate send out, distributeendeavor tryin lieu of instead ofutilize use

Use “you” and other pronouns

“You” reinforces the message that the document is intended for yourreader. More than any other technique, using “you” pulls readers into yourdocument and makes it relevant to them. Using “we” to refer to the agencyeconomizes words and makes your document more accessible to thereader.

Use the active, rather than passive, voice

Active voice is the best way to identify who is responsible for whataction. In an active sentence, the person or agency who is taking anaction is the subject of the sentence. In a passive sentence, the person oritem that is acted upon is the subject of the sentence. Passive sentencesoften do not identify who is performing the action.

Example:Regulations have been proposed by the Department of Veterans Affairs.(passive)We have proposed regulations. (active)

Use short sentences and sections, with adequate white space

Express only one idea in each sentence. Long, complicated sen-tences often mean that you aren’t clear about what you want to say.Shorter sentences show clear thinking. Shorter sentences are also betterfor conveying complex information; they break the information up intosmaller, easier-to-process units.

Short sections break up the material into easily understood segmentsand allow you to introduce a little white space. Short sections look easierto read and understand. Long sections can appear difficult and forbidding,even before someone tries to read them.

Additional details on these and other plain language writing tips are available onthe Plain Language Action Network’s web site at http://www.plainlanguage.gov. ❏

Plain Language Writing Tipscourse called RFW Tools, throughwhich more than 800 employeeshave been trained via satellitebroadcasts on how to write using thenew standards.

Now RFW leaders are lendingtheir experience and support to theeffort to make plain language andclear, understandable writing agovernment-wide standard.

In addition to Pernick, MarcelleHabibion, also of the Office of Policyand Planning, and Susan Wuchinichof General Counsel, several of themare members of the NPR’s PlainEnglish Network (PEN), whichserves as a steering committee forPLAN, the interagency implementa-tion group.

They are: Melodee Mercer,insurance specialist at the Philadel-phia VA Regional Office and Insur-ance Center and on-air instructor forthe RFW Tools course; Lee Sherrill,of Education Service in CentralOffice; and David Abbot, of Com-pensation and Pension Service inCentral Office.

As PEN members, they helpeddraft the Presidential Memorandumon the plain language initiativeannounced by the Vice President inJune, and are offering their assistanceto introduce plain language letterwriting techniques elsewhere in VAand to other federal agencies.

They’ll also join the other mem-bers of VA’s own Plain LanguageWorking Group to develop aninstructional course based on RFW aswell as other products and tools toeducate VA employees on how towrite in plain language.

Plain Language Working Groupmembers will have the additionaltask of screening nominations for theVice President’s “No GobbledygookAward,” presented monthly to afederal employee who has rewrittenin plain language a letter, form orregulation.

But as Secretary West empha-sized in his memo to employeesannouncing the launch of thisinitiative, the real incentive forwriting in plain language is ensuringthat the veterans we serve receivewritten communications from VAthey can understand. ❏

Plain Language Writing Initiative

12 VAnguard

W MD? It’s not just anotheranonymous acronym. Itstands for Weapons ofMass Destruction — the use

of nuclear, biological and chemicalagents by terrorists to disrupt ourglobal society.

But how does WMD mix withVA? The VA health care system’s“fourth mission” is to furnish theDepartment of Defense (DoD) aclinical emergency preparednessbackup in wartime.

Most recently, VA’s role in thisarea has been expanded to join otherfederal agencies in providing sup-port in a catastrophic disaster ornational security emergency, includ-ing responding to the use of WMD.During the last five years, terroristacts in the United States and abroad— at the World Trade Center, thefederal building in Oklahoma City,the Atlanta Olympics and mostrecently the embassy bombings inAfrica have killed or injured hun-dreds and terrified thousands.

Attacks such as these resulted inthe passage of congressional legisla-tion to directly support the nation’sefforts to respond to these attacks.The Defense Against Weapons ofMass Destruction Act of 1996 andseveral Presidential Decision Direc-tives (PDDs) task VA to provideemergency clinical support — in theform of clinicians, pharmaceuticals,decontamination facilities andhospital beds — to lead federalagencies such as the Departments ofJustice, Energy, Defense, Health andHuman Services and the FederalEmergency Management Agency(FEMA).

In conjunction with these lawsand PDDs, VA has been tasked tosupport four federally sponsoredMetropolitan Medical Strike Teams(MMSTs). Based in Washington,D.C., Los Angeles, Denver andWinston-Salem, N.C., MMSTs arespecially trained reaction teams thatcan be activated in the event of aWMD incident. With the exceptionof Washington, D.C., these MMSTsare mobile.

VA’s role in support of MMSTs issignificant. VA medical centers

store, maintain and stand ready todeliver critical supplies to strategicdestinations in the event of a terroristattack involving WMD.

The Washington, D.C., VAMCbecame the first VA medical center tosupport a MMST. In this role, themedical center pre-positioneddesignated supplies for the AtlantaOlympics, the 1996 PresidentialInauguration and the President’sannual State of the Union address.Additional MMSTs are expected tobe implemented in more than 120locations by the year 2000, and theWashington, D.C., VAMC’s supportplan is being used as the nationalmodel for these new teams.

A key member of the Washing-ton, D.C., Hospital AssociationEmergency Preparedness Commit-tee, the Washington, D.C., VAMChas hosted numerous contingencyexercises and educa-tional activities inconjunction with thecapital’s WMDresponse efforts.

The Washington,D.C., VAMC chairsthe Federal CapitalArea Disaster Com-mittee, which consistsof all of the localfederal clinical facili-ties in the capital area,including VA, Army,Air Force and Navy.These facilitiesaccount for themajority of clinicalpersonnel, equipmentand bed availabilitywithin the capitalarea.

Recently, Wash-ington, D.C., VAMCDirector SanfordGarfunkel made thedecision to convert anunused researchfacility consisting oftwo climate-controlledrooms into a perma-nent decontaminationfacility for the medicalcenter.

This gives the

Washington, D.C., VAMC Helps Nation’sCapital Prepare for the Unthinkable

A decontamination team staff member from the Washington,D.C., VAMC hoses down a “chemical attack victim” during acitywide disaster drill in September. The VAMC is adesignated decontamination facility for the nation’s capital.

medical center the distinction ofhaving the first, largest and onlyclimate-controlled decontamina-tion facility in the nation’s capital.This decontamination facility hasthe capacity to handle 250 casual-ties/patients per hour.

Washington, D.C., VAMC staffmembers coordinate and imple-ment hospital emergency drillsand ensure that hospital emer-gency plans are current. Theyhave worked together as a team toensure the facility’s capability tosupport the nation’s capital in theevent of a national emergency,making them a recognized vitalpart of the first line of defenseagainst terrorism andWMD. ❏

By Philip ForbesWashington, D.C., VAMC


“ It changed my life,” is how Dr.Paul D. Kim describes a nightseveral years ago when hefound himself at the wrong

end of a 9mm handgun pressedagainst his forehead. While workingthe night shift during his medicaltraining, Dr. Kim found himself face-to-face with a very upset, angry anddetermined patient.

Fortunately, some two hours laterthe incident was resolved withoutphysical injury to anyone. “Theemotional scars never completelyheal and every so often the incidentreturns and is very vivid. I had tofind a way to help the healingprocess along and that is where myinterest in violence prevention wasborn.”

Raised in Glens Falls, N.Y., Dr.Kim had the benefits of a close-knitcommunity where violence wasseldom a concern. A letterman infour sports during his high schoolcareer, Dr. Kim later was a varsityfootball player at Fordham Univer-sity during the late 1970s. He earneda bachelor’s in psychology and thereputation as a tireless worker. Aftercompleting his medical training atthe University of Juarez, Mexico, andthe University of Massachusetts, hebrought his work ethic to VA in 1989.Dr. Kim has developed a manage-ment program on workplace violence

prevention entitled, “Is AnyplaceSafe?” The program stresses safetyand emergency preparedness and isdesigned to accomplish four maingoals: 1) raise awareness; 2) providetools for creating a comprehensiveviolence prevention program; 3)assist in creating goals for both theorganization and its individualmembers; and 4) stimulate thinkingand action to stop violence longbefore it begins.

Dr. Kim has trained thousands ofVA and non-VA employees inviolence prevention techniques thatstress safety in managing the riskthrough a strong proactive programbased on “universal zero tolerance.”In customer service, the most criticaltime in any encounter is the first 15minutes. Handling those 15 minutescorrectly will ensure a positiveoutcome and provide a win-winatmosphere. Emergency prepared-ness is when a violent incidentoccurs and the organization re-sponds immediately and appropri-ately.

Eight years ago, Dr. Kim beganhis odyssey to develop a trainingprogram that would teach peoplehow they could be safe in the work-place. His journey led him to manydead ends where the prevailingviewpoint was: “If we do not talkabout violence, it will go away and

besides, talking about it gives peoplebad ideas.”

According to Dr. Kim, “Managingthe risk is key to any safety programand, unfortunately, we will nevereliminate the risk. A strong, proac-tive, top-management supportedprogram will effectively manage therisk and provide for a safe, secureworking environment.”

To date, Dr. Kim has brought hisdynamic, no holds-barred trainingprogram to 40 VA medical centers.Several more are scheduled. He is amuch sought-after speaker on thenational and international lecturecircuit and has been the subject ofseveral radio and television inter-views dealing with the problem ofworkplace violence. His publishedarticles have received internationalattention and he is currently prepar-ing a draft manuscript dealing withworkplace terrorism that will beavailable in bookstores later thisyear.

Dr. Kim is currently the AreaEmergency Manager, EmergencyManagement Strategic HealthcareGroup at the Stratton VA MedicalCenter, 113 Holland Ave., Albany,N.Y., 12208. He can be contacted at(518) 462-3311, extension 2364. ❏

By Bonner Day

Violence in the W orkplaceVA Employee Offers Prevention Training

C ancer is the nation’s second-leading killer after heartdisease, and while there’sbeen a slight downward trend

in the rate of new cases and deaths, itstill kills more than half a millionpeople each year.

VA currently treats approxi-mately 170,000 cancer patients, withan estimated 50,000 new cases ofcancer diagnosed in VA patients eachyear.

More than 300 VA cancer expertsgathered recently in San Antonio,Texas, for the third annual NationalOncology Symposium to share ideasand present innovative approachesfor fighting this dreaded disease.“Emerging Therapeutics and Sup-

portive Care” was the theme of thisyear’s conference, and participantsexplored state-of-the-art approachesto cancer therapy, includingradioimmunology, anti-angiogenesisagents, newer anti-proliferativeagents and gene therapy.

A major focus of the meeting wasa review of treatment options foresophageal cancer in all stages fromdiagnosis to metastatic disease.Cancer of the esophagus is a malig-nant tumor that ultimately causesdifficulty in swallowing. Mostesophageal cancers develop in themiddle or lower sections of theesophagus.

VA treats a large segment of thecountry’s patients afflicted with this

type of cancer, and the symposiumoffered the latest in new therapiesand clinical trials on esophagealcancer.

Another highlight was a presen-tation on studies and initiatives forimproving end-of-life and palliativecare.

More than 40 poster presentationswere featured at the symposium,highlighting cancer research projectsincluding treatment and preventionstudies.

The symposium was a collabora-tive effort between VA, the Henry M.Jackson Foundation for the Advance-ment of Military Medicine, and otherfederal health care experts in thefield of oncology. ❏

Oncology Symposium Explores Innovative Cancer Therapies

14 VAnguard

MEDICALadvances

Secrets of Steroid Damage to Bone CellsRevealed

While physicians have known for years that osteoporosis isa side effect of treatment by steroids, the reason was not clear.Researchers at the VA Central Arkansas Healthcare Systemindicate they have found the answer.

“Basically, our findings revealed that when animals orhumans take high doses of steroids, not only are fewer bone-forming cells made, but they are dying prematurely,” said Dr.Stavros C. Manolagas. He is associate director of the LittleRock VA Geriatric Research and Education Clinical Center. “Itconfirms our general idea that the fundamental problem in allforms of osteoporosis is abnormal birth and/or death of bonecells.”

Steroid treatment protects transplant recipients fromrejecting new organs. Typically, the therapy is needed for manyyears. But more than one-third of patients taking steroids formore than five years have fractures.

The results of the VA study give hope that a way will befound to develop “designer steroids” that will have the beneficialproperties of steroids without the bone-killing effects.

Hines Physician Awarded Grant for BrainResearch

Dr. Gwendolyn Kartje, staff neurologist and health scientistat the VAMC in Hines, Ill., has been awarded a VA ResearchCareer Development Grant to continue basic research intomethods for promoting brain repair after injury caused bystroke. The three-year award will enable Dr. Kartje to investi-gate how nerve cells in the brain are injured and the growthfactors that permit nerves to grow back and establish newconnections in the brain. Presently there is no known treatmentfor restoring brain function after a stroke, one of the threeleading causes of death and disability.

New Procedure at Richmond VAMC DrillsLaser Holes in the Heart Muscle

A new procedure at the VAMC in Richmond, Va., involvesdrilling channels one millimeter in diameter into the heart as analternative to artery grafting. The procedure, calledTransmyocardial laser revascularization (TMR), relieves chestpain in cardiac patients who are unsuitable for standardtreatment, such as coronary artery bypass graft surgery.The operation is fairly simple and lasts less than two hours.The TMR technique provides direct blood flow to the heart

muscle by laser-created channels. Under general anesthesia,25 to 30 channels are drilled one centimeter apart in thedamaged area of the heart muscle.

When the procedure recently was performed on a 55-year-old male patient, he suffered no major complications and wasdischarged after three days. Cardiac ultrasound imagingshortly before and immediately after the laser surgery showedno harmful effect on the functioning of the heart. The patientwas free of chest pain in follow-up exams. The patient previ-ously had disabling chest pain following two coronary arterybypass grafts.

In large-scale, multi-center clinical trials, 70 to 85 percent ofpatients who were treated with TMR experienced decreasedchest pains compared with those receiving medical therapy.TMR-treated patients usually experienced significant improve-ment in blood flow in the heart. Studies show development ofnew, tiny blood vessels that supply the damaged area of theheart and relieve pain.

Mouth Rinse Spots Oral Cancer Cells

Research indicates a commercial mouth rinse is better ableto spot oral cancer than visual exams. Dr. Roy S. Feldman,chief of dental service at the VA Medical Center in Philadelphia,says the rinse, OraTest, was evaluated in VA and other clinicalcenters in Europe, Canada and the United States.

Patients were first subjected to a visual exam, then exam-ined using OraTest, which involves a series of oral rinses. Bothexams were repeated 10 to 20 days later on lesions thatstained positive. Lesions that stained at both exams wereconsidered positive, and were biopsied and analyzed.Seventeen lesions identified proved cancerous or pre-cancer-ous, but 10 had gone undetected in visual exams. The studyconfirmed earlier research in 1996 that demonstrated 100percent sensitivity by the rinse test. OraTest is approved foruse in 18 countries. U.S. FDA approval is pending.

Two Drugs Relieve PTSD Symptoms

Studies show that two drugs on the market relieve the majorsymptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Research-ers at the Dallas VA Medical Center reported their findings onSerzone (nefazodone) and Zyprexa (olanzapine).Serzone, used for depression, reduced PTSD symptoms byalmost 30 percent in veterans who took the drug during aneight-week treatment period. The VA study found that Serzonealleviated the core symptoms of PTSD, flashbacks and night-mares.

Dr. Frederick Petty, research coordinator at the DallasVAMC, said there also are strong indications that Zyprexa, ananti-psychotic drug, stabilizes moods and reduces flashbacks.The Dallas VA Medical Center has received a research grant toconfirm the initial finding about Zyprexa. At present there areno drugs designated for the treatment of PTSD. ❏


VBA Deputy UnderSecretary for ManagementNora Egan received the VAMeritorious Service Award forexceptional service in herformer role as VA deputyassistant secretary for plann-ing. The award highlightedher leadership and guidancein Departmental efforts tofunction as “One VA” and herleadership in the Department’sstrategic planning process.

St. Petersburg, Fla., VARegional Office homelessveterans coordinator KevinO’Donnell received theAnnual Outstanding LocalVolunteers Award from theTampa Bay NBC-affiliatetelevision station. The awardcited O’Donnell for goingbeyond the call of duty inserving the estimated 20,000homeless veterans found inFlorida on any given day. Hewas nominated for the awardby a local homeless shelter.

CFO Magazine selectedVHA Chief Financial OfficerW. Todd Grams for its list offinalists in the 1998 CFOExcellence Awards program.The awards recognizeinnovation in 10 areas andGrams was selected in thecost optimization category. Hewas the only governmentCFO on the finalists list andone of only two health careprofessionals to make the list.

The New York VARegional Office honoredJacob Lipman on hisretirement after 56 years offederal service. Lipman beganhis federal career on May 14,1945 as a clerk with theVeterans Administration.

HONORSand awards

During his VA career, Lipmanworked in the regional office’sadministrative, adjudicationand veterans servicesdivisions and, finally, since1965, with the vocationalrehabilitation and counselingdivision. He entered the U.S.Army in 1942 and served until1945. He participated in theSicilian/Italian campaign andin the Northern France cam-paign. He earned four BronzeStars and campaign ribbonsin the European, African, andMiddle Eastern theaters.

Oklahoma City VAMedical Center volunteerMargaret Frey was honoredin June for more than 43,000volunteer hours. She hasbeen a volunteer at OklahomaCity VAMC for 43 years. In1993, the center named itschapel after her for her yearsof support for the chaplainsprogram. Her most recenthonor came a month beforeher 100th birthday.

The GerontologicalSociety of America (GSA) hasawarded Madison, Wis.,Geriatrics Research, Educa-tion and Clinical Centerresearcher RichardWeindruch its 1998 RobertW. Kleemeier Award foroutstanding research in aging.Created in 1965, the award isnamed for the former GSApresident who made exem-plary contributions to thequality of life through researchin aging. An expert on theeffects of dietary restriction onaging, Weindruch will presentthe Kleemeier Award Lectureat GSA’s annual meeting nextspring. The society is thelargest professional organiza-

tion in the United Statesfocused on aging.

Orville Lips, Ph.D., Chiefof Psychology Service andDirector of the Stress DisorderTreatment Unit at NorthChicago VA Medical Center,has been honored by theAmerican PsychologicalAssociation as the Outstand-ing VA Administrator of theYear. Dr. Lips joined NorthChicago VAMC in 1977.

The Philadelphia VARegional Office and Insur-ance Center (RO&IC) hasreceived Buildings Magazine’s1998 New ConstructionAward in the public/govern-ment category and will befeatured in an issue of themagazine. This nationalaward recognizes exceptionalperformance of new construc-tion projects’ aesthetics,functionality, originality, use ofmaterials, sensitivity to site,construction program andconsiderations of life safety.The entire building, con-structed under the metric sys-tem, is 40,000 square metersand incorporates state-of-the-art systems intended to im-prove the flexibility, efficiencyand reliability of the servicesprovided by the RO&IC.

The VA PittsburghHealthcare System washonored at the annual AlphaAwards by the National JobCorps Coalition for its commit-ment to the Job Corps pro-gram. Named for the Alphastar, the brightest star in aconstellation, the awardsrecognize individuals, commu-nities and businesses whohave made exceptional effortson behalf of Job Corps duringthe past year. The VAPittsburgh Healthcare Systemwas recognized for its activesupport of the Pittsburgh JobCorps Center. VA PittsburghDirector Thomas Cappelloaccepted the award inWashington from Secretary of

Labor Alexis Herman, andwas invited to share his know-ledge and best practices withthe 113 Job Corps Centerdirectors nationwide. Pastwinners of the Alpha Awardinclude Pepsi Cola Company,Black Entertainment Televi-sion (BET) and State FarmInsurance Companies.

Employees of the TravelPolicy Division of the Officeof Administration in CentralOffice received a TravelManagers of the Year Awardfrom Government Executivemagazine. This award ispresented to federal agenciesto honor achievements instreamlining governmenttravel management pro-cesses. VA’s Travel PolicyDivision employees wererecognized for their successin reengineering householdgood shipments for employ-ees who transfer into and outof Central Office and forCentral Office employees inthe field. Winners are featur-ed in the November issue ofGovernment Executive.

Central Arkansas Veter-ans Healthcare System Chiefof Radiology Steven E.Harms, M.D., received theSusan G. Komen BreastCancer Research Founda-tion’s Award of ScientificDistinction for his pioneeringwork on highly advancedbreast magnetic resonanceimaging (MRI). Dr. Harmsand his colleagues developeda new high-resolution MRImethod called RODEO(Rotating Delivery of Excita-tion Off-resonance) thatprovides a highly accuratemethod for identifying thecancer and its extent. RODEOhas twice the sensitivity andthree times the specificity ofmammography for the detect-ion of breast cancer. Dr.Harms also is Director ofImaging Research at the Uni-versity of Arkansas for Med-ical Sciences in Little Rock. ❏

16 VAnguard

HAVEyou heard

After almost a halfcentury, a former prisoner ofwar got the medal he de-served at last spring’smeeting of the VA AdvisoryCommittee on FormerPrisoners of War. Dr. WilliamR. Shadish, a Korean Warveteran who was held byCommunist forces from 1950to 1953, received the Prisonerof War Medal he earned 45years ago. Deputy SecretaryHershel Gober presented it.Mike Parra, VA programmanager for the advisorycommittee, handled theverification and applicationprocess to secure the medalafter Shadish’s wife said hehad never received it. As aprisoner, Dr. Shadish bar-gained away food or privi-leges for medicine andequipment to care for othersoldiers. When he wasreleased, he took a smallpiece of rice paper, concealedin the inkwell of a fountainpen, on which he had writtenthe names and serial numbersof hundreds of soldiers whodied in captivity. Later, hevisited the wives and familiesof many of the deceased

prisoners he had attended.Shadish has served since1989 on the committee, whichadvises the Secretary ofVeterans Affairs on theadministration of benefits toformer POWs.

The National CapitalPlanning Commissionapproved a revised design forthe World War II Memorial tobe built on the Mall in Wash-ington, D.C. and completed asearly as 2002. The approvedplan calls for an oval-shapedmemorial with 36-foot-tallgranite arches at the northand south ends. Bronzelaurel wreaths will be sus-pended from each arch.Between the two arches,which represent valor andvictory, is a memorial plazaopen to pedestrians. Acascading pool will form thewestern edge of the memorialand a sloping walkway willmark its eastern edge. Theprivately funded project isexpected to cost $100 million.

VA has far exceeded itsWelfare-to-Work Programgoals, providing jobs for 1,027

former welfare recipients infiscal years 1997 and 1998.VA set an original goal in April1997 to hire 800 welfarerecipients nationwide by theend of fiscal year 1998. Avariety of local recruitmentefforts were used to achievethe goal. State employmentservices, state and localagencies and other commu-nity resources worked inpartnership with VA to provideapplicants. VA’s own pro-grams including compensatedwork therapy, homelessveterans’ programs, voca-tional rehabilitation andcounseling, and readjustmentcounseling outreach, in part-nership with local veterans’service organizations, alsoassisted in locating candi-dates.

Jon Cruikshank, fromMedical AdministrationService at the VA CentralIowa Health Care System,received a surprise visit whileenrolling veterans for VAhealth care at the Iowa StateFair. Iowa Governor TerryBranstad approachedCruikshank and asked to beenrolled. Cruikshank enrolledthe governor and informedhim that he was in prioritygroup 7 of the enrollmentsystem. Gov. Branstadreplied that his status maychange in January when his

term as governor concludesand he is no longer employed.

Environmental Manage-ment Service (EMS) employ-ees of the Central ArkansasVeterans Healthcare Systemcelebrated National EMSWeek in September in aunique way — more than 50of them competed in the firstArkansas EnvironmentalManagement Olympics atLittle Rock VA MedicalCenter. The event wassponsored by the ArkansasChapter of the InternationalExecutive HousekeepersAssociation (IEHA), and the41 members of that organiza-tion were invited to partici-pate. Contestants competedin events such as bedwashing, obstacle buffing,mop bucket relay and johnnymop hop. Area vendorsserved as judges. Trophieswere awarded to overallwinners and all participantsreceived a medallion from theIEHA.

Sheridan, Wyo., VAMedical Center DirectorMaureen Humphrys wonthree state golf tournamentsin a month. She shot a 15-over-par 159 to win the seniorwomen’s amateur champion-ship, a 16-over-par 232 to winthe women’s amateur title anda 25-over-par to win the

Jon Cruikshank and Dixie Ribar, from the VA Central Iowa HealthCare System, and Kirk Sickels, from Iowa City VAMC, flank IowaGovernor Terry Branstad as he enrolls for VA health care.

James Scales, Environmental Management Service employee at theCentral Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System, demonstrates hisabilities in the obstacle buffing competition.


women’s mid-amateur title.Her achievements on thegreens were featured in arecent edition of SportsIllustrated.

Holly Koester, Spirit ofthe Games winner at theNational Veterans WheelchairGames in 1996, won thewomen’s wheelchair divisionof the annual Marine CorpsMarathon in Washington,D.C., with a time of 3:08:16.Koester, an Army veteranfrom Cleveland, Ohio, is afrequent participant in theWheelchair Games and theNational Disabled VeteransWinter Sports Clinic.

Louisville, Ky., VA MedicalCenter Acquisition & MaterielManagement employee AlNelson sculpted the world’slargest baseball glove from a30-ton slab of limestonedonated by the LexingtonQuarry Company. Nelsonand Kim Hillerich, wife of JohnHillerich, Vice President ofHillerich & Bradbury — thecompany that makes Louis-ville Slugger bats — workedfor 18 months crafting theglove. Resting on its side,with a ball in its pocket, theglove stands four feet high,and is 12 feet long by ninefeet wide — roughly the sizeof a subcompact car. It tookeight men, several inflatableair cushions and a gasoline-powered air compressor an

entire day to move the 17-tonsculpture down Main Street indowntown Louisville to itsdestination at the LouisvilleSlugger Museum. At its newhome, the glove is a compan-ion to the world’s largestbaseball bat, which leansagainst the outside of themuseum building.

Secretary Togo D. West,Jr., helped the Dallas VAMedical Center dedicate anew $108.8 million clinicaladdition recently. The clinicaladdition is the final and majorcomponent of a capitalimprovement project totaling$154 million, the largest forany VA medical center inrecent years. It resolvescritical space issues in severalpatient care and supportprograms. The capitalimprovement project alsoincluded a Spinal Cord InjuryCenter, which opened twoyears ago, and a new EnergyCenter, opened in 1995,which provides utilities to theentire complex.

Like many leading medicalresearchers, this year’s co-recipient of the Nobel Prize forphysiology or medicine, Dr.Ferid Murad, has a strong VAconnection. He was chief ofMedical Service at the PaloAlto, Calif., VA Medical Centerfrom 1981-1986 and professorof medicine and pharmacol-ogy at Stanford University

School of Medicine. Most ofthe research that led to Dr.Murad’s Nobel Prize wasdone at the University ofVirginia and the Palo AltoVAMC, where he supervisedthe work of a large laboratoryand many research staff. Dr.Murad received the 1998Nobel Prize along with RobertF. Furchgott and Louis J.Ignarro for discoveriesconcerning nitric oxide as asignaling molecule in thecardiovascular system.

VBA’s VocationalRehabilitation and Counsel-ing Officers passed the hatat their national conference inIndianapolis and came up witha generous donation of $500for the VA EmployeesDisaster Relief Fund. The1996 hurricane season left thefund severely depleted, andthe fund’s board has allocated$5,000 for disaster assistanceto VA employees in PuertoRico suffering from theravages of HurricaneGeorges. Contributions areneeded to replenish the fund,and can be sent to: VAEmployees Disaster ReliefFund, c/o VA Central FederalCredit Union (831), 810Vermont Ave., N.W., Wash-ington, D.C., 20420.

Nearly 400 of NewJersey’s 5,000 disabledveterans eligible for a stateproperty tax exemptionreceived reimbursementsfrom the state totaling $5.5million thanks to the combinedefforts of the Newark VARegional Office and the stateDepartments of Military andVeterans Affairs and Trea-sury. These veterans, whoare rated 100 percent per-manently and totally disableddue to service-connectedconditions, paid propertytaxes either because they didnot know about this entitle-ment or they were waiting fortheir VA case to be approved.Municipalities are not required

to refund the money. Earlierthis year, VBA provided amailing list of 100 percenttotally disabled veterans in thestate so the agencies couldcontact them about applyingfor the reimbursement. Itturned out that some veteransand widows were owed morethan $50,000. New JerseyGovernor Christine ToddWhitman presented the $5.5million check from the state toNewark VARO staff andothers who were involved inthis project. The NewarkVARO has revised the awardletter it sends to all NewJersey veterans rated 100percent totally disabled toinclude a statement about theproperty tax exemption alongwith the toll-free number tocall for more information.

The Danville, Ill., VAMCcelebrated its 100th anniver-sary in October with a week ofspecial activities. Establishedby an act of Congress onJune 4, 1897, as a NationalHome for Disabled VolunteerSoldiers, the Danville Homeopened its doors on October13, 1898. Charles Butler wasthe first veteran admitted tothe home, which housed asmany as 4,000 by 1909.Danville became a VAhospital in 1935.

The National CemeteryAdministration’s home pagehas been rated among the top5 percent of all web sites onthe Internet by Lycos, apopular Internet searchengine. Lycos also rated it asthe number one site under thesection of Government-Military-Armed Forces. Lycos,currently rated number one forweb site review services byInternet World Magazine,bases its rating of web siteson factors such as content,design and overall quality.NCA’s home page averages11,000 visitors per month.The web site address is: http://www.cem.va.gov. ❏Louisville, Ky., VAMC employee Al Nelson with the world’s largest

baseball glove, which he sculpted from a 30-ton slab of limestone.

18 VAnguard

HEROES✩ ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩

Erica Clark took one ofthe first calls on the toll-freeline set up to answer veter-ans’ questions on enrollmentand found herself on VA’sfront line. The veteran hadthings other than enrollmenton his mind as he describedthe gun he was holding andhow he was going to shoothimself with it. Erica estab-lished rapport with the callerwhile signaling her supervisorto the emergency. By keep-ing the caller on line, theywere able to determine hewas calling from Seattle. Theycontacted the Seattle VAMedical Center, which thencontacted local authorities.Police provided guidance toClark — how to keep thecaller engaged, determine thetype of weapon and whether itwas loaded, whether alcoholor drugs were involved. Thecaller relaxed during theconversation, asking Clark ifshe had ever handled thistype of call before. The policearrived and entered thecaller’s home without incident.

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Dr. Vichit Viturawong, aphysician at the VA CentralIowa Health Care System,was waiting to board a planeat the Bangkok airport on hisreturn from a vacation toThailand when a man in frontof him in the boarding linepassed out. He and anotherphysician determined that theman had no pulse and startedCPR while an ambulance wascalled. They got a pulse afterten minutes and moved thepatient to the ambulancebefore boarding their planebound for Tokyo. As theplane touched down at Tokyo

airport, the pilot announcedthat the stricken man wasstable and doing well and thepilot personally thanked Dr.Viturawong.

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Albany VA Medical Centeremployee Jim Soulier waswalking the hospital’s hallswhen he heard a womanscreaming frantically for help.Rounding the corner, he cameupon a veteran in a wheel-chair slumped to the side,blue and unconscious. Theemergency room was nearby,so Soulier grabbed thewheelchair with one hand andbegan pushing while steady-ing the patient with his otherhand, all the while calling outfor a code to alert emergencystaff. The ER team heard himcoming and were ready tobegin immediate resuscita-tion, which revived the patient.After releasing the patient tothe ER staff, Soulier returnedto the victim’s daughter whosescreams he had heard andstayed with her until she wascalmed and reassured.

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Quick action by Temple,Texas, VA Medical Centeryouth volunteer RobertMeischen got VoluntaryService program assistantLouvenia DeLuca the immedi-ate medical attention sheneeded after passing out froma reaction to prescribedmedication. The day had justbegun in the VoluntaryService office when DeLucafell to the floor unconscious.Meischen immediatelyfollowed procedures that allyouth volunteers and new

employees learn through amandatory orientationprogram. He notified theswitchboard and a Code Blueemergency team wasdispatched to assist DeLuca.“I am proud of the youthvolunteers who helped meand the way they took theinitiative to use their orienta-tion training and act soquickly,” said DeLuca.

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Wildfires raged throughoutcentral Florida last summerand were within a fewhundred yards of the Emory L.Bennett State Veterans’Nursing Home at DaytonaBeach when evacuation wasordered. It was then that thestaff of the VA North Florida/South Georgia Health CareSystem sprang into action.VA provided transportation forthe nursing home’s 120veterans to temporary lodgingfacilities, and nurses fromGainesville and Lake City VAMedical Centers providedcare at those locations.Firefighters stopped the firejust 50 feet short of thenursing home and VAreturned the veterans safeand sound. Carlos Rainwater,executive director of theFlorida Department ofVeterans’ Affairs wrote: “Thebottom line is that 120 veterannursing home patients wereevacuated in a very shorttime, with no advance notice,without loss of life or anysignificant additional medicalproblems.”

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Fargo, N.D., VA Medicaland Regional Office rehabilita-tion specialist Bob Reddingleads a volunteer effort thathas networked St. JosephCatholic School in Moorheadinto the Internet. Reddingheads up the small school’stechnology committee. Overthe past few years, he and

fellow volunteers have“begged, borrowed andalmost stolen” the equipmentneeded to build a schoolcomputer lab, wire theschool’s classrooms forcomputers and link the entiresystem to the Internet viaradio. The school now has asystem worth $200,000 thatcost it only $18,000, thanks toRedding and his volunteers.

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The engine was on fireand the car was lying on thedriver’s side. The only wayNick Jaremka, nurse at theBuffalo, N.Y., VA MedicalCenter, could see to get thedriver out was to get the carback on its wheels. So heand another passerby whostopped at the scene of theone-car accident pushed theburning car, righting it in orderto drag out the seriously in-jured driver. The engine wasracing as the car was pushedover and the fire spread.Jaremka couldn’t turn off theengine because the ignitionswitch had broken off and wasimbedded in the driver’s head.He dragged him out andprovided care and comfortuntil an ambulance arrived.The critically injured driverwas airlifted to a traumacenter and is recovering.

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Topeka, Kan., VA MedicalCenter police officer MyronThomas was driving his truckalong a city street when henoticed the driver of the car infront of him slump to the sideand lose control of his car. Asthe out-of-control car headedtoward a group of about 30small children standingoutside a childcare center,Thomas sped past the car,pulled in front of it and brakedto stop the car. His quick andselfless actions may havesaved the lives of some of thechildren. The driver of the car


was treated and released at alocal hospital. BecauseThomas risked not onlydamage to his truck but alsopossible injury to himself toprotect the children, he wasrecently honored at the firstannual Topeka/ShawneeCounty Gathering of Heroes.

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When a new neighborbegan banging on the door ofMemphis, Tenn., VA MedicalCenter nurses Mike Alphaand Ron Thomas late onenight, she had no idea theywere medical professionals.But she would soon learn thatshe had knocked on the rightdoor. Alpha and Thomasquickly followed the hystericalwoman to her backyard,where her mother had beentaking a late-night swim.They found the woman’smother without a pulse andturning blue. The nursesquickly administered CPR andcalled 911. The woman wasrevived and taken to thehospital.

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Murfreesboro, Tenn., VAMedical Center RecreationTherapy Assistant FloydAdams was transporting avanload of patients to theVeterans Community CareCenter through a drivingrainstorm when he and hispassengers witnessed ahead-on collision. The vehiclein front of the van was struckby an approaching vehiclethat had swerved out ofcontrol into the wrong lane.After safely stopping his ownvehicle and securing hispassengers, Adams dialed911 to report the accident,and then went to the aid ofthose involved in the collision.Although the occupants of thefirst vehicle were consciousand without apparent injury,the second vehicle hadcareened into a ditch. The

injured driver removed a babyfrom an infant seat and hand-ed the baby to Adams, whilepleading for help for thebaby’s mother in the passen-ger seat. Adams transferredthe care of the baby to anoth-er person at the scene, andassisted the baby’s motheruntil emergency personnelarrived by gently restrainingher from unnecessarymovement and reassuring herthat her baby was safe.

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New York CongressmanJames T. Walsh creditsAlbany, N.Y., VA MedicalCenter registered nurseRosemary Duncan withsaving his life on a harrowingevening in the CatskillMountains last summer.Congressman Walsh wasattending a dinner at aDisabled American Veteransconference when he suddenlylost the ability to speak.Duncan, who was alsoattending the dinner, immedi-ately recognized that theCongressman was experienc-ing symptoms of a seriousneurological problem. Sherushed him to the AlbanyVAMC, two hours away.Doctors there discoveredswelling on his brain whichrequired immediate surgery.A tumor was removed, andthe Congressman has sinceundergone radiation andchemotherapy. He is nowback to work part-time, anddoctors have told him and hiswife that had he not receivedimmediate medical attentionthat night in the Catskills, hewould have died. “Forallowing me to live and spendquality time with my family, Iam grateful to Ms. Duncanand the quality of care I re-ceived at the Albany VAMC,”Congressman Walsh wrote.

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Registered nurse Steve

Roth was driving to work atthe Denver, Colo., VA MedicalCenter on one of the city’sbusiest streets when a caraccident involving a childoccurred directly in front ofhim. Roth angled his vehicleto protect the injured girl fromtraffic approaching theaccident scene. He thenstabilized her body positionand determined the status ofher respiratory, cardiac andnervous systems. Next heconducted a head-to-toephysical assessment, whichindicated to him that the girlhad possible head, internal,hip and lower limb injuries.Roth was joined by a cityparamedic and continued toprovide emergency aid andcomfort to the injured girl untilemergency crews arrived. Helater called the girl’s school tocheck on her condition, andwas told that she wasexpected to make a fullrecovery.

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Dezra Dautrive, VA policeofficer at the Martinez, Calif.,VA Outpatient Clinic, wasdriving to work for his sched-uled midnight shift when hewas flagged down by adisheveled woman. Thewoman told Dautrive that shehad been carjacked in SanFrancisco, forced to withdrawmoney at several ATMmachines, sexually assaultedand left for dead by herattackers. Dautrive comfortedthe woman, identified himselfas a VA police officer andoffered to transport her to hiswork station and call theproper authorities.

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A patient at the Hines, Ill.,VAMC was eating a sandwichwhile waiting in the receptionarea of the Orthotics Labora-tory when the secretarynoticed that he was makingstrange noises. She quickly

alerted Phillip Tirimacco,chief of the Orthotics Lab,who found that the patient hadthe half-eaten sandwich in hishand and was struggling tobreathe. When clearing thepatient’s mouth did not restorenormal breathing, Tirimaccoperformed the heimlichmaneuver, dislodging thefood. By the time the emer-gency response team arrived,the patient was breathingnormally.

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A Texas VA outpatient isalive and well thanks to thequick actions of staff at theLufkin, Tex., VA OutpatientClinic. Anita Wood, aprimary care team clerk at theclinic, answered a call fromthe patient, who explainedthat he had received a newsupply of nitroglycerin patchesin the mail and was nowexperiencing shortness ofbreath. Recognizing theurgent nature of the call,Wood asked registered nurseBetty Riley to take the call.But during her conversationwith the patient, he droppedthe phone and Riley could notre-establish verbal contactwith him. Wood then askedsupervisor Teresa Johnikento try the patient’s numberfrom her phone. When herrepeated attempts to reachthe patient failed, shecontacted the local Sheriff’sDepartment, requesting thatsomeone check on thepatient. The Sheriff’s deputyfound the patient in extremedistress on the floor of hishome and called for anemergency medical team.The patient was stabilized,transported to the localhospital emergency room andis now doing well. ❏

20 VAnguard

Veterans Day 1998: Honoring All Who Served

T he most important day of the year for VA andveterans was observed in many ways, large andsmall, across the nation.President Clinton placed the traditional wreath at

the Tomb of the Unknowns during the annual VeteransDay observance at Arlington National Cemetery, just ashe has done every year of his presidency thus far.

“Today, as a free nation, we come together to honorthe men and women to whom we owe our freedom, topay our own tribute here at this most sacred memorial toour nation’s past,” he said during his remarks in theamphitheater following the wreath-laying. “We cannotexpect future generations to understand fully what thosewho came before saw, experienced and felt in battle. Butwe can make sure that our children know enough to say‘thank you’ — those two simple words that can mean asmuch or even more than a medal.”

The program, sponsored by the Veterans Day Na-tional Committee, was hosted this year by the CatholicWar Veterans, USA, Inc.

And while Arlington captures much of the nationalattention on Veterans Day, the rest of the nation’s obser-vances are just as meaningful. To support nationwideactivities, VA asked the 50 Governors to name VeteransDay chairpersons to coordinate state observances and towork with service organizations, military officials andcommunities that planned parades, ceremonies and otherevents.

Nineteen sites were designated as official regionalobservances by the Veterans Day National Committee.

The committee also sent a variety of materials to stateand civic organizations and to more than 107,000 schoolsacross the nation encouraging greater awareness of andinvolvement in Veterans Day. ❏

Secretary Togo D. West, Jr., congratulates World War I veteransJames G. Dunton (left), 99, of Virginia, and Henry J. Mills, 103, ofWest Virginia, after they received the Legion of Honor, France’shighest national honor, at the French embassy in Washington onVeterans Day. The medals are being offered by the Frenchgovernment to all living Allied veterans who fought on French soil inthe Great War.

The posting of thecolors at the annualVeterans Dayceremony at theVietnam VeteransMemorial, where awreath-layingceremony andreadings andpersonal storiesabout the VietnamWar by bothcivilians and activeduty military wereamong thehighlights.

President Clinton pauses after placing a wreath at the Tomb of theUnknowns at Arlington National Cemetery, where more than 4,000people attended the annual ceremony.

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