Sayville’s Military; Home of the free, because of the brave.
2025 Articles by Linda Cromwell – Class of 1973

March and April and 2025 Military Newsletter.

Happy Spring!  While it looks like winter is finally leaving, be aware that many viruses are still around. 

This is a good time to check your immunizations and get any needed boosters to keep yourself healthy. The Shingles shot is extremely important as well. All immunizations are readily available at your local VA clinics. Stay safe and healthy!

Here is what the VA has to say;

My HealtheVet VA Immunizations

The VA Immunizations is a list of vaccinations recorded in your official VA health record. Quite often you may hear an immunization called a vaccine. Vaccinations help your body fight preventable infectious diseases such as:

Vaccinations are also available for less common diseases such as:

Note: Vaccines do not always prevent the disease. However, by getting a vaccine you may have a less severe case of the disease.

Talk with your health care team about your immunizations and if there are any that they recommend you take. Let them know if you have questions about what is listed. Also let them know if you think something should be added. You want to make sure your health care team has all your health information. Having a complete health record gives your health care team information about you that may help them better meet your health care needs.

Using the VA Immunizations to partner with your health care team helps you take charge of your health. Use it to better understand your health and learn ways to improve your health.

You can use the VA Blue Button to view, print, or download your VA Immunizations. This information can be shared with your caregiver and/or non-VA provider. This may help them better understand your health.

Visit the VA Immunizations Frequently Asked Questions. This site has questions and answers that may help you understand more about the feature and how it can help you monitor your health.

General Information

*To get a My HealtheVet Premium account, you will need to go through authentication. This is a process by which VA verifies a Veterans’ identity before allowing access to their VA health record. To learn more, go to: Upgrading your My HealtheVet account through In-Person or Online Authentication.

Note: If you find something missing in your VA health record you should talk to your VA health care team. If you think something is not accurate, contact the Release of Information Office at your local VA Medical Center.

  1. VA Immunizations is a section of the My HealtheVet Personal Health Record found under the VA Blue Button section. To view your VA Immunizations you must:

    • be a Veteran enrolled at a VA health care facility

    • be a registered as a VA Patient in My HealtheVet

    • have a My HealtheVet Premium* account

  2. If you had a reaction to a vaccine it may not show in your VA Immunizations record. If you had a reaction, the health care team may have recorded it in your VA Allergies. This is why it is always good, when you select VA Immunizations in VA Blue Button to also select VA Allergies. In addition, you should select your (self-entered) Allergies and Adverse Reactions and (self-entered) Immunizations.https://www.myhealth.va.gov/mhv-portal-web/my-healthevet-va-immunizations-learn-more

DID YOU KNOW:

Start using Appointments on My HealtheVet on VA.gov

Posted 03/07/2025

Starting on March 13th, 2025, your My HealtheVet Appointments information will only be available on VA.gov. You will no longer be able to view your VA Appointments and the After Visit Summaries on the previous version of My HealtheVet. Sign into My HealtheVet VA Appointments now to download and save your appointment list or any past After Visit Summaries.

Start using My HealtheVet on VA.gov Appointments and try a revised appointment list, scheduling, and canceling appointments, updated After Visit Summaries and more tools available to manage your VA and community care appointments. We value your feedback, select the feedback button to give us your opinion on the new Appointment tool.

Until next month, stay safe!

Linda Cromwell, Class of 1973

January and February 2025 Military Newsletter.

Happy New Year! I have been chosen as “Hometown Hero” in my town and a banner with my photo and bio will be hung from a pole downtown from Feb 1st 2025 thru May 2025. I will also be awarded a plaque and have my photo taken with the Mayor. I am humbled and honored.

In other news, please get your free shingles shot. Many are affected by it in the winter and it is very painful. Let’s all stay healthy this year!

Here is an interesting story;

Connecting Veterans in the virtual world with technology; The power of immersive social support

February 9, 2025, By Elizabeth Williams, Innovation Specialist

Gulf Coast VA is proud to be one of six VA medical centers participating in a groundbreaking initiative that uses technology to foster connection and improve well-being for Veterans.

Through a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement with Innerworld and VA Immersive, the hospital is evaluating the potential of a metaverse-enabled peer social support platform. This innovative project aims to provide Veterans with a virtual space that enhances their sense of belonging and social connection, helping to combat the isolation many face after leaving service.

A new path to peer social support
At the core of this initiative is the use of virtual reality (VR) technology to help Veterans connect with one another in a safe, supportive environment. Veterans who use the Innerworld platform can engage with others through VR headsets, which allows them to immerse themselves fully in a virtual world. This unique setting offers a level of engagement that traditional methods cannot match, allowing participants to interact in ways that feel more real and tangible.

Innerworld’s platform provides 24/7 mental health peer support, available for Veterans on mobile devices, tablets and VR headsets. With over 100 events held each week covering topics such as anxiety, depression and more, Veterans can access a wealth of resources and support. Every event is led by a trained guide, creating an environment where Veterans can share their stories, connect with others who understand their experiences and learn practical mental health tools they can incorporate into their daily lives.

As part of this initiative, Veterans can access Innerworld’s platform free of charge, ensuring financial barriers do not prevent them from receiving the support they need. Whether using a mobile device, tablet or VR headset, Veterans can join the community of peers and benefit from the events offered by Innerworld. The platform is available through app stores for flat-facing devices such as cell phones and tablets and also through the Meta App Store for VR headsets.

From outsider to insider
One Veteran who has experienced the benefits of Innerworld shared their thoughts on the difference VR made in their engagement. Before using the VR headset, the Veteran said, “I had used Innerworld a little before getting the headset and was getting some positive benefits from the site, but I felt a bit like an outsider peering in the window at a gathering of others. I didn’t feel very included in what was going on and mostly just listened without participating much.”

However, after receiving the VR headset, the Veteran’s experience transformed into a positive experience. “The VR headset changed that. It put me ‘inside’ with the others. Being able to look left and right and see the surroundings and the other participants makes it ‘real.’ Yes, we are avatars meeting in a virtual space, but the VR headset makes it easier to sense the real human beings present in that space who have gathered there to support and listen to one another.”

The impact of virtual support
The goal of this project is clear: Help Veterans build a stronger sense of connection and belonging, particularly in a time when mental health challenges are all too common. By offering a supportive space where Veterans can interact with others who truly understand their experiences, the Innerworld platform helps reduce the isolation that many Veterans feel after returning to civilian life.

Through the use of VR technology, this initiative gives Veterans the opportunity to engage in a meaningful way, improving their mental health and overall well-being.

For more information on how to access the Innerworld platform, Veterans can check out this YouTube Video. The virtual space is waiting, offering connection, support and a sense of belonging to all who need it.

If you are having thoughts of suicide, call 988, then PRESS 1 or visit http://www.veteranscrisisline.net/

Connecting Veterans in the virtual world with technology

https://www.innovation.va.gov/hil/views/immersive/immersive.html

Free mental health app for Veterans and their families

Until next month, stay safe!

Linda Cromwell, Class of 1973