On the Ninth Floor of a VA Hospital, I Listen and Write Down the Lives, Loves of Veterans

Article Title: On the Ninth Floor of a VA Hospital, I Listen and Write Down the Lives, Loves of Veterans; Sue Blaustein

Article Excerpt: "I step off the elevator on the ninth floor of Milwaukee’s Clement J. Zablocki VA Medical Center. It’s where the long-term and palliative care units are located. The nurses often give me tips about patients who might want to tell their stories. I find one—a Navy veteran—and introduce myself. There’s a stuffed animal on the bed table. A turtle. “I love turtles,” I say. He lights up and responds: “Then I love you!”

I sit and ask him about his life. ...I’m a poet and writer. Before retirement, I spent 25 years at the Milwaukee Health Department writing orders to correct food safety violations. I discovered the My Life, My Story program in 2018. Staff at the VA or volunteers like myself interview veterans about their lives and the resulting stories are included in the patient’s medical record.

Patients find it’s healing to have someone’s undivided attention and then a written story about their lives. And the stories offer providers insight and points of connection that might never be discovered in routine visits. It can be a portal to better care. ... Sue Blaustein

Reference Source: thewarhorse.org

Veteran Stories | Conversation with Dave Dollarhide March 28, 2017, Orange Park, Florida, [ Recorded and Transcribed by Lyn Corley ]

Article Title: Conversation with Dave Dollarhide

Article Excerpt: "...It was a really part-time job and I went in and joined the reserves at Navy JAX in VA-203, actually, right before 203 was commissioned in the summer of 1970. So, that started my reserve career and we were flying A-4L’s which were modified Charlies and we flew those for three and half years and then transitioned to the A-7 in the reserves and moved to Cecil Field. ... spend the rest of my flying career in the Navy back at Cecil Field and my last time to fly an airplane was the day before my change of command. I was the commanding officer of VA-203 and we were flying A-7B’s at the time. ...It was just a great ball-team spirit flying with VA-203 Blue Dolphins we called ourselves. We were deployed to active duty to Fallon, Nevada and we deployed to Yuma. We deployed to Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico all on weapons dets to have concentrated weapons training. You know, when I flew my last flight and Bill Bailey and I, Bill was taxiing in behind me going into Hangar, I think it is 14 which is the eastern-most of those two older hangars there. Then I look up and the whole squadron is out, all the enlisted guys are in the dungarees and everybody is out on the ramp and then I look and there is Mac McClarin. Mac McClarin was one of these first-class petty officers that had been active duty as a TAR for a long, long time."

Reference Source: www.powmiamemorial.org

Veteran Story | R.B. Dunavant Talks With Family by Short Wave Radio From Japan (Sept. 30, 1952)

Article Title: R.B. Dunavant Talks With Family by Short Wave Radio From Japan (Sept. 30, 1952)

Article Excerpt: "...Being a "Ham" radio operator has enabled Ray Dunavant to talk with his family from Japan ...He is serving with the 43rd Combat Cargo Unit as a Radio Technician. He was employed in Department 112 [with Firestone Tire and Rubber in Memphis] reports that Firestone tires are being used on his plane. "

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Reference Source: Military Veteran News