Voices For Veterans

September is Suicide Awareness Month. I was joined on WJON by St. Cloud V.A. Suicide Prevention Coordinator Jinae Plumhoff and St. Cloud V.A. Public Affairs Officer Barry Venable on WJON. Plumhoff highlighted how to help prevent suicide in this community.

The St. Cloud V.A. is offering a pair of events they'd like to draw attention to for veterans to participate in this summer/fall. The art competition is a national event in its 41st year.

June is Pride month and the St. Cloud V.A. wants to remind veterans of the services they offer to support all who have served in the military and who are eligible for services.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month and the St. Cloud V.A. is offering veterans many services to help them address concerns. St. Cloud V.A. Chaplain Michael Gruber and Public Affairs Specialist Jackie Stevenson joined me on WJON.

Joy Finkelson of the St. Cloud V.A. appeared on WJON's Voices for Veterans program to discuss sexual assault awareness month. She indicated 1 in 3 women and 1 in 50 men serving in the military experiences some sort of sexual trauma.

Veterans under suicidal crisis under the new Compact ACT now have more options. Barry Venable is the Public Affairs Officer from the St. Cloud V.A. He indicates that veterans who need help can go to any medical facility whether it is a V.A. or in the community for free emergency healthcare.

November is National Family Care Giver Month. The St. Cloud V.A. is recognizing care givers who offer services to veterans. I was joined this week on WJON by Jessica Behrendts from the Care Giver Support program at the St. Cloud V.A. and Public Affairs Officer Barry Venable from the St. Cloud V.A.

The St. Cloud V.A. is hosting an event called "Medication Take Back Day" on October 29th from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event is for the public, not just veterans. Everyone is invited to come to the medical center to safely and securely dispose of unused and expired medications.

The St. Cloud V.A. is giving veterans options as to how they can get their flu shots this fall. Barry Venable, Public Affairs Officer from the St. Cloud V.A., joined me on WJON. He says the options for flu shots include those who have upcoming appointments at the V.A. they can just ask their doctor about getting one.

The St. Cloud V.A.'s is offering veterans the option of whole health. The Whole Health Director at the St. Cloud V.A. is Dr. Sean Omara. Omara has been in this position at the St. Cloud V.A. for the past year.