Tucson Opinion: Honoring our Veterans

The following column is the opinion and analysis of the writer:

Yesterday, we had the privilege to pause and honor all individuals who have answered the call to serve in our nation’s armed forces.

At the Southern Arizona VA Health Care System, every day is Veterans Day.

During the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, our veterans’ safety is our number one priority. These months have been challenging for all of us. Our staff have gone above and beyond serving our veterans by rapidly expanding our telehealth services for veterans and caring for veterans with COVID-19.

Also inspiring, and as part of the VA’s Fourth Mission, humanitarian support, SAVAHCS accepted non-veterans, opened additional beds to support the community, and deployed SAVAHCS nurses to assist Indian Health Services and the Navajo Nation as well as our community nursing homes across the country.

Our staff continues to find creative ways of partnering with the community, such as reaching out to homeless veterans by utilizing iPads to ensure that our most vulnerable veteran population is getting the care and services they need to stay safe and healthy during the pandemic.

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Suicide prevention is the VA’s top clinical priority, and we want our veterans to know that they can turn to us during times of crisis to get the help and support they need. We know that if veterans are connected to the right care it makes a difference and saves lives.

A veteran should never feel isolated and alone in the land they worked so hard to defend. If you are a veteran who is at risk, or if you are a friend or family member of a veteran at risk, “Be There” by calling 800-273-8255 and press 1 or chat online at VeteransCrisisLine.net/Chat, or text 83825.

On behalf of the more than 2,900 employees of the Southern Arizona VA Health Care System, a third of them veterans , we will always be ready to honor the service of those who have taken the oath of service by providing them with exceptional health-care services.

Veterans have sacrificed so much for us, and now it is our turn to serve them.

There is no other medical profession more rewarding than caring for our nation’s heroes.

To our veterans, thank you for your service.