Director's message september 20, 2024 | va pacific islands health care | veterans affairs

VAPIHCS Veterans, VA Pacific Islands Health Care System (VAPIHCS) celebrates the cultures and heritages of all our Veterans. September 15th – October 15th, each year is Hispanic Heritage

Month, and marks an opportunity to recognize the many contributions of Hispanic Americans to our culture, and to VA. The United States of America is richer because of its diversity, and we

are all necessary to make our nation great.  FLU SEASON IS HERE Veterans are encouraged to call 1-800-214-1306 and schedule a time to get the flu shot at your regular Community Based

Outpatient Clinic (CBOC) or other VAPIHCS location. If you have already received your flu shot in the community, call our hotline at 808-433-4979 and leave a message stating your name, the

last four digits of your social security number, the date that you were vaccinated, and the location where you got the vaccine. VAPIHCS staff will enter this information into your patient

record. Protect yourself and you community by getting vaccinated.  OHANA OPEN MARKET VAPIHCS’ Center for Development and Civic Engagement (CDCE) has partnered with the Young Men’s Christian

Association (YMCA) of Honolulu and the Hawaii Food Bank to make our Ohana Open Market a regular occurrence.  Every second Friday of the month, Veterans and active-duty military are invited

to come to the Daniel K. Akaka VA Clinic between 10 a.m. and noon for cost-free groceries. If you have questions or if you would like to volunteer, please contact CDCE Chief Schoen Safotu at

[email protected] or (808) 321-7505.  THOUGHTS FROM CHAPLAIN JEWEL DAVIS Over the next several weeks I will present a series of inspirational thoughts that showcase our beautiful world.

So, because “Charity begins at home,” this series will launch from where we are today, in beautiful Hawaii, the “Aloha State.”  Hawaii is a chain of volcanic mountains that emerged from

beneath the Pacific Ocean. It consists of eight major islands, over one hundred islets, and covers approximately 11,000 square miles. The name Hawaii is thought to have been given by its

Polynesian settlers and derived from the name Hawaiki. Currently, the Hawaiian Islands are home to about 1.4 million people.   The Hawaiian Islands formed over time with Kauai being the

oldest, then Niihau, Oahu, Molokai, Maui, with Hawaii (or Big Island) being the youngest. And although Hawaiian and English are the official languages, Hawaii is very multilingual. Languages

spoken include Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Filipino, Thai, Vietnamese, Spanish, and others. Many Hawaiians speak with a Hawaiian Creole English dialect, known as pidgin. With its two main

seasons, summer and winter, Hawaii provides ample opportunity for both indoor and outdoor recreational activities. Water lovers enjoy diving, swimming, snorkeling, boating, canoeing, and

rowing. Land roamers have the pleasures of hiking, running, walking, cycling, skiing, playing various sports, mountain climbing, and so forth. And for those who like to take to the skies,

well there’s skydiving, hang gliding, and parasailing. There are a lot of things to do in Hawaii, including attending concerts, festivals, and luaus. It’s only a matter of getting out and

doing what we enjoy on these lands surrounded by pristine beaches. Hawaiian culture inspires unpretentiousness, patience, politeness, gentleness, and humility. Of the many things that stand

out about Hawaii, one thing is certain: its Aloha Spirit encourages peace, kindness, compassion, and fostering harmonious communities where everyone feels respected and accepted. This spirit

is what we extend to our Veterans, their families, and caregivers, ourselves, and persons around us. As we continue to extend our care and compassion, let us not forget to start here at

home. ONE TEAM, ONE OHANA! ADAM M. ROBINSON, JR., MD, MBA, CPE  DIRECTOR, VA PACIFIC ISLANDS HEALTH CARE SYSTEM VADM, MC, USN, (RET) 36TH SURGEON GENERAL, USN Stay Informed Website:

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