Veterans Affairs
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Over a decade ago, the Department of Veterans Affairs launched an ambitious project to build the world’s largest collection of health and genetic data – the idea being it would be an invaluable tool for disease research. It is called the Million Veterans Program (MVP). And as of this month, it has lived up to its name.
November 30, 2023 -
Every military branch relied on asbestos-based products for decades, but Navy veterans were at an exceptionally high risk of asbestos exposure. They worked and lived close to asbestos-containing materials over the years of duty, often unaware of the lurking danger.
November 30, 2023 -
In today's Federal Newscast: The Cyber Accreditation Body has a new leader. The Department of Veterans Affairs has surpassed its goal to permanently house homeless veterans. And SmartPay celebrates its 25th anniversary with a facelift of its website.
November 30, 2023 -
The Department of Veterans Affairs is planning to staff up on mental health professionals and launch new resources to address an uptick in veteran suicides.
November 16, 2023 -
The Department of Veterans Affairs says its new Electronic Health Record (EHR) hasn't seen a total outage in more than six months.
November 15, 2023 -
The General Services Administration is facing two new protests of its small business IT services contract known as Polaris, while VA’s awards under T4NG2 remain intact, so far.
November 14, 2023 -
In July 1973, a fire damaged or destroyed up to 18 million Army and Air Force official military personnel files at the National Archives and Records Administration’s National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis. These records are important for veterans who are looking to make claims with the Veterans Affairs Department. So how did the government do in helping those whose records were lost or damaged in the fire? The VA's Office of Inspector General looked to answer that question with a recent audit. To learn what it found, Federal Drive Executive Producer Eric White talked with Brent Arronte, Deputy Assistant Inspector General for Audits and Evaluations with the VA OIG.
November 14, 2023 -
Among its actions, the task force will create a "one-stop shop" for veterans to prevent and report fraud. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) will serve as a central recipient of reports of scams against veterans and service members.
November 10, 2023 -
To bring in the next generation of its HR workforce, VHA is taking new graduates through a year of specialized training, to become HR professionals in areas where there’s a shortage of them.
November 06, 2023 -
The Department of Veterans Affairs says major hiring efforts across the department allowed it to set all-time records for providing health care and benefits to veterans.
November 06, 2023 -
Members of the House VA Committee are concerned VA's Office of Accountability and Whistleblower Protection doesn’t have independence from the rest of the department to carry out its work.
November 02, 2023 -
Recent data underscores that interest rates for VA home loans have hit record highs in recent years. This surge not only dampens aspirations but profoundly disrupts the financial well-being of veterans across the nation.
November 01, 2023 -
Social media posts reveal a lot about the posters. That is why some agencies look at job candidates' or security clearance applicants' social media accounts. Now research shows how monitoring social media posts can reveal indicators of suicide … and therefore help prevent it. Federal Drive Host Tom Temin spoke with the man doing the research: Harvard psychology professor Matthew Nock, PH.D.
October 30, 2023 -
Only 30% of military personnel transitioning to civilian life start the mandatory transition assistance program on time, a concern for senators who agreed on the importance of the program to help veterans and those transitioning to civilian life.
October 24, 2023 -
Since the Supreme Court's ruling paved the way for states to ban abortion, confusion among the medical community in certain states is at an all-time high as to the treatments they are able to provide. The same goes for the Veterans Health Administration. The Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General recently conducted a review of its reproductive care for female veterans. Federal Drive Executive Producer Eric White spoke with Julie Kroviak, Principal Deputy Assistant Inspector General for the Office of Healthcare Inspections at VA OIG.
October 20, 2023