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Pat Tillman Foundation

Family and friends created the Pat Tillman Foundation in 2004 to Honor Pat's legacy and pay tribute to his commitment to leadership and service. The mission of the Pat Tillman Foundation is to invest in military veterans and their spouses though educational scholarships and building a community of leaders committed to service to others. So far, there have been 290 Tillman Military Scholarships awarded nationwide. Over $4 million in scholarship funds have gone out to 92 academic institutions in 34 states. An extensive selection process is executed for each applicant and there are around 60 scholarships awarded each year. The 4^th annual Pat Tillman Leadership Summit will be held at Roosevelt University in Chicago, IL, from July 11 to July 14. The summit will empower Tillman Military Scholars to fuel their potential and impact our country's future through their commitment to service, learning and action. There will be workshops on leaderships and career opportunities along with development workshops helping scholars to network and collaborate with each other to attain a global impact that is designed to increase awareness of the unique issues facing veterans and military families today and in the years to come. This year's agenda will bring 150 Tillman Military Scholars to a face-to-face summit focused on leaders and leadership throughout the military and government as well as business and business communities alike. The Summit Scholars will focus on civic and executive leadership, movement building, force mobilization, and sharing of veteran experiences. Additional activities include a Day of Service in partnership with a EdgeAlliance, as well is fellowship events with veteran partner organizations Team Rubicon, Team Red White & Blue, Student Veterans of America, and The Mission Continues. For more about the Pat Tillman Foundation see http://www.pattillmanfoundation.org

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VA Medical Centers – Hi-Tech

VA Medical Centers have increasingly been advancing in technology and innovations over the last couple of decades and in many areas they have even exceeded civilian counterparts in a number important innovations. With the motto of “Adapt and Overcome” and with the mindset of a “better living through technology” they have modernized our health care processes and solutions in a number of ways. From mobile apps to “Telemedicine” our options for medical care have widened and been brought up to somewhat of a higher level of quality and accessibility.

“Telemedicine” is a technology that provides easy access to medical treatment for veterans that live in remote areas. At least 36 percent of our nations veterans live in remote areas. Rural Alaska is a good example. In Alaska, clinics have been equipped with sophisticated computer systems that can deploy advanced diagnosis and treatment capabilities from large facilities to small clinics in the outlying areas. Telemedicine technology consists of tools such as stethoscopes, ultrasound machines, blood pressure cuffs and more in conjunction with a teleconferencing link to doctors in the larger institutions saving veterans from traveling

long distances to get the medical care they need. An NPR segment (http://www.npr.org/2013/05/29/186483977/for-ailing-vets-in-rural-areas-tele-medicine-can-be-the-cure) explains how a Korean War Vet who's already had two strokes gets his blood pressure recorded and sent to the VA Medical Center every morning . Similar technologies are being used to administer PTSD treatment for veterans who are unable or not willing to attend sessions in person. Counseling can be made available on a more frequent bases saving time and money for both the veteran and the VA Medical Center as well. I'm sure many of you have participated in discussions in the waiting rooms about reimbursement for travel expenses and many of you are probably receiving payments, (or should be), as we speak and it can have a significant impact on those who have regular appointments. It may be small potatoes for us here in the Azle area (where it is only about 40 miles to the Fort Worth Clinic and around 65 or 70 miles to the VA Hospital in Dallas), but in places like Rural Alaska, it is a bit more of a challenge. At any rate, more than 800,000 miles have been saved in over 300 areas since the inception of Telemedicine. Advanced technologies have also enhanced the way we receive our health information and interact with doctors through the MyHealthe Vet system, (https://www.myhealth.va.gov/index.html) MyHealtheVet helps us track health data, lab work, appointments and prescriptions. Instead of calling and leaving messages for our health care professionals, we can email them about our health concerns. A common side effect / benefit is an increasing awareness of things we need to discuss with our doctor(s).

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Intel Report, July 26:
*July 27 marks the 60th anniversary of the armistice that ended the Korean War. Stars & Stripes has a great report from the Korean War Memorial, and the U.S. Army put together photos, videos and articles on the history. Additionally, both President Obama and Defense Secretary Hagel offered their reflections.
*Veterans are used to adapting to tough situations, working in small teams, and operating in high stress environments. Sounds like a small business doesn’t it? Learn how to create your own business, get information on upcoming conferences, and more.
*Recent statistics have shown the unemployment rate among new Veterans has equalized to the national rate among civilians. Both rates are at about seven percent, while the rate for all Veterans has consistently stayed below the national rate. This isn’t a time to celebrate, as too many Vets are still out of work. So if you’re looking for a job or need to shake up your career, check out a Hiring our Heroes career fair in your area.
*With no down payment needed, VA-backed home loans are among the best in the business. If you’re looking to buy your own home, check out the resource page for more information and to see if you qualify.
*The fastest way to get VA news and information is from our Facebook and Twitter pages. Every VA medical center is now on Facebook, and new Twitter feeds are going up every week. Find your facility here.