In this episode, we change gears to highlight an example of how women who served contribute to the military and the VHA. We were honored to interview Major Katie Lunning who retells her experiences while medically evacuating those that were seriously injured from Afghanistan in August of 2021. Her Critical Care Air Transport Team was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for heroism while participating in aerial flights out of Afghanistan. Ms. Lunning discusses how experiences as a VHA ICU nurse at the Central Iowa VA prepared her for her service as a member of the Critical Care Air Transport Team. She also discusses how deployments impacted her life and suggestions for how to cope with transitions from deployment and service to home.Please use discretion before listening to this episode – it contains depictions of violence that some may find upsetting. Please consider calling the Veterans Crisis Line at 988 and then Press 1 if you wish to connect to someone at the VA who is ready to listen and help. You can also chat online or text 838255 to be connected to a VA responder even if you are not enrolled in VA benefits or health care.

In this episode we hear from Alison Whitehead, the Program Lead for Integrative Health with the VHA Office of Patient Centered Care & Cultural Transformation. Ms. Whitehead describes Complementary and Integrative Health (CIH) approaches offered by the VHA as a part of the Whole Health System, how to access these services, and why Veterans and particularly women Veterans might find these approaches appealing. For more information on CIH in the VHA (including a link to the research available) please visit Complementary and Integrative Health - Whole Health (va.gov). For information on Whole Health more generally, including information on the Circle of Health and the Personal Health Inventory, please visit Whole Health Basics - Whole Health (va.gov). If you are interested in trying out some complementary and integrative health approaches for self-care visit #LiveWholeHealth - VA News.

In this episode we hear from VHA historian Katie Rories and VA archivist Robyn Rogers about the evolution of Women’s History Month at the VA. For more information, please check out the following resources referenced in the episode! Visit the VA History Office or listen to stories from women Veterans in their podcast Reflections from the Front. Learn more about the important milestones and those responsible for them over the last 100 years of VA providing health care for women Veterans at https://www.womenshealth.va.gov/history.

Dr. Karen Goldstein, a VA women’s health primary care provider and researcher, describes cardiovascular disease, risk factors, and what the VA offers to support women who may be at risk for cardiovascular disease. Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death for women in the US and we encourage women to ask their primary care provider about their personal risk and what woman-specific risks they might have. To access instructions on how to use the Healtheliving Assessment referenced by Dr. Goldstein in this episode, click here. For more information about Heart Health, see: https://www.womenshealth.va.gov/WOMENSHEALTH/topics/heart-health.asp.

Dr Haley Moss discusses types of gynecologic cancers, signs and symptoms, and what to do if you are concerned about risk or personal history. Dr. Moss also shares what to expect after a diagnosis and encourages listeners to share their VA experiences with the Breast and Gynecologic Oncology System of Excellence by contacting them at [email protected] For more information on gynecologic cancer, visit: PAP Test and Gynecologic Cancer - Women Veterans Health Care (va.gov)