NARRATOR: IN HONOR OF VETERAN'S DAY,
VA HSR&D INVESTIGATORS EXPRESS THEIR THANKS TO VETERANS
FOR THEIR WILLINGNESS TO VOLUNTEER IN VA RESEARCH.
VETERANS' GENEROUS PARTICIPATION IN RESEARCH STUDIES
IS SURPASSED ONLY BY THEIR DEDICATION
AND SERVICE TO OUR COUNTRY.
KIRCHNER: AS THE DAUGHTER OF A HIGHLY DECORATED WWII VETERAN
WHO PARTICIPATED IN NINE CAMPAIGNS
IN THE EUROPEAN THEATER,
I KNOW THE COST OF WAR AND THE IMPACT IT HAS ON FAMILY.
SO I THANK EACH OF OUR VETERANS FOR THEIR SERVICE,
AND I HOPE THAT WE, THE VA, CAN SERVE THEM AS WELL.
GIFFORD: I HAVE BEEN DEDICATED TO THE CARE FOR VETERANS
WITH HIV INFECTION AND NOW WITH HEPATITIS C INFECTION
FOR MY ENTIRE CAREER.
I CANNOT SAY ENOUGH HOW IMPORTANT IT IS
FOR THE GIFTS THAT VETERANS GIVE TO OUR RESEARCH PROGRAM,
AND TO ALL THE LEARNING THAT WE DO
TO BE THE EFFECTIVE HEALTHCARE ORGANIZATION THAT WE ARE.
SO THANK YOU, VETERANS.
HARTMANN: SO IT REALLY DREW ME TO VA
IS THE OPPORTUNITY TO USE MY SET OF EXPERTISE
TO FURTHER THE LARGER VA MISSION TO SERVE THOSE WHO SERVED,
BECAUSE IN MY FAMILY THERE ARE MANY VETERANS,
PARTICULARLY WORLD WAR II VETERANS,
AND I AM KEENLY AWARE THROUGH THE EXPERIENCES OF MY RELATIVES
WHAT A TOLL CONFLICT CAN TAKE ON AN INDIVIDUAL,
AND I'M VERY GRATEFUL FOR THE SERVICE OF THE VETERANS
WHO ARE IN THE VA AND I'M PARTICULARLY HONORED
TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT THE STAFF AND THE VETERANS
WHO ARE IN THE COMMUNITY LIVING CENTERS.
TRUE: TO A PERSON,
EVERY SINGLE VETERAN I'VE EVER WORKED WITH
HAS SAID THAT THE REASON THAT THEY PARTICIPATE IN RESEARCH
IS BECAUSE THEY WANT TO HELP THEIR FELLOW VETERANS,
AND I THINK THAT SPEAKS A LOT TO THE MINDSET OF VETERANS.
BAUER: WORKING WITH THE INDIVIDUAL VETERANS
IN THE SYSTEM
HAS BEEN JUST A GREAT EXPERIENCE AS WELL.
PEOPLE SAY, WELL, I SAY,
"YOU COME TO THE VA FOR MANY REASONS
AND YOU STAY FOR THE STORIES,"
BECAUSE YOU JUST MEET SO MANY WONDERFUL PEOPLE.
AND IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY AND I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY
TO GIVE BACK TO PEOPLE WHO HAVE GIVEN SO MUCH FOR OUR COUNTRY.
VIMALANANDA: I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THOSE VETERANS
WHO HAVE HELPED US IN OUR RESEARCH THUS FAR,
AND THESE ARE INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE SERVED OUR COUNTRY
BUT THEY CONTINUE TO SERVE OUR COUNTRY
BY PARTICIPATING IN OUR RESEARCH PROJECTS,
WHICH IS NOT SOMETHING THAT THEY HAVE TO DO.
I HOPE THAT WE CAN SERVE THEM IN OUR CAPACITY AS RESEARCHERS
WITH THE SAME DEGREE OF INTEGRITY AND COMMITMENT.
GABRIELIAN: I THINK WE'RE ALL IN HEALTH SERVICES RESEARCH
DEEPLY THANKFUL FOR THE COMMITMENTS
THAT OUR VETERANS HAVE MADE
BOTH IN OUR SERVICE TO OUR COUNTRY,
AS WELL AS TO FURTHERING THE FIELD OF MEDICINE
AS WELL AS THE FIELD OF SOCIAL SERVICES.
I THINK THAT FOR MANY OF OUR VETERANS,
THEY SORT OF TAKE PRIDE
IN GIVING BACK TO THEIR COMMUNITY
AND PARTICIPATING IN RESEARCH IS JUST ONE PART OF THAT
AND WHAT I'D LIKE TO EMPHASIZE IS WHAT A BROAD IMPACT IT HAS
ON THE FIELD OF MEDICINE AND ON DISCOVERY
AND INNOVATION IN HEALTHCARE.
SOX-HARRIS: THERE ARE A LOT OF DIFFERENT PLACES
TO APPLY ONE'S RESEARCH, ENERGY, AND SKILLS AND TRAINING.
I'VE DECIDED TO SPEND MY ENTIRE CAREER
DOING RESEARCH AT THE VA
IN ORDER TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF CARE THAT VETERANS GET.
I THINK IT'S A CRITICALLY IMPORTANT MISSION OF VA RESEARCH
TO SERVE THOSE WHO HAVE SERVED OUR COUNTRY
AND I'M JUST VERY GRATEFUL FOR THEIR SERVICE
AND HOPE WE CAN GIVE BACK TO THEM
IN THE WAY THAT THEY'VE GIVEN TO US.
PUGH: WE'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE ON THE TELEPHONE,
VETERANS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY
WHO'VE HAD PENETRATING HEAD INJURIES.
THE ABILITY TO INTERACT WITH THESE VETERANS,
I MEAN, IT'S BROUGHT OUR TEAM TOGETHER.
YOU GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR THE STORIES...
AND IT GIVES LIFE TO THE NUMBERS THAT WE SEE,
AND EVERY TIME WE TALK TO ONE OF OUR VETERANS,
IT MAKES ME ALMOST WANT TO CRY.
I THANK THEM FOR THEIR WILLINGNESS
TO PARTICIPATE IN OUR RESEARCH,
AND THEIR WILLINGNESS TO SERVE OUR COUNTRY,
AND WE OWE THEM A LOT.
NARRATOR: THANK YOU TO OUR NATION'S VETERANS
FOR THEIR SERVICE AND FOR TAKING PART IN VA RESEARCH.