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VA Highlights 1980 - 2004
Veterans Affairs Timeline - 1980 through 2004
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1980
February -- VA publications got a new look with release of the Graphics Standards Manual, which standardized colors, sizes, typography and formats for VA printed material.
March -- Number of qualified dietitians had grown from 230 in 1940 to 1,131 in 1980.
April --Winston-Salem VARO completes arrangement with the city of Fayetteville, N.C., to provide single-family homes in a program believed to be the first of its kind in the country involving properties on which VA has foreclosed mortgages.
May -- VA tested a new CARS Entry Retrieval Transaction System (CERTS) to replace CARS, the Centralized Accounts Receivable System that used a manual method of accounting for veterans making payments on debts to the agency. Members of the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC) gained DoD recognition of their wartime service as active military duty for purposes of benefits administered by VA.
June -- Benefits counselors from three regional offices counseled families of eight servicemen killed in Iran in the attempt to free the hostages. Drs. Glen Gale, Sandra Meischen and Paul Schwarz of Charleston, S.C., VAMC, developed anticancer CIS-Platinum compounds. VA approved Federal Agency Guidelines for Implementation of Metric Conversion.
July -- Federal policy on “contracting out” was defined by OMB Circular No. A-76. VA POW Study sent to Congress made recommendations for health care of former POWs. Maryland’s Eastern Shore Veterans’ Cemetery near Preston received the first matching fund grant given through the VA grants Program. VA issues a policy statement on sexual harassment.
August -- Commemorative postal stamp recognizing 50 years of service provided by VA issued as VA celebrated 50th anniversary.
October -- Dr. Yeogchi Wu and Harold Krick invented a removable cast that helped amputees heal faster and was considered so cost-effective it could save VA more than $10.5 million. Post-Traumatic Stress Neurosis reclassified into its own category with clearer guidelines for diagnosis and compensation.
November -- First Comprehensive Rehabilitation Centers planned at Hines, Ill., and Palo Alto, Calif., VA Medical Centers. VA establishes a Medical Inspector office. New law passed special pay increases for VA physicians and dentists. Performance appraisals changed based on the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978.
December -- Status of VA’s Nursing Service improved with elevation of Director Vernice Ferguson to new position of Deputy Assistant Chief Medical Director for Nursing programs.
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1981
An ADP computer security program is established for VA’s automated information systems.
February -- VA’s fist halfway house for alcohol and substance abuse treatment opens at Murfreesboro, Tenn., VA Medical Center.
April -- The bacteriological agent responsible for the pneumonia-like Legionnaires’ disease was brought under control at Wadsworth, Calif., VA Medical Center.
June -- General Omar Bradley, head of VA from 1945-47 who presided over the return to civilian life of nearly 13 million vets, died after 69 years on duty.
July -- The design of a polished black granite memorial submitted by Maya Ying Lin was chosen for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. VA’s time capsule, designed during the agency’s 50th anniversary year, was installed in the Administrator’s reception room with instructions on opening it in the year 2030, VA’s centennial.
August -- Spokane, Was., VA Medical Center dietetic service was first in VA to receive the Ivy Award from Restaurants and Institutions magazine for having food service operations and operators which “epitomize excellence.”
September -- Forty-three vet centers were added to the program, bringing the total number to 133.
October -- Congressional legislation expected to save $110 million by ending or reducing five VA benefits – flight training, correspondence training, education loans, dental care, and burial benefits. VA adopts color-coordinated uniforms for employees at medical centers.
December -- VA sponsors the first National Veterans Wheelchair Games at the Richmond, Va., VA Medical Center. Administrator Robert Nimmo initiates collection procedures to recover the cost of medical treatment given free to VA employees who said they couldn’t afford private treatment of non-service-connected conditions.
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1982
January -- VA sought out former POWs to inform them about benefits in compliance with the Former Prisoner of War Benefits Act of 1981.
February -- Paul Bannai named Chief Memorial Affairs director. Nearly four million veterans who had kept their GI life insurance policies in force anticipated sharing in a record $554.6 million in dividends during 1982.
March -- The Honolulu Regional Office opens an office in Agana, Guam. A VA rehabilitative engineering researcher, David Jaffe, recognized for developing the “smart wheelchair,” a chair that avoids obstacles with ultrasonic radar.
April -- VA Agent Orange Office formed to help resolve questions about Agent Orange.
May -- VA launches nursing scholarship program. Second annual National Veterans Creative Arts Winners State Show – the first one was at Tuskegee, Ala., VA Medical Center in September 1981.
June -- Physicians at Albuquerque VA Medical Center temporarily reduced the power of their beeper system to lessen interference on a frequency used to guide the Columbia space shuttle to a safe landing.
July -- VA is one of five federal agencies cited by President Reagan for outstanding participation observance of International Year of Disabled Persons in 1981.
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1983
January -- Harry Walters named VA Administrator.
March -- Interagency agreement shifts Agent Orange study from VA to Centers for Disease Control.
April -- Bumper stickers saying “America is #1 Thanks to our Veterans” appear.
May -- Dr. Donald Custis’ term as CMD extended through Jan. 2, 1986.
June -- VA adopts system-wide automated data processing for medical centers -- the Decentralized Hospital Computer Program.
July -- Administrator Walters issues goals and objectives in support of VA mission.
September -- Cleveland VA research project, “Functional Electrical Stimulation” ( FES ) publicized as research to restore leg movement inhibited by paralysis.
October -- Administrator Walters appoints advisory committee to focus on needs of women veterans, and another one to advise about cemeteries and memorials.
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1984
January -- President Reagan signed new veterans’ benefits health-care law. VA established two more Geriatric Research and Education Clinical Centers, bringing the total of GRECCs to 10.
March -- VA Researcher Millie Hughes-Fulford, Ph.D., selected to participate in the U.S. space program.
April -- VA undertakes a major study of post-traumatic stress disorder.
May -- VA employee Mary Glavin, physical therapist, recognized for playing the part of therapist in a few episodes of the “After MASH” television series. VA officials take part in the burial ceremonies of an unknown Vietnam soldier at Arlington National Cemetery on Memorial Day
June -- VA Compensated Work Therapy Program expanded to 44 sites with opening of three more.
August -- VA employee George Moore, Jr., a Vietnam veteran and triple amputee, was one of the torchbearers for the 1984 Olympic Games.
November – VA employee Dr. Gerald Durkan hailed for inventing a Demand Oxygen Controller (DOC), a sensing/control device registered, trademarked and marketed nationally as part of a portable oxygen system.
December -- Dorothy Starbuck retires as VA Chief Benefits Director.
The Associate Deputy Administrator for Information Resources Management (IRM) becomes the senior official responsible for VA IRM activities.
The Decentralized Hospital Computer Program is installed at over 120 VA medical centers.
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1985
January -- Administrator Walters creates a business and labor committee to promote employment of veterans in the private sector, called Committee for Employer Support of Veteran Employment (CESVE).
February -- “VA Medical Advances,” TV programs about current VA medical research, began airing on cable stations. After one-and-a-half years’ testing, VA purchased 500 Seattle feet for distribution to VA medical centers for selected use before approving manufacture.
March -- Entertainer Liberace kicked off a $1.6 million fund drive for restoration of 103-year-old Ward Memorial Theater on Milwaukee VA Medical Center grounds. It would be renamed Liberace Playhouse; he grew up across the street.
April -- VA and two design engineers were among the first winners of Presidential Awards for Design Excellence, for design of Seattle Foot. Women veterans coordinator positions created at all VA medical centers.
May -- Awards for Excellence in Nursing established.
The VACO local area network (LAN) is installed.
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1986
June -- First participant completes VA’s Health Professional Scholarship Program for nursing students.
December -- First VA medical center-community hospital sharing agreements allow joint acquisition of costly medical equipment.
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1987
March -- VA marked the 12 millionth home-loan guarantee.
June -- VA undertakes a cooperative study of the long-term benefits and toxicities of the drug azidothymidine (AZT) used to treat AIDS patients.
The Office of Data Management and Telecommunications becomes the Office of Information Systems and Telecommunications.
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1988
June -- Controller’s Office initiates electronic date interchange (EDI) of field station purchasing information – paperless operation from shipment to payment. The remains of American soldiers of the War of 1812, buried in Canada, were repatriated and buried at Bath, N.Y., National Cemetery on June 30 in the first such ceremony held between Canada and the U.S.
August -- VA and ACTION sign agreement to provide social support services in the home to veterans through the volunteer agency’s Senior Companion and Retired Senior Volunteer Programs.
September 22 -- Ceremony recognizes 20 millionth GI Bill participants. Administrator Thomas Turnage initiates three-year Management Efficiency Pilot Program (MEPP), relaxing procedures and directives that impede efficient operations.
October -- President Reagan signs legislation creating the Department of Veterans Affairs.
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1989
January -- Federal Design Achievement Award goes to Fort Custer, Mich., National Cemetery . President Bush nominates Edward J. Derwinski as first Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
March 15 -- White House ceremonies mark beginning of the Department of Veterans Affairs, a new cabinet department.
Legislation creates the U.S. Court of Veterans Appeals to review VA decisions denying veterans’ claims.
Specialized treatment programs for homeless veterans begin at 13 existing domiciliary sites; 13 new programs at urban VA medical centers.
Vet centers celebrate the 10th anniversary of their founding under Readjustment Counseling Service.
The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Information Resources Management was established.
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1990
January --VA launches advertising campaign to recruit medical personnel. Staff members from VBA work with military casualty assistance offices, and visit hospitalized soldiers wounded in Panama hostilities.
February-April -- Secretary Edward Derwinski rules that non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma would be automatically considered service-connected in Vietnam veterans. VA proposes to Congress revisions in the pay system for nurses to make salary rates more competitive. VBA establishes adjudication training academy. VA established the Commission on the Future Structure of Veterans Health Care.
June -- VA holds its first national total quality management seminar for top managers.
July -- Renovation of Central Office main building announced to begin next year. VHA Satellite Television Network sends first VA-produced education program to more than 125 VA medical facilities.
September -- VA facilities mobilized to support casualties of the Persian Gulf War and assist these new veterans with benefits claims.
VA creates an Emergency Medical Preparedness Office within VAH in charge of VA-DoD contingency planning and coordination with the National Disaster Medical System.
VHA reorganized -- regions reduced from seven to four and 27 medical district offices closed.
VBA works with DoD and DoL to begin pilot Transition Assistance Program in seven states designed to provide military personnel employment, training and benefits information 180 days before discharge.
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1991
June -- VHA creates an office of quality assurance and inaugurates several programs to measure quality of medical treatment. Two VA units were among 11 federal winners of Awards for Management Excellence from the President’s Council on Management Improvement, Tuscaloosa, Ala., VA Medical Center and the VBA debt management program.
July -- World War II veterans exposed to mustard gas testing during military service were made eligible for disability compensation if they suffered from certain heath conditions.
Congress passes the Persian Gulf Conflict Supplemental Authorization and Personnel Benefits Act, which declares the conflict a war for determining eligibility for veterans’ benefits.
Automated Medical Information Exchange (AMIE) which automates exchange of information between VAMCs and VAROs is implemented.
Agent Orange Act of 1991 establishes mechanism for VA to presumptively recognize disabilities for service-connection in Vietnam veterans based on exposure to herbicides used in Vietnam.
VA Readjustment Counseling Service ( Vet Center ) eligibility extended to Gulf War, Lebanon, Panama and Grenada combat veterans.
Smoke-free policy initiated at VA medical facilities.
Martinez, Calif., VA Medial Center closed due to earthquake damage. New outpatient clinic designed, built and opened in 10 months.
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1992
May -- VA awards its first contract for external peer review of medical care.
July -- VA inaugurates a financial management system to simplify the work of payroll and accounting technicians, fiscal analysts, voucher examiners and other employees. VA establishes a relationship with the Very Special Arts organization to promote the creative arts among VA patients. End of fiscal 1992 is deadline for VAS to adopt the Metric System.
August -- 1992 medical care appropriation included a $90 million addition attributable to 1991 cost recoveries, primarily from private health insurers.
September -- VA sought legislative authority to give Gulf War veterans special access to medical exams and a registry of health-related data.
September 10 – Last Spanish-American War era veteran Nathan E. Cook dies in a VA nursing home at age 106.
September -- The National Cemetery System Office of Memorial Programs Services wins the System’s first Robert W. Carey Organizational Excellence Award. The Carey Award is patterned after the Malcolm Baldridge National Award established by Congress in 1987.
October -- VA presents its first nationwide quality-achievement award, the Robert W. Carey Quality Award, to the Philadelphia Regional Office and Insurance, Benefits Delivery and Systems Development Centers.
Nov/Dec -- Canteen Service makes many changes in its food operations, adding pizza parlors and food courts with regional themes.
Women Veterans Health Programs Act authorizes new services for women veterans.
Public Law 103-210 establishes eligibility of Gulf War veterans to receive special VA health care.
National Center for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder includes sexual assault as a PTSD cause. Vet Center staff begin sexual assault program with new counselors, counseling and outreach to women veterans.
National Cemetery System marks 10th consecutive year of interment increases.
VA introduces new national toll-free phone service that routes caller to nearest VA Regional Office.
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1993
January -- VA selects a site at Travis Air Force Base for a VA Medical Center to replace the Martinez VA Medical Center in Northern California (closed earlier for seismic deficiencies).
March -- VA establishes a new division in the National Center for PTSD devoted to studying the impact of military trauma on women veterans.
VA participates with a number of national task forces and working groups in determining the role of VA health care under President Clinton’s National Health Care Reform proposals.
VA establishes Persian Gulf Health Registry to provide information and health examinations to Gulf War veterans.
As a result of National Academy of Sciences findings, VA announces that Vietnam veterans suffering several specific maladies are entitled to disability payments based on their service in Vietnam and presumed exposure to Agent Orange.
Full-time women veterans coordinator positions funded at 18 medical centers and 34 Vet Centers.
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1994
VA leads celebration of the 50th anniversary of the signing of GI Bill, highlighted by President Clinton’s speech at VA Central Office.
New York Regional Office completely re-engineers its organizational structure and work processes providing faster, better, less costly service to veterans. Receives first National Performance Review Hammer Award from Vice President Gore.
VA establishes the Women Veterans Program Office (Center for Women Veterans) to improve services to women veterans.
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1995
“Vision for Change” setting structure for new VHA, is published. VHA initiates reorganization of veterans health-care system, replacing four medical regions with 22 (now 21) Veterans Integrated Service Networks (VISNs) emphasizing patient-focused care and need-based resource allocation.
VA’s Internet site provides information world wide on VA programs and benefits and allows e-mail inquiries.
To reflect its greater complexity, DHCP becomes the Veterans Health Information Systems and Technology Architecture (VISTA).
VHA begins the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program.
VA provides disability payments for Gulf War veterans who have certain chronic disabilities resulting from undiagnosed illnesses that might result from Gulf War service.
VBA regional offices sell record 24,686 foreclosed properties during the year, generating $1.6 billion. VA property inventory at lowest point in 14 years.
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1996
Veterans Health Care Eligibility Reform Act changes VHA from a hospital system to a health care system.
“Prescription for Change” is published. Sets forth VHA mission, goals and strategic principles to guide re-engineering of VA health-care system.
VA readjustment counseling eligibility extended to veterans of any era who served in a combat theater.
As a result of the National Academy of Sciences Agent Orange update, VA announces that Vietnam veterans with certain additional illnesses are entitled to disability payments based on their service in Vietnam and presumed exposure to Agent Orange.
VA Voluntary Service celebrates its 50th Anniversary.
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1997
VA implements the Veterans Health Care Eligibility Reform Act of 1996 by introducing the veterans’ healthcare enrollment program, requiring most veterans to enroll in the VA health-care system to receive a uniform benefits package.
“Journey of Change” published. Sets strategic targets and initiatives for implementation of re-engineering of VA health-care system.
VHA begins establishing community-based outpatient clinics across the country to increase points of access to veterans’ health-care system.
VHA implements the Veterans Equitable Resource Allocation (VERA) system to allocate its resources among VISNs on a workload basis.
VA begins providing benefits and services to the Vietnam veterans’ children who have the birth defect spina bifida, in accordance with provisions of Public Law 104-204, based on the National Academy of Sciences finding of limited/suggestive evidence of association with herbicides used in Vietnam.
VA’s computerized patient record system (CPRS) is released to clinicians, providing a highly graphical "interface" to review and update patients' medical records and place orders for various procedures and medications.
VA researchers identify a gene associated with major risk for schizophrenia.
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1998
The Veterans’ Program Enhancement Act strengthens a number of veterans’ benefit programs – extending VA authority to treat Gulf War veterans, simplifying veterans educational benefits programs, and strengthening veterans’ employment rights.
VA reorganizes its EEO complaint process to create the new Office of Resolution Management, removing operational managers from the employee complaint handling process.
VHA begins its Quality Enhancement Research initiative to expedite the application of research results to clinical practice for conditions prevalent among veterans.
Legislation signed by the President changes the name of the National Cemetery System (NCS) to the National Cemetery Administration (NCA) and creates the position of Under Secretary for Memorial Affairs.
Telemedicine technology extends home care services to spinal cord injury patients.
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1999
The Congressional Commission on Servicemembers and Veterans Transition Assistance releases its report to Congress. Proposes upgrading the Montgomery GI Bill education benefits program, broadening the DoD Transition Assistance Program, providing transition health care for veterans and their families, and better coordination of VA and DoD health care delivery and medical research.
VHA launches aggressive campaign against hepatitis C, a viral infection.
VHA directs doctors and nurses to incorporate pain management into their standard practice of health care. Pain measurement made the “fifth vital sign,” along with temperature, blood pressure, pulse and respiration.
VA leads $20 million effort with DoD to conduct large-scale, multi-center clinical trials of two potentially effective treatments for the undiagnosed illness of Gulf War veterans.
VA launches “One VA” program to enable employees to provide veterans seamless, customer-driven service.
Legislation authorizes the National Cemetery Administration to fund 100 percent of state cemetery construction costs. The first grant is made to Delaware Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Bear.
The Veterans Millennium Health Care and Benefits Act of 1999 becomes law. It includes establishing additional cemeteries, assessing the appearance of national cemeteries, identifying areas where veterans do not have reasonable access to national cemeteries, assessing the use of upright versus flat grave markers and evaluating options for improving burial benefits to veterans.
VA’s Computerized Patient Record System (CPRS), an online medical record, is demonstrated at the American Medical Informatics Association.
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2000
January -- VA passes through Y2K transition with no computer problems. New law takes effect insuring military honors at the funeral of any honorably discharged veteran upon request.
HR LINK$ computerized, self-service personnel support system available to employees of all VA facilities.
VA encourages employees and veterans to participate fully in the U.S. Census 2000.
VA FY2000 budget at $48 billion. Employees number more than 197,000. Veterans population at just under 25 million.
Bar Code Medication Administration, which improves patient care by reducing medication errors, receives the Vice President’s Hammer Award.
July 21 – Happy 70th birthday, VA!
Veterans can now apply for compensation, pension, rehabilitation benefits and health care on-line as part of a VA Web page improvement project.
Type II diabetes is added to the list of service-connected conditions for Vietnam veterans based on presumptive exposure to Agent Orange.
VA helps Census Bureau locate and identify homeless veterans for 2000 Census.
As part of a national program recognized by the White House Millennium Council, VA holds 200 stand downs for homeless veterans in year 2000.
NCA establishes two new Memorial Service Network offices, in Oakland, Calif., and Indianapolis, to meet growing operational demands.
All 59 VA Civil War-era national cemeteries are listed on National Register or Historic Places.
VA establishes the government’s first external accreditation process to increase protection for participants in human research studies.
The Veterans Millennium Health Care and Benefits Act moves Purple Heart recipients higher in the seven-step priority system for VA health care.
VBA adopts “case-management” initiative to improve the processing of compensation and pension claims.
The Decision Review Officer (DRO) program was expanded at VA Regional Offices to reduce the number of claims appealed to the Board of Veterans Appeals.
The Veterans Rehabilitation and Counseling (VR&C) Service became the Veterans Rehabilitation and Employment (VR&E) Service to emphasize its focus on finding jobs for rehabilitated veterans.
NCA opens 118th National Cemetery, the Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery in Texas.
NCA opens 119th National Cemetery, Ohio Western Reserve National Cemetery in Ohio.
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2001
VBA hires more than 1,000 full-time employees to help reduce a backlog in veterans’ benefits claims, the largest increase since the Vietnam War.
VHA begins a system-wide self-assessment of its management processes using the Malcolm Baldrige Criteria for Performance Excellence.
VA establishes of six new VA Parkinson’s Disease Research, Education and Clinical Care Centers.
Researchers supported by VA and DoD find preliminary evidence that veterans who served in the Gulf War are nearly twice as likely as their non-deployed counterparts to develop Lou Gehrig’s Disease.
VA releases recommendations for initial rollout of Capital Asset Realignment for Enhanced Services (CARES) in VA facilities in Chicago, Wisconsin and upper-Michigan.
VA establishes 12-person Claims Processing Task Force to examine issues affecting the speedy processing of claims.
VA establishes the Enterprise Architecture Innovation Team to examine of issues affecting VA's information technology.
The Grand Junction, Colo., VA Medical Center receives the 2001 Presidential Award for Quality.
VA receives the top score in an independent study of performance reports for twenty-four federal agencies conducted by the Mercatus Center at George Mason University in Virginia.
Following the deadliest attacks on U.S. soil, VA establishes an Office of Operations and Preparedness.
VA National Center for Patient Safety named one of five winners of the "Innovations in American Government" awards.
VA establishes Tiger Team to tackle benefit applications of veterans age 70 or older that have been pending for more than a year.
VA establishes two Centers for the Study of War-Related Illnesses to minimize illness and injury among veterans in future conflicts and peacekeeping missions.
NCA opens 120th National Cemetery, Fort Sill National Cemetery in Oklahoma .
The Veterans Education and Benefits Expansion Act of 2001 allows VA to provide a headstone or marker for graves that are already marked with private markers for deaths occurring on or after December 27, 2001.
The “Stuart Collick-Heather French Homeless Veterans Assistance Act” significantly enhanced VA’s support for homeless veterans. The law’s title recognized the role of Ms. French who, as Miss America, brought national attention to the plight of homeless veterans.
Family coverage became available for the first time under the Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance program (SGLI).
Outreach programs were enhanced to include, among other things, the establishment of overseas veterans assistance offices to expand transition assistance.
Monthly payments for veterans attending school full-time under the Montgomery GI Bill significantly increased from $650 (to $800 in 2002, $900 in 2003, and $985 in 2004). Part time rates and rates for survivors’ and dependents’ educational assistance also increased.
Montgomery GI Bill benefits extended to include certain private technology skills certifiers in the definition of educational institutions. Accelerated payment to these certifiers was also permitted for education leading to employment in high technology industries.
VA joins the rest of the federal government in responding to September 11 terrorist attacks. Department emergency response plan implemented under Executive Branch direction. All facilities placed on heightened state of alert. VA medical centers in New York respond to emergency needs in wake of World Trade Tower attack.
VA one of five winners of the “Innovations in American Government” award for reducing adverse medical events and developing a culture of safety.
Antivirus software is deployed nationwide on VA’s 220,000 computers.
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2002
Congress establishes 12-member Research Advisory Committee on Gulf War Veterans' Illnesses to advise the VA Secretary on proposed research studies.
VA mergers VISN 13, headquartered in Minneapolis, and VISN 14, headquartered in Lincoln, Neb., to create a new health care network called VISN 23.
VA announces decision to realign health-care resources in northern Illinois/Wisconsin according to findings of VISN 12 CARES pilot. CARES implementation begins nationwide.
In the first meeting of the DoD-VA Executive and Health Benefits Councils, representatives from VA and the Department of Defense examined ways to build a more collaborative relationship between the two largest Cabinet agencies.
VA makes significant improvement in the quality of claims processing, from 59 percent accuracy rate in 2000 to a 78 percent rate for rating related claims in 2001.
VA receives the “Pinnacle Award” from the American Pharmaceutical Association Foundation for its creation of a bar code medication administration system.
VA’s National Center for Patient Safety receives the John E. Eisenberg Award in Patient Safety for System Innovation.
Report from VA Procurement Reform Task Force leads to implementation of 60 reforms in VA's $6 billion a year contracting operations to improve efficiency and extend buying power in VA health care system.
The President signs legislation allowing a second marker or headstone for veterans who died on or after September 11, 2001.
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2003
The National Cemetery Act of 2003 authorizes VA to build new national cemeteries to serve veterans in the areas of Bakersfield, Calif., Birmingham, Ala., Jacksonville, Fla., Sarasota County, Fla., southern Pennsylvania, and Columbia-Greenville, S.C.
VHA records 50 million patient visits in a single year (inpatient and outpatient) for the first time.
VHA VISN 2 named one of nation’s “most wired” hospital and health systems by the American Hospital Association’s publication Hospitals and Health Networks.
VA research leads to identification of two therapies that improve symptoms of Gulf War veterans’ illness.
Secretaries of VA, HSS and HUD jointly announce awards of $35 million in grants to 11 cities to provide services for the homeless.
The VA Advisory Committee on Women Veterans marks its 20th anniversary with ceremonies at the Women in Military Service to America Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery.
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2004
VHA treats more than 5 million discrete patients in one year for the first time. Number rose dramatically from 3.8 million in 2000 to 5.1 million in 2004.
VA participates in E-Government initiatives with other government partners to make certain services or information available online.
National Cemetery Administration creates online national gravesite locator, giving public access to more than 3.5 million burial records of veterans interred in VA cemeteries.
National Cemetery Administration opens its first national training center in St. Louis, Mo.
National Cemetery Administration scores highest on the American Customer Satisfaction Index of any corporate or government organization ever surveyed.
New rules expand benefits to former POWs making those who suffer strokes or develop most forms of heart disease eligible for disability compensation. VA launches year-long outreach program to inform veterans of these new benefits.
With National Cemetery Administration funding, Idaho opens the Idaho State Veterans Cemetery. Idaho is the last remaining state not to have a state or national veterans cemetery.
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