Chuck Wolin (Post 619 Commander) sent this thank you to National Commander Alan Paley after his brief visit on Sunday, December 5 to Tuesday December 7, 2021.
Dear Commander Paley, On behalf of my Wife Judy, Myself, Post’s 619, 210, 201 &
The District of the Southwest. It has been both an honor and a privilege for Judy and
I to have been able to escort you around Phoenix on your whirlwind visit.
I do hope that you enjoyed your trip here as much as we have in having you.
If you ever find yourself in the neighborhood, our doors are always open to you.
You have added much more meaning to our celebration of Veterans Day and added InSite
to the date, “December 7, 1941.” for us.
On behalf of all our JWV local family, I wish you G-ds Speed and a very successful
tour of duty as National Commander.
…..Chuck W ….. [ Commander Post 619 JWV ] cjsunlakes@msn.com 602-300-5913
Chuck,
This was Commander Paley’s reply;
Thank you and Judy for schlepping me all around during my visit. I really enjoyed visiting Arizona and was glad that we could highlight the Jewish War Veterans in several public programs.
As I said during our lunch at Chompies, leadership is there to support each and every one of you. Don’t be bashful if you need to reach out to us. We are here to help you in any way that we can.
Should I travel to Arizona again, I will be more than happy to take you up on your kind invitation.
Good luck with the outcome of Post 201, and I hope you will be able to view the upcoming NEC meeting when we meet at the end of January in Orlando.
We have vaccines at multiple locations. Walk‐in hours and appointments are available. (To schedule, youmaycallthe COVIDvaccine line foran appointment: 602‐604‐3915)
COVID‐19 vaccine and booster update:
Who we’re vaccinating:
Veterans (all ages), spouses, and caregivers, and VA employees.
We’ve given more than 90,000 doses of the vaccine to Veterans and employees.
Over 90% of all employees have been vaccinated so far, and more than 40% have received a booster.
Where and when we’re vaccinating:
NEW! Drive‐thru vaccination tent located on the west side of the PVAHCS parking garage. Open 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday – Friday.
Main Campus – 650. E. Indian School, inside the hospital
Walk‐in Clinic, M‐F, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Inpatient vaccination upon discharge, offering both Pfizer and Johnson and Johnson
Outpatient clinics, point of care (in the clinics)
Southeast Clinic – drive‐through (3285 S. Val Vista Dr., Gilbert)
Monday‐ Saturday, 7 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. (due to heat)
Northwest Clinic – inside the clinic (13985 W. Grand Ave. Suite 101, Surprise)
Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
COVID Vaccines for Veterans in the Community
Veterans can get vaccines in the community, as they are covered though community care; however, we are now able to supply vaccines for Veterans that received their first dose in the community (Pfizer only ‐ Phoenix VA does not have Moderna). Veterans must show their vaccine card as proof of their first/initial dose.
Whole Health
To recharge in Whole Health means to re‐energize by sleeping, resting and relaxing. A good balance between activity and rest can ensure you have the energy you need to focus on what’s most important to you this holiday season. Take time to recharge with a guided meditation to help clear your mind.
Flu Shots
The flu shot is now available at the Phoenix VA Health Care System in the basement of the ACC and all community outpatient clinics during normal business hours. Walk‐ins are welcome.
Flu shots are also available at the drive‐thru vaccination tent located on the west side of the PVAHCS parking garage. Open 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday – Friday.
Veteran Experience:
Visitor Policy:
All visitors will be screened according to CDC guidelines and wear a face covering at all times.
At this time, Veterans in inpatient units are allowed onevisitor at a time from 4to6p.m
weekdays and 10am‐12pm weekends. Thisissubjecttochange forpatientsafety.
Veterans on the 5thfloormay have visitors between 6and8p.m.
No visitors under age 15 on inpatient units.
Additional restrictions may apply in each unit ‐ check at the nurse’s station.
At this point, we are not allowing visitors to see COVID+ patients (exemptions made for end‐of‐ life visits).
At this point, we are not allowing visitors in our Community Living Center.
Other Veteran Information:
Reminders
SundayClosure: The VCS Patriot Store is no longer open for business on Sundays.
Emergency Department Door Closure: The entrance into the Emergency Department will be closed for construction for the new Emergency Room Expansion project. The remaining nearby entrances, sidewalk and circle drive will not be affected. Signage will be posted directing pedestrian traffic to the Emergency Department.
In the News …
PearlHarborRemembranceDay
Dr. Alyshia Smith, Medical Center Director, represented the Phoenix VA Health Care System during the Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day Ceremony held at the Wesley Bolin Plaza in downtown Phoenix today. Residents from across Arizona came together to show their respects and honor those who lost their lives 80 years ago, on Dec. 7, 1941, a date which will live in infamy …
VeggiesforVeterans
This project provides fresh fruits and vegetables to Veterans, helping to address and encourage healthy eating habits. As many more face food insecurities, the program serves even more needs. There are currently 3 arms, Veggies for Vets distribution at the Main campus, Victory Place (transitional housing) and deliveries for homebound Veterans – which launched in 2021 as part of the Shark Tank initiative.
Here are some of the photos from the distribution at Victory Place, where many vulnerable Veterans reside.
Pharmacogenomics Test
Pharmacogenomics is a genetic and metabolic blood test, detecting if the Veteran will have any side effects to 40+ medications commonly prescribed to our Veterans throughout our nation. The current service medications the Veterans are being tested on are Mental Health, Cardiovascular, Pain, Anti‐ inflammatory, Gastrointestinal, Infectious disease and Oncology. Once testing results are received, the ordering provider will provide the Veteran with results.
Congratulations to Mr. Elijah J.Ditter, the new Associate Director of Operations for the Phoenix VA Health Care System.
Mr. Ditter previously served as the Assistant Director for the PVAHCS since September 2019. He joined the PVAHCS in October 2016 and has held various roles including Executive Assistant to the Medical Center Director, Systems Redesign Coordinator, Patient Experience Officer, and leadership roles
across Quality Management and the Executive Office. Prior to joining the VA, Mr. Ditter worked for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services on national policy related to health care delivery reform and led the agency‐wide Lean Daily Management System.
Prior to government service, Mr. Ditter worked for a private sector hospital where he completed his fellowship in hospital administration and then served as the Chief of the revenue cycle. He is a certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt, Master Transformational Coach, and Project Management Professional. Mr. Ditter holds a Master’s in Healthcare Administration from the University of Minnesota.
GoodCatch!
A Good Catch award is presented to an individual who reports a close call or other trends/issues that will help improve systems for patient safety. Dr.
Christina Suguitan, Pharmacist, was awarded a Good Catch based on a report about anticoagulation medication ordering that could have led to inaccurate dosing. One of the National Patient Safety Goals is to Reduce the likelihood of patient harm associated with the use of anticoagulant therapy. Christina identified the need for an adjustment to how these orders are written and led a systems change. A Good Catch award exemplifies Patient Safety in action! Congratulations and good work Dr. Suguitan!
Hello from JWV Department of the Southwest!We trust this finds you and your family safe and healthy. Although we were hoping to be able to be in person already, it appears our first Department meeting of the year will be virtual.
Please join us Sunday, September 12th starting at 10AM. The room will be open starting at 9:45AM so we can start promptly at 10. Please find your link below and remember to share it with other members of your Post. We will have regular business, a report from the annual convention, and updates from National. Please bring your ideas as well.
Meeting ID: 894 8362 0001 Passcode: september One tap mobile +13462487799,,89483620001#,,,,*698560178# US (Houston) +16699009128,,89483620001#,,,,*698560178# US (San Jose)
Dial by your location +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston) +1 669 900 9128 US (San Jose) +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma) +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago) +1 646 558 8656 US (New York) +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC) Meeting ID: 894 8362 0001 Passcode: 698560178 Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kcnjJ34oLV
News from National
A Jewish Voice for Veterans, a Veteran’s Voice for Jews.The Jewish War Veterans of the U.S.A. (JWV) Newsletter keeps the Jewish American military and veteran community apprised of the latest news and updates from here in the capital in order to keep our leaders and future leaders informed of the latest comings and goings. Here’s what you need to know:
JWV’s 126th Annual National Convention was a success!
The convention featured several notable guest speakers and presenters, including Donald Remy, Deputy Secretary of the VA, and Kimberly Guise, Senior Curator of the National World War II Museum. We hope to see you all at the convention next year.
Department of TALOMembership CommitteeSwearing in of new National Commander Alan Paley and Vice Commander Nelson MellitzThe Women in the Military Committee
Thank you to everyone who attended and made this a safe and successful convention. If you weren’t able to join us in New Orleans, here are links to all of the sessions that were available to live stream last week:
NMAJMH event: Kimberly Guise, Senior Curator & Director for Curatorial Affairs at the National World War II Museum discussed the work of the museum and the experiences of Jewish-American POWs in World War II. https://youtu.be/PjgHsJadsn4
Congratulations to PNC Michael Berman on being awarded the Murray L. Rosen Member of the Year Award, and to all those who won awards last week at our 126th Annual National Convention!
Veterans groups demand meeting with Biden about aiding Afghan allies Organizations representing U.S. veterans want an audience with President Biden to ensure there’s a plan in place to evacuate allies and partners from Afghanistan.
VA secretary reiterates need for coronavirus vaccines as veteran cases, deaths rise Coronavirus cases among Department of Veterans Affairs patients have more than tripled in the past three weeks as nearly 650 veterans have died in the latest surge, according to VA data.
More than 47,000 troops, vets will see federal student loan fees waived The Department of Education will automatically grant financial relief to individuals who previously had to apply for this benefit.
JWV Celebrates 125 Years To celebrate this milestone, order the 125th Anniversary commemorative pin! The pins are $5 each and a minimum of 5 pins per order is required. To place your order, e-mail or call Ben Kane at 202-448-5410.
JWV Events Around the Country Are you having an online event that you want to invite the rest of JWV to attend? Do you want to attend JWV events from other posts or departments? You can now find the calendar at the bottom of our home page at www.jwv.org. To submit an event, please send an email to membership@jwv.org .
Submissions for next The Jewish Veteran Have you or your post done something you want to share with JWV? Do you want to write an article about veteran issues? If you are interested in submitting photos or articles for the third issue of The Jewish Veteran in 2021, the deadline is September 2. Send items to editor@jwv.org. If you have questions, call Cara Rinkoff at (202) 265-6280 ext. 413.
