New program connects employees and those they serve

Recently, VA senior leaders and staff learned about military culture by participating in Tour of Duty (ToD) training at VA’s Central Office in Washington, D.C.

This transformational training is unlike any other at VA. Deployed by the Veterans Experience Office in 2021, Tour of Duty is an immersive, interactive experience for all VA staff. It reminds us of the importance of why we serve and who we are as an organization.

The goal is to provide a clear understanding of military culture, highlight the impact of civil service and improve our connections with our customers.

What is Tour of Duty?

The Tour of Duty course is designed to introduce federal employees without military backgrounds to the life of a military member and help them relate it to their own federal service.

Participants gain greater competency in working with Veterans by learning military culture and terminology and discussing how aspects of military culture affect their care, behaviors and perspectives.

“Tour of Duty is a celebration of us, the whole team, both Veterans and non-Veteran civil-service employees,” said Michael Broady, a patient experience coach in VA’s Veterans Experience Office and creator of the program. “It is a presentation dedicated to honoring and educating about the importance of service to America, both in and out of uniform.”

The program is designed to:

• Strengthen VA employees’ understanding of military history and culture.
• Inspire, motivate and celebrate the impact of civil service.
• Build commitment and trust between Veterans and civil servants.
• Reconnect VA civil servants to the federal Oath of Office and reaffirm the duty to fulfill President Lincoln’s promise “to care for those who have served in our nation’s military and for their families, caregivers and survivors.”

More than 20 VA facilities across six regional VA networks have initiated the program. One recent participant stated, “I’ve heard about ToD for a while now, but I had no idea it would be this impactful; I was crying when we re-took the Oath.”

The program helps staff personalize their interactions with customers, develop trusting relationships with each other and those we serve, and instill a sense of pride in the civil service through shared knowledge, experience and culture.

“It’s a great lesson and reminder of why we decide to become VA employees,” said John Boerstler, chief Veterans Experience officer of VA’s Veterans Experience Office.

ToD paves the way for building meaningful relationships and improving the customer experience as VA employees work to own the moment each day by connecting and caring, understanding and responding to needs and guiding the journey of Veterans. Ultimately, ToD deepens our commitment to our mission, strengthens our bonds with our colleagues and reinforces our dedication to serving Veterans with compassion and respect.

Broady added, “As VA Secretary Denis McDonough states in his video in the ToD presentation: ‘America made a promise to care for Veterans, VA helps keep that promise.’”