“For the first time, I forgot about my pain and smiled,” said Army Veteran and VA employee Gary Ruc when recalling his first virtual reality (VR) experience. Ruc took the stage for a deeply inspiring testimonial during the 2024 VA Immersive Summit, receiving a standing ovation from the crowd.
Ruc (pictured above) deployed to Iraq on two separate occasions. On his final deployment, he was injured in combat twice and earned two Purple Hearts for his bravery and service. The second injury changed the trajectory of his life and ended his military career.
A large artillery shell rigged as an improvised explosive device exploded during a firefight, sending a three-inch piece of shrapnel through his vest and shredding the Kevlar lining of his vest. It entered his left groin, zigzagged through his body and then broke his right hip.
Putting heads in headsets
Following his injury, Ruc took a job with VA. It was then he discovered the transformative power of immersive technology like VR.
“When I first tried a VR headset, the possibilities became endless. Whether used as a tool to combat ailments, a means of leisure, having difficult conversations with a loved one or simply providing a light down a never-ending tunnel of darkness, VR can immerse you in a different environment and invoke new feelings,” Ruc shared.
When he was invited to try VR, Ruc found a lifeline. Driving, he would experience hip pain due to the lifting and lowering of his right leg where he has total atrophy in two major muscles.
VA has deployed more than 3,500 virtual reality (VR) headsets
When he tried the headset, Ruc had a profound experience. He called his wife to tell her about it. Later that week, she surprised him with his own. “Anytime, it’s by my side. With guided care and proper introduction, VR headsets can bring light and hope to anyone facing a dimmer reality,” he added.
VA has deployed more than 3,500 virtual reality (VR) headsets across more than 170 VA medical centers and outpatient clinics in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, Guam and American Samoa with over 40 documented use cases and over 10,000 Veteran experiences to date.
To learn more, visit the VA Immersive website and check out the YouTube playlist.
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I am a both a Veteran & also a Veteran in crisis with no outlets capable or incapable of fixing anything, instead the horrific torture that no one imagined could exist or even be remotely the type of daily life anyone would be faced with or could have survived for this long, with the game finally coming to a natural breaking point, this might be the year the VA stops taking steps that make my stress and overall health and well being (It’s been the same acute injuries, never been fixed…..I am not complaining, and have not complained about anything other than my inability to be understood, or communicate the untenable position with all the cards of my house being roach infested, veteran rodent manager….and i owe everyone money, even businesses who, like the VA, didn’t do their actual job correctly, at all–but followed up with a brilliant and 100% effective fatal version of: “We’re so sorry this has has happened to you Sir, just know we are here for you and will get it figured out!” “Now Sir..Don’t you worry, first what is your 1st cousin’s wife’s sister’s son’s date of christening, and lastly the 2fawill need to have 5 attempts with each id/front/back/selfie-which must clearly have all the information you know about each crooked charity that has helped themselves to 10’s of millions of dollars worth of funds, assets, physical locations, and every other donated item which further made the bankroll grow….thank you your account is verified, now let me take a look at your problems…… 14 min on Crisis Line to get finally to the point that the mission failed and everybody almost kicked last time, and the time before that,and so on….. I am in Palo Alto region, not even 30 miles away, have been neglecting and neglected two way street and I have been taking notes and recordings after the painful torture that starts at the end when nobody does or can seem to do anything but talk for a Veteran to have Hope for a future, it is possible. But it’s also possible to have them take that hope and turn the most dark points in life, darker and bring the pain like they always do, never having said sorry, or fixed any mistakes made by anyone but me!!!