Air Force Veteran

When Air Force Veteran Greg Feest took off in his F-117 Jan. 16, 1991, there was a 50/50 chance he wasn’t coming back. Iraq was one of the most heavily defended airspaces in history. According to the Gulf War Air Power Survey, there were 972 anti-aircraft artillery sites, 2,404 guns and 6,100 mobile guns. There were also surface-to-air missiles: 6,500 SA-7s, 400 SA-9s, 192 SA-13s, and 288 SA-14s. Pilots spent months planning operations, developing routes and making target lists during Operation Desert Shield. During that planning, the numbers were grim. For the 12 F-117s that left Jan. 16, commanders said six might not return. Most spouses didn’t know when the Desert Storm air war started and watched the TV coverage from the U.S. Bridget McGovern, Feest’s wife and also an Air Force Veteran, knew hours before. She watched from a command center at their base in Saudi Arabia.

Since the start of the pandemic, over 1,000 VA staff have volunteered for more than 3,700 deployments to support Veterans and civilians in the most hard-hit areas of the country in response to COVID-19.

On the 55th anniversary of the Gemini 6A mission, today’s #VeteranOfTheDay is Air Force Veteran Thomas P. Stafford, who piloted the mission.

Meet two strong ladies, Veteran Peer Support Specialists who are in recovery from mental illnesses and substance abuse disorders as they help other Veterans to successfully engage in treatment.

On the eve of his 101st birthday, today’s #VeteranOfTheDay is Air Force Veteran Charles Edward McGee, a Tuskegee Airman who served 30 years.

Air Force Veteran AJ Ethridge Jr. talks about the drastic improvement in his life since conquering a decade-long addiction to opioids. He now says there’s hope for anyone living with pain.

Air Force Veteran had two heart attacks and quadruple bypass surgery this summer. Thanks to VA telehealth and new pilot program, he receives almost all his post-surgical care and monitoring at home.

Air Force Veteran Linda Flowers and Army Veteran Ben James won third place in the ballroom dance category in VA’s annual National Veterans Creative Arts Competition. James: “I guess I did all right.”

The Plano VA Outpatient Clinic opened in 2016 in a 10,000 square-foot space. The clinic has now added 10,000 square-feet of clinical space and added a seventh Patient Aligned Care Team.

Anyone can join Welsh Corgi Jock and Air Force Veteran Sonya Heilmann on the World’s Largest Pet Walk on September 26. VA partnership with Pet Partners brings the health benefits of human-animal bond.

With the COVID-19 pandemic preventing many Veterans from leaving home, the VA New England Healthcare System has relied on its 80 Veteran peer specialists to ensure Veterans stay connected.

Today’s #VeteranOfTheDay is Air Force Veteran Raymond Miller, who has devoted his life to helping fellow Veterans transition from military to civilian life.