Exclusive: Secretary of the VA speaks with our Editor in Chief

During the Warrior Gaming (GMR) Foundation Mental Health and Gamming Summit, American Grit Editor in Chief, Daniel Sharp, made a short speech, which he ended by asking a very important question.

Sharp, a former Marine and OIF/OEF Veteran, highlighted how the last few years have shown that when Veterans come together, they can achieve great things. Examples of this included advancements in the research of psychedelics, the PACT Act, and the success of events like the Mental Health and Gamming Summit.

He went on to ask the Secretary what other initiatives the VA is now focused on as a result of the Veteran community elevating their voice to call attention to a need.

Secretary McDonough recapped the importance of the examples given, and expanded on several new focuses within the VA:

• Prioritizing continuity of care and having Veterans not have to "re-tell their story" over and over again when meeting new providers.
• An effort to step away from the overreliance of prescribing pharmaceuticals, especially opioids, to treat long term issues.
• To offer access to alternative modalities such as acupuncture, yoga, chiropractors, mindfulness, massage therapy and psychedelics.
• Ultimately, the Secretary said the VA is striving to come to meet Veterans where they are, versus expecting them to conform their lives around the VA. This includes more virtual outreach initiatives, that were discussed at a later point of the summit. 

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The Secretary also talked about how the VA is not a fast, or perfect, organization, but he believes they truly work for the Veteran. Furthermore, many of the VA's new expansions were a direct result of the feedback they have received.

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Many of the topics discussed have been identified as top priorities for the Grunt Style Foundation, and the acknowledgement of their importance from Secretary McDonough can be seen as a good sign for things to come. This event served to stress the importance of Veterans uniting towards common goals, for the betterment of the entire community.

Find out more about the Warrior Gaming (GMR) Foundation here.

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Editor's note: It is also worth noting the Secretary seemed to compliment Sharp's shirt, which can be purchased by clicking here.