E-2: Communications
Improve communications with veterans, employees, and stakeholders about the Department’s mission, goals, and current performance
as well as benefits and services VA provides.
Other Information:
Purpose and Outcomes: The purpose of this objective is to improve communications with veterans, stakeholders, and employees
about VA programs. In particular, Objective E-2 recognizes the importance of increasing knowledge and awareness among veterans
and their families about benefits and services and clearly communicating VA’s vision, mission, goals, and objectives throughout
the organization and among its stakeholders. This objective is also aimed at increasing the awareness and understanding of
veterans, stakeholders, and the public of the results of VA programs. Strategies and Processes: To build public awareness
and support for the Department’s mission and programs, VA maintains a communications strategy to provide the framework within
which VA personnel, at all levels, can effectively communicate key messages as an essential part of their mission. Communication
with Veterans To increase awareness of benefits and services provided, VA conducts outreach and education activities for the
veteran community and the general public through news releases, articles appearing in veterans service organization publications,
public service announcements, and presentations to schools and community organizations. The National Veterans Golden Age Games
is multi-event competition for veterans’ age 55 and older. Athletes compete against each other in several events including
swimming, bicycling and bowling. The National Veterans Creative Arts Festival is the celebration and stage and art show. More
than 100 veterans exhibit their artwork or perform musical, dance or drama selections in a gala variety show. All veterans
invited to participate are selected winners of year-long, national fine arts talent competitions. VA will respond to requests
from local and national media, veterans and their families, and the public for information on VA benefits, services, and policy.
To ensure timely response to veteran inquiries and complaints, VA will maintain an Internet access page that allows direct
e-mail contact with veterans. VA will continue to produce a variety of comprehensive, easy-to-use, informational materials
regarding VA benefits, eligibility criteria and services, as well as VA activities, and disseminate them to the widest possible
audiences. Such publications include benefit booklets, news releases, and speeches. At the state level, VA facilities within
specific geographic areas will provide comprehensive directories for veterans and employees that include names and telephone
numbers of VA employees, community care providers, and other Federal government service providers. Many facilities also develop
credit card size pocket cards that include their important local telephone numbers and/or national 800 numbers. This allows
quick response to requests for information by veterans and their families. VA will continue to host local outreach events
to share information with veterans on available benefits. VA will also continue to be recognized as the government leader
in plain language letter writing. VA sends out approximately 30 million pieces of correspondence to veterans and their families,
and VA has rewritten hundreds of form letters sent out in response to inquiries. This lends greater clarity and focus to VA’s
written communications. In addition, VA will convene a National Minority Veterans Conference to identify issues facing minority
and women veterans and to ensure that a comprehensive and effective process is initiated to respond to these issues and concerns
for the 21st Century. The Secretary will also receive periodic counsel from the Advisory Committees on Minority and Women
Veterans. VA will conduct town meetings and community-based forums to discuss VA programs and benefits for women veterans
at different locations across the country and work with field personnel to ensure outreach activities are incorporated into
the performance plans of Women Veteran Coordinators. Special Events for Veterans VA will continue to work with a number of
our partners to sponsor special events for veterans, such as the National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic, The National
Veterans Wheelchair Games, the National Veterans Golden Age Games and the National Veterans Creative Arts Festival. Veterans
who wish to compete in any of these events athletes must be current patients in VA medical facilities. The National Disabled
Veterans Winter Sports Clinic is an annual rehabilitation program that is open to all U.S. military veterans with spinal cord
injury or disease, certain neurological conditions, orthopedic amputations, visual impairments or other disabilities. At the
Clinic, disabled veterans learn adaptive Alpine and Nordic skiing, and are introduced to a variety of other adaptive activities
and sports. Each year, more than 500 disabled veterans compete in the largest annual wheelchair sports event in the world,
the National Veterans Wheelchair Games. Wheelchair athletes compete in many Summer Olympic events including track and field,
swimming and basketball and weightlifting. Communication with Employees The Department developed a VA Strategic Plan for Employees
as a companion document to the VA Strategic Plan. This document communicates the Department’s strategic framework to all employees.
It will assist VA staff at all levels to identify how its work contributes to achieving VA’s overall mission and goals, thereby
improving its line-of-sight connection with the strategic direction of the Department. VA will use other communication vehicles
including the VAnguard magazine, Internet, and videos to communicate the VA strategic direction to employees. The Office of
Public Affairs has implemented an approved VA Communications Plan for the Department of Veterans Affairs. With a focus on
strategic communications – communications that help achieve VA’s strategic goals – the plan provides a coordinated approach
to ensure that clear and consistent information is provided to both employees and the public on VA concerns and issues. These
communications goals will then be supported throughout VA, with managers shaping their communications goals accordingly. The
Office of Public Affairs will produce a weekly internal information video, VA News, for broadcast over the VA digital satellite
network to all VA facilities. The office will also continue to produce the quarterly VA Report internal information video
extending its length and expanding it into a video news magazine format. All video products will be made available to VA employees
and stakeholder groups via the World Wide Web through Internet streaming technology by 2004. The Office of Public Affairs,
in coordination with Employee Information Service, will produce a regular internal video production focused on developing
management skills among VA leaders at all levels. The program will feature interviews of management experts, both within VA
and elsewhere in the world of management and academia, and will be available by satellite broadcast and ultimately on-demand
at the employee’s desktop. Communication with Stakeholders and the Public VA will provide timely and accurate delivery of
service and information to all stakeholders including Members of Congress and their staffs regarding the results of VA programs,
as well as veterans’ concerns, including constituent casework. VA will provide more frequent briefings to Members and their
staff on VA benefits and services and initiate new Member orientations and casework conferences. In addition, as part of its
outreach efforts with stakeholders, VA will ensure that VISN Directors will meet at least twice a year with their respective
delegations to inform them of progress made in key areas, issues, and veterans concerns pending within their area of jurisdiction.
The Office of Intergovernmental Affairs will establish and maintain effective partnerships and strong lines of communications
with all state and local elected and appointed public officials. VA will work with DoD to develop a joint communications plan.
This communications plan will promote VA/DoD collaborative initiatives within each Department, educate internal and external
stakeholders about joint VA/DoD initiatives, and provide periodic updates on accomplishments, new initiatives, and other activities.
VA will use its strategic planning process to increase internal and external understanding of its strategic direction and
priorities. Public service announcements supporting specific VA outreach priority goals (covering homeless veterans, women
veterans, newly separated veterans, Gulf War veterans, and minority veterans) will also be produced for broadcast across the
country to help increase public awareness of VA’s activities and their results. VA will also develop a Veterans Benefits Learning
Map that will be made available to VSO facilities and state VA offices to help veterans better understand the benefits and
services they are eligible to receive. External Factors: • Extent to which cooperative crosscutting partnerships with other
Federal, state and local governments, and private organizations can be developed. • Extent to which veterans have Internet
access.
Indicator(s):
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