Vets First Podcast

In this episode of the Vets First Podcast, Dr. Levi Sowers and Brandon Rea are joined by Neil Andrews for a collaborative interview.

Niel Andrews is the executive editor and science journalist for the Migraine Science Collaborative, which serves as an online platform dedicated to a wide array of migraine-related research in pursuit of their mission statement, “To accelerate research advances in migraine and headache diseases.” Andrews explains how they aim to bridge the gap between complex scientific findings and a wider audience, ensuring that their content is accessible and informative for both experts and non-experts alike.

With a twist on our usual format, Neil Andrews conducts the first half of the interview and questions our hosts on the origins of the Vets First Podcast, which was created with a similar goal in communicating complex scientific issues to veterans and to better understand the issues they face. Levi and Brandon reflect on their interactions with veterans and the strength and resiliency of dealing with unseen diseases like migraines. Our hosts explain how, in contrast to other areas of pain research, migraine research has seen continued innovations. Despite this, they emphasize the need for more scientists dedicated to the field.

In the second half of the interview, Brandon and Levi question Neil Andrews about his life as a science journalist and the challenges faced by the Migraine Science Collaborative. Having shared similar experiences in their pursuits of communicating research, the trio discusses the difficulties in conveying intricate scientific methodologies and techniques to non-specialists but emphasizes the importance of making these studies more accessible and understandable.

Overall, the episode offers a look into the complexities of migraine research, the challenges of communicating basic science, and the collaborative efforts aimed at advancing understanding and treatment for individuals affected by migraines.

In this episode of the Vets First Podcast, hosts Dr. Levi Sowers and Brandon Rea interview Dr. Steven Fliesler, a SUNY Distinguished Professor at the University of Buffalo and a career scientist at the VA in Buffalo, New York. Dr. Fliesler holds positions as an endowed Chair of Ophthalmology and Director of Research in the Department of Ophthalmology.

Dr. Fliesler was born and raised in New York and moved to California at the age of 15. He attended the College of San Mateo, the University of California in San Diego, and the University of California Berkeley during his undergraduate education and later obtained his PhD in Biochemistry at Rice University. During his time at Rice, his professor in neurobiology needed someone, particularly a chemist, to give a lecture about the chemistry of vision. This led Dr. Fliesler to an opportunity at the Baylor College of Medicine, where he did a postdoctoral fellowship in the Department of Ophthalmology. From there, he has distinguished himself in research and teaching within the vision field and has since been interested in research towards helping Veterans with mild traumatic brain injury (TBI). 

Throughout this episode, Dr. Fliesler discusses how he started researching TBI and why it interests him. First, he talks about what inspired him to enter blast injury research and highlights his collaboration with one of his colleagues. He then talks about utilizing animal models to better understand visual abnormalities found in trauma patients at the VA and converses about the methodology he used to quantify the visual effects of TBI, both behaviorally and physiologically. 

Later, Dr. Fliesler further describes his exploration into blast research with a professor at the University of Buffalo. He comments on the effects of auditory blasts that cause trauma in mice and how that affects visual function. Then, he discusses the various mechanisms that causes visual deficits and how it is important to understand in the context of TBI in order to rescue visual impairments. Finally, he hypothesizes on how the human body reacts to TBI. 

If you are a Veteran or you know a Veteran needing help with visual loss, contact the Visual Impairment Services Team coordinator at your nearest VA medical center or contact the Blind Rehabilitation Service Program by phone which can be found here. There are 13 Blind Rehabilitation Centers around the country, which can help with things like mobility, communication, and living with vision loss. 

In this episode of the Vets First Podcast Dr. Levi Sowers and Brandon Rea interview Elizabeth Holmes. Elizabeth “Liz” Holmes is the Blinded Veterans Association National Secretary and is part of the Georgia regional group. She is an Army Veteran and during her career she attended both basic and advanced ordinance courses and airborne school. Liz was born and raised in the south side of Chicago about 15 minutes from Indiana. She went to DePaul University and didn’t initially have plans to join the military. However, seeing that the ROTC program there did not have any women and knowing she could do anything a man could, Liz decided to join the ROTC program in 1975 and received her training at Fort Riley, Kansas. Following college, she joined the service as a reserve officer and then went on active duty for 11 years where she traveled all over the states, Korea, and Germany. Liz served from 1976 to 1987, where in 1976 she was commissioned to be a Second Lieutenant in the ordinant specialty. Following her military service, Liz worked in the United States Postal Service serving in a variety of different ways until retirement in 2014 due to vision loss because of glaucoma. She had never noticed a change in her vision until she went to an eye exam where her glaucoma was diagnosed. Liz had surgery on her left eye but continued to experience issues. She began seeing a specialist that worked to save her right eye’s vision. Liz was referred to the VA for further care and joined other programs to help navigate life with vision loss. While in blind rehabilitation in Birmingham, Alabama, Liz joined the Blinded Veterans Association and became an active member. She shares about her experiences in the military, vision loss with glaucoma, and her involvement in the Blinded Veterans Association.

If you are a Veteran or you know a Veteran needing help with visual loss, contact the Visual Impairment Services Team coordinator at your nearest VA medical center or contact the Blind Rehabilitation Service Program by phone which can be found here. There are 13 Blind Rehabilitation Centers around the country, which can help with things like mobility, communication, and living with vision loss. 

 In this episode of the Vets First Podcast, hosts Dr. Levi Sowers and Brandon Rea interview Dr. Eric Singman, a neuro-ophthalmologist working at the Department of Defense Vision Center of Excellence in Baltimore, Maryland. He has been working with Veterans and active-duty military for 20 years. Prior to his position at the VA, Dr. Singman spent most of his academic career in the greater New York City area, obtaining his MD and PhD with a focus on vision problems associated with optic nerve damage from brain injury. 

During this episode, Dr. Singman discusses his clinical role at the VA and explains how he directly works with patients suffering from brain injury induced vision problems. He touches on topics like using stem cells to regenerate affected areas of the nervous system and utilizing different colored NoIR sunglasses to allow visually impaired patients to be more comfortable. He then explains at length about the importance of choosing the right color and how it relates to the optic nerve and its circuitries in the brain. 

Later in the episode, Dr. Singman elaborates on injury induced by impacts and talks about what happens physiologically, particularly with the optic nerve. He differentiates the effects on the nerve among blunt, ballistic, and blast injury, and discusses how protection may play a role in vision health depending on the injury. Then, Dr. Singman talks about the potential for brain tissue to have regenerative properties like other organs in the body such as the kidneys and the liver. Lastly, he talks about the social and economic impact of brain injury in Veterans, how he builds a network of physicians and caretakers for his patients to ensure correct treatment, and how traumatic brain injury is likely the key player for many other diseases and disorders outside of the brain injury itself. 

If you are a Veteran or you know a Veteran needing help with visual loss, contact the Visual Impairment Services Team coordinator at your nearest VA medical center or contact the Blind Rehabilitation Service Program by phone which can be found here. There are 13 Blind Rehabilitation Centers around the country, which can help with things like mobility, communication, and living with vision loss. 

In this episode of the Vets First Podcast, hosts Dr. Levi Sowers and Brandon Rea interview Loretta Phillips, an Army Veteran from Lancaster, South Carolina. Loretta suffers from visual impairment due to complications from diabetes that progressed due to depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. During this conversation, Loretta talks about the patient perspective of dealing with visual loss as a Veteran and shares her journey in getting treatment for her developing issues. 

Loretta joined the Army in 1989, where she spent most of her time in Germany amid the Cold War conflict. She obtained the rank of Sergeant in less than three years and served seven in total. After she came back to the United States, she had a daughter. However, four months later, she experienced vision loss during work. Throughout the episode, Loretta describes her diagnosis and the troubles she overcame to get treatment, having to resort to civilian doctors over government health workers at the time. Then, she describes an instance where she almost lost sight completely and how treatment for it damaged her eyes and consequently her eyesight. 

Later in the episode, Loretta talks about what life is like with loss of sight and, more specifically, how the Blind Rehabilitation Center with the VA, helped her learn the skills to survive and live with vision loss. Then, she talks about joining the Blind Veterans Association and gives advice to Veterans experiencing visual loss. She encourages Veterans to reach out to the visual programs and discusses how it can be difficult accepting loss of vision. Finally, she talks about both the mental and physical sides of vision impairment and the importance of research for vision loss. 

If you are a Veteran or you know a Veteran needing help with visual loss, contact the Visual Impairment Services Team coordinator at your nearest VA medical center or contact the Blind Rehabilitation Service Program by phone which can be found here. There are 13 Blind Rehabilitation Centers around the country, which can help with things like mobility, communication, and living with vision loss. 

In this episode of the Vets First Podcast, hosts Dr. Levi Sowers and Brandon Rea interview Dr. Thomas Zampieri. Dr. Zampieri currently serves on multiple Department of Defense grant review panels and has been appointed to the VA National Research Advisory Council, which is a Congressional mandated council to advise research at the VA. He is also the past president of the Blinded Veterans Association and he’s a former Army Veteran who served during the Vietnam era as an Army medic. In this episode, Dr. Zampieri talks about his career as a physician assistant and as a Veteran suffering from retinitis pigmentosa, a genetic degenerative disease that breaks down cells in the retina over time.

Dr. Zampieri started his career early on as an emergency medical technician in rural New Hampshire and Vermont, which led him directly to the Army as a field medic and as a physician assistant. He talks about how the gradual visual loss affected his work and how it ultimately forced him to stop medical practice and leave the VA. He then discusses his perseverance with loss of vision and how he found the motivation to obtain a PhD in Political Science at the age of 47. 

Later in the episode, Dr. Zampieri narrates his journey back to the VA through the Blinded Veterans Association as the Director of Government Relations to represent blind Veterans. From there, he obtained many other VA positions and discussed his appreciation for helping Veterans. He elaborates about his efforts towards advocating for more funding in research to assist degenerative eye conditions, particularly vision dysfunction from traumatic brain injury (TBI). Then, Dr. Zampieri communicates about the struggles many Veterans go through with TBI. Finally, he talks about one of his unique meetings with a recently blinded Veteran and demonstrated how you can still live your life well with vision loss. 

If you are a Veteran or you know a Veteran needing help with visual loss, contact the Visual Impairment Services Team coordinator at your nearest VA medical center or contact the Blind Rehabilitation Service Program by phone which can be found here. There are 13 Blind Rehabilitation Centers around the country, which can help with things like mobility, communication, and living with vision loss. 

In this episode of the Vets First Podcast, hosts Dr. Levi Sowers and Brandon Rea interview Dr. Laura Peters. Dr. Peters currently works as a licensed counselling psychologist at the VA Blind Rehabilitation Center in Palo Alto, California. Originally from California, Dr. Peters completed her graduate degree in counseling psychology at University of Utah. She began working with the VA during a practicum in which she focused on geriatric psychology, the psychology of aging, and worked at an outpatient mental health program in Salt Lake City, Utah. Eventually, she found her way to Palo Alto, California where she currently lives. 

Dr. Peters goes on to discuss her path to her current career at the Blind Rehabilitation Center and her role in helping visually impaired Veterans as a licensed counselling psychologist. She further discusses the diverse causes and symptoms of vision loss that impact Veterans, and the general population. Dr. Peters talks more in-depth on the prevalence of age-related vision loss and how Veterans learn to adapt with sudden or progressive blindness. Levi, Brandon, and Dr. Peters examine the impact of both physical and mental aspects of vision loss on Veterans’ daily activities, and several tools that assist individuals with varied spectrums of visual impairment.  

Dr. Peters discusses the benefits of using a whole-person approach in treatment of vision impaired Veterans. She further highlights the inter-professional collaboration between counsellors, social workers, physicians, and other healthcare professionals when a Veteran seeks care within the Blind Rehabilitation Center. Lastly, Brandon, Levi, and Dr. Peters briefly discuss recent research around visual loss and Veterans, as well as Veteran testimonials regarding Blind Rehabilitation Centers. As Dr. Peters mentions in this episode, there are a total of thirteen VA Blind Rehabilitation Centers as well as several non-VA facilities throughout the United States that a Veteran can access if experiencing vision loss.

If you are a Veteran or you know a Veteran needing help with visual loss, contact the Visual Impairment Services Team coordinator at your nearest VA medical center or contact the Blind Rehabilitation Service Program by phone which can be found here.

In this episode of the Vets First Podcast, hosts Dr. Levi Sowers and Brandon Rea interview Dr. Oliver Gramlich, a research health science specialist at the Iowa City VA Health Care System. He is also a research assistant professor in the Neuroscience and Pharmacology Program at the University of Iowa. 

Dr. Gramlich was born in Frankfurt, Germany, and went to graduate school at the University of Mines, where he was interested in biology and ophthalmology. After he obtained his PhD, he was recruited to the University of Iowa to work on glaucoma-related vision loss at the Department of Ophthalmology. This led him to become interested in many other vision-related diseases surrounding the optic nerve, such as multiple sclerosis and traumatic brain injury (TBI). 

Throughout the beginning of the episode, Dr. Gramlich narrates his journey to neuro-ophthalmology research at the University of Iowa and his preclinical research at the VA. He discusses the importance of using animal models to translate physiological knowledge from experiments to human subjects. He later talks about the importance of the optic nerve in visual information transmission and elaborates about the physiological mechanisms and effects of various diseases such as glaucoma and multiple sclerosis. 

In the second half of the episode, Dr. Gramlich discusses potential treatments for vision-related diseases. He then talks about his work regarding biomarkers of the visual system that relate to humans and describes potential ways to enhance recovery in patients dealing with optic neuritis. Dr. Gramlich shares his work with utilizing a combination of different diets and drugs to manipulate metabolic pathways in order to promote neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory effects to remedy optic nerve inflammation. Lastly, he describes his use of three-dimensional imaging to observe disease progression and resolution based on multiple variables and how this can directly apply to the clinical side of vision.

If you are a Veteran or you know a Veteran needing help with visual loss, contact the Visual Impairment Services Team coordinator at your nearest VA medical center or contact the Blind Rehabilitation Service Program by phone which can be found here. There are 13 Blind Rehabilitation Centers around the country, which can help with things like mobility, communication, and living with vision loss. 

In this episode Dr. Levi Sowers and Brandon Rea interview Dr. Lina Kubli. Dr. Kubli is the RR&D Scientific Program Manager for Sensory Systems/Communication Disorders. Dr. Kubli was born in India and lived there until age 7 before moving the United States and settling in Maryland. She attended college at the University of Maryland initially majoring in Biochemistry, then switching to Hearing and Speech. In this time, Dr Kubli learned that she wanted to not only participate in clinical work but also interact with people while staying within research. She continued her education with earning her Master's in Audiology from the University of Maryland and worked with Veterans at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (WRNMMC) as a Research Scientist and served as a Subject Matter Expert on Central Auditory Processing disorders and Traumatic Brain Injury. Initially reluctant to leave such an engaging research project, the director of the clinic encouraged Dr. Kubli to find a PhD program that could accommodate her schedule. She was able to find this balance at Gallaudet University, where she earned her PhD in Audiology. Dr. Kubli served on the Executive Committee of the Medical Staff as Chair for the Patient and Family Centered Care Steering Committee at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.

Together with Levi and Brandon, Dr. Kubli explains what it means to be a Scientific Program Manager and how she oversees the program within the Rehabilitation Research and Development Service. She evaluates a broad range of funding applications for research that include vision, hearing, balance, communication, and more. Additionally, she recruits individuals with expertise to best evaluate the funding applications. Many of the panel members are from outside of the VA to ensure that the most knowledgeable reviewers help navigate a project being implemented in the VA. Dr. Kubli shares about all the work that goes into supporting important research for the benefit of Veterans.

In this episode of the Vets First Podcast, hosts Dr. Levi Sowers and Brandon Rea interview Dr. Renata Gomes. Dr. Gomes is a medical and forensic specialist with a sub-specialized in regenerative biomedicine who works with blinded Veterans in the United Kingdom. She was born in Portugal into a family with 5 generations of Army officers and moved to England at a young age. She earned her degree in Forensic Medicine and a Masters in Cardiovascular Medicine and Biology from University College London. Dr. Gomes then earned her international PhD in Regenerative Medicine and Biochemistry with the University of Oxford (United Kingdom), University of Coimbra (Portugal), and the University of Eastern Finland (Finland). After gaining her doctorate, Dr. Gomes became a researcher in regenerative medicine and joined the Royal Naval Reserves.

Dr. Gomes established Blind Veterans UK’s research and innovation department in 2017 and was central to the establishment of Bravo Victor in 2021. Blind Veterans UK is a not-for-profit organization founded in 1915 that provides rehabilitation and services for blinded UK Veterans and their families. Bravo Victor was established to invest in the combination of medical research, social welfare research, and innovations to prepare Veterans living with sight loss for the future, as Veterans in the UK stay with Blind Veterans UK for their lifetime. 

Dr. Gomes shares about the focus on traumatic brain injury that can cause significant issues in sensory loss, family relationships, and innovations that ensure that Veterans can live independent and fulfilling lives. She also highlights their international collaborations many countries including the United States to better serve Veterans and help stop significant loss of vision through promotion of eye health. Bravo Victor has and continues to work with the Blinded Veterans Association, the only congressionally chartered Veterans Service Organization created for, consisting of, and led by visually impaired Veterans. 

For more information about Bravo Victor, viewers can visit https://www.bravovictor.org/. If you are a Veteran or you know a Veteran needing help with visual loss, contact the Visual Impairment Services Team coordinator at your nearest VA medical center or contact the Blind Rehabilitation Service Program by phone which can be found here. There are 13 Blind Rehabilitation Centers around the country, which can help with things like mobility, communication, and living with vision loss. 

In this episode Dr. Levi Sowers and Brandon Rea interview returning guest Dr. Randy Kardon. Dr. Kardon is a neuro ophthalmologist at the Iowa City VA Healthcare System and the University of Iowa in Iowa City who has had federal funding for over 30 years. This episode focuses on diabetic neuropathy and diabetic retinopathy. Diabetes affects many different types of body tissues, including the eye. With minimal invasiveness, the eye can be studied and provide information about how diabetes damages other tissues. Additionally, the eye can allow doctors to detect diabetes far earlier than other tissues with high resolution scans on the cells in the eyes. Early detection and management of diabetes can help minimize health effects of the disease and can prevent blindness. Control of blood sugar is the most important aspect to help prevent blindness with diabetes. Dr. Kardon explains how diabetes affects the eye and can lead to vision loss, as well as other effects on the body and available treatments. He explains that there are tiny blood vessels in the eye that are lined with endothelial cells. In diabetes these endothelial cells are damaged by the byproducts of high blood sugar and cause the tiny blood vessels to leak fluid into the tissue. When fluid gets into the tissue layers it disrupts the tissues' ability to function. This, however, can be managed with treatment. After the vessels begin leaking, the eye releases growth factors to allow new blood vessels to grow. Unfortunately, these vessels are weaker and begin to leak even more, and this is what leads to severe blindness in patients. Though there are treatments for the second stage of blood vessel leaks, when the leakage is too severe there is little that can be done. Dr. Kardon also talks about the different types of diabetes and how each type affects vision in patients.

If you are a Veteran or you know a Veteran needing help with visual loss, contact the Visual Impairment Services Team coordinator at your nearest VA medical center or contact the Blind Rehabilitation Service Program by phone which can be found here. There are 13 Blind Rehabilitation Centers around the country, which can help with things like mobility, communication, and living with vision loss. 

Warning before the podcast, this episode contains graphic content of an Iraqi Veteran’s experiences and may be difficult to hear for some listeners. 
 
 In this episode of the Vets First Podcast, Dr. Levi Sowers and Brandon Rea interview Veteran Tim Hornick. Tim Hornick is a post 9/11 Army Captain who served from 2002 to 2011 in Operation Iraqi Freedom. He earned his Master's in Social Work and began working for the Western Blind Rehab Center. Tim grew up in the south side of Chicago and joined the military while applying for colleges to study nursing through the ROTC. However, he decided to not go the nursing route, enlisted at 22, and was stationed in South Korea. In this episode Tim tells his story of when he was deployed to Iraq in 2004. On November 11, 2004, while supporting the Iraqi national guard Tim was shot through the left temple, narrowly missing his helmet, and the bullet exited the right eye where he ultimately lost his sight. The bullet missed the brain but tore through nerves causing him to lose his sight. Tim talks about his journey after the accident and speaks on the mental process that allowed him, years later, to be able to laugh about the trauma and grow. Tim shares that over the years he has become happier and learned from his condition. While he still misses parts of his old life, he does not dwell on the past and has turned his experience into a way to help others grow from similar situations, highlighted by his term “transilience”. The VA has started to move forward with Ocular Trauma and Blind Disability Excellence Centers that allow Veterans with vision loss to find others with similar conditions. At the time of this recording, Tim Hornick was working within the VA’s Western Blind Rehab Center as the admissions coordinator. Now Tim has moved into a new position with the Blinded Veterans Association as their Director of Special Initiatives. He oversees the development of the Vet Tech program which focuses on assistive technology through support groups and podcasts and CARE review.

If you are a Veteran or you know a Veteran needing help with visual loss, contact the Visual Impairment Services Team coordinator at your nearest VA medical center or contact the Blind Rehabilitation Service Program by phone which can be found here. There are 13 Blind Rehabilitation Centers around the country, which can help with mobility, communication, and living with vision loss. 

We are finally back! It has been almost 2 years since we last published a season. A lot has changed over that time. Dr. Sowers started a faculty position at the University of Iowa in the Department of Pediatrics where he is studying migraine pathophysiology in preclinical models. This is an exciting season! In total, we have 11 new interviews for your from across the spectrum. The Blinded Veterans Association was integral in the topic this season which is all about Vision and Vision related issues in Veterans. We interviewed many awesome Veterans who told amazing stories. One that stuck out to me was Tim Hornick. His interview was one of the most difficult interviews Brandon and I have ever done (in a good way). It is a captivating listen! Several wonderful practitioners join us this season who all have VA funded awards to study vision. We cover glaucoma, diabetic neuropathy, traumatic brain injury induced vision problems and much more! We also interview the former president of the Blinded Veterans Association. 

Moving forward, the podcast will take a little bit of a different shape. We are going to stop doing seasons and attempt to release an episode every month or so. We are going to start bringing guest hosts on in future episodes and we may do join interviews with a Veteran and Researcher/practitioner at the same time. 

Finally, thank you all for listening and we apologize for the long wait! The Vets First Podcast would not be possible without the people that listen.  This project has been one of the most rewarding projects that Brandon and I have ever worked on. We would like to thank the VA Center for the Prevention and Treatment of Visual loss and the Iowa City VA Research foundation for aiding in the production of this season. We also want to give a shout out to Jayme Waite, Thomas Duong, and Michael Huebner who are wonderful undergraduates or VA employees that volunteered their time to edit blogs this season. Once again, thank you all for listening and we hope you enjoy and learn something along the way! 

In this episode of the Vets First Podcast, Levi and Brandon interview Dr. Alejandro Pezzulo, a pulmonologist, and Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine at the University of Iowa. This episode was recording back in August of 2021 during the height of the Delta wave. We think this is an interesting look into COVID-19 with a critical care provider. 

Dr. Pezzulo was born in Caracas, Venezuela where he grew and eventually went to medical school.  He became interested in biomedical research, particularly pulmonology, and established connections at the University of Iowa. Dr. Pezzulo wanted to include research with being a clinician and began work with the VA during his internal medicine residency. He enjoyed talking and working with Veterans while providing clinical care and continues to do so to this day. He notes that some of his favorite patients are Veterans.
 
 In our discussion, Dr. Pezzulo shares with Levi and Brandon his insight into SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.  He breaks down how COVID-19 affects the body, why the body’s response to this virus is so severe, and how current treatments work to combat this disease. Particularly, Dr. Pezzulo illustrates the difference between how the body responds to a new virus never experienced before and how the immune response plays a role. He also comments on why COVID-19 is more harmful to some patients than others and what factors play a role. Additionally, Dr. Pezzulo comments on how the COVID-19 vaccines are made, getting the COVID-19 vaccine even if a person has already contracted the virus, the potentials of long COVID, and a brief history on vaccination efforts with other diseases like polio and measles. Finally, he discusses what it has been like for a critical care pulmonologist during the pandemic. 

For the latest science and research on COVID-19, we highly encourage our listeners to consult the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at: 

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/science/science-and-research.html?CDC_AA_refVal=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov%2Fcoronavirus%2F2019-ncov%2Fmore%2Fscience-and-research.html

In the first half of episode five, Levi and Brandon interview Dr. Anthony Miller.  The episode focuses on opiate use disorder. Levi, Brandon, and Dr. Miller discuss the risks of sustained opiate consumption, causes and treatment options for opiate use disorder, relapsing, and societal views on addiction. 

Dr. Miller received a Bachelor’s degree in Biology from Goshen College and a Medical degree at the University of Iowa with a residency in Psychiatry. Dr. Miller is a practicing psychiatrist and the medical director for addictive disorder services at the VA. Dr. Miller is an expert on opiate use disorder and supports Veterans managing substance use disorders. 

The VA provides substance use treatments for Veterans. They accept both self-referrals and referrals by another specialty or primary care provider. Possible treatment options include medications, counseling, and therapy. For specifically opiate use disorder treatments, many Veterans begin treatment in outpatient with inpatient treatment opportunities available. 

Following the opioid epidemic, the VA is dedicated to opioid safety and discovery of the safest options for long-term pain management. The VA conducts research, gathers resources, and explores treatment options to improve the safety of pain management treatment plans.  Click the link to learn more about the VA’s opioid safety initiative.  

In the second half of the episode, Levi and Brandon welcome Dr. John Wemmie to explore and break down the science behind addiction itself. Dr. Wemmie is a staff psychiatrist and director of research for behavior health at the Iowa City VA, and he is a Roy J. Carver Endowed Chair of Psychiatry and Neuroscience. 

Dr. Wemmie is an Iowa native, growing up in West Burlington. His career in research began at Central College in Pella where he received his Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry, and he went on to receive his MD, complete a residency in Psychiatry, and a PhD in Physiology and Biophysics at the University of Iowa. 

Dr. Wemmie’s current research focuses on the role of brain pH and acid-sensing ion channels (ASIC) and behavior and brain function. The nucleus accumbens, found in the basal forebrain, is related to reward and reinforcement and has been found to relate to addiction. The abundancy of ASIC channels in the nucleus accumbens has driven research to explore the connection between the biological and genetic factors on substance use disorders. Click the link to learn more about Dr. Wemmie’s research. 

The VA currently has its own independent research department, the Office of Research and Development, which funds researchers to explore Veteran specific related issues. The VA research program has and continues to make advancements in both Veteran healthcare and general healthcare, with some of the top researchers and physicians at the forefront of that research. Eligible participants can volunteer in clinical trials and studies to contribute to the advancements of the VA’s research.  

Listeners should also listen to episode four, where they talk with Veteran Trever Siver and Henry Uken about their own experience with substance use disorders.

            In this episode Levi and Brandon interview Keith Queen, Visual Impairments coordinator at the Iowa City VA. Listeners will hear how Keith navigated his life with his own visual impairment and his career with the VA, the blind rehabilitation services the VA offers, and expectations for Veterans beginning to lose their eye sight. 

            Keith Queen struggled with his vision, beginning in his youth, and was diagnosed with rare juvenile onset macular dystrophy, Stargardt disease. Keith did not receive services until he was connected with the Commission of the Blind, following his diagnoses which funded his college education. Keith has two undergraduate degrees, a master’s degree, and served in the Peace Corps. He has pursued a career in blind rehabilitation services and has worked with 5 different VA organizations across the Country. Keith now is a part of the Visual Impairments Services Team.

            Visual Impairments Services Team (VIST) connects blind or visual impaired Veterans to multiple programs and services. VIST supports Veterans with learning basic life skills, financial management, technological support and training, counseling, etc. Veterans meet with the Visual Impairments Coordinator in their area to conduct an exam, learn more about their condition, discuss expectations, and refer to services. Click the link to learn more about VIST and connect with a coordinator near you. You can also check out the latest research being done at the Center For the Prevention and Treatment of Visual Loss.

            Blind Veterans Association (BVA) strives to serve and support Veterans with vision loss. BVA advocates for visually impaired Veteran-focused issues and mentorships for Veterans and family. BVA offers four different programs: Veterans Service, Care Review, Operation Peer Support, and Scholarships. Click the link to learn more about BVA. 

            Also listen to episode two to hear from Dan Standage on his own journey with vision loss during his time in the military and life after. 

In the opening of season two interviews of Vets First Podcast, Levi and Brandon welcome Marine Veteran, Dan Standage. In this podcast, listeners will hear from the Arizona native, starting with a brief overview of his childhood and career in the Marines, his emotional and physical journey after becoming legally blind during his station in Japan, and finally his contributions and career in blind rehabilitation services. Levi, Brandon, and Dan discuss the importance of mentorship in the development as individuals, and the importance of adaptability and perspective in the face of change. 

Dan has overcome a tumultuous health journey in which he became legally blind during his service. He managed the emotional stress as he adapted to the changes on his life such as fatherhood, driving, basic skills, etc. Dan utilized the VA to formally learn how to manage the changes to his daily life.  

With a Bachelor of Science and Master’s degree in Blind Rehabilitation from University of Arizona, Dan worked at the time of this recording as the Vice President of Diversity and Inclusion at Student Veterans of America. His job focuses on connecting the fraternal order of the military to education and employment as Veterans become leaders.  

Student Veterans of America (SVA) strives to support student Veterans to succeed after their services are completed. The organization provides on campus chapters, research, and advocacy for Veterans in higher education. Click the link to learn more about SVA.

Blind Veterans Association (BVA) strives to serve and support Veterans with vision loss. BVA advocates for visually impaired Veteran-focused issues and mentorships for Veterans and family. BVA offers four different programs: Veterans Service, Care Review, Operation Peer Support, and Scholarships. Click the link to learn more about BVA and how they can support you or your loved ones experiencing vision loss.  

Listen to episode three with Keith Queen to learn more about blind and low vision rehabilitation services the VA and Visual Impairment Services Team offers Veterans. 

In the first episode of the second season, podcast hosts, Levi Sowers and Brandon Rea overview the guests and topics featured in the seasons and offer some of their retrospective thoughts. The season will interview doctors, experts, private organizations, and Veterans covering topics regarding blind Veterans, PTSD, addiction, and mental health. Some guests include Veteran Trever Siver, Dr. Erik Won, Keith Queen, and Dr. Carolyn Turvey. These episodes can be downloaded now at https://blogs.va.gov/VAntage/va-podcast-network/vets-first/ and we encourage our listeners to listen to these stories and more as we move forward with the Vets First Podcast. If you have not had a chance to listen to any of the episodes from season one, you can also go to the above link to find those episodes as well.

Levi and Brandon discuss hosting a podcast during the Covid-19 pandemic. Many of the episodes were recorded via zoom in the hosts’ basements. Both Levi and Brandon’s research jobs were moved remotely, similarly to many other individuals during the pandemic. 

Levi and Brandon give a glimpse into the future of the podcast which they plan to continue for many seasons. The hosts would like to thank the VA for their support, the guests joining to speak on their experiences and knowledge, and the listeners for downloading and taking the time to listen to the episodes. They would also like to give a special thanks to Olivia Gaul, a very talented undergraduate who aided in writing the blogs this season. She is going on to do bigger and better things in graduate school where she will be studying social work. 

Finally, we want to thank everyone that has supported the podcast over the past year. This was an undertaking that has moved Levi and Brandon out of the comfort zone of the laboratory and into the lives of Veterans and their stories. We hope this season is even better than the first and we look forward to many great things to come! In season three, listeners can look forward to a season dedicated to Veterans with vision problems.

In this first part of the episode, podcast hosts, Levi and Brandon, interview army Veteran, Trever Siver. Trever candidly discusses trauma, mental health, and substance use. Trever recounts his childhood, time in the army as a cook, and his battle with addiction and journey to sobriety.

Trever was born and raised in Iowa. While in high school, Trever decided to join the army and served from 1999 to 2004, being stationed in Korea and Germany.  Trever survived multiple traumatic injuries where he was introduced to opiates to manage the pain, eventually leading to a long-term battle with substance use. With the support of Dr. Miller at the VA, Trever worked to overcome addiction and continues to receive services from the VA.

In the second part of the episode, hosts interview Levi’s hometown friend and army Veteran, Henry Uken. Henry speaks openly about his experiences in the army, the traumatic brain injuries he sustained during deployment and the symptoms he still experiences today. He also details his recovery with substance use disorder and mental health treatment after being discharged. 

Henry Uken grew up in Perry, Iowa with Levi Sowers. Henry served in army until May 2013, where he was deployed multiple times in both Iraq and Afghanistan. While serving, he sustained multiple blast injuries, resulting in traumatic brain injuries. After his discharge, Henry struggled with the change from military life into civilian life. Henry began using methamphetamine, which he identifies as a coping mechanism. He found a passion for disk golf, and his pursuit of the sport encouraged him to begin recovery. Henry is now in recovery and sober for two years. 

More than 1 in 10 Veterans are diagnosed with substance use disorders. Veterans Affairs provides substance use treatments for Veterans battling substance use problems. VA offers medication options, counseling and therapy services, and treatment for related health conditions to substance use. 

Substance abuse and suicide are significantly connected. Veterans managing substance use disorders are more than twice as likely to die by suicide than other Veterans. Individuals who struggle with substance use disorder are more likely to be depressed, engage in high-risk behaviors, and struggle with social and financial problems. Click the link to learn more about the connection between substance abuse and suicide. 

The VA is dedicated to supporting Veterans. VA offers mental health services for Veterans managing PTSD, depression, anxiety, Military Sexual Trauma (MST), etc. Veterans can receive counseling, therapy, and or medication treatment either in person or via the telemental health program. 

In episode six, Levi and Brandon interview Army Veteran, Josh Marino to discuss the traumatic brain injuries (TBI) and internal injuries sustained during his service. Listeners will hear about Josh’s early life, his time in the army, sustaining a head injury, and his life experiences managing the injury. Josh discusses the mental health struggles following his injury, social stigma surrounding internal injuries, and his struggle for identity and purpose after being discharged.

Josh Marino served as a 25 Sierra, specifically in satellite communication where he performed both tactile and strategic tasks. Josh was deployed in Korea, and then was stationed in Kansas to set up the brigade. Josh was again deployed in Iraq, where he sustained a head injury from the shock wave of an indirect fire attack. He suffered from TBI, post-concussion syndrome and headaches, which he still experiences to this day. Josh identifies suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and anxiety. Josh made headlines in 2017 after he rescued a stray cat, Scout. Josh attributes Scout for saving his life. Click the link to watch the heartwarming film of the mutual rescue between Josh and Scout. Josh currently seeks support from the VA and counsels Veterans at the VA.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a disruption in the normal function of the brain that can be caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head, or penetrating head injury. The most common type of head trauma from recent conflicts are blast wave injuries. Two of the most prevalent problems reported by military personnel following traumatic brain injury are headache and photosensitivity (light sensitivity), which commonly occur together in migraine-like headaches.

The VA provides care and support for Veterans suffering from TBI. All Veterans who served in combat are screened for TBI. Treatment options for TBI include cognitive, speech, physical, and occupational therapy, coinciding with medication and assistive devices. Click the link to learn more about TBI treatment at the VA. VA also offers counseling services to Veterans to support treatments of related conditions. 

In the second half of episode six, Levi and Brandon interview Rob Otto. Listeners will hear about Rob’s early life, career in the military, and life after service and his experience with mental health. Rob discusses PTSD among Veterans and suicide prevention at the VA. 

Rob Otto is an Iowa native and Air Force Veteran. He began his military career in the Air Force ROTC and received his undergraduate degree in Sociology at the University of Iowa. Rob served in active duty for six years as a Captain, where he was a personnel officer leading teams, project management and administrative work. He attended the police academy and worked as a police officer. Rob is now the Suicide Prevention Coordinator and a social worker at the Iowa City VA where he counsels Veterans. 

The VA is dedicated to changing the stigma surrounding mental health. Approximately 20% of Veterans suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Veterans can receive treatment for PTSD at the VA through trauma-focused psychotherapies and antidepressant medication. The VA tailors treatment regiments specific to the Veteran’s key concerns and needs. PTSD often coincides with other mental health illnesses.