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This Veterans Day, we at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services honor all those who have served in our nation’s armed forces.  We are grateful for their service and dedication to our country. We are especially grateful to the many veterans who continue to serve our nation as employees of the Department of Health and Human Services.  Without these valuable colleagues, our department would not be able to provide the critical services that so many Americans depend on every day.

This administration is committed to the men and women who have served this country, recognizing that our veterans are a key part of everything we do in our nation. Over the next three years, we look forward to welcoming 8,000 of our veterans into the growing health care work force. Partnering with the Departments of Defense, Labor, and Veterans Affairs, we will hire these veterans to fill crucial roles as health care providers at community health centers.  We will also fast-track veteran medics into jobs in community health centers and other parts of the health care system by expanding opportunities for veterans to train as physician assistants.

In addition to these initiatives, our department recognizes the continuing need for active duty personnel, members of the National Guard and Reserve and veterans to have access to behavioral health services. That is why we partner with the Department of Veterans Affairs to make resources available. For example, founded to ensure that veterans in emotional crisis have free access to trained counselors, the Veterans Suicide Prevention Hotline is operational 24/7 at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).

Ensuring support for our veterans is part of our department’s commitment to making a difference in the lives of veterans and their families.

For other information on how the Department of Health and Human Services works to support veterans and military families, please visit http://www.samhsa.gov/militaryfamilies/.

For more information on the workforce commitments, please visit http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2011/10/25/fact-sheet-we-cant-wait-obama-administrations-new-initiatives-help-creat