“VLM for Living Veterans” allows Veterans to share their life stories today.
Made possible by the Veterans Legacy Memorial (VLM), the new online feature is free and it enables Veterans to securely share their photos, autobiographies, military and life milestone achievements, and historical documents about their lives.
All you need to do is sign up for and be approved for a pre-need eligibility determination with VA. Pre-need eligibility is a way to find out if you’re eligible to be buried in a VA national cemetery ahead of time.
VA will keep your personal content secure until you pass and are approved for a burial or memorial benefit. Following approval, your content will become public and appear on your VLM personal page.
Started in 2019 by VA’s National Cemetery Administration, VLM is a digital platform where family and friends of Veterans who have passed can honor their loved ones. Currently, VLM honors nearly 10 million Veterans interred in 156 VA national cemeteries, VA grant-funded cemeteries, National Park Service cemeteries, Department of Defense-managed cemeteries and private cemeteries around the world. VLM expanded its reach in May 2025 to include approximately 200,000 more Veterans who are buried in American Battle Monument Commission cemeteries and memorials.
Army Chaplain and 1st Lt. Lawrence Provost recently created his legacy page. “I signed up because pre-need gives me peace of mind for my family when planning for my burial. The VLM for Living Veteran feature of sharing my story now is a great tool to tell my story the way I want to tell it.”
Since the VLM website launched, users have sent in more than 200,000 tributes and content. NCA moderators review all content submissions before posting to a Veteran’s page to ensure conformity with the VLM User Policy.
VA encourages you to share your story while you are alive and to ensure that your family members, friends and others can appreciate your experiences through your own voice.
For more information about the feature, visit the “VLM for Living Veterans” landing page online or go to www.vlm.cem.va.gov/livingveteranhome. For information about VA burial benefits, visit a VA national cemetery near you or call 800-827-1000. To apply for Pre-Need Eligibility, visit the VA National Cemetery Administration website or go to www.cem.va.gov and click Apply Online.
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My name is Bobby Gipson, Army Combat Veteran that served in Vietnam from 1971 to 1972. It wasn’t until 2017 I walked into VA & asked for help after 46 years of trying to heal on my own but to no avail. I was carrying a lot of pain with me but you wouldn’t have been able to tell it by the way I carried myself. No one had heard my story or I couldn’t tell anyone because they just didn’t understand.
Since 2017, the VA has been my savior more times than many, with my primary care, my meds & have had some therapy & counseling. I’ve been very fortunate to have some great therapists & have had some not-so-great sitting across from me
So enough about me, I want to get on my soapbox & to send this message out all over this country.
While going to mental health therapy in Las Vegas, Nevada, a mental health therapist mentioned to me about a place in Helena, Montana that’s at Fort Harrison, which has an RRTP Program, Residential Rehab Treatment Program or Romeo, Romeo, Tango Papa.
This place is a diamond in the rough for all veterans regardless of era of service, I was the only Vietnam Vet amongst Iraq & Afghan veterans.
This is also a VA hospital, pharmacy, a housing for homeless vets right there on campus. They also have a lot of Native American veterans from surrounding reservations as patients.
They deal with Substance Abuse, Alcohol, Drugs, PTSD & Homelessness.
From the time you report, you walk in & the nursing staff welcomes you fully, takes you to your own room, goes through every piece of your clothing for paraphernalia & whatever else you may have brought, they’ll take your car keys if you drove, so you’re immediately in their hands of care & then hooks you up with a pharmacist, who’s so unbelievable as far as being skilled in his field.
For 45 days, you’re housed with your own room, no bunk buddies & separated, with the Substance Abuse Veterans on one side of the building & PTSD veterans on the other. You’ll receive 3 square meals a day, with vitals taken & meds given out at certain times of the day or night. If you want to go out for a walk around campus, you have to sign out & sign back in.
They have town outings in case you need something from the store. That Peer Support Counselors will load in a van & drive you to anyway in town you need something from. It’s a warm, friendly, catering, supportive atmosphere. If anyone needs any further details, I’m available for comments or concerns
Now 5 days a week from 9am to 4pm, group classes are taught by the very best, talented, instructors, counselors, therapists & peer support specialists I’ve ever seen & been around. They try to get you to be a part of class & share, no one is left behind.
Their efforts are genuine, it’s not just about a 7:30 to 4:30 day on the clock for them. They’re giving it their all day after day with whoever walks through their doors or is seated in their classrooms that’s searching for help & a place to feel safe.
I sure wished the Vietnam Vets had this kind of place to go to back in the day.
The days I spent there, was a definite support in my battle with PTSD. I give them all a standing ovation for the large part they’re playing towards the many veterans going through their pains. & I also received a standing ovation the day I left. You get close to these people & tears will be shed on both sides.
I will always be a believer & an advocate for the RRTP program.
Their sacrifices & knowledge is beyond excellent, they’ve raised the bar in going above & beyond their talents.
I don’t know all their last names, so forgive me on that part but
Curtis, Julie, Ericka, Stephanie, Christine, Bethany, Antwoin, Dr. Bennet, Dr. Jen Rivers, Ryan, Dr. Keaton Labreal & I’m so sorry for more of the staff, nurses & others I’ve failed to mention.
This institution & people should have a plaque raised in their name & for their tireless efforts. They’re really understaffed & needing more therapists & counselors for teaching purposes & they can’t find enough places for the homeless. It’s a place where it should be nationally recognized for all it’s work in helping hurting veterans coming back to our country, searching for someone to help & not just being another statistic.
Thank you for your time
Bobby Gipson, RRTP class of 1/9 – 2/5/2024
You know what, this is what I think. Donald Trump has seen internal medical
data about ALS, and wants to help out his wealthy industrial buddies. Both
at DOD, VA and private sector. Because ALS is a technology disease in that
more and more points at environmental pollutants. By product of industry
waste triggering a gene. Even fall out of burn pits. “Lets kill tracking that”.
So just as researchers begin calling for mandatory reporting of ALS cases
nation wide, Trump pulls the plug on the CDC ALS registry the data would
be sent to. Just as projections all say there will be a increase the next 10 years.
Why be prepared? Why not avoid it. Help out the wealthy. Its like we stepped
back to the 60s over DDT. Environmentalism, waiting for another Rachel
Carsen to speak out to Congress. Dying of cancer in the middle of it all.
Took 10 years to change that, after the fact.
With so much stigma and soft data, its been easy to confuse the issue the
last 2 decades. Keep this a orphan cause. Dont let reporting show that
case rates maybe even double what they are now in certain regions. Lets just
let this stay a mystery to save money. Wait people out? Even better, lets not
report or post that publicly. Yeah………….. Really?
If nothing else, VA should be made to report its ALS case loads and all data on
a quarterly basis for all to see. To protect ALS patients from bad contractors
and faulty claim processing. As there is a very real delay rate in ALS diagnosis
in VA compared to general population. Having hell just getting this published.
Just like after reading years of obituaries Ive found a trend of Army and Air
Force officers dying from ALS. A very odd and disturbing trend. Seems unlikely
and what is really weird is it high ranking, not butter bars. What are the chances?
If anything, the registry has been under funded and under staffed so it hasnt
been able to enforce data retrieval for better reporting. Its data is old because
folks dont deliver what was paid for and promised to them. Which is why the
current data is 2018 and not 2024.
Once MRSA hit 50,000, it became important. They waited too long as they do with
many things. When enough people died. Celebrities died. All about the money
which we are NOT spending on ALS like we should.
Change should not be 10 years from now, not with what we know today. Delay,
drop the ball, let people die? Let even more die of it than would, why are we
even being vague about this? Reinstate the ALS registry and make reporting
mandatory. Give every American a chance. Not just the wealthy.
This is also your answer to everyone. Messages are not passed
along to management. For fear of there jobs. Nobody in VA at
810 Vermont Street wants to stand out. Sec of VA Doug Collins is hiding
from me in plain sight as a show of force. That no one can question
him publicly. Not until HVAC calls him out for this.
Im alone over here at the VLM page. Not lost in the crowd like
a few weeks ago with Collins videos. Just me here. As high up as you can
get in social media. New.va.gov. Only, its like being in a cave. The echo
is quite stifling. Right now, no comments about the VLM. Folks doing
there job. So if no questions here, what about mine?
Im not here to win favor. Far from it. Stuff like this only makes enemies.
But, this administration does nothing but make enemies. Only they
dont face the people the betray or hurt. Because there is no open door
policy at VA for some time now. Afraid of the vets. Adding to there
problems by ignoring them in public. As Ive been coming for 28 years
now. 28 years of VA history from the view of a veteran. The stories
I can tell of better days.
I write here because I want everyone to see what I wrote. As Ive proven
writing to doug.collins@va.gov is just automated now. He only has to
answer to uncle Trump and House / Senate committees. Not that he
has told the committees anything yet they can use. They are not impressed
either.
The longer you delay, the longer you pretend people like me dont exist –
the bigger your problems later when folks catch on. Because I can damn
sure guarantee you by the end of 2025 everyone will be talking about
veteran ALS. How cruel America is to them. This maybe a small snowball,
Im also at the very top of the mountain pushing it. Once others come forward
about there cases this thing will be rolling.
It takes guts to do what Im doing. To stand here and act like this. That came
from decades of NOT getting answers. What happens when you wait for
VA rather than push hard. You folks made me what I am today. Your cruelty
and what you did to my VA committee are criminal. Each Sec of VA hiding
behind the last one. That wasnt my fault, that was his. Pass the buck.
You have abused me, mistreated me, stepped on me for decades. Im still here
and still trying. At what point does this start sounding like “Experience” and
I might have some insight? It wasnt 2009 on my VA committee. Now its 2025
and so very much has FAILED. I was there for it.
Here I am, just me here. Asking questions of executive branch for all to see.
Did you sign off on burying the CDC ALS registry? Does VA want to take all its
ALS data under ground? There is no rise in cases or death rate? All is fine in
the world. Im saying its not. Just me, no confusion here.
Direct or indirect, face your problems. Face me. Start some where, with
someone. Bring veterans into your office that were not pre-selected. Take
a damn chance. Face your accuser as is my right as a US citizen.
Im not writing this to devalue this topic. Only that I feel its misdirection
in who will be selected to be part of it. The ideal veterans with polite
comments that VA leadership is looking for.
Sec of VA Doug Collins has a religious agenda that is not in keep with
the times. Fixating on a Anti-christian witch hunt in the VA ranks. Using
government funds to single out people he feels do not agree with his
view of how things are done. With this level of personal discrimination
going on, its pretty much a guarantee that only a small number merit
getting through any of these programs that arent staunch Baptist.
Im pretty sure that Sec of VA Doug Collins signed off on the dismissal of
the CDC ALS registry. Why should that be public? As I cant get him to
simply answer the question. Im finding more evidence of a much higher
death rate in VA circles from ALS. As much as 3 a day. You would think
with this cruel a death, this would merit attention. Not with VA or the
media that botched the article over this. A definite cover up. A cruel one.
The VA Research Advisory Committee meeting in May was a travesty of
injustice. There was no chance to address multiple issues including the
ALS registry. Because VA has appointed people to run interference and
keep things stagnant. You can bet your ___ that the moment the RAC ever
got back in the news – DOGE will shut them down too. MAGAs have got
this stalled out so bad, and driving off participation. Which Sec of VA
Doug Collins has no problem with. Serves his purposes.
There is no loyalty in the VA ranks of upper management. Everyone is
scared for there jobs. So there is no large scale protesting where there
should be, at 810 Vermont street. You cant find people doing anything
but hiding. Not realizing that is not enough anyways. The whole goal is
to rid VA of organized thought, and demand blind obedience so they
dont clash with the Sec. A purge of severe contradictions.
All this non sense has hopelessly crippled VA from its true job, to serve
there veterans. I cant get seen for care and will have to use ER visit for
what should be standard care. My May 15th, canceled with no explanation.
Im coughing day and night for a year now, and a 4 inch tumor in my
lungs that may have changed. They are waiting me out to die.
There wont be a parade or anything for veterans like me on veterans
day. Media doesnt care about hardship stories. Too busy groveling at
Trumps feet. Veterans day will be a hollow gesture, flag waving, and
then day after back to business as usual. Destroying our lives silently
just out of view of the public. Millions of us. With more veterans dying
of ALS mysteriously. To the amusement of the wealthy.
Seems like only thing VA is good at now is betrayal, and its almost like
VA wants it that way so it can be disbanded. Which this administration
wants so badly. Get rid of everything but the military budget and tax
the population into despair. $42,000,000 parade for Trump, put $10
million of that back to the ALS registry.
I suspect the VLM is a heavily filtered program looking for loyalist and
wont mention veterans advocates or disgruntled folks that would not
push the button back in 1961. History isnt fair that way.
Sorry folks if this isnt what you want to hear. Im posting here after Sec of
VA Doug Collins backed away from News.va.gov where people could
comment about him and his job. As he saw being public did not draw him
the worship he felt he deserved. Im about equality, and that means all
Americans – not just loyal MAGAs infiltrating with the DOGE to wipe out
the rest of us.