03-11-2022, 08:44 PM
Planning ahead in the military is something familiar to all service members. The logistics of moving to
another installation, upgrading equipment and preparing advance directives and beneficiaries before
deployments are familiar to most. But as these service members transition to Veteran status, they may not
be aware that previously completed advance directive documents may no longer be valid.
Michael T. Kilmer, director of VA Eastern Colorado, urges fellow Veterans to ensure their preferences
are documented. Kilmerserved 15 years in the Coast Guard. He now works with post-9/11 combat Veterans
transitioning from active duty and other Veterans. Kilmer’s time in the service and his experience in health
care helps him support other Veterans in the need for advance care planning. Kilmer urges fellow Veterans
to start communicating their health care wishes now and to make sure their preferences are documented.
To increase Veteran awareness, Kilmer shared that he even recently updated his own advance directive.
“The directives are important because they allow the health care team to honor your wishes,” he said. At
https://www.va.gov/vaforms/medical/pdf/V...20FILL.pdf you can obtain VA’s
Advance Directive form 10-0137. For additional guidance to assist in preparing your directive refer to:
VA Podcast: Choosing a Health Care
Agent: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hU9vNHwY...e=youtu.be.
VA Podcast: What’s an Advance Directive and Why Should I Complete One?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bSw13r93...e=emb_logo.
VA Podcast: I’ve Been Chosen as A Health Care Agent – Now
What?: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g0uu7ZzF...e=youtu.be.
To complete a VA Advance Directive form: https://www.ethics.va.gov/for_veterans.asp.
For more content about Advance Care Planning:
https://www.va.gov/geriatrics/pages/adva...topics.asp.
To learn more about Advance Care Planning in a Group Visit setting:
https://www.socialwork.va.gov/ACP_GV.asp
another installation, upgrading equipment and preparing advance directives and beneficiaries before
deployments are familiar to most. But as these service members transition to Veteran status, they may not
be aware that previously completed advance directive documents may no longer be valid.
Michael T. Kilmer, director of VA Eastern Colorado, urges fellow Veterans to ensure their preferences
are documented. Kilmerserved 15 years in the Coast Guard. He now works with post-9/11 combat Veterans
transitioning from active duty and other Veterans. Kilmer’s time in the service and his experience in health
care helps him support other Veterans in the need for advance care planning. Kilmer urges fellow Veterans
to start communicating their health care wishes now and to make sure their preferences are documented.
To increase Veteran awareness, Kilmer shared that he even recently updated his own advance directive.
“The directives are important because they allow the health care team to honor your wishes,” he said. At
https://www.va.gov/vaforms/medical/pdf/V...20FILL.pdf you can obtain VA’s
Advance Directive form 10-0137. For additional guidance to assist in preparing your directive refer to:
VA Podcast: Choosing a Health Care
Agent: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hU9vNHwY...e=youtu.be.
VA Podcast: What’s an Advance Directive and Why Should I Complete One?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bSw13r93...e=emb_logo.
VA Podcast: I’ve Been Chosen as A Health Care Agent – Now
What?: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g0uu7ZzF...e=youtu.be.
To complete a VA Advance Directive form: https://www.ethics.va.gov/for_veterans.asp.
For more content about Advance Care Planning:
https://www.va.gov/geriatrics/pages/adva...topics.asp.
To learn more about Advance Care Planning in a Group Visit setting:
https://www.socialwork.va.gov/ACP_GV.asp