Minneapolis VA 2025 Year in Review

Minneapolis VA 2025 Year in Review

This week on Minnesota Military Radio, we host our annual Minneapolis VA Health Care System 2025 year in review.

The episode covers major accomplishments from the past year, including earning a second consecutive 5-star rating from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). This top honor recognizes outstanding quality care, placing the Minneapolis VA among the best hospitals in Minnesota.
Other key highlights include successfully hosting the National Veterans Wheelchair Games in summer 2025, a premier adaptive sports event that brought hundreds of disabled veterans to the Twin Cities for competition and rehabilitation.
The leadership team also discusses expanding food pantries to address veteran food insecurity, with partnerships helping distribute resources at the main facility and community clinics.
Looking ahead, exciting developments include the upcoming ribbon-cutting for a new women’s clinic designed specifically for women veterans’ needs.
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Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs: 2025 Year in Review & Vision for 2026

Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs: 2025 Year in Review & Vision for 2026

This week we kick off our annual series of Year-in-Review shows with the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs. In a full-hour conversation, the Commissioner, Brad Lindsey walks us through the major accomplishments of 2025 and lays out priorities for 2026, including:

  • Three new State Veterans Homes now open and serving residents in Preston, Montevideo, and Bemidji
  • Minnesota reaching functional zero on veteran homelessness in nine of ten continuums of care (only Ramsey County remains)
  • Community Health Navigators deployed to hospitals statewide as part of expanded suicide-prevention efforts
  • Launch of a new veteran food-insecurity program in partnership with Disabled American Veterans and the Minnesota Veterans Food Pantry
  • Continued aggressive hiring and in-house training for healthcare staff at all eight veterans homes. Click here to learn more
  • The official State Veterans Day ceremony now rotating to different regions of Minnesota each year
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34th Military Police Company Heads to the Middle East

34th Military Police Company Heads to the Middle East
This week on Minnesota Military Radio, we sit down with the Commander and First Sergeant of the 34th Military Police Company (Stillwater, MN) as the unit prepares to deploy in early January 2026 to the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility.
Mission: Customs operations
The 34th will screen returning U.S. personnel and equipment for prohibited items and agricultural contraband across more than ten dispersed sites throughout the CENTCOM region — a unique mission that puts small teams of Minnesota Guard MPs in charge of critical checkpoints as troops and gear flow home. Guests include:
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Sailors in the Heartland and Minnesota National Guard Community Relations

Sailors in the Heartland and Minnesota National Guard Community Relations

This week, Twin Cities U.S. Navy recruiters share real stories from submarines and carriers — plus how Minnesotans can join today. Then, hear how the Minnesota National Guard teams up with the Vikings, Twins, Wild, Wolves, and local communities to honor service members. Guests include:

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Disabled Veteran Hunt and Tribal Veteran Service Officer

Disabled Veteran Hunt and Tribal Veteran Service Officer

This week, we meet members of the Sons of the American Legion Detachment of Minnesota to hear about their annual disabled veterans deer hunt and fall turkey hunt held at Legionville, plus we sit down with a Tribal Veteran Service Officer supervisor to learn how the program serves Native veterans across all 11 tribal nations in Minnesota. Guests include:

Click here to find out more about the John Zgoda Disabled Veteran Deer Hunt

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