Most VA news in October is about big numbers. The item that caught my eye this month is a small, practical one. On October 7, 2026, VA started a pilot that lets veterans set up a VA.gov account in a matter of minutes at six VA medical centers, with VA staff right there to help. One of those six is in Orlando, a couple of hours down the road from us in Jacksonville.
Why the account matters
A VA.gov account is the front door to almost everything. For a lot of veterans, getting through the sign-up is the first wall, especially without a reliable internet connection, or for anyone who has trouble getting around. Once you're in, VA says you can:
- Schedule appointments, at VA and in the community, and find nearby community care.
- Read after-visit summaries and send secure messages to your providers.
- Refill prescriptions.
- Apply for disability compensation and check the status of benefits applications.
- Submit routine benefits like healthcare travel reimbursement.
How the pilot works
VA partnered with the security company CLEAR to put CLEAR pods, the same kind of scanning tech you see at airports, in VA medical centers in Atlanta; Brooklyn, New York; Orlando, Florida; Palo Alto, California; San Juan, Puerto Rico; and Washington, D.C.
- Bring: a valid, non-expired government-issued photo ID (driver's license, state ID, or passport), a phone number, and a personal email address.
- At the pod: VA staff help you enter your information, you take a photo, and the account is set up in minutes.
- Afterward: you can set up face ID or another recognition tool to sign in from home in seconds.
It's free and optional. VA says skipping it won't affect your access to benefits or services, your health information stays with VA, and CLEAR doesn't receive it or sell biometric data. VA will decide whether to expand to more facilities based on how the pilot goes. If you aren't near one of the six, the standard sign-up on VA.gov still works.
While you're there, ask about a toxic exposure screening
Under the PACT Act, every veteran enrolled in VA health care gets a toxic exposure screening, with a follow-up at least once every five years. It's a short conversation, usually 5 to 10 minutes, about whether you think you were exposed to things like burn pits and other airborne hazards, Gulf War-related exposures, Agent Orange, radiation, or contaminated water at Camp Lejeune. That last one hits close to home for a lot of Marines. You can ask about it at your next VA appointment, or call your local VA facility and ask for the toxic exposure screening navigator. If you aren't enrolled yet but you're eligible, you can enroll and then get screened.
Why I'm passing it along
Through The Calm Seas Project, I spend a lot of time around veterans on the water, and I've come to believe wellness includes the unglamorous stuff too: being able to message your doctor, refill a prescription, or check on a claim without a fight. Getting logged in is step one. If you've been putting it off, this is a good month to knock it out, and to help a buddy do the same.
If you or someone you served with is having a hard time, the Veterans Crisis Line is there 24/7: dial 988 and press 1, or text 838255.
Semper Fi.
Sources: VA News: VA launches pilot program to speed Veterans' access (Oct. 7, 2026) · VA: The PACT Act and your VA benefits · VA: Toxic exposure screenings
