full disclosure concerning my relationship with the Portland VA

Hi again,

I am in the process of editing my speech that I gave at the Regional Veteran's Health Care Conference this Past February. I am going to post the speech in my blog once I delete personal information regarding my family, friends and others.

Before I release this document to the public I want to go on record and state I am not nor have ever been an employee of the Veterans Administration in any capacity. Also, I was not compensated for my speech nor will I be for any future speeches. I do not receive any gifts of kind from the VA for my work with them.   It is purely altruistic in my desire to break down stereotyping of the transsexual community.

Also, no one outside the VA Health Care System has  my permission to use my personal experiences not any  information of any type  for any purpose.  

I am simply working with the Veteran's Administration health care system in the Portland Area for a better understanding of what it is really like in the life of a woman (transsexual).  The unique prospective that I bring to the table is that I am very transparent and non political except my desire for equal medical treatment for all veterans.  We veterans are a "cross section" of society as a whole and everyone in the Veteran community deserves to be treated as an equal with no one expecting special treatment.

I was able to speak at the conference because of my deep belief that my concerns were never about "rachel" , nor the transsexual community but all veterans.  That being said no other woman like me had ever had the opportunity to speak at any regional conference in the Veterans Health Care System.  I knew what was at stake and whether I liked or not I represented an entire subculture of the VA system.  I had the potential to reach the directors and leadership of the four state region and impact not only the leadership but everyone they came in contact with them which would include their families.

I had given sales talks before but only in much smaller venues and all that was at stake was a simple sale of a product or service.  I would have to be at my very best down to my nails, dress and hair.  My sales training had me well prepared but I did not realize how much my character would be tested with the death of my mother less then three weeks before the speech.

Looking back, I have immense respect for the leadership not questioning my ability to speak on the heels of the death of my mother.  Not once did any one say, " ... are you going to be able to give the speech with the death of your mother ....?"  


Rachel