COLUMBIA, SC (SCDVA)—During National Salute to Veteran Patients Week, Palmetto Pathfinder Managers with the South Carolina Department of Veterans' Affairs (SCDVA) hit the road with a simple, clear goal: to look South Carolina's Veterans in the eye, thank them for their service, and make sure they know they haven’t been forgotten while receiving care.

From February 9th through the 13th, our Pathfinder Manager team—Upstate Manager Tito Vazquez, Jermaine Lyons (Midlands), Rodney Oldham (Lowcountry), and Kailay Washington (Pee Dee)—visited Community-Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOC) and VA facilities across South Carolina. These weren't just formal check-ins. The team spent real time with Veterans, shaking hands, sharing honest conversations, and thanking these women, men, and their families for the sacrifices they have made for our country.

Local clinic staff played a huge part in the week’s success, working hard to make every visit meaningful and focused entirely on the Veterans.

"This week reminded us that honoring Veterans is more than a calendar event," Vazquez said. "It’s a shared responsibility among everyone who serves them."

A Statewide Effort with a Local Feel

As the team moved from county to county, one truth stayed front and center: Veterans deserve to be recognized and respected, especially while they are navigating their healthcare journey.

This effort is made successful through the assistance of the close-knit network our Pathfinder team relies on, including:

• Local VA leadership and frontline clinic staff

• County Veteran Service Offices (CVSOs)

• Regional Pathfinder team members

• Community partners and Veteran advocates

These partnerships turned a simple salute into a statewide push to build real trust. It showed Veterans and their families that the support system behind them reaches far beyond the clinic walls.

What Pathfinders Do — And Why It Matters

National Salute Week also put a spotlight on what Pathfinder Managers do throughout the year. While there is plenty of planning and paperwork behind the scenes, the heart of the job is direct: connecting Veterans to the resources, services, and people to help them navigate the system.

Think of Pathfinder Managers as the bridge connecting:

• Veterans to their hard-earned benefits.

• Clinic services to local community resources.

• County offices to state-level support.

• Local needs to a coordinated statewide response.

Our Pathfinders are involved year-round to make sure no Veteran walks through the process alone. It sends a unified message to every Veteran in South Carolina:

“We see you. We appreciate you. We are here for you,” said Vazquez. "It’s a daily commitment, a privilege, and our mission."

For information and resources provided through the SCDVA Palmetto Pathfinder program, visit our Palmetto Pathfinder page.