VA Memo 2

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

Medical Center

508 Fulton Street

Durham NC 27705

In Reply Refer To: V6 MIRECC

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Dear Name:

We are writing to ask for your help in an important research project being conducted by investigators at the Durham VA Medical Center. A few days from now you will receive in the mail a request to fill out a brief questionnaire about the health care needs of returning veterans.

This study is a part of an effort to learn more about the health care issues, concerns, and preferences of veterans who served in Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF).

We are writing in advance because we have found that many people like to know ahead of time that they will be contacted. We have contracted with a national survey research company, Abt SRBI, to collect this important information. No names or personal identifiers (like a name or address) will be requested or included with the survey information or with any reports produced from the survey. Thus the survey results we obtain will be completely anonymous. If you would like to verify that this is an approved research study in advance, you may contact the administrative officer of the VA Research Service at (919) 286-0411 ext 7632.

It is our hope that results of the survey will guide development of programs that will better meet the needs of our Nation's returning veterans like you.

Thank you very much for helping us with this important study by filling out the survey when it arrives in about a week.

Sincerely,

Kristy Straits-Troster, PhD, ABPP Patrick Calhoun, PhD

Co-Principal Investigator Co-Principal Investigator

Assistant Clinical Director Director, Health Services Research Core

VA Mid-Atlantic MIRECC VA Mid-Atlantic MIRECC