About
When an emergency or disaster strikes that affects Veterans’ access to care, VHA OEM is responsible for coordinating critical support services to provide for the health, safety and well-being of Veterans, VA staff and continued delivery of services at VA health locations across the country.
Continuity of care is proactively managed with teamwork between VHA OEM, VISNs and each VA health care facility to ensure Veterans and their families can quickly access VA health care services with minimal interruption. These teams work together to plan, mitigate and prepare for timely and efficient response when needed.
Headquartered in Martinsburg, WV, on the Martinsburg VAMC campus, VHA OEM has approximately 130 staff, including staff located in Washington, DC, as well as field program staff working from states and territories across the nation, typically stationed at VHA facilities or network offices.
Disaster Logistics Management
OEM Disaster Logistics works year-round to research, prepare, maintain and pre-stage equipment based on anticipated mission requirements.
4th Mission
Supporting State, local, Tribal & Territorial authorities following disasters & emergencies.
VHA OEM Senior Leadership
Derrick K.S. Jaastad, Executive Director
Mr. Derrick Jaastad serves as the Executive Director of Veterans Health Administration Office of Emergency Management for Department of Veterans Affairs. In this capacity, Mr. Jaastad is responsible for providing expertise and leadership to the Veterans Health Administration enterprise through the integration of emergency management programs, functions and supporting activities to prevent, protect, mitigate, respond, and recover from all hazards.
Most recently, as Director of Integration and Implementation, Mr. Jaastad provided the forum for enterprise initiatives and priorities such as, Caregivers Support Program expansion, Referral Coordination, Electronic Health Record Modernization, and COVID-19. Mr. Jaastad was responsible for the organizational construct and creation of the common operating picture for the successful implementation of Maintaining Internal Systems and Strengthening Integrated Outside Networks Act (MISSION Act) of 2018.
Michael C. Hinkle Deputy Director
Michael C. Hinkle is the Deputy Director of the VHA Office of Emergency Management (OEM). In this role, he is responsible for managing multiple emergency management programs and statutory initiatives, developing policy guidelines and ensuring emergency management programs are implemented and maintained throughout the VHA.
Mr. Hinkle is also responsible for coordinating and supporting humanitarian assistance under the National Frameworks, the National Disaster Medical System, Emergency Support Function #8 – Public Health and Medical Services and the VA/Department of Defense (DOD) Contingency Plan. Prior to this role, he served as a Special Advisor for the Strategic Initiatives Directorate in the White House Military Office and has over 20 years of All-Hazards and National Security Emergency Preparedness experience with the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
He has a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and is a Senior Fellow of the Council for Excellence in Government.
