VA’s 6-Service Challenge inspires Veteran wellness

Staying healthy and connected with wellness technology

Veterans are taking charge of their well-being through the Whole Health 6-Service Challenge, a special competition that uses VA’s Share My Health Data app to inspire healthy habits, friendly teamwork and real results.

The 6-Service Challenge is part of VA Whole Health, a care approach that puts each Veteran at the center of their health journey. Instead of focusing on illness and injuries, Whole Health looks at what matters most to each individual Veteran for their physical, emotional and social well-being. VA Whole Health coaches work with Veterans both virtually and in person to help them make healthy changes, set personal goals and to support their overall wellness.

From local innovation to national model

The first Whole Health 6-Service Challenge began in 2024 as a fun new way for Veterans at the Cincinnati VA Medical Center to get moving. This year, it grew to include VA medical centers in Cleveland, Ohio; Detroit, Michigan; and Black Hills, South Dakota. More than 236 Veterans from every branch signed up for the 10-week program. They set activity goals, encouraged each other and competed in teams to see which branch could achieve the most movement.

The centerpiece of the Challenge was the Share My Health Data app. Veterans used the app with their fitness devices—including Fitbit, Apple Watch and Garmin—to track steps, distance and calories burned.

Over the course of the Challenge, the 236 Veterans achieved remarkable results: They walked 378 million steps, traveled 189,000 miles and burned 94 million calories.

“My steps have improved from 600 to 6,000 steps daily… I liked having someone to help maintain accountability,” said one Veteran who participated in the challenge.

Bridging Veterans and care teams with technology

The Share My Health Data app does more than record steps and calories; it brings Veterans, their coaches and their VA physicians together as a team. When Veterans track their physical activity, their health data is shared instantly and securely with their care teams.

This real-time information makes it easier for health care professionals and coaches to give advice that is meaningful and tailored to each Veteran’s needs and helps them celebrate progress together.

“My blood pressure and cholesterol are better controlled [after starting the challenge],” said one Veteran.

Wellness beyond the numbers

The 6-Service Challenge offers benefits far beyond exercise alone. Veterans made new friends both in person and online, encouraged each other, and cheered for their branches and teams. Many saw improvements in cholesterol, blood pressure or the amount of medicine they needed, which motivated them to stay active.

The Challenge also built stronger relationships between Veterans and their Whole Health coaches, creating trust and a sense of pride as Veterans worked toward their goals.

By giving Veterans new tools to track, share and discuss their health, and by building strong connections among Veterans, coaches and VA staff, the Share My Health Data app is helping the Veteran community become healthier—from Ohio and Michigan to South Dakota and beyond.

Learn more about the Share My Health Data app on the VA Mobile App Store page.