Since being sworn into office in January, Congressman Jerry McNerney has devoted a great deal of his time to addressing the care and treatment of our nation's military veterans.
As many of you know from reading this blog, the Congressman -- a member of the House Veterans Affairs Committee -- is deeply concerned about the VA's impending decision to possibly close the veterans hospital in Livermore.
With signs increasing that VA Secretary James Nicholson will soon move to close the facility, Congressman McNerney sent a letter to Nicholson last week in an effort to spare the hospital from the budget chopping block -- and instead suggested an expansion of the facility to treat soldiers with post-traumatic stress disorder:
"I've been thinking of this before I was even elected," McNerney said of a new post-traumatic stress disorder clinic on Livermore's campus. "It's such a quiet, peaceful place, it would be perfect."
[...]
McNerney's plan has sparked enthusiasm and optimism among some veterans. "It would make sense to have something like that out there for the soldiers coming home from the Middle East," said Les McDonald, a 74-year-old veteran from Livermore who has attended meetings on the future of the Livermore VA facility. "That is the prefect place for veterans suffering from that to go."
The situation is coming to a head, according to a San Jose Mercury News article highlighting McNerney's effort:
McNerney said he believes a decision to shutter the facility is "imminent," based on his conversations with patients who have been directed toward other VA clinics.
"I believe one of the ways we can meet the needs of our veterans is to maintain and perhaps expand services offered at the Livermore VAMC," McNerney wrote.
"With the creation of a new generation of veterans increasingly afflicted with post-traumatic stress disorder, I believe we must not only maintain services at the Livermore VAMC and French Camp Outpatient Clinic, but also expand the services offered to meet the need for PTSD-specific treatment," he wrote.
"The Livermore facility, with its tranquil and relaxing setting, provides the perfect location for the type of treatment PTSD sufferers require," he said.
There is still hope that the Livermore facility will be saved, as the Tri-Valley Herald reported:
McNerney said he hopes to sit down with Nicholson in the next few weeks — before any final decision on Livermore is rendered — to discuss keeping open the facility. The VA had originally forecast a decision on the future of the Livermore site would likely be made by late spring or early summer.
Nevertheless, McNerney said after a discussion with Nicholson at House Veterans' Affairs Committee meeting last week, he feels the secretary is willing to listen and find ways to better serve the needs of our nation's veterans.
"It's unacceptable to close this facility," McNerney said.
The Congressman is right, of course. We can only hope that Secretary Nicholson realizes the unique value of the Livermore VA hospital and does the right thing.
I sincerely hope that the Livermore VA is not closed. I take my father there perhaps twice a year. It is reasonably close to the central valley and, as implied in the above article, is quite beautiful. I have driven from the Modesto area all the way to the Palo Alto hospital and it is very inconvenient, in fact its distance from the central valley would discourage him from using the Veterans system. I hope that Rep. McNerney can find a way to keep Livermore open.
Thank you,
L. Caine
Posted by: Leigh Caine | May 23, 2007 at 07:51 PM