NJ lawmakers highlight need for South Jersey VA hospital
WRIGHTSTOWN, N.J. (PIX11) - If you're a South Jersey veteran, you have to travel a long way to get to a Veterans Affairs Medical Center -- just ask New Jersey VFW Commander Luddie Austin.
"A veteran like myself who is a resident of South Jersey, I'm currently enrolled in the Philadelphia VA health care system," said Austin, a resident of Burlington County, "and that becomes a burden to veterans who may have to go to an appointment with finding travel over there, having to pay tolls, traffic and things of that nature."
Right now, there are no inpatient VA hospitals in South Jersey, leaving veterans to choose between driving to Philadelphia or to VA Medical Centers in Lyons (Bernards Township, Somerset County) or East Orange. While there are VA clinics all over the state, they don't provide the same level of care.
"It's not only time to update the facilities, but it's also time to build new facilities so veterans can receive the state-of-the-art quality of care that they deserve," said Austin.
A Resolution bill in Trenton looks to call on the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to establish an inpatient VA hospital at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst in Burlington County. It's the country's only tri-service joint base with more than 40,000 active duty service members.
Primary sponsor Republican state Sen. Latham Tiver said there are more than 100,000 veterans living in South Jersey, more than half of whom live within 50 miles of the base.
"They shouldn't have to drive to Pennsylvania or North Jersey to get health care," said Tiver during Monday's committee meeting.
Democratic Assemblyman Wayne DeAngelo is also a primary sponsor. "Getting the federal government to invest in that, invest in New Jersey, will be a win-win for everybody."
"This would be a game-changer and really help so many veterans who live in that area that don't have the access as of right now," said Michael Boll of the New Jersey Veterans Network.
Whether on base or off base, Fort Dix is a special place to many in the New Jersey military community.
"A veteran can go on base and access the gym, the pool. They have parks where you can host a family picnic," said Austin. "You can go to the food court and sit there and break bread with your fellow comrades and just reminisce on some of the times you were in and just give you a sense of making you feel like you belong."