A proposal to close veterans hospitals is prompting protests across the country. Led by the union representing V-A workers, the campaign came to Virginia today.
Members of the American Federation of Government Employees stood outside the V-A Medical Center in Salem to push back against the idea of shutting down these hospitals. Local 1739 president Anita Campbell hopes people will start calling Congress to make sure that doesn’t happen.
“Our union’s out here fighting to keep the promise to our veterans. We promised the veterans care when they went into service and we want to make sure that they get that care.”
Congress set up a special Commission on Care to study the problems with long waits and poor care at some V-A hospitals that came to light two years ago.
Some commission members want to make sure the group looks not just at needed reforms but whether it’s time to just let the government pay private hospitals and doctors to care for veterans.
Daniel Hines, one of about 39-thousand vets Salem treats each year, wants nothing to do with that.
“The problem here is they’re not given the resources they need. There’s not enough doctors, there’s not enough nurses, and when you come home from active duty and you expect to be cared for and then they want to blame the people that are providing the care, that’s just not fair.”
Campbell says closing facilities like Salem would cost hundreds of jobs, too.
“This valley cannot absorb this many jobs even, when we get back to the VA and shutting it down. So we want to make sure that our veterans have a place to come to and we will treat our veterans with respect.”
A spokeswoman for the medical center said its highest priority is ensuring that veterans get the high quality care they have earned and deserve, and that is has a “collaborative and proactive partnership” with the union to meet that goal.
The V-A medical system arose from Abraham Lincoln’s words to care for those who bore the battle during the civil war.
The battle over the Commission on Care’s report, expected soon, is just getting started.
