Rep. Sam Farr, D-17th District, was the keynote speaker today at an event held at Ord Military Community, to show-off the Department of Veterans Affairs' latest tool in reaching its veterans: a new, 38-foot, self-contained Mobile Veterans Center.
Additional speakers included: Col. Darcy A. Brewer, garrison commander, Presidio of Monterey; Kerri Childress, suicide prevention, Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Clinic Services; Kate Severin, outreach services, Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Clinic Services; Lucretia Mann, Santa Cruz County Veterans Center, Mobile Veterans Center.
Mann said her organization felt fortunate to be one of 50 VA centers to get a Mobile Veterans Center. According to Mann, this one will range from north of San Francisco and south to San Luis Obispo in search of veterans who can't make the trek to Palo Alto for treatment because of distance or lack of transportation.
Farr said it is all about taking the services to the veterans. "This Mobile Center is part of the new, smarter government that coordinates, consolidates and shares," said Farr.
Event attendee Bob Harrell, a local Monterey County veteran, served in the U.S. Navy in 1945 and the U.S. Army in 1950. He received a medical discharge from the Army after spending eight months in the hospital with spinal injury. Harrell, who is active in the effort to establish the veterans cemetery and volunteers with the Disabled American Veterans, said the mobile center "shows promise." He said the VA clinic has improved its support of the heroes (disabled service members).
Farr also talked about his own personal education process which began as a state legislator and continues to this day as he works various military construction and military and veterans' health issues and services.
Another initiative he is working is bringing a joint VA-DoD health clinic to Ord Military Community that would service the active duty service members in Monterey as well as the retirees and veterans who rate health service.
Funds for the clinic are included in President Obama's fiscal year 2010 budget request and Farr's office is working to ensure funding is provided through Congress. The feasibility study for the clinic--which will provide deign details, and identify users and parking--has been completed and results are due soon.
"We have to bring government services to the people," Farr said as he concluded his remarks.
And then he helped cut the ribbon on the latest mobile service the government is providing in Monterey County.
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