FORT POLK, La. -- Along the largely undeveloped stretch of La. Hwy 467 leading north out of Fort Polk, a small break occurs in the mostly unbroken line of long leaf pines. Set in the clearing June 23 was a canvas shelter with seats and a pile of dirt with four protruding shovels. The Department of Veterans Affairs and members of Fort Polk were performing a groundbreaking ceremony for a new, Community-based Veteran's Administration Outpatient clinic.
Construction will begin in November and the clinic is set to open in March 2011.
Currently, veterans in the Fort Polk area seeking medical attention in western Louisiana must go to the VA hospital in Alexandria, about 50 miles away. The opening of the VA outpatient clinic will do away with that long drive.
Luther Stepp, a veteran representing American Legion Post 387 in New Llano, is happy about the future clinic. "I'm retired military and I use Bayne-Jones (Army Community Hospital)," said Stepp, "but for other veterans in the area, it eliminates the trip to Alexandria."
Eddie Norris, a veteran attending the ceremony, expounded on the difficulties of visiting the
Alexandria clinic. "You have to get up at least an hour to an hour and a half early to get over to your appointment," said Norris. "(The new clinic) will save a lot of Soldiers and ex-Soldiers a lot of miles."
The VA hospital in Alexandria serves 29,000 patients. When the new clinic opens, it will be initially equipped to handle 2,500 patients with an estimated 7,000 clinic visits per year. The clinic itself will be 15,500 square feet. About 30 locally hired employees will staff the clinic.
Roger Welch, the acting VA Medical Center director at Alexandria, was a keynote speaker at the occasion.
"We know it will become an integral part of the Fort Polk/Leesville community," said Welch.
Beyond primary care and mental health services, the new facility will offer pharmacy education, orthotics, prosthetics, phlebotomy, medical social work, nutrition counseling, addiction therapy, suicide prevention case management and chaplain.
Col. Francis Burns, Fort Polk garrison commander, said that veterans deserve what this clinic will bring.
"Now we can work on getting as many people here as we can and serve them both safely and effectively," said Burns. "As we were reminded earlier, the veterans themselves, with their service, paid through their blood, sweat and tears for every brick, nail and soon-to-be square-inch of concrete (that will go into this clinic). We have asked a lot of the veterans. Now we will recognize that their health care is very important."
The Fort Polk/Leesville location is part of a larger effort by the VA to move away from centralized treatment. A new clinic is also being opened in Natchitoches in October and facilities are now open in Jennings and Lafayette.
Speaking on behalf of the Alexandria VA medical center, Welch elaborated on how this will affect both his medical center and the veterans in the area.
"This new venture is truly a partnership from which we will both benefit," said Welch. "The Fort Polk clinic gives us an opportunity to better meet the needs of our veterans in a more convenient location."
Retired Senior Air Force Master Sgt. Willie J. Johnson from Pineville attended the ceremony and remarked on how this will benefit the Alexandria VA.
"It will take the pressure off of them and spread the work around a little bit, so everything is a win-win," said Johnson. "I appreciate them doing this and having this, and it's going to pay off in the long run."
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