September 25, 2014 -- Marine Corps, Navy and Veterans Affairs officials marked the VA Community-Based Outpatient Clinic’s opening with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany, Friday.
The VA clinic, formerly located on West Broad Avenue in Albany, Georgia, is now co-located inside the Naval Branch Health Clinic Albany in Building 7000.
Through a joint effort, veterans will receive primary care and ancillary services, such as audiology, podiatry and optometry. Additional specialty health care services, including mental health, will be provided in Building 7200, adjacent to NBHC Albany.
According to Col. Don Davis, commanding officer, MCLB Albany, the community within the Southwest Georgia region is filled with veteran service members, who have provided faithful service to the country and respective military service branches.
“My hope is that veterans feel at home aboard the base,” Davis said. “The gates of MCLB Albany and the new VA clinic are a beacon of hope.
“(It’s) a continued way forward in regard to good care and services for a veteran community that has given so much here, nationally and globally in the capacity they served,” he added.
Navy Capt. John Le Favour, CO, Naval Hospital Jacksonville, Florida, said this is a collaborative effort “to deliver quality health care to our veterans both past and present.”
“Through the collaboration, 6,000 veterans in the Albany area will now (receive) on base services by their VA providers,” Le Favour said.
“In fact, (they will be) integrated with our military providers here (who) provide care to 1,300 military members as well as their family members, and 2,800 civilians on board this base,” he commented.
“It is truly an honor and a privilege to care for all those who entrust their care to us and it is certainly an honor and a privilege to be able to welcome the veterans into this care and Naval Branch Health Clinic Albany,” he said.
John S. Goldman, director, Carl Vinson VA Medical Center, Dublin, Georgia, said he believes veterans will enjoy coming to MCLB Albany and to the new clinic.
“(This is) a good deal for veterans, a good deal for retirees and a good deal for the active-duty (service members) and families, too,” Goldman said.
“All the veterans I’ve talked to are very enthusiastic (about the opening),” he added. “With a facility such as this, veterans don’t have to drive to Augusta, Dublin or Atlanta, (Georgia), for services — they can get them right here.”
Additional future services veterans will be able to use include physical therapy and pharmacy services, he said.
Jason Maxwell, a 15-year Army veteran, took part in cutting the ribbon for the VA clinic.
“It’s a beautiful clinic,” Maxwell said. “I’ve actually come here twice to check it out. It’s a great resource for this community. It keeps veterans from traveling four to six hours away to get treatment.”
“Everything I have received from the constituent point of view has been outstanding,” Maxwell said. “I am really happy that this has worked so well. The Marine Corps, Navy and VA have all done a great job.”