WATERTOWN In a press release dated Dec. 3, the head of the largest veterans organization in the United States invites the head of the VA to come and visit the Hot Springs VA.
Michael Helm, the National Commander for the American Legion, has requested that newly confirmed Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert McDonald to a site visit to the VA Black Hills Health Care Systems Hot Springs campus.
In a letter hand delivered to Sec. McDonald on Dec. 1, Commander Helms notes the American Legions involvement with the Hot Springs VA, including a System Worth Saving task force from the American Legion doing a site visit in 2012 and a follow up earlier this year, and that S.D. State Commander Tim Jurgens testified at a U.S. House Veterans Affairs Committee meeting, held in Hot Springs in August.
Mr. Secretary, the letter states, The American Legion and veterans in Hot Springs are concerned about the future of their hospital, which has been designated by the National Trust for Historic Preservation as a national landmark.
The press release continues, making several other notes concerning veterans healthcare in the Hot Springs area.
After years of diminishing the health care services at the Hot Springs VA Medical Center, the Black Hills Health Care System announced in December of 2011 the reconfiguration of health care services in the system. With the reconfiguration, the VA Medical Hospital in Hot Springs was slated to close and the Domiciliary was targeted to be relocated to Rapid City.
The American Legion feels an injustice is being done by making aged and disabled veteran drive an additional 200 miles round trip to receive health care. The Hot Springs Medical Facility provides medical treatment to the veterans in western South Dakota, northern Nebraska, eastern Wyoming and the Rosebud and Pine Ridge Reservations.
With the new S.D. State Veterans Home presently under construction with 100 plus beds, the veterans living at the State Home will also have to travel 200 miles round trip for care.
The American Legion was founded more than 96 years ago by veterans who wanted to take care of returning war time veterans. Today, the American Legion stands tall in standing up for our veterans and making sure all are receiving proper health care.
