Washington, DC (July 21, 2006) - The Department of Veterans Affairs is working on building a new walk-in clinic for vets at the Eglin Air Force Base main gate, but more needs to be done, said Rep. Jeff Miller, R-Chumuckla.
Miller wants the VA to investigate what it would cost and how long it would take to build a new wing on the Air Force hospital.
The expansion primarily would serve veterans but also could be used by the Air Force.
"I'm trying to create some synergy at Eglin for the large population of vets who live in Northwest Florida and Southern Alabama," Miller said.
Miller on Thursday attached an amendment to a VA medical facility bill that requires the agency to study the possibility and report back to Congress. That legislation must pass the full House and then be reconciled with a Senate VA bill before both chambers cast final votes.
Eglin's hospital soon will exceed capacity as the base's missions grow and more active-duty personnel are assigned to the base, Miller said.
"My thought is to let the VA and the Department of Defense work together to build a new tower or a wing," Miller said.
Expanding health-care options for veterans in his district has been a project of Miller's for several years.
In May 2005, he was on hand when VA and military officials broke ground for a 200,000-square-foot "superclinic" at Corry Station in West Pensacola.
The facility, called the Joint Ambulatory Care Clinic, is expected to open in 2007 and will offer more specialities than the VA clinic on Kenmore Road. Those specialties include primary care, mental health, dental, audiology, laboratory, prosthetics and rehabilitative therapy.
The superclinic will offer additional services including urology, cardiology and outpatient surgery.
The Navy donated the 25 acres at Corry Station, and Veterans Affairs provided more than $45 million needed for the project. The outpatient center will be shared by the base's students and veterans.
Larry Wheeler
News Journal Washington Bureau
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