by Blake Jones - The Garden Island
Posted: Monday, Aug 27, 2007 - 10:55:17 pm HST
U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka, Hawai‘i, will visit with Kaua‘i war veterans to discuss their health care concerns Thursday.
The town hall-style meeting, which will allow for public comment and questions, is one of four informal discussions held on the Neighbor Islands this month.
Akaka, as chair of the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs, also led three formal congressional field hearings on VA care and benefits this month to round out his information gathering.
The event at the Kauai Veterans Center in Lihu‘e, 3215 Kapule Highway, will provide an opportunity for attendees to speak freely about the issues they face.
According to Akaka's press secretary, Jesse Broder Van Dyke, the senator will not bring much in the way of prepared statements - instead opening up the floor to comments.
Broder Van Dyke said a national priority for Akaka is adjusting the benefits system to reflect the challenges faced by today's military, including post-traumatic stress disorder and injuries from improvised explosive devices.
On some of the local concerns he anticipates Thursday, Broder Van Dyke said, "Rural communities in general have more problems with access to health care."
Tony Elliott, Kaua‘i representative for the state Office of Veterans Services, said he encounters a few complaints each year in respect to access, as the main veteran facilities are on O‘ahu.
"It's more of an inconvenience than anything," he said.
Overall, though, Elliott painted a rosy picture of service on-island. He said the waiting time for appointments at the VA clinic is relatively short, ranging from a day to a rare two weeks.
He added that he expects Akaka will receive questions about funds to consolidate Kaua‘i veteran services for one-stop-shopping.
Currently, the Vet Center and VA clinic on Kuhio Highway provide federal medical care, counseling and social services. Elliott said the space is small and parking is limited.
The state-run Kauai Veterans Center, also in Lihu‘e, hosts many of the veteran events and recently acquired about 2 acres behind the building, which some have identified as an ideal spot for such development.
Broader issues with statewide implications, he said, could include the on-going push to provide full health benefits to Filipino veterans who were recruited by the Army during World War II, many of whom live in Hawai‘i.
Thursday's forum, which is open to the community, begins at 4 p.m.
http://www.kauaiworld.com/articles/2007/08/28/news/news02.txt
