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V.A. clinic will locate at COMtech
by Bob Shiles, Staff Writer
9 months ago | 1624 views | 11 11 comments | 24 24 recommendations | email to a friend | print
LUMBERTON —The Department of Veterans Affairs announced this morning that a V.A. outpatient clinic to service Lumberton and the surrounding area will be located at COMtech.

The announcement ends months of waiting for the department to review possible sites and determine which would best serve area veterans.

The clinic will be staffed and managed by the Fayetteville Veterans Affairs Medical Center. According to the Veterans Affairs, about 2,100 existing and 300 new patients will use the clinic to receive primary care and general mental health services. Emergency care will not be provided at the clinic.

The clinic will encompass more than 5,500 square feet of usable space.

“We expect to be able to ... open the doors for patients this spring because we are leasing space in an already existing building,” Daniel F. Hoffmann, director of the VAMid-Atlantic Health Care Network said in a statement. “Beyond providing care closer to home, this clinic will bring the veterans of Robeson County the added benefits of reduction in travel, reduced waiting times, increased access to mental health services, and should ultimately result in increased patient satisfaction.”

In early May, a VA spokesperson said the clinic site announcement would be made by the end of May. The announcement was later moved to the end of July as a result of the site search area being expanded in April.

Originally, Veterans Affairs was looking for sites just in Lumberton. But the project was re-advertised, eliminating much of Lumberton for site consideration and adding areas south of Lumberton and Pembroke as possible sites.

The advertisement originally posted by the Department of Veterans Affairs cited the need for property with a building large enough to house a 5,500-square-foot clinic. The space could be a free-standing building, or within an existing building, and must be close to major thoroughfares, easily accessible from all areas of the county, and located in an area of low traffic and crime.

The clinic will serve veterans in Robeson and Bladen counties, as well as those in Dillon County, S.C.
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comments (11)
« silentnoise wrote on Friday, Oct 23 at 01:24 PM »
Well it is sad to see that once again a positive move has been turned into something ugly and Robesonians are arguing amongst themselves.Things did not work out the way certain people wanted to so there must be some type of foul play...come on people, this picture was alot bigger than Rob Co.Much research was done and statistics compiled before a decision was made by the powers that be.Alot of FACTS and info have been left out of statements made by those that oppose, maybe they just didn't know. As a veteran and concerned voting citizen I make it a point to attend public meetings and town halls were alot of useful facts are put out. As a veteran that travels to both Durham and Fayetteville VA's I welcome a break from all of the traffic I would normally have to go through, that elevates my Anxiety.The area at ComTech is easily accessible from multiple directions and in aquiet therapeutic setting( Hey no area Pembroke or Lumberton is free of crime) The decision of placing the CBOC was a difficult one ,but it had to go somewhere and Pembroke is just as good as Lumberton, after all it has UNC-P, which i might add has alot of veterans enrolled there. As for the CBOC being to far away from the hospital...if you were in that type of distress you would not NORMALLY go to your PCC you would go straight to the E.R. There are several other clinics in the area and they run fine. As for the staff that will go there, I am sure they will be competent individuals. Robeson County has a host of gifted individuals. But there will be all walks of life working therethat are capable of providing excellent service.And as for all of the millions the Lumbee Veterans Dept is suppose to have ...Didn't you read in the Robesonian when they printed the budget for the different departments...it barely had 6 digits and almost all of their staff are volunteers that use their time and usually their own funds to help out fellow veterans to get where they need to go.I was one that they helped. But if you wish to cut off your nose to spite your face and continue to drive to Fayetteville, that's ok too. More room and quicker appointment times for those who wish to use the CBOC in Pembroke.Afterall the mission here is to get our Veterans the excellent health care they deserve. With all that has been said I am just thankful for this facility that we have been blessed with, that alot of others have requested but been unable to get
« Southern Yankee wrote on Thursday, Oct 22 at 09:37 AM »
On a more positive note - I'm just thankful we're getting that clinic in Robeson County - there are so many vets that can't make it to Fayetteville for services and the waiting time at the VA in Fayetteville is terrible. Comtech is a beautiful quiet peace of land in a county full of turmoil and strife and besides why not Pembroke? - everything doesn't have to be in Lumberton. The VA should go a step furthur and provide transportation for the vets also - they sure deserve it...
« LDF93 wrote on Thursday, Oct 22 at 09:12 AM »
We will continue to go to the VA office in Fayetteville. I figured this would happen, but it's still disheartening now that it's official.
« typical bull crap wrote on Thursday, Oct 22 at 07:47 AM »
i know several vets who have already said they will not go to comtech, if that's where it's located. Anybody ever heard of nepotism and cronyism?
« anonymous wrote on Wednesday, Oct 21 at 10:55 PM »
Pembroke a central location please get real people....Bladen County is on oneside of lumberton and pembroke on the other and Dillon County is a drive straight up i95 north and there u r lumberton....Politics at its best...Keep greasing pembroke asmuch as u can people....I wonder who is getting their pockets fattened on this one?
« looking wrote on Wednesday, Oct 21 at 09:16 PM »
wow is correct,ComTech is the perfect place ,it is in a central location and a professional business park,just be happy we have it here.Our veterans ,no matter what part of the county they live in can now drive a short distance for their medical needs.WOW THAT IS WONDERFUL
« typical bull crap wrote on Wednesday, Oct 21 at 07:30 PM »
the reason? b/c certain individuals are getting kickbacks by it going to comtech.....TYPICAL BULL CRAP!!!!!!!!
« Ross is always Right wrote on Wednesday, Oct 21 at 05:33 PM »
Yes sir I sure do 1strickland...And the simple answer is, politics and RACE.Don't you know anything these days is all about RACE? That's it. I've been saying it for years now, and I'm not white. I just know whats going on. If Lumberton would have got this, can't you just hear all the sad stories... Poor people in pembroke can't make the long journey to Lumberton... It's such a burden on the poor to have to travel so far.. and oh, my favorite, the good 'ol RACE CARD, "well, the only reason Lumberton got it is because of RACE". Thats so funny, minorities can use RACE for their advantage and also there disadvantage.Whatever works, right? How many VETS live in pembroke and how many live in Lumberton? That should have been the only determining factor. I don't claim lumbee because of things such as this. I'd be ashamed to belong to a group that tells its own that without a helping hand from government you can't make it. You know like 12 million dollars a year for "housing, education,job training,etc..."My mother used to tell me," IF I DIDN'T EARN IT, IT AIN'T MINE"
« sickandtired wrote on Wednesday, Oct 21 at 05:20 PM »
Quote: "The space could be a free-standing building, or within an existing building, and must be close to major thoroughfares, easily accessible from all areas of the county, and located in an area of low traffic and crime."

This does not make sense none of these exist in Pembroke.

Wow!!!
« tellingitlikeitis wrote on Wednesday, Oct 21 at 04:32 PM »
Yeah, I know. POLITICS!!!!!!!
« 1strickland wrote on Wednesday, Oct 21 at 02:36 PM »
Does anyone know why the readvertisement by the VA eliminated much of Lumberton for site consideration?
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