Retired Gen. James Hastings, director of Department of Veterans Affairs Regional Office in Hawaii was here last week to tour the Commonwealth Health Center.
He was accompanied by Military and Veterans Affairs Office executive officer Ruth Coleman and Department of Public Health Secretary Joseph Kevin Villagomez.
Hastings needed to see what area of the hospital facility is best suited for the veterans clinic, Coleman said.
Hasting, who used to be a cardiologist in the U.S. Army, wanted to see what Veterans Affairs could do to start planning for the establishment of the veterans outreach clinic in the CNMI, Coleman added.
The retired general who was on Saipan for day only also met with Gov. Benigno R. Fitial and lawmakers before he flew to Guam and then to Hawaii.
Coleman said the planned veterans clinic will also take care of the veterans who do not have service-connected disabilities.
For many years now, the Military and Veterans Affairs Office has been advocating the establishment of the clinic to lessen the burden of local veterans who have to travel off-island for their medical and healthcare.
Coleman said they need veterans to register with her office in order for the CNMI to have “louder voice” in advocating for the establishment of the clinic.
To date, 1,400 CNMI veterans have registered, and Coleman said it looks like their hard work is starting to bear fruits.
At present, local veterans with service-connected disabilities and those with existing VA pensions can avail of the VA’s healthcare system on fee basis.
However, in cases when a veteran needs the kind of medical treatment that is not available on island, he or she has to travel all the way to Hawaii.
With a CNMI veterans outreach clinic in place, local veterans can have all the kinds of treatment they need on island.
“The door is now open and we are one step to make a VA outreach clinic a reality — veterans deserve it,” Coleman said.
