By Sara Wood
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/whqr/local-whqr-981343.mp3
Wilmington, NC – After initial delays, the first VA clinic in Brunswick County will begin taking patients on Monday. WHQR's Sara Wood reports that the new facility in Supply will shorten the distance that some Brunswick County veterans must travel to seek services, as well as the waiting lists to access them.
For all five clinics run by the VA Center in Fayetteville, including Wilmington, there is a wait list. The VA estimates that nearly 13,000 veterans live in Brunswick County, but Anita Hartsell with Brunswick County Veterans Services says that the number is actually closer to 16,000, ranging from current era to World War II veterans.
"So this clinic is definitely needed here in Brunswick County. We have veterans moving in to Brunswick County just about every day. I mean, we have numerous new veterans calling our clinic every week to get information and see about different benefits that are available to them."
There are wait lists for every VA clinic in southeastern North Carolina, including Wilmington. This is the first VA clinic in Brunswick County; there are more than 2,600 Brunswick County Veterans enrolled in services at Wilmington and Fayetteville and some travel as far as Charleston to access care.
The new clinic will have a staff of four serving 1,000 veterans. Hartsell says that the new clinic will help alleviate travel and traffic issues facing veterans.
"If you show up late for an appointment at the VA clinic, even if you're five minutes late, you have to reschedule the appointment. And that's a big hassle. After driving all that way to try and be seen, and you left early, but you still got there late because you couldn't get through with traffic issues, this will be a definite benefit to the veterans of Brunswick County."
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