Copperas Cove VA holds ribbon cutting ceremony

By PAMELA GRANT
Cove Leader-Press

The Copperas Cove VA Outpatient Clinic held a ribbon cutting that included a speech and a walk-through on Friday morning.

Work started on the Copperas Cove clinic in July 2019, and now, 3 ½ years later, they were able to do the ribbon cutting.

“We’re so excited to be here,” said Bill Negron, Public Affairs Officer. “This is a beautiful, beautiful facility that’s going to be put to use for many years to come.”

Michael Kiefer, Executive Director Central Texas Veteran Health Care System, said that the main difference between the VA and a contracted VA Clinic are the people who work there.

The Copperas Cove facility is run by Valor Healthcare and Potomac Healthcare who will be operating according to VA policies and practices, so there should be no difference in the veterans’ experiences.

Kiefer said that the veterans should have a seamless transition to the new facility which will be much more convenient than having to drive all the way to Temple.

“With the opening of Copperas Cove—and later Killeen—our services are closer to about 30,000 veterans in those areas,” said Kiefer. “It’s closer to where they live and more convenient to them.”

Kiefer made sure to thank Congressmen John Carter and Roger Williams for helping to make the new VA clinic a possibility.

“This clinic system is a great idea,” said Congressman Carter, who attended.

Carter said that he constantly had veterans coming up to him and telling him about how much they liked the clinic system, so he felt it was important to support more clinics.

“This is a perfect service to treat people every day,” said Congressman Carter. “I think it’s a great system. I think it’s the future for our overall care for veterans nationwide.”

After the speeches and the ribbon cutting, visitors were invited to tour the facility, checking out some of the behind-the-scenes rooms as well as the patient rooms.

“It’s beautiful…I was like ‘Wow!’ when I went back there and I hope all the veterans get that same wow factor too,” said Roxanne Flores after touring the new VA Clinic. “It’s wonderful to have these resources right here in Copperas Cove.”