Turner Encourages Vets to Come to Health Fair in Clinton County

Statement

Turner Encourages Vets to Come to Health Fair in Clinton County

I am excited to be able to announce that the VA has arranged for a health fair to take place in Clinton County. I have worked with the veterans' community to make receiving health services more convenient for veterans living in Clinton and Highland Counties. The purpose of the health fair is to enroll additional veterans in medical programs and to provide them with a basic health assessment. The health fair will also serve as a test to see if the area could support a community-based outreach clinic in the Wilmington area.

A strong turnout will demonstrate to the VA the need for veterans care in the Clinton County community is real and that we could support a facility if it is provided. If there are a large number of new enrollees, it will be helpful toward establishing a permanent monthly clinic in the Clinton and Highland County area. Veterans will not only do themselves a great service by enrolling and getting a health screening, but they will also take a step toward improving the overall health of the community.

This health fair became necessary because, in March of 2007, the Veterans Outreach Clinic in Hillsboro was closed. Because of this, the health care promised to over 8,000 Clinton and Highland County veterans was threatened and the well being of some of our community's most valued citizens was jeopardized. Vets seeking to use Veterans Affairs medical attention had to travel to Cincinnati, Dayton, or Chillicothe, all of which are a significant distance from their homes in Clinton and Highland County. This represents not only a huge inconvenience but a potential health risk to those who have serious medical conditions. This is why it is so important to make certain that veterans in Clinton and Highland County have a nearby option to receive their care.

Veterans not currently enrolled in VA Healthcare are invited to schedule an appointment by calling Ray Souder, Clinton County, Veteran Service Officer at (937) 382-3233. Veterans seeking services for the first time are encouraged to bring a copy of their military service record and/or their Official Military Personnel File (DD-214, OMPF) and a completed Preventive Medicine Clinic Medical History form. The form can be downloaded from the Dayton VA internet site. Go to http://www.dayton.va.gov/.

The outreach screening will be held at the Free Clinic of Clinton County - 62 E. Sugartree Street, Wilmington, OH 45177. The services and screenings will begin at 8:30 a.m. and conclude at 4:30 p.m. The services and health screening provided will include: blood pressure checks, flu, tetanus, and pneumonia vaccinations, as well as oral cancer, cholesterol, and glucose screenings.

Once again, we have seen that when our community gets together to solve a problem, we can achieve a successful result. Our veterans have earned our undying gratitude for the sacrifice they have made for each of us. They also deserve the medical care that they were promised. As a member of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, I am able to help make certain that our nation honors its commitment to those who have given so much to protect our nation and our freedoms. I encourage all veterans in our community who are not enrolled in VA medical care to come to the health fair on October 16 th for the sake of their health and to help demonstrate the need for establishing a permanent monthly clinic in the Clinton and Highland County area.

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