Bien Hecho: Border Vets Fight For VA Hospital

For decades, Latino veterans in the Rio Grande Valley border region in South Texas have been fighting the good fight to urge lawmakers and the Veteran’s Administration to build a hospital that’s accessible to them. The nearest VA hospital is in San Antonio — four or five hours by car. And, for veterans who are already wounded or suffering from debilitating diseases, the long drive may just be a bit much.

Despite promises from a litany of politicos, including Texas senators, congressional representatives and presidential candidates, there is no hospital. But because of the efforts of these tireless veterans, there is at least something available to them for their service to this country:

The VA dedicated a $40 million outpatient surgery center in Harlingen last month (February 2011) that significantly increases the local availability of health care services for Valley veterans who previously were forced to travel to San Antonio for specialty care. The 120,000-square-foot center includes nearly a dozen specialty clinics and six surgical suites, but it doesn’t house an emergency room or outpatient beds.

Here’s hoping that these heros not only get their hospital, but that it happens quickly. Our weekly segment, “Bien Hecho,” highlights the good deeds and achievements of Latinos across the U.S. If you feel that someone you know is deserving of recognition, let us know at tips@newstaco.com.

Follow Sara Inés Calderón on Twitter @SaraChicaD