Zachary Hearn, deputy director of Benefits for The American Legion, left, listens to a veteran as he shares his experiences with the VA health-care system during the town hall organized as a part of the Veterans Crisis Command Center at American Legion Post 439 in La Feria, Texas on Monday, September 15. Photo by Lucas Carter/The American Legion

Veterans have mixed feelings about south Texas VA

Veterans and their spouses gathered Sept. 15 at American Legion Post 439 in La Feria, Texas, to express their grievances with and share success stories about the Department of Veterans Affairs.

The hour-long session and this week’s Veterans Crisis Command Center (VCCC) was hosted by The American Legion as part of its commitment to veterans in the wake of the VA controversy that erupted last spring in Phoenix.

Zachary Hearn, deputy director of benefits for the Legion, and Robert Walton, director of Texas Valley Coastal Bend Health Care System, answered questions from patients. Hearn welcomed the veterans, VA staff members and others by explaining why the Legion had chosen southeast Texas for a crisis center. The visit is part of the Legion’s goal, Hearn said, "to make sure veterans get the benefits they earned.”

The veterans’ concerns focused on several key areas: poor communication from VA representatives, delays in receiving appointments and individual stories of issues with treatment.

“We are committed to improving the process because our health-care system was created to keep care local,” said Walton, who oversees the six clinics that make up the south Texas VA system. He also noted that far fewer patients in La Feria need to travel hundreds of miles to San Antonio for certain procedures now.

George Burns, of La Feria, has noticed the difference. “The VA system has gotten a lot better since they had the shakeout,” said Burns, a Navy veteran of World War II. “The last visit I had, the week before last, I was there 30 minutes to get a prescription refilled. Before, I would have to go back three or four times just to get it refilled. They’re working it out.”

Butch Sparks, an alternate NECman from the Houston area, said, “I think overall the care you get in the VA is second to none. Sometimes the issue is getting into the system.”

The American Legion’s crisis center will assist veterans with issues such as VA appointment scheduling, grief counseling, benefits claims and assistance with enrolling in VA health care.

The crisis center, at Post 439, will be open from noon to 8 p.m. Sept. 16 and 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sept. 17.