After five years of waiting, local veterans can now look forward to a new community-based outpatient VA clinic in Lafayette. The lease was awarded by the Department of Veterans Affairs.

The 29,000 square foot facility will be located along Ambassador Caffery Parkway, next to Walmart. According to veterans advocate, Rudy Bourg, the area already has a clinic, but it’s about time for a new facility.

“They opened it to serve approximately 2,000 to 2,500 veterans. Six months later they were turning away veterans because they had reached their max limit.” said Rudy Bourg. In the Acadiana area there are between 60,000- 70,000 veterans in need of medical service.

If they can’t be seen at the clinic currently in Lafayette, elderly veterans are forced to travel up to five hours between Alexandria, New Orleans and Houston. Bourg adds the new clinic will also be able to provide better services for vets.

“Right now we have fifteen to eighteen medical services for veterans. The new clinic is going to be able to afford us cardio, rehabilitation; they’re going to have x-ray. They’re going to have a small pharmacy there. They’re going to have a wellness facility.” said Bourg. The Lafayette veteran’s coalition has fought hard over the past five years for the new clinic and adds that they are happy to have good news, but also recognize that there are other places in Louisiana who are not so lucky.

Bourg mentions that a coalition was also formed for veterans in Lake Charles hoping to build a clinic for their local veterans, currently without any success. “It’s a shame to say. Today we are happy but sad at the same time, because those veterans in Lake Charles deserve the same thing that we get.”