‘Godsend’: A new VA clinic coming to a Beaufort County rural community

BEAUFORT COUNTY, S.C. (WCSC) - In a rural community where 17,000 veterans call Beaufort County home and many more live in the surrounding areas, residents can now look forward to what one veteran describes as ‘a blessing.’

More than $30.4 million will be going to a new Veterans Affairs Community-Based Outpatient Clinic, or CBOCs, in Beaufort County.

“The care that CBOCs would provide for the care of the veterans here is a godsend,” retired Marine Corps veteran Sam Spain said.

Although there is a small unit at the naval hospital, Sam Spain says this money is a ‘game-changer’ after the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs continued to push for this.

“It is a very big deal to break ground and get the money to construct this facility for veterans in South Carolina, but specifically in Beaufort. Where we make Marines and often times when they go through Parris Island as a young person, they retire back in right next door to Parris Island,” U.S. Congresswoman Nancy Mace said.

The dollar sign may be a big one for this project, and there is gratitude in the community, because Spain says any dollar is appreciated because of the cost of the sacrifices made.

“When we pass that flag to that mother or that father or that family member and even down to a friend, we are saying we are grateful. Now, what does grateful cost? The amount of money that the government will spend to put a CBOCs, or to help a veteran, is to me not a drop in the bucket for what they should be spending, but we are grateful for whatever we get,” Spain said.

Spain said that being out in the rural areas, they face challenges of limited resources, having to drive over an hour to Charleston, oftentimes.

“We need to make sure that veterans have access to care where they live. So we can provide the best care possible to those veterans who are selflessly served their country,” Mace said.

This Clinic will provide primary care, mental health services and other programs for veterans.

“I pray that I’ll be able to see it in my day where those CBOCs will be out here in the community,” Spain said.

They are in the early stages, so they are in the process of deciding between sites in the area, permits and contractors. Once they break ground, Congresswoman Nancy Mace says construction will take about two years to complete.