VA breaks ground on new Port Royal clinic for Beaufort-area veterans

PORT ROYAL, S.C. — Ground is officially broken at the site of Port Royal’s future VA outpatient clinic.

The Ralph H. Johnson VA Health Care System held a groundbreaking ceremony for the new community-based outpatient clinic serving veterans in the Beaufort County area.

The clinic will offer primary care, mental health and specialty care services. Once completed, it will replace the current Department of Veterans Affairs clinic located at Beaufort Naval Hospital.

The new clinic is expected to open in 2028. VA leaders say the project marks a major investment to meet the needs of a growing veteran population and help fill gaps in VA coverage in the Lowcountry.

Caroline Fermin, director of Beaufort County Veterans Affairs and a veteran herself, said local veterans are excited they will no longer have to travel as far for care.

“So as the director of Beaufort County Veterans Affairs, I see veterans every day, and the fact that we’re having a clinic built in our town, they’re very excited about because they don’t have to make that trip,” Fermin said.

Federal, state, county and local representatives joined veterans, community members and the contractors building the clinic at Tuesday’s ceremony.