Va. Gov. Terry McAuliffe, L, reacts as dirt is flying past as he and Mrs. Martha Puller Downs and Va. Sec. of Veterans and Defense Affairs Carlos Hopkins led a host of other officials in the groundbreaking for the Puller Veterans Care Center in Faquier County on Thursday, Oct. 26, 2017.
Work has now begun on the upcoming veterans care center on the Prince William-Fauquier County border.
Governor Terry McAuliffe, several dignitaries, and elected officials gathered on the 30-acre site of the former Vint Hill Farms Station to break ground on the project.
Read our earlier coverage on the veterans care center here.
The Puller Veterans Care Center, named in honor of General Lewis Burwell “Chesty” Puller, Lieutenant Lewis B. Puller, Jr., and his wife, former State Senator Linda “Toddy” Puller for their service to Virginia, the 128-bed facility will provide long term care and rehabilitation serves to veterans.
Martha Puller Downs shared some history on the Puller family and what they did in their service to the Commonwealth.
“Today is a great day for Virginia. A day when we can consecrate this ground,” said Delegate Rich Anderson, one of the legislators that brought forward the bill to build the veterans care center.
McAuliffe shared the process of getting the veterans care centers approved and moving forward. Funding for veterans care centers is typically provided by the VA, but in this case Virginia has decided to foot the bill, with the hopes of getting federal reimbursement later on.
“We said ‘enough’s enough’ – if the VA can’t do their job, we here in Virginia are going to do it for the VA, because we’re not going to leave our veterans out there,” said McAuliffe.
A similar facility is being built in Virginia Beach as well. The facility is slated for completion in 2020.
