Nevada leads U.S. in veteran population growth

Friday, May 23, 2003 | 11:53 a.m.

The ranks of Nevada's veterans are growing faster than those of any other state, but services for veterans here lag other states, a census report says.

"We have had the highest concentration of veterans in any state since 1990 and we also have the least services," said Ed Gobel, a member of the Committee of Nevada Veterans.

In Nevada, the number of veterans increased throughout the '90s by more than 30 percent, from 182,000 to 238,000, according to the census report. Increases of 10 percent or more also were recorded in Arizona, Idaho, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina and Utah.

Rhea Hornbeck, president of the Sagebrush Chapter of the Women's Marine Association, said that services are not keeping pace with the growth of the number of veterans here.

There is some good news for veterans, however. Four primary care centers are scheduled to open in the Las Vegas Valley as soon as next month.

They include a center at Smoke Ranch Road and Tenaya Way, another behind Sunrise Hospital on Maryland Parkway, a third at Nucleus Plaza on Owens Avenue and a fourth on S. Jones Boulevard.

Rep. Shelley Berkley, D-Nev., a member of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, is working to bring additional services to Nevada veterans, including a "super ambulatory clinic," better burial benefits and a long-term care facility that will serve more veterans in the future.

Berkley has a commitment from the Department of Veterans Affairs to expand services offered by the old Addeliar D. Guy III Ambulatory Care Center by 100,000 square feet, up from 250,000 square feet.

But Gobel disagrees with Berkley's approach.

"We need to move out of ambulatory care so veterans can receive the medical services here and attract medical researchers," Gobel said.

State Sen. Ray Shaffer, R-Las Vegas, a Korean War veteran, is trying to protect funds to expand and maintain the long-term veterans care center near Boulder City.

Of $35 for a veterans license plate, $20 is supposed to go to a fund for the veterans home -- but instead, those fees are going into the general fund, he said.