A meeting with state Veterans Administration officials drew a packed house of veterans and their families to American Legion Post 200 Wednesday.
The meeting was hosted by U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., and featured Darryl Brady, director of the VA’s Jackson regional office, and Dr. David Walker, the medical center director at the G.V. (Sonny) Montgomery Medical Center in Jackson.
Brady said outreach is an important mission for the VA. He said he planned to reach out to every county in the state.
Last week, the team was in Greenville.
“We’ll be in Hattiesburg. We’ll be coming back to the Delta, in Petal, then Biloxi,” he said.
Walker said the medical center is there for the veterans and thanked them for their service for the country.
“I expect our employees to treat you with respect. If you don’t think you’re being treated the way you should be, I want to know about it,” he said.
Clarence Sullivan Jr., a U.S. Army veteran and a member of Post 200, said the annual meeting is important.
“I’ve been to every one of them. I think they’re outstanding,” he said.
Derek Salley, another U.S. Army veteran, said he’s attended three of the meetings.
“It’s informative listening to other veterans and their complaints. Listening to what is going on, what they’re dealing with and they’re trying to get help,” he said.
Thompson said veterans deserve respect and working out the kinks in the medical center processing of veterans is still a work in progress.
“It’s hard to just say it’s fixed,” he said.
Thompson said the veteran turnout is gratifying.
“It takes a little bit of nerve to stand up in a crowd like that,” he said.
The country needs to stand by its veterans, Thompson said.
“We made a commitment to veterans. If they go into the service, we’d provide good health care, provide education or training for them and put a roof over their heads. We need to maintain that commitment,” he said.
• Contact Bob Darden at 581-7239 or bdarden@gwcommonwealth.com.
