Newburgh, NY – I was born and raised in Maryland, just outside of Washington, D.C, in a difficult situation. My family was dysfunctional, I was involved in gang activity that led to me going to jail on several occasions, and had three close friends die during my teenage years. When I was living with an aunt after the breakup of my family, I decided to join the Air Force. Although I had a difficult time in basic training, the next four years were life-changing for me: I started my education in the Air Force and continued it after leaving, getting a bachelor, masters, and C.A.S. in education, before teaching in Maryland, Kuwait, Zimbabwe, Uganda, and South Africa. I am always aware that the GI bill allowed me to get through the cost of college, and the security, training, and confidence the military gave me is something I am grateful for to this day. Now, I am semi-retired, volunteering at the local library and working with my congressional representatives on veterans’ issues to spread the gratitude that the military gave to me and do my part to help today’s veterans access education and the care they need to stay healthy.
Ten years ago, I thought nothing of going from my home in the Hudson Valley down to the Bronx to access that care myself. But as I’ve aged, I am more reluctant to go to distant health facilities because I’m aging and changing. Now, transportation issues have created a tendency for me to turn down appointments because the stress of getting to the Bronx, or even some facilities closer to me, outweighs the immediate medical need. Although I can still get community care from civilian doctors, the care at the VA facility nearest to me, Castle Point, is dramatically better than civilian alternatives. I’m still able to drive myself, or have my wife drive me, right now, but it is a stressful event, and I’m fearful that I won’t be able to drive in the coming years.
The City of Newburgh has a bus system, but without significant improvements to frequency, reliability, and the accessibility of the sidewalks and streets around the stops, it won’t work for me to get to my care. When I’m trying to make an appointment, the VA can’t take into account that the bus takes two or more times as long as driving. Myself and many of my fellow veterans also have accessibility issues with the bus, especially getting to or from stops in bad weather. In short, I simply can’t rely on the local bus.
Getting to doctor’s appointments at the VA in the Bronx was even more precarious. To make those appointments, I had to take a bus that leaves Castle Point twice a day, a trip that was fraught with stress. On several occasions, the bus has not left on time, jeopardizing the ability of myself and my fellow veterans to get to our appointments on time. If inclement weather is in the forecast, I worry days ahead of time whether or not I’ll be able to get to my appointment or have to wait until another day for the care I need. And even if taking the bus goes off without a hitch, the fact that there’s only a couple buses a day in each direction means that a 30-minute appointment is still an all-day affair. Because of transit challenges like these, veterans like myself are increasingly having to choose community care instead of the VA care we earned, not to mention the social activity at places like the American Legion and other community gathering spaces that we need in order to stay healthy.
Everybody always says “thank you for your service”, but one of the great things members of Congress could do for myself and my fellow veterans is to help us with our transportation. That would be putting thanks into reality.