For over 20 years, the veterans of Colorado have been fighting for a new state-of-the-art VA Medical Center. Veterans’ organizations, supported by the leadership of the United Veterans Committee, the Colorado congressional delegation and the late Steve Hogan, Mayor of Aurora have worked hard to achieve that difficult goal.

On July 21, at the new VA Medical Center, the new Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the Colorado Congressional delegation cut the red ribbon that officially opened the new VA Rocky Mountain Medical Center.

Two individuals stand out for their tenacious and unyielding efforts to bring this monumental achievement to fruition. They are Ralph Bozella, former chairman of the United Veterans Committee of Colorado, and Rep. Ed Perlmutter. They never gave up on their quest to bring quality health care to our wounded warriors.

The ribbon cutting ends nearly 20 years of struggle, disappointments and the fortitude of Colorado veterans and their supporters.

The new VA Medical Center will serve about 700,000 veterans in the Rocky Mountain West and over 450,000 in Colorado alone. The new medical center will also have a new Spinal Cord Injury Clinic which will serve wounded warriors with spinal cord injuries, allowing them to receive medical treatment close to home instead of having to fly to treatment centers on the West Coast.

The struggle by Colorado veterans to replace the aging VA Medical Center in Denver began nearly 20 years ago. As early as 1999, the Department of Veterans Affairs announced the Capital Asset Realignment for Enhanced Service (CARES) process to examine the need to replace aging VA medical treatment facilities. The CARES study recommended that the Denver the medical center was outdated and needed replacement.

Through nine years and nine VA secretaries, several design proposals were presented but no decision to move forward to build the new VA medical center was completed.

Finally, the veteran’s organizations led by the United Veterans Committee of Colorado (UVC) began a coordinated effort to make a credible and documented case for a new VA medical center in Aurora. The UVC organized the Fitzsimons Oversight Committee, eventually producing a comprehensive report credibly establishing the need for a new VA medical center.

Perlmutter, a longtime advocate for the new medical facility, met with the new Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Gen. Eric Shinseki, and presented the general with a copy of the UVC’s study arguing the need for a new state-of-the-art VA Medical Center in Aurora.

Shinseki promised Perlmutter he would review the issue and have an answer within 90 days. Forty-five days later, Shinseki called Perlmutter stating that the Department of Veterans Affairs would request the authorization from Congress to build the new hospital.

Congress eventually authorized, and President Obama signed the authorization and appropriating legislation allowed the project to proceed.

Design and construction problems including significant cost overruns plagued the project but in spite of these significant problems the new VA Medical Center was completed and soon our veterans will be using the newest and most state-of-the-art medical facility in the VA medical system.

The success, by veterans and our congressional delegation, in fighting to provide our veterans with high quality medical and mental health, is a testament to a quote by the noted anthropologist Margret Mead who said, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”

Thanks to all who made this achievement possible for our deserving veterans.