To the editor:
Once again our government is at work to close a program at Caribou Cary Hospital called the ARCH (Access Received Closer to Home). This program is used by numerous veterans in the area for specialty care, because of the distance to the VA Center in Togus in Augusta.
The government promised quality health care to all veterans that served in the military. They started a program for health care for veterans in rural areas that is working. Now they want to shut it down.
Just a little history of the federal government and bureaucrats at work in Maine. The government closed all military bases in Maine. They tried to close the Navy Yard in Kittery, but our Senators and Congressmen saved the Navy Yard. The government tried to close the VA Center a few years ago, but again the Representatives, Congressmen and Senators saved it.
When we, the veterans, join the service to defend our country against our enemies, some of the soldiers die in action. Others come home with injuries or diseases, with the promise of quality care. They started a program called ARCH in our rural area to help us veterans, so we didn’t have to travel six to eight hours for our health care.
We need the support of all the veterans, spouses, Senators, Representatives, Congressmen and the media to save the ARCH program at the Cary Medical Center to give the veterans the quality health care they deserve.
I am one of the veterans in the program. If they close the program I will have to travel on the Van transportation system. That is an all-day trip, 6 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. to the VA Center at Togus.
