Several state legislators expressed disdain Tuesday over how the state’s Department of Military and Veteran Affairs decided to shut down one of its veterans homes in Fayetteville.
North Carolina lawmakers expressed worry over how
North Carolina State Veterans Home Fayetteville
fell into disrepair so quickly–and that vulnerable veterans appear to have been neglected in the process.
The state VA’s Deputy Secretary Brian Pierce explained in detail why it’s closing the home, saying it has unsafe conditions due to moisture and flooding risks. However, lawmakers say the shutdown has been mishandled.
“We made a mountain out of a molehill of mistakes of this thing,” said Rep. Ed Goodwin. “I hate to see the thing just go away because we don’t have enough smart people and the wherewithal to figure that out for soldiers who risked their tail.
“We’re better people than this.”
Some lawmakers expressed frustration that the state VA knew there were serious repairs needed since 2021 but didn’t alert them of the problems sooner.