Carrollton, GA VA Facility Opening

Floor Speech

Mr. GINGREY of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, we are here today to honor and celebrate our veterans, American heroes, who have bravely served their country, to open a first class health facility to aid our wounded warriors in their recovery and treatment, and to honor the legacy of the woman who made it all possible--Katherine ``Trinka'' Davis.

With a war in Afghanistan, a recent one in Iraq, and unrest around the globe, the United States has more than 196,000 active duty servicemen and women that put their lives on the line, night and day, to protect our families and our freedoms. These men and women accepted the call of duty, leaving behind their loved ones and life as they know it to protect the lives of others.

When our soldiers return from battle, sometimes they do not get the support and assistance they deserve. Simply put, we owe them more. Just as they have answered the call to serve our country, we must answer the call to serve them. That is what Trinka Davis did and why we are gathered here today.

Trinka Davis was a businesswoman from Carroll County who founded The Trinka Davis Foundation in 2004 after realizing the struggles many servicemen and women faced upon returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. The Foundation exists to support veterans and their families. Though she is no longer with us, her memory lives on. Thanks to her generosity and the tireless dedication of her foundation, the Community Foundation of West Georgia, and the Georgia Department of Veterans Services, we are here today to open the Trinka Davis Veterans Village.

This facility will serve 3,000 veterans, and allow them to receive treatment closer to home. Prior to construction, veterans were often forced to drive two hours or more for treatment.

The facility will offer primary health care, mental health services, physical and occupational therapy, health and wellness counseling, and social services. I am happy to report that veterans began receiving outpatient treatment at the Trinka Davis Veterans Village on Monday.

In the coming months, the facility will also include a 42-bed community living center for veterans needing inpatient rehab in a ``homelike, family-oriented, atmosphere.''

Like our veterans, Ms. Davis is a hero, who recognized the needs of veterans and worked tirelessly to meet them. The Trinka Davis Foundation ensured that Ms. Davis's commitment to the veterans and their families in our own community and beyond would be preserved through construction of this facility.

The USO has a motto, ``Until everyone comes home.'' Trinka realized that our work did not end there. She is an example to us all.

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