Veterans from Knoxville and Marion County had a chance to meet with two key Republican candidates, and discuss issues which directly affect them.
Iowa House candidate Jon Thorup and U.S. House contender Dr. Christopher Peters hosted the forum Tuesday afternoon; Thorup tells KNIA/KRLS New one major issue affecting veterans in particular, as well as the public in general, is the abandoned Veterans Administration hospital.
“Determining what’s going to actually happen to that facility, what can be used in the future for that facility,’ Thorup says. “Another big issue is mental health; of course that’s important across the whole spectrum of state government, as well as federal government, at this point, with respect to veterans.”
Dr. Peters says he also sees the VA site as a critical matter, but that veterans face other major issues concerning their health care.
“Veterans’ choice program, for example, doesn’t work terribly well; they live a long ways away from a veterans hospital in Iowa City or Des Moines. They can’t get care in their communities for routine needs. So that’s one thing I think really needs to be addressed to better improve the care veterans receive,” Peters says.
Both candidates have toured the VA campus during the course of the campaign.