The Barstow Veterans Home still needs our help.
Earlier this year, Gov. Gavin Newsom proposed to close the Barstow Veterans Home and displace the 200 veterans who call it home. I’d like to give our community an update on this proposal, and the efforts to keep this vital facility open.
Though the state budget is understandably stretched thin by the coronavirus pandemic and the resulting economic crisis, I hope everyone can agree that the state should not attempt to balance the budget on the backs of our veterans.
Closing the Barstow Veterans Home isn’t good public policy because of its location: It is the only veterans home in the Inland Empire, and our community has one of the highest concentrations of veterans in the state. In addition, this home was sited in Barstow due to its unique proximity to multiple military installations, including the Barstow Marine Corps Logistics Base, National Training Center at Fort Irwin, Twentynine Palms Marine Corps Base, Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake and Edwards Air Force Base.