A team of retired generals in Lubbock have made it their mission to revamp the VA clinic in Lubbock for close to a decade.

Barring any last-minute hiccups, it seems safe to say they were successful. In 2020, Lubbock is expected to be home to a two-story, super clinic that is expected to significantly improve health services for veterans — there’s more than 30,000 of them in Lubbock and its bordering counties.

The clinic will go across the street from the Texas Tech Health Sciences Center and the University Medical Center, where an added partnership will make way for more specialty needs and social services.

The new facility is aimed at addressing a few key, and significant, issues: location, space, treatment and, maybe just as important, perception.

"These people were willing to serve their country," said retired Lt. Gen. Bernhard Mittemeyer. "They’ll see probably for the first time a place that’s theirs. They’ll be in a sense honored for their service; it’ll be part of a major medical center instead of out amongst the motels. These people will see that they’re appreciated. The VA has done a great job in letting us go ahead with this."

Back in 2009, four retired generals in Lubbock created a committee to look at improving veteran health care in this area: Mittemeyer, Maj. Gen. Walter Huffman, Maj. Gen. Edgar Murphy and Brig. Gen. Gary Harber.

Not one will say a negative thing about the current VA clinic in Lubbock that is located off Interstate 27 near 66th Street. But each has either worked or spent time there, so they know it’s hard to find, not large enough and doesn’t provide enough services, often forcing veterans to drive to Amarillo or Albuquerque, New Mexico, for treatment.

Mittemeyer said this is physically hard on older veterans, and younger veterans are forced to miss work. Because of these things, Mittemeyer says, too many veterans in Lubbock opt not to use the clinic.

Data provided by the VA show about 323,000 veterans in the West Texas, New Mexico market in 2016, but only 167,000 are enrolled in the VA.

Mittemeyer said this is what prompted them to create the 16-member committee in 2009 to look at ways they could improve the VA services. After they met he said it was obvious that a new location was needed, preferably close to Tech’s Health Sciences Center to take advance of specialty doctors, students and equipment.

By partnering with TTUHSC, Huffman said more medical and social services will be available to vets. He said it also eliminates the need for redundant services or equipment because they’ll be available at TTUHSC, thus saving money. More physicians and students will also be trained in treating veterans’ medical issues.

Mittemeyer grows excited at the image of young medical students getting the opportunity to meet and hear stories from these area veterans.

Tedd Mitchell, president of TTUHSC, said partnering and locating next to academic health centers has become an initiative of the VA. So rather than having everything contained in a VA clinic, anyone who needs a referral can simply cross the street.

The idea is that rather than having to go to Amarillo or elsewhere for treatment, Mitchell said, veterans can get waivers to get treatment at TTUHSC or University Medical Center.

"The VA will employ all their own doctors and nurses and things like that," said Mitchell. "However, it will be a clinical training site for us. So our students can rotate over there — our nursing students, our medical students, our pharmacy students. For the VA, it gives them an additional layer of help that they’re not paying for. For us, it gives us an additional training that we’re not paying for."

A phrase floated around often when talking about this clinic was that it’s a win-win.

The four generals were very quick to pass along credit to the large number people who helped make this a reality. Veteran Phil Price helped put together a 15-page proposal they used to make their pitch in 2011. U.S. Rep. Randy Neugebauer, who represented Lubbock at the time, was able to use that information to get Chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Committee Jeff Miller, R-Florida, to visit Lubbock and see the need firsthand. They thank Miller and Neugebauer for getting approval through the House, and John Cornyn, R-Texas, for getting approval in the Senate.

They said Mitchell and Tech Chancellor Kent Hance were key in advocating for the project. The Texas Tech Board of Regents was supportive in granting their request for the VA to use Tech’s land. And Andrew Welch, the Regional VA Healthcare director in Amarillo, ultimately made the proposal that gained approval.

There was lots in "getting through the red tape" from many others, they said

"We’ve gotten a lot of help from a lot of people," said Huffman. "As a retired general and a veteran myself, it makes me feel good to know that we veterans put our shoulders to the wheel and did something good for our fellow veterans in Lubbock. First and foremost, it’s going to provide a great service for Lubbock and South Plains veterans. It’ll eliminate the hardships and the travel and the bureaucracy,"

In late 2013, the U.S. House passed HR 3521, the Department of Veterans Affairs Major Medical Facility Lease Authorization Act, that approved funding for the creation of several major veterans facilities in states including Texas, New Mexico and Oklahoma.

In that was the Amarillo VA Health Care System’s request for a new clinic in Lubbock. The proposal is for the building to have approximately 94,000 square feet of usable space, which is about three times more than the current VA clinic. The project description says it will allow the VA to provide primary care, mental health care, physical therapy, dermatology, podiatry, orthopedics, dental and special care services among other things.

The proposed new clinic will put particular emphasis on treating traumatic brain injuries and post-traumatic stress disorder, Murphy said. About 30,000 square feet will be dedicated toward mental and behavioral health, and the rest for general medical needs.

"PTSD is a horrible thing," said Mittemeyer. "This will help in many, many ways."

Right now the land is being discussed in Austin. Any time land is transferred from one state agency to another it needs approval from the state Legislature. So Lubbock’s Sen. Charles Perry and Rep. John Frullo each introduced bills in their chambers to transfer the land at Fourth Street across from TTUHSC from part of the main campus of Tech to the Health Sciences Center. TTUHSC will then grant use of that land to the VA for construction of the clinic.

"Lubbock has so many retired vets — with people that have come through Reese or with our low cost of living and our great climate," said Frullo. "People want to live here, and a good number of those are veterans. We want to make sure we care of those folks who took care of us. This will provide more accessibility."

Ryan Henry, TTUHSC’s vice president for federal and state relations, said Perry’s bill was approved by the Senate and the House and has now been sent to the governor for signature. When that happens, he said, the VA Administration will look to enter into a contract to get the $8.4 million structure built, which could start as soon as 2018.

The projected opening date is 2020.

"We’ve come a long way, and I think we’re right at the doorstep of getting this thing built," said Mittemeyer. "It’ll be a very positive thing, for Lubbock and our veterans."