BERKELEY TOWNSHIP-Berkeley Township Mayor Carmen Amato is pushing hard for a new Veterans Administration health clinic in Toms River. The James J. Howard Outpatient Clinic currently serves Ocean County’s growing veteran population but is located deep in the heart of Brick Township, a rough drive for many disabled veterans in the southern portion of Ocean County.
The Department of Veterans Affairs is seeking to build a new building for veterans services and Amato feels the county seat of Toms River would be a more appropriate location.
“Berkeley Township is home to one of the largest veterans populations in the State of New New Jersey,” Amato said. “It has become burdensome for these veterans to have to travel distances for the care these clinics provide.”
Ocean County’s aging veteran community consists mostly of World War II, Korean War, and Vietnam War veterans.
“Toms River is a contiguous municipality to Berkeley Township which would provide easy travel access to our aging veteran population for the services they need and deserve,” Amato added.
Amato said he feels a Toms River VA Clinic would be more centrally accessible to all veterans in Ocean County.