The United States Department of Veterans Affairs released its Asset and Infrastructure Review Report March 14, that includes recommendations by the VA Secretary. The VA MISSION Act requires Secretary McDonough to publish the AIR report in the Federal Register and submit it to Congress and a presidentially appointed AIR Commission. The AIR Commission will conduct public hearings as part of its review of VA’s recommendations before submitting its own recommendations to the president for further review in 2023.

Preliminary reports indicate a significant change for South Dakota, turning the full-service VA hospitals in Fort Meade and Hot Springs into clinics, Sioux Falls VA hospital will no longer offer emergency services, and the CBOC in Wagner will be closed. Recommendations call for a new VA care system to be built in Rapid City.

The VA recommendations will be reviewed and approved by the AIR Commission. The Commission will then take testimony and public input between now and January 2023. Their findings will then be forwarded to the President and to Congress in January 2023.

Many of you will recall, it wasn’t that long ago that former VA Secretary Robert Wilkie announced that Hot Springs would remain open and that there would be no reduction in services. This battle was won because we had the support of our Governor, our congressional delegation, our veterans service organizations, our county and tribal veterans service officers, state officials, community leaders, veteran network partners, and our veterans and their families.

The South Dakota Department of Veterans Affairs, along with Governor Kris Noem and our South

Dakota Congressional Delegation, have many concerns with the recently released VA Recommendations Report to the AIR Commission. They do plan to be a part of all hearings/townhalls that will be held in South Dakota. They will be leading a boots-on-the-ground grassroots effort to make sure the Commission hears the concerns of our veterans and their families.