TOMS RIVER – With palpable excitement, VA Under Secretary for Health Shereef Elnahal said it was great to be back home in New Jersey to celebrate the grand opening of the new VA Clinic on Hooper Avenue in Toms River.
“I love this state and the tens of thousands of veterans who are going to benefit from this clinic for generations to come,” he said.
At the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Elnahal joined a lineup of dignitaries addressing a crowd of more than 300 people gathered under a large tent outside the new clinic. The audience included veterans attending individually and as part of organized groups, alongside local, county, state, and federal officials, all united to celebrate the milestone for the veteran community.
Elnahal estimated there are nearly 60,000 veterans between Monmouth and Ocean County alone and that other New Jersey veterans will benefit from the center. He described the opening as a major step forward, highlighting its alignment with the PACT Act, which expanded healthcare eligibility for veterans. This bipartisan legislation, signed by President Joe Biden, has significantly improved access to care for veterans exposed to toxic substances, including Agent Orange and burn pits.
The new 68,000-square-foot facility, located on Hooper Avenue, doubles the capacity of the James J. Howard Outpatient Clinic in Brick and features expanded services, including primary care, mental health, cardiology, dental care, and a women’s health clinic. It offers telehealth, an infusion center for chemotherapy, and specialty care such as urology and audiology. There is also ample parking with 480 spaces. The Brick facility closed down when the Toms River one opened.
Veterans in attendance, like disabled Vietnam veteran Tom Fote, expressed enthusiasm about the new clinic, highlighting its convenience for local vets.
“It’s great because we won’t have to run to East Orange for appointments anymore,” he said, who already has three appointments scheduled at the new facility. “My first is with a foot doctor on December 13.”
Tom’s wife, Lynda, also praised the parking availability, noting it as a significant improvement over the Brick clinic. “I won’t have to drive around the corner anymore to look for parking when he goes to the doctor,” she said.
Phil Zimmerman, Director/ Service Officer of the Ocean County Veterans Service Bureau said the new facility was a fantastic addition to the local community. He expressed his gratitude that services have expanded and become more available to those who have served their country.
Bipartisan Victory For Veterans
Speakers emphasized the bipartisan efforts behind the clinic’s creation, highlighting years of advocacy and collaboration. United States Senator Cory Booker, a Democrat, praised the teamwork that brought the facility to fruition. He referred to Congressman Chris Smith (R-4) as his Republican friend and a guy who loves Jersey just as much as he does.
“When we started fighting and advocating for this, it wasn’t a letter with just the Democratic house representatives,” Booker said. “It was a bipartisan way, all the way – and he (Smith) is one of the reasons why we’re here today.”
Smith reaffirmed the true bipartisanship support in caring for area veterans, with both he and Booker also noting the contributions of United States Senator-elect Andy Kim, another Democrat. Before recent congressional district restructuring, Kim represented Toms River and other parts of Ocean County.
Once the chair of the Veterans Affairs Committee, Smith said there was no distance between himself and his Democratic friends as they fought to get the best possible healthcare, care for homeless veterans, education and GI benefits expansion.
“I’ve been pushing for a clinic in Ocean County since my first term in 1982,” shared Smith. “I got a bill passed in 1986, again in 1987, and again in 1988. It passed the House, went over to the Senate and went nowhere.”
Finally, in May of 1988, Smith received a letter from the Veterans Administration informing him that a lease contract had been approved to establish an outpatient clinic in Ocean County. Smith said the Brick clinic did a wonderful job, but the need ultimately exceeded its capacity.
Booker said that American men and women risking their lives on the front lines should never have to worry about what happens when they finish their service and come home.
“They should have the confidence that the country that finds the resources more than any nation or empire in a human history,” Booker said. “That finds the resources to invest in our military might also have the resources to support their health care, their physical, emotional and economic wellbeing – that’s what it means to be an American, to stand for one another.”
Kim, attending his first public event as Senator-elect, shared a deeply personal connection to the day’s significance. His work as a sitting congressman has made veterans his top priority – something he intends to continue in the Senate.
Fifty years ago, Kim’s parents immigrated to the United States from South Korea. Born at the tail end of the Korean War, they grew up in a region ravaged by its aftermath. Kim shared how his parents faced famine, disease, and numerous challenges during those difficult post-war years.
“The one thing that they always told me about was that the very first Americans that they ever met were American service members,” explained Kim. “American service members who provided the food to be able to help feed them and keep them nourished through so many challenges.”
“My family owes a debt of gratitude to our service members and our veterans that we can never repay,” Kim continued. “To be able to have this chance where I now can raise a seven-year-old and a nine-year-old; that I live in a country where me as a son of Korean immigrants, can now step up and be the very first Korean American ever in the US Senate in the history of America.”
A Tribute To A Local Hero
Former Toms River Mayor Maurice “Mo” Hill, a retired U.S. Navy admiral with 35 years of service, played a pivotal role in advocating for the establishment of the new clinic in the local community. Hill not only championed its placement but also proposed naming the facility in honor of a local hero.
“He came up with the idea, along with a few other veterans, of naming the clinic after Bud Lomell,” said Smith, who acknowledged Lomell’s daughter Renee in the audience.
Smith described Lomell as an amazing veteran who earned both silver and bronze stars, and a purple heart for his gallantry in action. Lomell was also the first director of veteran services in Ocean County.
“Andy Kim and I introduced legislation that would name this important facility after Bud Lomell,” Smith shared.
Ralph Moranz, a former Commander of American Legion Post 129 said he was quite proud that the clinic would potentially be named for Lomell who he described as a hometown boy who was a hero in World War II.
Hill attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony, as did former Toms River Mayor Mark Mutter, now the town’s historian. Council President Craig Coleman, Councilmen David Ciccozzi and James Quinlisk represented the current Toms River governing body.
Ocean County was represented at the event by Commissioner Director Barbara “Bobbi” Jo Crea, Deputy Director Gary Quinn, and Commissioner Frank Sadeghi. Ocean County Sheriff Michael Mastronardy was also in attendance.
State officials representing Ocean County who attended the ribbon cutting included Senator Carmen Amato; and Assemblymen Paul Kanitra, Greg Myhre and Brian Rumpf.
