Thursday, May 15, 2008

Loma Linda is probably the one city in San Bernardino County with the most war veterans living or visiting there at any one time.

Loma Linda is probably the one city in San Bernardino County with the most war veterans living or visiting there at any one time.

Jerry L. Pettis Memorial VA Medical Center

Loma Linda is probably the one city in San Bernardino County with the most war veterans living or visiting there at any one time.

And with good reason.

The Jerry L. Pettis Memorial VA Medical Center not only celebrated its 30th birthday in 2007, it saw more than 57,000 patients from San Bernardino and Riverside counties.

Leaders of the 1977-founded institution - named after a local congressman - spent the past few years expanding mental health services at its five satellite branches in Upland, Corona, Sun City, Victorville and Palm Desert.

"We've had 3,985 new combat veterans coming from recent conflict; 1,184 of them have combat injuries," said Annie Tuttle, spokeswoman for the medical center.

The number of veterans using the center has tripled over the past 10 years.

"We're seeing an increase in the number of Vietnam veterans using our services," Tuttle said. "We're adding all types of diagnostics and non-invasive techniques."

Loma Linda's veteran magnet is one of only four in Southern California - the others located in Long Beach, Los Angeles and San Diego. It offers medical, surgical, behavioral, neurological, and a host of other services

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