27 Mar 2007

Medical facility in American Samoa for war veterans welcomed

6:39 pm on 27 March 2007

An American Samoan war veteran says a medical facility that's being set up in the territory to give assistance to war veterans is long overdue.

The clinic, officially opening in July, will be the first medical clinic in American Samoa geared towards serving the needs of war veterans.

A veteran of the 1991 Gulf War, Ae Ae Junior, says veterans in American Samoa have been suffering and he's glad he can now receive medical treatment without having to fly to Hawaii.

He says he still feels the psychological effect of war and says there are many Samoans who have served in the military who feel the same.

"The people down here, they've been in a war you know they saw bodies laying all over the place and it's time for somebody to come check it out because it effects most of us. Especially me too, I'm the one effect by that war, desert storm. Sometimes I get mad easy, there's no assistance. You gotta fight your own problems down here."

Ae Ae Junior says he's looking forward to being checked out when the clinic opens.