Press Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 6, 2011

CONTACT: Stefani Zimmerman or Hannah Loy, 202-225-2315

Congressman Paul Gosar Introduces a Bill to Name the Prescott Vet Center after Dr. Cameron McKinley

U.S. Congressman Paul Gosar, DDS (AZ-01) has introduced H.R. 1743, a bill that would name the Department of Veterans Affairs Vet Center in Prescott, Arizona to the Dr. Cameron McKinley Vet Center.  He introduced this bill to honor a ground breaking health care provider and true hero, Dr. Cameron McKinley.

“As a healthcare provider I feel especially privileged to recognize such a valiant and upstanding citizen such as Dr. Cameron McKinley,” said Gosar.  “Dr. McKinley served his nation in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve after World War II, treated soldiers overseas during the Vietnam War, and became the Chief Psychologist at the Prescott Veterans Affairs Hospital.  His tireless efforts to help our troops and veterans have inspired so many people, including myself, and I cannot think of a more fitting tribute than to honor his service by renaming the Prescott Vet Center.”

Dr. Cameron McKinley served valiantly in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve in the years following the Second World War, and then pursued a career in the service of veterans.  He performed excellent work as a family and individual therapist overseas during the Vietnam War and after the war became Chief Psychologist at the Prescott, Arizona Veterans Affairs Hospital. 

His service at the VA Hospital in Prescott was nothing short of groundbreaking, improving the lives of countless Arizona veterans.  He organized group therapy for veterans suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and inspired these veterans to become their own best advocates by forming Chapter 95 of Vietnam Veterans of American (VVA).  VVA Chapter 95 successfully engaged the community and lobbied Congress for a free standing Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC).  Dr. McKinley’s outstanding work on behalf of veterans and their families continued for decades, as he established crisis intervention, and taught mental health best practices to medical professionals across Yavapai County, Arizona.

Dr. Paul Gosar is serving his first term in Congress as the Representative to Arizona’s First Congressional District.  As a healthcare provider and small business owner, Gosar is focused on bringing jobs back to the district, reforming health care, reining in government spending and ensuring that his constituents are involved in the solution process.  For more information, visit his website at www.gosar.house.gov. 

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