Veterans center slated for Northern Arizona under new bill

The first bill to be introduced by Arizona's newest Congressman Rep. Eli Crane would give Gila County the chance to provide resources and support to primarily rural veterans and their families through the creation of a large veterans center.

The proposed space would be built on 232 acres in Young, Arizona about 120 miles northeast of Phoenix.

The new center would likely include family housing, meeting and activity spaces, resource rooms, ceremonial grounds and areas for outdoor recreation.

"Veterans in Northern Arizona need a space to heal and reconnect with their families after putting their lives on the line for the peace and freedom of all Americans," Crane said in a statement announcing the bill. "As a former Navy SEAL and member of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, I know the importance of providing this resource cannot be understated."

The bipartisan legislation was introduced in the Senate by senators Mark Kelly and Kyrsten Sinema. The bill would require the Secretary of Agriculture to transfer control of the Pleasant Valley Ranger District Administrative Site to Gila County. The site was previously decommissioned after the U.S. Forest Service moved its operations to Payson.

Kelly was the original sponsor of the bill when it was first introduced in 2021. According to Kelly's office, Gila County is home to nearly 5,500 veterans making it an ideal location for the new center, which will likely also feature a mobile clinic for veterans who don't live near any of the state's Veterans Affairs medical centers.

Contact northern Arizona reporter Lacey Latch at LLatch@gannett.com or on social media @laceylatch.

Coverage of northern Arizona on azcentral.com and in The Arizona Republic is funded by the nonprofit Report for America and a grant from the Vitalyst Health Foundation in association with The Arizona Republic.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Veterans center slated for Gila County under new bill