Serving Those Who Served: How Fayetteville’s Regional Growth Strengthens Care for Sandhills Veterans
By Corey Howard, Program Applications Specialist
When regional leaders, healthcare executives, and military partners gathered for the 2026 Greater Fayetteville Chamber State of the Community, the core takeaway for local military families was clear: every major investment across Cumberland County strengthens the safety net for Sandhills Veterans.
For the VA Fayetteville Coastal Health Care System, regional progress translates into concrete benefits for our patients: shorter wait times, faster emergency response, and expanded career opportunities for service members taking off the uniform.
More Doctors and Nurses for Local Veteran Care
Access to timely, high-quality care depends on a strong medical workforce. Cape Fear Valley Health CEO Dan Weatherly detailed major facility expansions, including a 150,000-square-foot medical building, an 8-operating-room surgery center, and an expanded emergency department with 49 semi-private pods to preserve patient dignity.
To staff these facilities, local schools are expanding fast:
Fayetteville State University: Doubling its nursing program to 300 students and adding Family Nurse Practitioner and Respiratory Therapy graduate tracks.
Methodist University: Welcomed its inaugural class of 65 medical students to train right here in Cumberland County.
Why it matters to Veterans: A larger local medical workforce expands our Community Care Network, reduces appointment wait times, and creates a direct hiring pipeline for clinicians joining our VA healthcare team.
Supporting Fort Bragg Families and Civilian Transitions
U.S. Representative Richard Hudson highlighted $140 million in new military construction for Fort Bragg in the latest defense bill, alongside new legal protections for special operators and their families. Simultaneously, Fayetteville State University secured a historic $10 million Department of War research grant for AI and defense logistics.
At the same time, Mayor Mitch Colvin and County Commission Chairman Kirk deViere outlined a push to make Fayetteville a national defense-technology hub, anchored by drone manufacturer SkyTec opening its U.S. flagship facility locally.
Why it matters to Veterans: Transitioning service members can leverage their specialized military training into high-paying local defense and tech careers. Keeping Veterans and their families rooted in Cumberland County ensures they retain uninterrupted, lifelong care through our VA network.
Faster Crisis Response and Fiscal Strength
Community leaders also reported key infrastructure updates that directly protect local military families:
Unified 911 Dispatch: City and county emergency services are merging dispatch operations, ensuring faster response times when a Veteran faces a medical or mental health emergency.
Fiscal Oversight: State Auditor David L. Boliek, Jr., confirmed clean audits for local public institutions, ensuring public investments directly benefit regional healthcare and infrastructure.
Our Commitment
As Cumberland County expands, the VA Fayetteville Coastal Health Care System remains dedicated to working alongside municipal, military, and health system partners to ensure our nation's heroes always receive the world-class care and support they have earned.