Congressman Turner released the following statement after Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert McDonald announced the Dayton VA could become the home of the VA’s national archives.
“The region’s long-standing commitment to our nation’s veterans and its history of military innovation makes Dayton an excellent location for Veterans Affairs National Archives. This has been a longstanding goal of mine for our community and I am proud of the work we have done to secure this honor.”
Since 2010, Congressman Turner has pressed the Obama Administration to place the VA National Archives at the VA Medical Center campus in Dayton.
Currently, the VA archives are kept in multiple locations. When the Department of Veterans Affairs decided to consolidate its archives into one central location, Dayton was immediately considered. With nearly one million veterans who call Ohio home, Dayton serves as a fitting home for the National Archives.
This complex would bring jobs to the Dayton region and solidify its reputation as a community with a high-concentration of military and veteran’s expertise and knowledge.
Congressman Turner has worked to secure the VA National Archives throughout his time in Congress:
• On January 28, 2008, Congressman Turner hosted senior officials from the Department of Veterans Affairs and the National Park Service at the Dayton VA campus. Congressman Turner’s leadership in highlighting the historic significance of the campus began the effort to secure the VA National Archives in Dayton.
• On July 21st, 2010 Congressman Turner sent a letter to Secretary Shinseki on the importance of locating VHA Archives at the Medical Center campus in Dayton, Ohio.
• On July 23, 2010 Congressman Turner lead an Ohio Delegation in letter to VA Secretary Shinseki to urge the placement of VA Archives in Dayton.
• In 2011, Congressman Turner sent a letter to Veterans Administration Medical Center Acting Director William Montague urging him to award Dayton the VA Archives facility.
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