Gov. Andy Beshear joined veterans, military families and state and community leaders Tuesday to open the new $53 million Robert E. Spiller Bowling Green Veterans Center, an 80,000-square-foot skilled nursing facility that will expand health care access for veterans in Western Kentucky and create 152 new jobs.
"This center represents Kentucky's enduring commitment to the men and women who have served our nation," said Gov. Beshear. "The Robert E. Spiller Bowling Green Veterans Center will provide veterans and their families with access to exceptional care closer to home while honoring the legacy of a Kentucky leader who spent decades advocating for his fellow veterans."
The center includes 60 private suites with private bathrooms, plus common living, dining and support areas designed to promote comfort, dignity and community. It offers state-of-the-art equipment, physical therapy and recreational activities, and is the state's fifth skilled nursing facility for veterans. It sits on 25 acres donated by the Inter-Modal Transportation Authority at the Kentucky Transpark in Warren County.
The facility is named for the late Col. Robert E. "Bob" Spiller, U.S. Army, retired, a decorated military leader, longtime Bowling Green resident and veterans advocate.
"Col. Spiller believed that veterans in Western Kentucky deserved access to excellent care in their own region," said Whitney Allen Jr., commissioner of the Kentucky Department of Veterans Affairs. "This facility is a lasting tribute to his service and determination."
Born in Philadelphia, Col. Spiller attended Western Kentucky University, where he met his wife of 66 years, Cora Jane Morningstar. After a 30-year military career spanning the Korean and Vietnam wars, his final assignment was chief of staff of the Berlin Brigade, where he was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal. He later volunteered to drive veterans to medical appointments in Nashville and pushed to establish a veterans center in Bowling Green.
"My father stated he had one last mission in life and that was to get a VA Nursing Home in Bowling Green," said Bob Spiller, Col. Spiller's son. "It is a beautiful, state-of-the-art facility that will provide critical care to veterans for years to come. I wish my parents were still alive to see this."
The center was designed using the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs' small-house model, which emphasizes private living spaces, shared household areas and resident-centered care.
"As a nurse who is also a proud military parent, the privilege of being able to use my professional skills and abilities to serve our veterans is not only an honor – it is humbling," said Trina Daves, the center's nursing manager.
Kentucky now has five veterans skilled nursing facilities, in Bowling Green, Hanson, Hazard, Radcliff and Wilmore. Earlier Tuesday, Beshear signed an emergency regulation to fast-track Commercial Driver's Licenses for eligible current and former service members.