By Morgan Usry – Dothan Eagle
ENTERPRISE — City of Enterprise, Coffee County, and Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs officials gathered here Friday to celebrate the upcoming construction of the Command Sgt. Maj. Bennie G. Adkins State Veterans Home with a groundbreaking ceremony.
The new state veterans home will be approximately 182,000 square feet and house 174 residents. The facility is expected to employ around 200 people. The site chosen for the home is 108 acres off Highway 51 just north of Yancey Parker Industrial Park.
“This is a wonderful day for the Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs and State Board of Veterans Affairs,” ADVA Commissioner Kent Davis said.
“We are thrilled to have such a large crowd from the community to join us in beginning the process of building the Command Sgt. Maj. Bennie G. Adkins State Veterans Home, which will serve as a wonderful home for many of our nation’s heroes in the Wiregrass.”
Enterprise was chosen as the location for Alabama’s fifth state veterans home in January 2020 and was selected largely because of the significant veteran population in the city, Coffee County, and Wiregrass area.
Studies show that the county, specifically Enterprise, will have a substantial increase in its veteran population in coming years. Enterprise Mayor William E. Cooper recognized the important role that the military members and veterans play in the Enterprise area and its proximity to Fort Rucker, the Army’s aviation training installation.
“As mayor of the City of Enterprise, this is an exciting and fulfilling occasion for me, our community and the surrounding communities as well,” Cooper said. “Veterans and active-duty military members are close to our hearts here in Enterprise and the Wiregrass.
“They make up a significant segment of our population and add a unique and diverse cultural aspect to our community. That makes us especially proud and honored to be able to play a part in providing a new facility where veterans will receive care, kindness and comfort for many years to come.”
