Honoring a Hero: West Haven VA Could Soon Bear MOH Veteran’s Name
The West Haven VA Medical Center may soon have a new name — one that carries the weight of both valor and lifelong service. Connecticut lawmakers have introduced legislation to rename the facility in honor of Captain Paul W. “Bud” Bucha, a Vietnam War Medal of Honor recipient and outspoken advocate for veterans’ mental health.
Captain Bucha was awarded the nation’s highest military decoration for his extraordinary leadership during a fierce 1968 battle in Vietnam. As the commander of Company D, 3rd Battalion, 187th Infantry, 101st Airborne Division, he led his men through intense enemy fire, rescued wounded soldiers, and inspired his unit to hold their ground against overwhelming odds. His Medal of Honor citation notes his “conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity” in the face of certain danger.
But Captain Bucha’s service didn’t end on the battlefield. In the decades since, he has become a vocal supporter for veterans struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), emphasizing that invisible wounds are just as significant as physical injuries. His advocacy has influenced programs at the West Haven VA, where thousands of veterans in Connecticut and surrounding states receive care each year.
Lawmakers say renaming the facility is more than symbolic — it’s a commitment to honor the full scope of service veterans provide. “Captain Bucha represents the courage and compassion we want every veteran to experience in their care,” said one Connecticut representative in support of the measure (New Haven Register).
If the proposal passes, the West Haven VA will join a growing number of VA facilities named after decorated veterans, each serving as a living reminder of sacrifice and dedication.
For many in the veteran community, it’s also a chance to keep the spotlight on issues Bucha has championed — like PTSD treatment accessibility, destigmatizing mental health care, and ensuring veterans receive the benefits they’ve earned.
As Captain Bucha himself has often said, “A nation that sends its young to war has a sacred obligation to care for them when they return.” Renaming the West Haven VA would be one way of reaffirming that promise.
Why It Matters …
- Symbol of Honor: Naming the VA after Captain Bucha links the facility’s mission to the values of courage, leadership, and advocacy.
- Mental Health Awareness: Bucha’s decades-long work on PTSD highlights the critical need for comprehensive mental health care in the veteran community.
- Local and National Impact: This decision could set a precedent for other VA facilities to be named after veterans who fought not just in war, but for better care at home.
Relevant Resources:
- Coverage of the VA Renaming Bill – New Haven Register
- Full Medal of Honor Citation – Paul W. Bucha
- Medal of Honor Recipient Paul Bucha Shares His Story
- (YouTube – Congressional Medal of Honor Society)
What the VA will do is give a survey to a bunch of people who don’t really know what private care is, right after they got some service at VA, and suggest the results of that survey represents overall satisfaction. So take a selectively biased survey that represents a snap shot in time, and doesn’t reflect all the denial of care and times when people got fucked somehow. The Russian government does the same kind of shit. That’s just one of many reasons why trust and confidence in the USA government has hit rock bottom. VHA is a big part of that equation.