A Smoother Road to Recovery: Fisher House Dedicated at Fort Belvoir

When injured U.S. military veterans come home from Afghanistan, they will be welcome to live free of charge at the newest "Fisher House," located at Fort Belvoir. On Tuesday, U.S military and civilian leaders cut the ribbon for the new Fort Belvoir Fisher House, a 10,000 square-foot "comfort house" with 10 suites, private handicap-accessible bathrooms, a large kitchen and spacious living and dining areas. 

"This beautiful home will serve as a home away from home for many of our injured veterans on the road to recovery," said U.S. Army General Lloyd J. Austin III, the vice chief of staff for the Army. "People often talk about the warrior spirit and associate it with the battlefield, but it's also the courage, determination and mental toughness, the drive, the guts that it takes to recover and resume their lives." 

There are 55 Fisher Houses around the world, and the Belvoir house is the third in Virginia. The others are located in Richmond and Portsmith. For more than 20 years, the Fisher House Foundation has donated the homes to the U.S. military to be used temporarily by military families, both active duty and veterans, while they are seeking medical treatment. The foundation has saved service members an estimated $192 million. 

"How many of you in the audience know why we celebrate Memorial Day? One or two maybe, and that's troubling. It is to remember those who gave the ultimate sacrifice," said Ken Fisher, the Fisher House Foundation chairman and CEO. "We want to thank our veterans. It's more than just words… When they need it most, our military families will be able to count on this house as a place to find refuge when so much of their world has been turned upside down.”  

The Fisher house is next door to the state-of-the-art Fort Belvoir Community Hospital.

"Mr. Fisher, on behalf of all of our treatment teams here at Belvoir, thank you for your generosity and continued focus on making a difference in the lives of our service members and their families each and every day," said hospital Commander Col. Susan Annicelli. "As the newest addition to the fleet of Fisher homes opens its doors, it will serve as a beacon of care and comfort that will endure for generations to come."