ENTERPRISE, Ala. – After 16 months away, veterans are home again at the Command Sgt. Maj. Bennie G. Adkins State Veterans Home.
Thirty-two veteran residents returned to the home Monday, Sept. 28, following the completion of extensive restoration work after an April 2025 roof fire forced 90 residents to evacuate.
The veterans were escorted home in a convoy that included members of the Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association and the Fort Rucker Chapter Buffalo Soldiers MC. The Enterprise Police Department also joined the escort, while members of the Enterprise Fire Department were on hand to welcome the veterans home.
As the veterans arrived, they were greeted with American flags, cheers and an outpouring of emotion from the caregivers, staff and administrators who had been waiting to see them return.
Mayor William E. Cooper visited with the residents Monday afternoon and welcomed them back.
“We are so glad to see our veterans home,” Cooper said. “This has been a long road, and we are grateful for everyone who stood behind these men and women and supported them throughout this journey. When I visited with them Monday afternoon, it was wonderful to see the joy on their faces. It was an honor to welcome them home and see them reunited with the place and people they know and love.”
Cooper said the city answered the call when the veterans needed a temporary home following the fire.
“I am proud of the way Enterprise came together to support these veterans,” Cooper said. “So many people worked to make their transition and their home away from home the best it could be. We are especially thankful for the healthcare providers who cared for these men and women and made sure they received the care and support they needed.”
The veterans had been staying at Enterprise Health and Rehabilitation Center since the fire, but their connection to the Enterprise community never wavered. Area residents, organizations and businesses rallied around them, collecting supplies, necessities and comfort items throughout their time away. From area queens celebrating veterans’ birthdays to themed activities, special outings and other community events, the veterans continued to be embraced and included by the community.
The Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs expects to begin admitting additional veterans from the waitlist by the end of October, after the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs certifies the facility’s operations.
CREDIT-THE CITY OF ENTERPRISE ALABAMA
