Michigan VA Clinic Renamed to Honor Captain Herbert Elfring: What it Means for Federal Records

If you use the VA outpatient clinic in Michigan Center, Michigan, get ready for a new address on your paperwork. This legislation officially renames the facility located at 4328 Page Avenue to the "Captain Herbert Elfring VA Clinic." The bill is straightforward: it mandates that all federal references—from maps and regulations to official documents—must now treat the new name as the correct designation for this specific community-based outpatient clinic.

The Name Change and the Paper Trail

This is purely a symbolic and administrative move, not a policy overhaul. The bill doesn't change what services the clinic offers, how much you pay, or who is eligible for care. It’s about official recognition. For the Department of Veterans Affairs, this means updating signage and every piece of official documentation that references the facility. Think about the administrative lift: every federal database, every VA map, and every regulatory document must be scrubbed and updated to reflect the new name, ensuring consistency across the entire federal apparatus.

Real-World Impact: Minimal Friction, Maximum Respect

For the average veteran using the clinic, the physical location and the care team remain exactly the same. The biggest immediate impact is on the facility’s letterhead and the official name used when scheduling appointments or communicating with other federal agencies. While the administrative requirement to update all these records is standard for naming legislation, it represents a minor, temporary bureaucratic cost. Ultimately, the bill provides official, lasting recognition for Captain Herbert Elfring, ensuring his name is permanently associated with a facility dedicated to serving his fellow veterans.