State Seeks Name for New Veterans’ Home in Orlando

February 8, 2022

FDVA invites public input for renaming Lake Baldwin State Veterans’ Nursing Home.

ORLANDO, Fla. – The Florida Department of Veterans’ Affairs (FDVA) is accepting nominations for the renaming of the Lake Baldwin State Veterans’ Nursing Home, scheduled to open later in 2022. The 112-bed facility, a former U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Community Living Center on the VA’s Lake Baldwin campus, is currently being renovated as a state veterans’ home and scheduled to open to residents in 2022.

Florida’s existing veterans’ homes are named after Medal of Honor recipients. To be considered under naming protocols, an eligible nominee must be:

• One of 16 deceased Medal of Honor recipients accredited to the State of Florida by the Congressional Medal of Honor Society.
• Preference will be given to any eligible nominee with ties to the greater Orlando area.
• Honorably discharged from the U.S. Armed Forces

All correspondence for consideration should be postmarked by March 11, 2022 and mailed to:

Florida Department of Veterans’ Affairs Attn: Communications Director The Capitol, Suite 2105 400 South Monroe Street Tallahassee, FL 32399-0001

The Department of Defense accredits Medal of Honor recipients and traditionally selects the city and state where the service member entered the service.

The 16 eligible Medal of Honor recipients for naming consideration are:

Captain Charles Albert Varnum U.S. Army, Indian Wars

Sergeant Clarence M. Condon U.S. Army, Philippine War

Chief Machinist’s Mate Francis Edward Ormsbee Jr. U.S. Navy, World War I

Lieutenant Commander William Merrill Corry Jr. U.S. Navy, World War I

Private James Henry Mills U.S. Army, World War II

Commander David McCampbell U.S. Navy, World War II

Second Lieutenant Robert Edward Femoyer U.S. Army Air Corps, World War II

Major Thomas Buchanan McGuire Jr. U.S. Army Air Corps, World War II

Private Robert Miller McTureous Jr. U.S. Marine Corps, World War II

Corporal Larry Eugene Smedley U.S. Marine Corps, Vietnam War

Specialist Fourth Class Nicholas J. Cutinha U.S. Army, Vietnam War

Staff Sergeant Hammett L. Bowen Jr. U.S. Army, Vietnam War

Private First Class Bruce Wayne Carter U.S. Marine Corps, Vietnam War

Sergeant First Class Paul R. Smith U.S. Army, Iraq

Staff Sergeant Robert J. Miller U.S. Army, Afghanistan

Sergeant First Class Alwyn C. Cashe U.S. Army, Iraq

FDVA operates the following state veterans’ homes.

• Robert H. Jenkins Jr. Veterans’ Domiciliary Home in Lake City
• Emory L. Bennett State Veterans’ Nursing Home in Daytona Beach
• Baldomero Lopez State Veterans’ Nursing Home in Land O’ Lakes
• Alexander “Sandy” Nininger State Veterans’ Nursing Home in Pembroke Pines
• Clifford C. Sims State Veterans’ Nursing Home in Panama City
• Douglas T. Jacobson State Veterans’ Nursing Home in Port Charlotte
• Clyde E. Lassen State Veterans’ Nursing Home in St. Augustine
• Ardie R. Copas State Veterans’ Nursing Home in Port St. Lucie

For more information on FDVA and its State Veterans’ Homes Program, visit https://www.floridavets.org/

Visit the Congressional Medal of Honor Society’s Web site at https://www.cmohs.org/ for information on all recipients.