Montgomery-

Local Senator Andrew Jones, of Centre, recently introduced a bill on the Senate floor that looks to restructure the Alabama Veterans Affairs Board. Senator Jones Represents District 10, which includes Cherokee, Etowah, and Dekalb Counties and is the chair for the Veterans, Military Affairs, and Public Safety Committee.  He has always been outspoken on his support for Veterans, and their well being.  SB67 would make the board a cabinet level, appointed position. This would give more control over the board to the Governor and her office. Jones feels this change would give more accountability over the board.

The need for accountability of the board became more apparent last fall, when Kent Davis was initially fired as the Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs Commissioner. Davis was accused of mismanaging money from federal grants. This led to a fight over whether or not there was wrong doing and whether funds and contracts were being handled appropriately.  The State Board of Veterans Affairs cleared Davis, shortly before the governor proceeded to relieve him of his duties. This set up a battle with threats of legal action, and Davis fighting to remain in his position. There is plenty of information available if you are unfamiliar with the story and wish to research it. The battle ultimately ended with Davis resigning, effective the final day of last year.

It was with that ugly fiasco still fresh on everyone’s mind that Senator Jones bill was introduced, just over a month after Davis’s last day in his position.  Any issue dealing with our veterans is an important one, so the idea of a major change in the organization that determines how we, as a state, care for them, is an issue that deserves our focus and attention.

The Alabama Department of Veteran Affairs (ADVA) states it’s core values are professionalism, integrity, compassion, and commitment. It’s mission is to help veterans, their families, and survivors receive all benefits they are entitled to.  The ADVA States is mission is to:

• Promote awareness of benefits and services available to veterans
• Help eligible veterans, families, and survivors apply for benefits
• Process claims for benefits and entitlements
• Provide support and care to veterans and their families
• Anticipate future needs and take action to meet them

The ADVA also provides services such as:

• Health care
• Education
• Disability benefits
• Long-term care
• Burial honors
• Compensation and pension applications
• Survivors death benefits
• Aid and attendance and housebound benefits
• Military service records
• Special veteran license plates

Under current law, the State Board of Veterans Affairs appoints the commissioner. The board has 17 slots, although there are five current vacancies. The bill introduced by Senator Jones, would have changed that. It would put the board under the control of the governor, and make the commissioner a member of the Governors cabinet. It, in it’s original form, would have also shrunk the number on the board from 17 ( 5 of which are currently vacant ) to 9.

Senator Jones was kind enough to speak with us in regards to the bill. He told WEIS news that he believed the smaller number would have been sufficient, and more efficient. That his bill would allow full access of the resources of the state and governor’s office to the board.  Of course, that would assure those resources and attention were going to the benefit of our states veterans. Jones said he believed that the buck has to stop with someone. With the new format, the veterans and the board would “have the governors ear.” He believes this would lead to much better accountability of the actions of the board. Jones told us that the Commissioner can’t just answer to a “part time board” meeting just periodically. With it being a full time cabinet position, there would be more constant monitoring and accountability.

In theory, if that were the case, it would be much less likely we would have another Kent Davis situation. Whether one believes he did commit wrongdoing, or if the lack of consistent accountability simply allowed for confusion or the appearance of such.

After the Bill was presented, Lt. Gov. Will Ainsworth came out and released a statement in opposition to the bill. You can see that statement below:

We spoke with Senator Jones Regarding Ainsworth’s Statement “When it comes to filling the needs of veterans, men and women who have actually worn a uniform should remain in charge,” Ainsworth said. “The department and the method of selecting members of the Veterans Affairs board have operated well under the current system for many years, and I am among those who believe ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.’”

Jones told us he had spoken with different veteran’s groups and Veteran Service Organizations (VSO) regarding his bill. He pointed out that while the board is comprised entirely of members of VSO’s, that only a quarter of veterans are members of such organizations. He believes his bill would actually expand representation to more veterans than are currently being represented. It would give other veterans a voice outside of just the VSOs.

I found it particularly interesting the fact that only a quarter of our veterans are getting involved now with VSOs. As a veteran of Afghanistan, I have had this conversation with other veterans. Since Vietnam, we have the largest number of combat veterans that we have had who are living, and are still working age in a long time. Soon, many of those will be aging out.  Due to the large number of men and women who served in Afghanistan and Iraq, along with other conflicts, it would seem these organizations should be thriving. That only adds to the importance of making sure that the right people are being sent to Montgomery to represent us and who have our best interesting in mind.

With Ainsworth opposing the bill, when it came up for discussion it led to 9 amendments to the original version presented by Jones. The majority of the amendments had to do with how many people would be on the board. It was reduced slightly from the current 17 to 15. Still more than Jones had in mind with slimming down the board. Should the altered bill pass, the governor will appoint 9 of the members, with some stipulations.  Two of those members must come from the Alabama National Guard. This assures the guard elements are represented as well as full time service members. A large portion of Alabama veterans who deployed did so from guard units. At least one of the veterans must have served during a period of combat. Many service members can serve their entire career without being in combat. This also provides some balance between those who have served in peace time operations, and those who were deployed into combat zones.

For the remainder of the appointments, three names will be presented to the Speaker of the House from the largest VSO in the state to be chosen from. The second largest VSO will have an appointment through the Pro Tempore of the Senate. The Lt Governor will also appoint two persons to the board, one of their choosing, and the second  from a list of three names determined by the third largest VSO in the state. The service organizations that fit those descriptions were not mentioned by name in the amendments. It is unclear as of now, if the size of a group changes, if the nominating group would change accordingly.

Five of the board members must have been in service on active duty for a period of at least 60 days. This could include members of the Reserve or Guard components, if they meet the active duty criteria. An appointing authority would have to give veteran organizations notice and would not be allowed to make an appointment without notice of 30 days. The organization would be able to provide three recommendations for consideration.

The board itself can provide a list of 3 nominees for Commissioner to the Governor. The Governor would not be obligated though to chose from the list, or even take the names into consideration. The governor will also be the one to determine the salary of whoever is appointed to Chairperson of the board.

As it currently stands, the bill accomplishes a lot of what Senator Jones was seeking. With such a large number and detailed amendments made to the bill, none of which Senator Jones voiced opposition to, Jones decided to have the legislation carry over into the next session, before putting  the bill to vote before the Senate. This would allow the public and Senate to closely examine the bill in its newest form to decide on the merits before making a decision.  When asked, Senator Jones said he had not talked to his friend, Lt. Gov. Ainsworth, to see if he was in support of the amended legislation.

Senator Jones feels good about the bill with the amendments, and is excited to hopefully get it passed as early as next week. He said “I think everyone is comfortable moving forward.” Senator Jones decided to allow the bill to be examined in its current form rather than attempt to force an immediate vote. He said “At the end of the day, it is about serving Veterans.”

In the end, hopefully this will be a case of the political process working the way it is designed. Senator Jones saw  a need and a flaw that had the potential to negatively affect our veterans, and took action to address it. Others, including our Lt. Governor, saw a way to contribute to the bill and voiced concern, and those who represent us, hammered it out, into what can be a solution that sets our states veterans up in a position to be represented and cared for in the way they deserve.

If you are a veteran or have a veteran you care about, be aware of what is going on in our state or nation. Reach out to those who represent you, and voice your opinion on matters such as these. If you support the actions taken by those who are representing, make sure to tell them thank you when you see them. If you have concerns, be proactive and communicate such to them. Also, considered getting involved with one of more of our Veteran Service Organizations, interact with other veterans, and assure your voice is being heard, and you have a say in the services that are provided to you through our state.

We have reached out to Lt. Gov Ainsworths office, and will update if we get a statement from him.

The Current State Board of Veterans Affairs Consists of:

Chairwoman, Kay Ivey Governor

Vice-Chairman Scott Gedling, VFW

Deputy Vice-Chairman Charles Waugh, DAV

Tony Berenotto, American Legion

Bill Cox, Marine Corps League

Mike Davis, AMVETS

Earnestine Doubek, American Legion

Matt Gaff, American Legion

Sam Rollason, Military Order of the Purple Heart

Ken Rollins, VVA

Carol Anne Toms, MOAA

Deborah Walker, DAV

State of Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs
100 North Union Street, Suite 850, Montgomery Alabama 36104

334-242-5077 (Telephone)
334-242-5102 (Fax)