Governor Kaine’s Executive Order 19
Serving Virginia's Veterans
Importance of Veterans’ Services
For almost 400 years, Virginians have defended our great nation and Commonwealth. Today, the Commonwealth is home to 744,000 veterans who served the cause of freedom in war and in peace, at home and abroad. Our Commonwealth owes a great debt to the brave men and women and their families who answered liberty’s call and protected all that we hold so dear, and it is only right that our Commonwealth do all that it can to ensure that our veterans and their families receive the benefits, support, quality care, and recognition they have earned through service and sacrifice.
Veterans accounted for almost $6 billion in direct federal spending in Virginia in 2004. Expenditures by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs on compensation and pension benefits, health care, cemetery services, and construction totaled $1.8 billion, while the U.S. Department of Defense paid $4 billion in retirement pay to Virginia’s veterans. Capitalizing on available federal funding not only benefits our veterans, but is a good for Virginia’s economy.
Directives for Serving Virginia’s Veterans
By virtue of the authority vested in me as Governor under Article V of the Constitution of Virginia and under the laws of the Commonwealth, including but not limited to, Chapter 1 of Title 2.2 and Section 2.2-2100 of the Code of Virginia, I hereby set forth the Commonwealth’s policy for improving services to Virginia’s veterans.
- I hereby direct the Commissioner of Veterans Services to prepare a comprehensive report on the status of current Commonwealth programs and services that are either offered exclusively to veterans or are tailored to the specific needs of veterans. The report shall identify opportunities for improving services and shall address the continuum of care needs of disabled veterans. An interim report shall be prepared by October 15, 2006, and a final report shall be completed by April 30, 2007. All executive branch agencies shall work with the Commissioner of Veterans Services to assist as requested.
- I hereby direct all state agencies to identify opportunities to partner with the Department of Veterans Services on ways to offer new, expanded, or customized services that meet the educational, health care, and social service needs of Virginia’s veterans. Agencies will identify the resources required to implement the new, expanded, or customized services for veterans and will report such requirements to the Commissioner of Veterans Services no later than April 30, 2007.
- I hereby direct the Department of Veterans Services, working with all appropriate state agencies, to give special attention to opportunities for improving services to disabled veterans, including all aspects of the continuum of care and service delivery.
- I hereby request the Board of Veterans Services and the Joint Leadership Council of Veterans Service Organizations to jointly develop legislative proposals to be considered by the Governor for introduction in the 2007 General Assembly. Such proposals shall be submitted to the Governor’s Office no later than September 30, 2006.
- I hereby direct the Commissioner of Veterans Services and the Veterans Services Foundation to continue to give high priority to efforts to obtain federal grants, private contributions, and other resources for improving services to veterans in Virginia.
- I hereby direct all state agency heads to renew their commitment to veterans’ preference in hiring.
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