REMARKS
Commissioner Hendon's perspective on DVS-VAB relationship and structural challenges
0:40:28
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Commissioner Hendon provides his perspective on the relationship between the Department of Veterans Services (DVS) and the Veterans Advisory Board (VAB), highlighting structural challenges and areas of cooperation.
- Hendon describes the relationship as generally collegial, with 90-95% overlap in objectives.
- He emphasizes that structural issues, rather than personal disagreements, are the main source of friction.
- The commissioner stresses that all parties involved are working towards the same goal of supporting veteran and military families.
- Logistical challenges, such as securing meeting locations and technology support, are mentioned as ongoing issues.
- The alignment of VAB meetings with VA Community Veterans Engagement Board meetings is cited as a positive development to address some logistical concerns.
James Hendon
0:40:28
I think that, I wanna start by saying I feel like that that it's been a very collegial relationship when I think about the VAB.
0:40:35
I don't think of it as being something where it's been, you know, a lot of tension and whatnot.
0:40:39
It's just there's certain structural issues that come up, and I'll I'll speak to those.
0:40:43
But at the end of the day, I feel like, you know, it's, you know, 90 95% of things we have overlap.
0:40:47
Maybe 5% where it's not.
0:40:49
But it's not about that.
0:40:49
It's really the structural components than than it is other things.
0:40:53
And one other thing I'll say before I get into some of these issues, we're all on the same team.
0:40:57
Everyone doing this work, between you and the council side, between us at DVS, between our friends at the VAB, veteran stakeholders.
0:41:03
We're all doing what we can to be right by veteran and military families.
0:41:06
And so just a couple of things that that that I'd flag.
0:41:10
You know, one is it's the logistical aspect of it as far as just things like, you know, okay.
0:41:17
Let's identify the location for this meeting.
0:41:19
Let's make sure we've got a Zoom account, etcetera, lined up.
0:41:21
And we tried to resolve that by having the the VA be aligned with the VA now, with the Community Veterans Engagement Board, where now you've got these meetings occurring this year at a VA facility in a place where you know that we ample attendance and we know that location's secured.
0:41:35
We can promote well in advance.
0:41:36
So that's one logistical piece.
Robert Holden
0:41:37
No.