RD447 - Virginia Department of Veterans Services Commissioner’s 2008 Annual Report - December 11, 2008


Executive Summary:
I take great pride in submitting this annual report on behalf of the men and women of the Virginia Department of Veterans Services (DVS). We are privileged to serve those who stood on the front line of freedom. From Omaha Beach to the mountains of Afghanistan, from the Fulda Gap to the Korean DMZ, Virginia’s veterans have earned the lasting tribute of a grateful nation and Commonwealth. It is the mission of DVS to ensure that these honored veterans receive the benefits, support, quality care, and recognition they have earned through service and sacrifice.

Approximately 814,000 veterans call Virginia home and represent more than 10 percent of Commonwealth’s population. I am pleased to report that in fiscal year 2008 (FY08) DVS continued to make substantial progress in serving Virginia’s veterans. In FY08, the agency:

• Improved the financial security of Virginia’s veterans by filing 22,736 disability compensation claims, more than a six percent increase over FY07. Approximately 63 percent of these claims were approved by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

• Provided greater access to post-secondary educational opportunities by increasing the number of approved educational programs from 780 in FY07 to 898 in FY08.

• Opened a second care center, the Sitter & Barfoot Veterans Care Center (SBVCC) in Richmond. In total, the agency provided 87,120 patient days of care at SBVCC and the Virginia Veterans Care Center in Roanoke.

• Served the memorial needs of Virginia’s veterans by performing 804 burials at Virginia’s two state veterans cemeteries, nearly a nine percent increase over FY07.

These great strides would not have been possible without the strong, bi-partisan support of the executive and legislative branches of our government; without the guidance of the Board of Veterans Services, the Joint Leadership Council of Veterans Service Organizations, and the Veterans Services Foundation; and, especially, without the forceful advocacy of Virginia’s veterans. DVS will continue to work with this broad-based coalition to better meet the needs of Virginia’s veterans.

Fiscal year 2009 marks the sixth year of operation for the Department of Veterans Services. A year from now, I look forward to reporting to you on the operation the agency’s core functions, progress on implementation of the Virginia Wounded Warrior Program, continued implementation of recommendations in the EO 19 report to Governor Kaine, development of an electronic claims processing system, and the continued delivery of quality service to our veterans.

Vincent M. Burgess
Commissioner