Nevada veterans council takes shape

An interagency council that Gov. Brian Sandoval established to prioritize veterans' needs and identify gaps in resources is beginning to take shape, its chairman said this week.

Caleb Cage, chairman of the Governor's Interagency Council on Veterans Affairs, said he is working with the governor's staff on a list of 13 potential representatives for consideration by Sandoval to appoint before the council's first meeting no later than Oct. 15.

Cage said he has been meeting with experts on veterans' issues and stakeholders at brainstorming sessions in Las Vegas, Reno, Carson City and Elko.

"As opposed to the Veterans Services Commission that is more advisory in nature, this is more hands-on," Cage said about the council.

Sandoval's executive order on July 3 is a spinoff of the Green Zone Initiative, a statewide plan to coordinate services, benefits and federal grants available to veterans, military members and their families for higher education, job opportunities and health care. It's designed to ensure that Nevada can attract new veterans and resources in addition to boosting support for estimated 240,000 to 300,000 veterans who live in the state.

"One of the things it's going to allow us to do is really have another tool for the Green Zone Initiative for advancing workforce development, higher education and wellness," Cage said Monday.

Sandoval's executive order tasks Cage as executive director of the Nevada Office of Veterans Services to seek representatives from 10 state agencies to serve on the council, including representatives from the Department of Health and Human Services, the Nevada Indian Commission and the Office of Military and National Guard. The governor will appoint them to the council and three others, one each to represent federal agencies, local governments and a nonprofit veterans organization.

Once in place, the council will meet at least four times to develop a report with recommendations before Dec. 31, 2013.

"It is incumbent upon us as a society to provide the best level of service we can to our veterans," the executive order said, referring to the burden "shouldered bravely by the men and women of the United States armed services."

"Veterans returning to our state from these conflicts face significant hardships while transitioning back into civilian life, including difficulty finding work, securing housing and accessing adequate and affordable health care," according to Executive Order 2012-15.

Cage said the council will set a course for streamlining how veterans can use higher education benefits.

"We want to provide a more cohesive point of contact and a staffing model for veterans service offices at colleges and universities," he said.

"What we're going to do is take those recommendations and turn them over to a research team that will test them against national best practices."