Concerns Over Additional Bureaucracy Halt Veterans Advisory Council Bill

Senator Dwayne DeGraff's proposed bill, aiming to establish a Veterans Advisory Council in the Virgin Islands, failed to receive support from fellow lawmakers during the Committee on Government Operations meeting Wednesday.

Key stakeholders, who testified before the committee, criticized the bill for potentially adding an unnecessary layer of bureaucracy to the local Office of Veterans' Affairs.

The critics, including Director of Veterans Affairs Patrick Farrell, Major General Kodjo S. Knox-Limbacker of the Virgin Islands National Guard, American Legion Post 90 Commander Hillis Benjamin, and former Senator Stedmann Hodge Jr., asserted that the proposed legislation would likely hinder the Office of Veterans' Affairs in delivering essential services to its constituents.

"Bottom line up front, I need more clarity on how these initiatives benefit veterans beyond what is available today," remarked Limbacker. He emphasized the existence of effective structures for supporting veterans, including the Office of Veterans Affairs' affiliation with the Department of Veterans Affairs, as well as numerous federal Veterans Affairs Advisory Committees.

Meanwhile, Farrell explained that a functional Veterans Advisory Council, known as VIVA, was already established via agency policy to assist the director of the Virgin Islands Office of Veterans Affairs. "VIVA's purpose is to assist or advise the director of the Virgin Islands Office of Veterans Affairs in enhancing the quality of life for veterans and their families," Farrell elaborated.