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STATE OF ALABAMA
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS Legislative Act No. 173, Regular Session 1945, approved June 23, 1945, created the State Department
of Veterans Affairs of Alabama, to function under a State Board of Veterans Affairs. Operation of the Department began officially
on October 1, 1945, as provided in the Act.
The State Board of Veterans Affairs consists
of the Governor, as Chairman, and representatives from veterans organizations in Alabama, namely: The American Legion, Veterans
of Foreign Wars, Disabled American Veterans, American Veterans, Veterans of World I of the USA, Inc., American Ex-Prisoners
of War, Inc. and Vietnam Veterans of America. Any other veterans organization having a national charter authorized by an Act
of Congress and operating through local organizations in Alabama may be represented on the Board, the number of representatives
being determined on a basis of membership of each veterans organization.
Personnel of the Department
consists of a State Service Commissioner (Director), Assistant State Service Commissioners as the State Board deems necessary;
County Veterans Service Officers and Veterans Affairs Assistants in all of the 67 counties of Alabama; Veterans Service Officers
assigned to the four U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Centers; Claims Representatives; clerical and stenographic
employees.
The Department of Veterans Affairs Headquarters Office is located in the RSA
Plaza Building, Suite 530, 770 Washington Avenue in Montgomery. The mailing address is Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs,
P.O. Box 1509, Montgomery, Alabama 36102-1509. The offices of our County Veterans Affairs Officers are located in the local
courthouse or in the immediate vicinity. The County Veterans Service Officers and Veterans Affairs Assistants also perform
itinerant service within the counties.
The State Department of Veterans Affairs,
acting through the Director, is the designated agency of the State of Alabama to represent the State and its veterans before
the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (formerly the Veterans Administration), or any other agency dealing with the interests
of the veteran. The Director, with the approval of the State Board, is empowered to enter into reciprocal agreements with
other states under which veteran who are residents of such the states may be rendered service in the State of Alabama. It is the duty and purpose of
the Department to fully develop and maintain a comprehensive statewide veterans' assistance program; to assist the veteran
and his dependents in all their problems and to inform them of all their rights and entitlements under "veterans"
laws. It is the duty of the Director to cooperate with all other departments of the State of Alabama in coordinating plans
and programs of state agencies which affect veterans and their dependents. Included in such other departments are Military,
Education, Human Resources, Industrial Relations, Planning Board, Board of Health, Personnel Board and any other state agencies
which might furnish services to veterans. The Department, through its Director, provides a central contact between federal
agencies dealing with the problems of veterans, such as: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of the Army, Department
of the Air Force, Department of the Navy, Marine Corps, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. State Department, Social Security Administration,
Selective Service and other government agencies on one hand, and the said state agencies on the other.
It is the duty of the State Service Commissioner (Director), Assistant State Service Commissioners, County Veterans
Service Officers and Veterans Affairs Assistants to inform members of the armed forces, veterans, and their dependents of
all federal, state and local laws enacted for their benefit. To aid all residents of the State of Alabama who served in the
armed forces of the United States, their relatives, beneficiaries and dependents to receive from the United States and the
State of Alabama any and all compensation, pension, hospitalization, insurance, educational, employment pay and gratuity,
loan guarantee or any other aid or benefit to which they may be entitled under existing laws and laws to be enacted. Veterans
in Alabama have the advantage of being in position to personally contact and receive service from the Veterans Service Officer
or Veterans Affairs Assistants of the Department in the veteran's home county.
There is
no charge to any individual for any service performed by the Alabama State Department of Veterans Affairs.
Under Act No. 302, General Acts, 1947, the Department with the approval of the State Board of Veterans Affairs, may
contract with any veterans organization which has maintained regularly for a period of five years next preceding the date
of such contract an established committee or agency to render certain services to veterans and their dependents and be reimbursed
therefor. (Code of Alabama 1975, Section 31-5-5)
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