Organization of administrative committee on veterans' affairs

1. Administrative committee on veterans' affairs. The committee consists of fifteen voting members and four ex officio nonvoting members. The voting members are appointed by the governor for staggered terms from nominees submitted by the American legion, the veterans of foreign wars, the disabled American veterans, veterans of world war II, Korea, and Vietnam (amvets), and Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA), incorporated. Ex officio members are the adjutant general, the center director of the veterans' administration, and the executive director of job service North Dakota. The committee is in charge of the supervision, government, and implementation of programs or services provided by the veterans' home and the department of veterans' affairs. 2. Department of veterans' affairs. The department was established by the 1945 legislative assembly. Prior to that it had been known as the office of the veterans' service commissioner which was established in 1927. The board of county commissioners of each county in the state may appoint, employ, and pay on a full-time basis a veteran known as a county veterans service officer. Such appointment must be made with the prior advice of the commissioner of veterans' affairs and in accordance with veterans preference as provided by state statute. The department of veterans' affairs supervising and cooperating with the county service officers shall assist in providing all veterans and their dependents in obtaining all benefits to which they may be entitled to from the veterans administration, the state of North Dakota, and allied agencies. A loan program is also administered by the department of veterans' affairs to give financial assistance to veterans as defined in state statute as a "veteran". The department is under the supervision of a commissioner who is appointed by the administrative committee on veterans' affairs. 3. Veterans' home. The veterans' home, located at Lisbon, North Dakota, admitted its first veteran in August 1893. The purpose of the home is to provide domiciliary care for honorable discharged members of the armed forces, their spouses, and surviving spouses. The home is under the supervision of a commandant who is appointed by the administrative committee on veterans' affairs. 4. Inquiries. Assistance or inquiries relating to veterans' benefits or the veterans' home may be addressed as follows: Ray Harkema, Commissioner North Dakota Department of Veterans' Affairs 1411 32nd Street South P.O. Box 9003 Fargo, North Dakota 58106-9003 or Mr. Mark B. Johnson Administrator North Dakota Veterans' Home P.O. Box 673 Lisbon, North Dakota 58054