The Oklahoma Department of Veteran Affairs (ODVA) is a department of the state of Oklahoma under the supervision of the Oklahoma Secretary of Veterans Affairs charged with providing medical and rehabilitative services for veterans and their families.
The Department is governed by a nine-member Oklahoma Veterans Commission, who members are appointed by the Governor, with the approval the Oklahoma Senate for three-year terms. The Governor appoints members from names submitted by the American Legion, Disabled American Veterans, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Military Order of the Purple Heart, National Guard Association, Paralyzed Veterans of America, as well as three at-large appointees. The Commission in turn appoints the Executive Director of the Department, who serves at the pleasure of the Commission and is responsible for administration of the Department.
The Department was created in 1981 during the term of Governor George Nigh as a successor to the Soldiers Relief Commission.
Mission and History
The Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs provides resources and services to military veterans residing in the state of Oklahoma. This includes assistance with state and federal benefits, disability claims, burial and survivor benefits, healthcare, employment, education, mental health/suicide prevention, entrepreneurship, veteran-owned businesses, women veteran services and veterans in agriculture. ODVA also operates seven long-term care facilities for veterans throughout Oklahoma. These services include nursing and domiciliary care, financial assistance in emergencies, and field service counseling in the filing of claims for United States Department of Veterans Affairs and state benefits.
The Oklahoma Legislature created the Soldiers Relief Commission in 1947. It was later replaced by the Department in 1981.
Leadership
The Department is administered by the Department's Executive Director. Oversight for the Department is provided by the nine member Oklahoma Veterans Commission.
Oklahoma Veterans Commission
The Department of Veterans Affairs is administered under such rules, regulations and policies as may be prescribed by the nine-member Oklahoma Veterans Commission. The members of the Commission are appointed by the Governor of Oklahoma, with the approval of the Oklahoma Senate, from a list of names submitted by the American Legion, Disabled American Veterans, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Military Order of the Purple Heart, National Guard Association, Paralyzed Veterans of America, as well as three at-large appointees. One member of the Commission must be Vietnam War veteran and two shall be veterans of the Persian Gulf Wars. All members serve three-year terms.
As of March 2023, the members of the Oklahoma Veterans Commission are as follows: Chairman Robert Allen Vice Chairman Dr. Sidney Ellington Secretary Heather McEver Brett Martin Kevin Offel Daniel Orr Ted Perry Military Order of the Purple Heart, Vacancy Paralyzed Veterans of America, Vacancy
Budget
Funding
The Department is funded primarily from three sources: yearly appropriations, patient fees, and federal funding. The United States Department of Veterans Affairs provides the Department a federal per diem payment per veteran in each Department Veterans Center. Each of the three funding sources makes up roughly one-third of the total budget of the Department.
Expenditures
The Department has an annual budget of $173,783,489 for FY23. The vast majority of that budget is dedicated to employee salaries and benefits.