By Wayne Horne
This week’s “Wayne’s Words” is a little different. Following is a narrative from myself to the Will County Veteran community. It is admittingly biased as I am a part of the Veterans Assistance Commission and an Executive Board member. Over the past few months, the integrity and governance of the Commission has been questioned. What follows is a summary of the VAC’s mission and accomplishments over the last 28 years. The volunteers who make up the VAC board are dedicated to providing eligible veterans assistance in accessing benefits they are entitled to receive.
To Whom it May Concern:
The Veterans Assistance Commission of Will County (VACWC) has been providing services to Will County Veterans since 1996. The organization began in a basement office of the Will County office building that shared space with vote tabulation boxes. I have the honor of being a founding member and a past Executive Board Chairman of the VAC. The VACWC was organized under the existing laws of the time period to serve the 35,000+ veterans residing in the county and has evolved into one of the most successful VACs in the State of Illinois. As an example of the assistance provided to veterans in just the last eight years, more than $123 million in benefits, provided through the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, have been awarded to eligible Will County veterans. This is in addition to assisting eligible veterans with other benefit entitlements, such as housing, shelter, healthcare, disability benefits and other basic veterans’ needs.
An annual report of the organization’s activities is sent by the VAC Superintendent to the governor’s office with a summary of the previous year’s activity. The report is available by request at the VAC’s office located at 2400 Glenwood Ave., Suite 110, Joliet.
The VAC is governed by a volunteer board of delegates who are appointed by member veteran organizations such as the American Legion, VFW and other Federally chartered veteran organizations. According to legal counsel, including the Will County States Attorney, all current VAC board members have the proper credentials to conduct the agency’s business. During the pandemic, as with other organizations, big and small, the VAC wanted to continue serving the veteran community with available services. In order to help continue the process, the Will County board made a grant available to the VAC to advertise and market the available services to all Will County veterans.
Veterans in rural areas of the county were targeted as possibly the least aware that the VAC was still open to serving eligible veterans. The grant was provided by a unanimous vote of the Will County board. The contract was vetted for content by VAC staff and approved for use by the VAC Executive Committee board. All reporting requirements such as invoicing and periodic progress reports were made public at the time. The grant was for the specific purpose of advertising and marketing and could not be used for any other purpose. The grant’s purpose was achieved and ended last year.
Over the past several months, the Will County Veterans Assistance Commission Executive Board has endured unprecedented, malicious attacks, all based on misleading and outright false narratives intended, apparently, to disrupt the activity of the VAC. To address these issues, the Commission has requested an independent investigation to look into the allegations swirling around the above-mentioned grant. The scope of this investigation includes the VAC Board members as well as current and former Staff. The investigation’s findings are due to be released by mid-September.
The Veterans Assistance Commission of Will County has been operated, with oversight and funding provided by the Will County Board and the Will County Executive, with the highest level of service and integrity available to Will County Veterans and their families for the last 28+ years and we will continue to do so.
Wayne Horne, Past Chairman of the Veterans Assistance Commission of Will County
One last thing… National POW/MIA Recognition Day was established in 1979 by the 39th U.S. President Jimmy Carter via a presidential proclamation. At present, more than 83,000 Americans remain missing from World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Gulf War and other conflicts. On September 16, we pause to remember those still missing and their families.
Stay tuned…
Comments welcome at wayneswords@thetimesweekly.com