Georgia Department of Veterans Service 2005 Annual Report 
Pete Wheeler, Commissioner 
-'YourMilitary Service WillNever Be Forgotten" 
Today's Heroes 
Tomorrow's Veterans 
 
 ....We are citizens of a narion made g r m by &q,>~c#ices and dedication of all who served, both at hume and ~btoad.... 
2 VETERANS DAY - . 
November 11,2005 
44Americais #I, ThankstoHer Veterans!" 
 
 PETER WHEELER 
COMMISSIONER (404) 656-2300 FAX (404) 656-7008 
 
January 3 1,2006 
 
Governor Sonny Perdue Members of the General Assembly Members of the Veterans Service Board Citizens of the State of Georgia 
Greetings: 
Section 384- 11of the Code of Georga reads: 
"The Commissioner of Veterans Service shall jkmish to the Governor, the members of the General Assembly, the Veterans Service Board, veterans' organizations and the public generally an annual report with reference to claims presenfed on behawof veterans of this state, concerning veterans aided underfederal, slate, or local legislation, and to otherwise report activities and accomplishments of the Department of Veterans Sewice. " 
In compliance with the above section, I have the honor to present herewith the Annual 
Report of the Department of Veterans Service for the year 2005. 
Respectfully submitted, 
 
Commissioner 
 
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m Cemetery 
a ClaimsDivkiun 
 
 The ComtiWm of the State of Georgia s&fieq that the 
 
%ate Board of V&mtw $emba e o m p d of sevm members- 
 
Each member must be r veteran Jtbg armed farmsof tqlR United 
 
Staw and must haye s e d hanorably d n h g w d m 
 
The Governor maminates members who are.subjmt to 
 
oppmval By the Bate 
 
Board members #ms are staggered 
 
and are far sevenyears, From itsmembership, the Board annu* 
 
k k t s a chairman, ~--, 
 
a d wr&ty. Every four p r s 
 
the B o d ekc& a Comuhsian~rtb~ougb whom it controls the 
 
a d policy of te Department ofV&emm smke. 
 
I 12005Board Members 
 
Ray Hendrix Fred T. Fincher James BlayIock Barbara J. Aaron Kenneth Birdsong Richard "Buddy" Harris Pat Phillips 
 
Chairman Vice Chairman Secretary Member Member Member Member 
 
Statesboro LaGTange Decatur Warner Robins GordodGray Cochran Blairsde 
 
 200%)residinginGeor& thdt.&mdem and smiwrs ~ ~ ~ p r o g r s r m ~ ~ t 
 
iaallmtkrs ~ 
 
b 
 
k g a l p ~ ~p l e t h r r t ~ ~ t s m~n o t 
 
l % s ~ ~ ~ k ~ t hfowmhgo a~w dcd a~u t o:m W I ~ m u 9 t b e q p l i Q d k 
 
t h e ~ a n d t h e i r h n i l i ~ a b m t ~ ~T,h e V ' A c p a y s a ~ m ~ y w W h e o r 
 
and d i d y misting and advising vetexamandtheir 
 
sheasksforwhrheyareenWed,andnamoxe. 
 
~ i n ~ r i n g t h e ~ b t o w h i c ; h t h e y s l r e ~ a Tdh. e a i m o f t b D e p a r t n t e n t o f v e ~ 
 
~gtlppoKit&ese~iontbsd, epslrtmenrt 
 
Service is to obtainfor a w&rau or depmhts 
 
~ a ~ ~ ~ o f f i a s , a~ ~n t~ ow w h i c h ~ m ~ t o 
 
&don, and a oenEt4L2 office. 
 
EbemwbmtheymentiW,mdmmlsttkomb 
 
Ttxe dabs &is Imtd at thetheat.& regiregi.onaI 
 
gatkingand prepariogwidencen~to 
 
oflice ofthe U.S.hpm# of lhem!zAffairsa j u s W y a ~ ~ p r w e ~ ~ . 
 
1700~~in~r. 
 
The~ageofW~~ldWklIaud 
 
&sTdb c l r~t i~m.s M m l s s i m L t o p c e 9 s ~ . & 
 
~Wm~aUd~~u ~aenrrh~b~legis~on,wiU 
 
The fieldaces, h a t e d ~ P ~ thQe staUte, pr~&& necessitatethe omtimaace: ufa v$ri&y of 
 
direetf3ssimwt6-aftk$IPGalM, 
 
The 
 
~ ~ p r oy e a~r s d di. n ~ 
 
~ r e p m m t a t i m p r c w i d s ~ d ~ & p A~ S C ~ ~ ~ e 8 b ~ . a m y s 5 6 
 
veteransingatberirt$badinfe 
 
redu~$le~t,~~~contiwl 
 
m i r e d todwmeaztWr claim. 
 
bbeinastatedflux 
 
The infomation&vbion*amissionistakm G a q h 
 
Thif3~~~#~~ 
 
~ ~ ~ ~ t ~ e s ~ h c w v t t sases-in y -m ~ tthe o -dn 
 
h. 
 
~bwthey~~n~-personerl 
 
~ c e m t r a l ~ c e i s f o r b ~ o n o Sf i k~d O n . 
services. . 
The umfmmd may be prone tousethe phrase 
 
"dupljeatioa ofdfbrtnwhen r e h m gtothe fudiuns of 
 
the l%pmnmtof V&raw 
 
and th US. 
 
~ofV~~,~couldbe~ 
 
wthebtlrth. 
 
Toayctmm d&gbmefitsffmntheV.t$e role 
 
played by the IDeptumt ofV- S&ce mightb 
 
cbmpwredtotlmtofan~nmeyxep~enthga~in 
 
mm. 
 
 +~ffmtu&aend cmy aut the laws of &a state 
 
pemhhg to v m * 
 
+Idbm*mthcirws, a n d ~ o x s 
 
atotheirri&tsandb&unrlwfedd&state 
 
l@zMon, or 1d 
 
*As& veterans, M=didents, 
 
and thdr 
 
bmeliciaries in the p ~ e p m t h np, resmtatiaq 
 
proof, and establishment of such claims, privi- 
 
leges, rights ad other benefits accruingto them 
 
under fedend, gate, and local 11'wrs. 
 
bR- m y evidence of iri~ampetehcedj ishm- 
 
estyXorne@mce on the part of any employw 
 
de&g withveterm' f i r s tothe @tom authority. 
*To do and pdom d-s forthe,wmohnd 
 
+As *,Appr&gAuthor;ty, a l t w w c,~nWawith~feddgwmmmtfm~ 
qu@cation& a p p r o 4 dafbn,an4 
 
~ d i n E t r e ~ ~ ~ r ~ p r o ~mprwinsio&nof~dmtionalins ti&^andmining 
 
v~~ dfGeorgiam totheir $h@,ufid~dl 
 
tr eatsapplyingfor or paMp&ing in 
 
fedddstatelaw. *Apply for and accept &Is, grmi$ d othes 
 
f&tdpr0-4~&~@da- 
*Assist othessbm insewringevidexrcef ~draiw. 
 
wntributionsh m the federal g o v m & or from my ather govemnentdunitsts 
+Accept and use gifts, ganh, donation$ axid 
 
+Promote ahgemat aid impmaneat 6fVA ha@ facilitiesinthe state. 
4Spmwr&swarm of VetwamDq4the state. 
 
d b u t i 0 1 1 o~f,realestateIboth vacant and improved fadities, monies3 services or other 
 
~Cati@eligibitityfbrvmmm'd&xs~md ~ d r i v e c sIi-.' 
 
property&om individuals,arms,wrgorati~ns, 
 
o r g wad ~mmci~ationsand fiom county 
 
and municipal corpuratiom md their mbdifi- 
 
ions, in additi-ofito >anyi b d s appropfid by 
 
he state. 
 
+Construct d operatehospitals, mmbg hornP 
 
and personalcare homes fordze b&&t df eligible 
 
m vetmans. 
 
fAdvise the Bvemor, the Board ~f=&ms 
 
S M q andthe Generalhemb'fyasto n e d d 
 
vetam' legislation. 
 
f~*onall~~ha~fled~ 
 
-*--'-rof 
 
+Canduct e d u d o d programs by personal 
~~ appwmCBSb e f r n ~ mc~e ~ ~ 0 ~ 
dubs,f m t d groups anduther such 
 
soastoaq~thepublir:gen~~.the;wark 
 
afthe d q a r b m ~ 
 
+MakerepmWwaafthe deparbnmta-fe 
 
hay ~ l ~ ~ a s , a n d m o f t h e ~ t e t o 
 
asdan-fbeir 
 
depdents+d& 
 
ing~aringmd~~~~rb~s&to 
 
~th~dl@ri$htsixadp~eges. 
 
+Cooperate withdl n a t j d , dlocal 
 
 correspondenceand apprenticeshiptrainingfor 
 
reservistsand fight trainingfor bothres&sts and 
 
veterans. One of the most recent innovations was 
,Departmentof PublicLaw 106-419 which would allow DVAto 
 
-,iV e t e m 
 
pay forcertainlicensing and certificationtests 
 
Service is 
 
required for entry or advancement into a vocation 
 
, designated as or profession. 
 
, the State 
 
In 2005, the approval of educational institutions 
 
!Approving 
 
and trainingestablishmentsfortheeducationof 
 
i Agency, 
 
Georgaveterans resultedinthe processingof nearly 
 
responsiblefor 9,444individualactionsinthe approval,reapproval, 
 
approvingand withdrawal and compliancesurveyprocess. The 
 
Isupervisingall State ApprovingAgency also conductedregular .iinstitutionsand inspectionvisitsto ensurethat approvalcriteria and 
 
establishmentsin Georgia, which offer education and training under the provisions oftheVeteransEduca- 
 
schools' standardsofprogress are being followed as prescribed by law. 
During 2005, personnel assigned to the 
 
tional Assistance Program. The StateApprovingAgency has the function of 
 
Educational and Training Division conducted about 620 visits for the purposes of approval, reapproval, 
 
emuringthat institutionsand establishmentsmeet 
and maintain acceptabiestandardsso that eligible personswho attend may receiveeducational 
assistancefromthe U.S.DepartmentofVeterans 
 
inspectionand compliancesurveys.Currently,the department monitors more than 1,250 educational institutions and training establishments. 
Laws recently enacted require stringent 
 
AEirs. Thisincludes all public and private schools and 
allestablishmentsofferingapprenticeshipand other 
 
regulatorycompliancein orderto maintaincontrols on all approved types of educational establishments. 
Theresponsibilitiesof administrativeapproval, 
 
on-the-jobtraining. The satisfactoryperformanceof these dutiesrequires extensive knowledgein educationadministrationand understandiithe laws andreguiationsthatgovernand controltheVeterans 
 
annual inspections, and ensuring corrective action wherenecessary, constituteavital fbnctionofthe GeorgiaDepartment ofVeterans Service. 
 
Educational Assistance Program. 
 
Georgia veterans enrolled in college degree and 
 
professional. programs, technical career programs, 
 
vocational programs, to include fight training and 
 
on-the-job training programs exceeded 15,000 
 
during 2005 
 
Increases in enrollmentsare expected to 
 
continue as more veterans participate in the 
 
Monkgomery GI Bill education program. Initiated in 
 
1985, the Montgomery GI BilI program has proven 
 
to be a great success. Tht veterans' response to this 
 
program was suchthat it subsequentlywas made a 
 
permanentbenefitforthemilitary and nowenjoysa 
 
hugeparticipation,which continuestogrow. 
 
The U.S.Department ofVeteransAffairs @VA) 
 
has expanded the veterans education benefits 
 
program to include vocational, technical,