U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs Denis McDonough recently appointed Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs Commissioner Larry Herke as a member of the Advisory Committee on the Readjustment of Veterans.

As a member of the Committee, Commissioner Herke will have the opportunity to provide advice to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs on policies, organizational structures, and the provision and coordination of services to address veterans' post-war readjustment to civilian life, with particular emphasis on post-traumatic stress disorder, alcoholism, other substance abuse, post-war employment, and family adjustment.

“I was discharged from active duty twice in my military career,” Commissioner Herke notes. “It is one of the most uncertain times in any servicemember’s life. You go from a very structured environment to one of great uncertainty. Simultaneously, you are also trying to acclimate to societal norms.”

According to the Committee’s Charter, “the Committee advises the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) regarding VA benefits and services provided to assist Veterans in the readjustment to civilian life. The Committee takes into special account the needs of Veterans who served in combat theaters of operation.”

The Committee's objectives include:

• To assemble and review information relating to the needs of Veterans in readjusting to civilian life;
• To provide information relating to the nature and character of psychological problems arising from service in the Armed Forces;
• To provide ongoing advice on the most appropriate means of responding to the readjustment needs of Veterans in the future; and
• To provide an ongoing assessment of the effectiveness of the policies, organizational structures and services of VA in assisting Veterans in readjusting to civilian life.

• “I believe my experience as a leader in the US Army, Army National Guard and for the Minnesota Department of Veterans affairs puts me in a position to help service members get this transition right,” Commissioner Herke added. “There definitely is a need to support and assist recently discharged Veterans so they become successful members of society. I am very honored to serve in this important role.”

  Commissioner Herke’s term is for two years; he will attend his first committee meetings in early November. Membership on the committee is limited to 18 and includes “individuals who have demonstrated significant civic or professional achievement, and who have experience with the benefits and services VA provides to Veterans,” according to the Charter document.