Bill seeks to change selection process for VA director

WINDOW ROCK

At the Health, Education and Human Services Committee’s regular meeting last Wednesday, Delegate Kee Allen Begay introduced a bill (No. 0021-22) to amend the selection process for the Navajo Veterans Administration executive director.

If approved, it would take affect with the appointment of a new executive director after the six-year term of the current director’s contract has expired or if the current director is not contracted.

The legislation makes it a requirement for the VA executive director to be an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation and honorably discharged from the U.S. armed forces.

“Just to be blunt,” Begay said, “the executive director should be Navajo.”

This has been an issue the last year when concerns arose about current VA Director James Zwierlein, who is non-Navajo, who was nominated and appointed to the Committee for Tribal and Indian Affairs which provides guidance to the U.S. secretary of Veterans Affairs relating to tribes, tribal organizations and Native veterans.

During this time, there were also claims of Zwierlein not working with Diné veterans, which has caused protests and marches organized by veterans to speak against the treatment they have received.

“A lot of them (veterans) continue to raise issues about how the current administration,” Begay said.

He also said he has seen and heard the frustrations that many Diné veterans come across with the current administration.

“For me, I’ve seen it and I’ve heard it,” Begay said. “I’m not sure how to say that even the current administration is not really making any progress on behalf of the Navajo veterans organization.”

Within the bill’s documents are many comments supporting the legislation, some speaking about the mistreatment they have experienced as veterans.

Some of these supporting comments coming from the Northern Navajo Veterans Organization, Nazlini Chapter and the Fort Defiance Agency Veterans’ Organization.

Along with amending the selection process for the executive director, the legislation also amends the Navajo Nation Veterans’ Advisory Council to become the Navajo Nation Veterans Board of Commissioners.

It would also clarify the responsibilities and authorities for the executive director to the Nation’s veterans’ board.

Finally, the bill amends the structure and incorporates a two-year term limit for the board of commissioners.

According to the bill, there would be 10 commissioners along with one ex-officio member. There would be two members from each agency, one female and one male, who will be selected by their respective agency veterans’ organization through resolution.

All commissioners would be confirmed by the HEHSC, and they would all have voting power aside from the ex-officio member.

The board of commissioners, if the legislation is approved, would have authority over many issues within the veteran’s administration.

The board would be able to recommend the appointment of executive director to the Council for confirmation after the president selects a nominee and recommends termination of the director with notice given to the president.

This means if the board of commissioners does not support the nominee, then the president must select another nominee for the executive director position.

It would also recommend rules, policies, and procedures to the HEHSC for approval, and it will recommend any changes to legislation and address concerns relating to veterans and veterans’ affairs to the HEHSC and Council with notice provided to the president.

“The changes of this particular organization is needed, which is being expressed by, I would say the majority of the veterans on the Navajo Nation,” Begay said.

“Of course, there’s opposition in this legislation and of course that the democracy of the process and making these policies,” he said. “If we have at least one or two marches to the Navajo Nation Council and the president, then I believe there really needs attention to be made to the veterans.”

The legislation was approved by the Health, Education, and Human Services Committee, 3-0. It now moves to the Law and Order Committee, then the Naabik’iyati’ Committee and finally the Navajo Nation Council.

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