Montgomery, Ala. (WDNews) – Governor Kay Ivey announced Friday, May 30, a newly restructured Alabama State Board of Veterans Affairs, reaffirming her commitment to making Alabama a top state for veterans.
The changes come after the 2025 legislative session, which saw the passage of Senate Bill 67 to enhance operations within the Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs and the Board itself.
“In Alabama, we proudly support the men and women who wore the uniform to fight for our freedoms,” Governor Ivey said. “I am proud to assemble a strong and wide-ranging Board of veterans to serve all of their fellow veterans.”
The updated State Board of Veterans Affairs now includes several new appointees from key veterans service organizations:
- Colonel (Ret.) Larry Vannoy, American Legion*
- Colonel (Ret.) Walter Kozak, American Legion*
- John Keen, Jr., American Legion*
- Jeffrey Fisher, American Veterans*
- Sergeant Brandi Whitman, Disabled American Veterans*
- Deborah Walker, Disabled American Veterans
- Charles Waugh, Disabled American Veterans
- John Burks, Marine Corps League*
- Michael Urquhart, Military Officers Association of America*
- Lorenzo Nathan, Military Order of the Purple Heart*
- Colonel (Ret.) Anne Toms, Military Officers Association of America
- Colonel (Ret.) Scott Gedling, Veterans of Foreign Wars
- Robert Schmidbauer, Veterans of Foreign Wars*
- Michael Davis, Vietnam Veterans of America*
- Colonel (Ret.) Lori Rasmussen, At-Large, U.S. Air Force*
(*Denotes new appointments)
Governor Ivey will continue to serve on the board in her official capacity. The appointments take effect immediately.
