South Carolina Department of Veterans’ Affairs

The South Carolina Department of Veterans' Affairs outlines its purpose to serve Veterans, service members, and their families, promoting their value to communities. The plan identifies key tasks including assisting Veterans with federal and state benefits, developing lifelong support programs, operating State Veteran Homes, advocating for the state's active military presence, and leveraging Veteran talents for economic growth. The desired end states are for Veterans and their families to thrive and feel valued, for South Carolina to be the preferred post-service location, and for Veterans to be key contributors to the state's economy, academic community, and culture.

The meeting included discussions on collaboration, communication, and coordination between the state government and military members. It highlighted the strategic importance of South Carolina in national defense, specifically mentioning the 51-day air campaign against Houthi terrorists in Yemen and Operation Midnight Hammer. The support from South Carolina and Sumpter was measured during these operations. Shaw Air Force Base has had over a thousand airmen deployed off station in the last 6 months.

The summit included opening remarks from Governor McMaster and Secretary Todd B. McCaffrey. David Rozelle led a discussion on SCDVA’s Action Plan for fiscal year 2024-2025. Senator Tom Young, representative Celeste Davis, and representative Doug Gill were introduced. President Alexander and the Governor made opening comments. Secretary Todd mcaffry reviewed the Department’s campaign design and action plan summary, which outlines the goals.

The Board discussed several topics, including updating the VTF webpage with current member information and a donation button. A proposal for the VTF FB budget was presented, with a decision to invest $1,000 over three months. The board also discussed a billboard donation in Union County and considered erecting another in Newberry County. The Treasurer's Report, based on expenditures and earnings for fiscal year 2019, was presented, along with an update on CD investments. The board reviewed funding availability for grants in fiscal year 2020 and discussed the return of unspent funds from 2019 to the general fund, deciding to allocate such funds to state veterans nursing homes in the future. They also considered pending grant requests from SC Special Forces, Goodwill, and Bullets and Bandaids, and received a presentation from Upstate Warrior Solution. The board discussed fundraising efforts, including letters sent to state officials requesting "seed money". Finally, the board discussed the importance of raising awareness about the VTF and its mission.

The meeting included presentations from Upstate-Carolina Adaptive Golf and Veterans Welcome Home & Resource Center, with both organizations requesting grants. Discussions covered the VTF webpage and Facebook presence, potential changes to legislation, and the need for a spending and investment plan. The board also considered how to allocate money, fundraising possibilities, and the reinvestment of CDs. The board approved motions to grant $5,000 each to Upstate-Carolina Adaptive Golf and Veterans Welcome Home & Resource Center. The board also discussed the remainder of FY2020 funds available for disbursement and decided to split the remaining funds between the two Fisher Houses in South Carolina.