Veterans Affairs Commends NH DOE After Site Visit

CONCORD – The federal government has issued a report commending the work of the New Hampshire Department of Education on behalf of veterans after a site visit to the department last month. Officials from the Oversight & Accountability division of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs visited with employees of Veterans Education Services at the NH DOE in September. The site visit was part of a compliance process since the NH DOE is a state approving agency that works with schools that serve and offer assistance to veterans, service personnel, guard members, and eligible dependents.

Last week, the VA issued its site review report and applauded the Veterans Education Services – a part of the Division of Educator Support and Higher Education at the NH DOE – for its work.

The site visit evaluated and observed the day-to-day operations of the department to ensure that employees were following applicable statutes, regulations and policy advisories, and administration functions.

The visit was the first for the Veterans Education Services’ new administrator, Jeffrey Newman. The evaluators noted that he and RuthAnn Campbell, a specialist with the department, demonstrated a commitment to fulfilling the mission of the VA, were working with specific statutory criteria for accredited and non-accredited schools, and had “a positive working relationship” and showed “professionalism and assistance” to representatives of the VA, according to Patrick Dworakowski, the assistant director of the Oversight & Accountability division.

“The department is pleased to receive such a positive report from the VA,” Newman noted, “as we continue our mission to help those who have served our nation and its people.”

Veterans Education Services employees were also commended for having completed VA privacy training, making themselves available to meet with veterans and veteran organizations, and adherence to proper systems of control and fiscal management, the report noted.