Expanded Veterans Affairs panel sees two appointments

Two people have been appointed to the expanded Veterans Affairs Commission by the Macomb County Board of Commissioners.

Joel Rutherford and Terri Weston were named Thursday at the board’s regular meeting, county officials said Thursday in a news release. The commission now has seven members.

“We are excited about not only expanding the Veterans Affairs Commission but also diversifying its membership,” said board Chairman Bob Smith said in the release. “Mr. Rutherford and Ms. Weston will provide strong voices in ensuring the Commission expands its outreach to those in this County who served for our freedoms.”

Rutherford retired from the U.S. Air Force and Air Force Civilian Service, where he was employed as an air traffic controller at Selfridge Air National Guard Base. He has recently been volunteering to help expand COVID-19 testing in Macomb County.

Weston retired fromboth the U.S. Army and the U.S. Navy; between the two military branches Weston has 22 years of service. Her experiences and accomplishments include serving as an Iraqi combat veteran, a career counselor, a training development andmentor coordinator, a workforce analyst and volunteer and sailor of the year.

The board in July expanded the membership to amplify the voices of Macomb County veterans and to help all appointed members shoulder the committee’s responsibilities and ultimately best serve the veterans of Macomb County, officials said.

The new appointees will have staggered initial terms, with subsequent terms lasting four years each, as specified in the law. Rutherford was appointed to serve the term ending July 31, 2022. Weston was appointed to the position with the term ending July 31, 2023.

The commission is the oversight body for the county Veterans Services Department, and its members appoint the director.

The Veterans Services Depar tment is a human-resource-delivery agency to the County’s veteran population of about 44,000. The department assists veterans, their spouses and other family members with various benefits, including non-service pensions, service-claims, dependency and indemnity compensation, education benefits, vocational rehabilitation education/medical benefits, RH insurance, application for certificate of eligibility, burial benefits, county benefits available to veterans and limited access to the VAMedical Center in Detroit.

The commission meets the first and third Tuesdays of the month at 11 a.m. in the offices of Veterans Services, located at 21855 Dunham Road, Clinton Township.

The board is now also accepting nominations for the Pat Daniels Veteran of the Year Award. Additional information on this can be found at macombboc.com.

Joel Rutherford and Terri Weston were named Thursday at the board’s regular meeting.