Guest MINDSETTER™ Yarn: Hitting the Ground Running

Wednesday, February 08, 2017

Guest MINDSETTER™ Kasim J. Yarn

Ocean State residents care deeply for Veterans and their families, and their goodwill offers a wellspring of support to so many who have served our great country.

Governor Gina Raimondo knows that our state can do more for Veterans than it has in the past, though—so when she asked me to lead her new effort to strengthen our state’s commitment to serving those who served, I jumped at the opportunity to give back.

As Rhode Island's first-ever Director of Veterans Affairs, I knew we would need to collaborate and partner with anyone who was ready, willing, and able to fulfill the Governor's charge of honoring the service and sacrifice of our Veterans and military families.

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While we still have much to do, we’ve made remarkable progress for our Ocean State Veterans in the past year. Highlights include:

Elevating the Office of Veterans Affairs

In 2016, the Governor proposed legislation to elevate the Office of Veterans Affairs to a cabinet-level agency, which the General Assembly passed. Now, Veterans have a voice, a seat at the table at the highest level of state government.

She also added two case managers in this year’s budget to assist Veterans and their families with questions and concerns and gave us dedicated office space in Warwick for a new resource center.

More Outreach

A newly revamped website, vets.ri.gov, now serves as a central digital hub for Rhode Island’s Veterans to easily find information on their benefit eligibility, educational and career opportunities, and events happening throughout the Veterans community.

We’ve also strengthened transparency and access to our office across the board. Veterans can now submit messages to the Office of Veteran Affairs directly through our website's contact form, and our staff actively shares information and answers questions through Facebook and Twitter. Our Twitter feed is also integrated into the new website to provide real-time updates on our initiatives, benefits, and events. And, thanks to our partnership with the United Way’s 2-1-1 team, we’ll be on the road visiting communities and bringing our services to Veterans throughout Rhode Island.

Future Veterans Home

In November, Rhode Island voters overwhelmingly approved a $27 million bond securing the final piece of funding for the new 208-bed home being built in Bristol to serve our Veterans. The new single-story facility will retain a homey feel and give residents a sense of neighborhood-style living. Site work and initial construction began in 2015; the exterior is already built, with interior construction well under way and a grand opening slated for later this year.

New Leadership for the Rhode Island Veterans Memorial Cemetery

With an average of 102 interments each month, our cemetery remains one of the nation’s busiest state Veterans cemeteries. I had the pleasure of appointing a new Administrator in November, Cara Condit, and, with this new leadership, we’re now revising regulations, implementing new procedures, planning infrastructure improvements, and investing in new maintenance equipment for the grounds, such as sanders and aerators.

Key Partnerships

Progress is possible thanks to our strong partnerships throughout state government and in the communities we serve: The Governor and her staff continue to provide us with the necessary leadership and resources. Our General Assembly gives us thoughtful support and guidance. Our Veteran advocates share their advice and counsel. Our congressional delegation remains steadfast in their commitment to representing Veterans’ interests in Washington. And our colleagues in federal, state, and municipal government continue to be there for us and for our Veterans.

We know that challenges remain, but we’re wholly committed to building on all the progress we’ve made in such a short time. Working together, we can improve the health and economic wellbeing of our Veterans, who are truly assets to our community and our state.

We still have work to do, but the transformation has begun.

Kasim J. Yarn is Rhode Island's first Director of Veterans Affairs. Governor Gina Raimondo appointed him to the newly-created position in February 2016. Before taking on this role, Director Yarn served on active-duty in the U.S. Navy, first as an enlisted sailor and then as an officer, retiring at the rank of lieutenant commander. He lives in North Kingstown with his wife, Rose.

Guest MINDSETTER™ Yarn: Hitting the Ground Running

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