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JAN 10 1988 BOOK 70 ME. 644 This is not to be interpreted as anti -veteran under any circumstances since I believe that society at -large must make ample provisions to support veterans in return for their extraordinary contributions to the nation, often times under the most arduous and dangerous of circumstances. I would feel much more comfortable in supporting additional veterans programs but I am not comfortable with side-tracking such potential additional funds to support additional bureaucracy. You should feel free to present your proposal to the Board of County Commissioners and if you wish to do so please advise me and I will schedule it for consideration. However, I will be unable to reflect on your recommendation in the affirmative. December 21, 1987 TO: COUNTY COMMISSIONERS 4 se FROM: C. Vincent McCann e Veterans Service Officer Indian River County SUBJECT: Resolution to Establish a Department of Veterans Affairs in the State of Florida 1: Attached for your information and use is a sample Resolution. It would be most helpful to the Veterans of our County, if Indian River County Commissioners would come out with a Resolution that would support this drive to have the Division of Veteran Affairs made a Department of Veteran Affairs BACKGROUND: Veterans Affairs in the State of Florida have been relegated to a subservient status since the need to provide services to the State's veterans was first recognized. Veterans organizations have long observed the need to elevate the status of Veterans Affairs, but until recently, the individual groups failed to unite for common causes. The Florida State Veterans Planning Group came into existance nearly two years ago. This coalition of all major veterans' groups was organized for the prime purpose of unification when pursuing legislative initiatives in Tallahassee. DATA: Veterans is the number one industry in Florida. It is a greater enter- prise than the citrus industry, bringing in excess of $3 billion annually to the State's economy. The 1.5 million veteran population is growing at the approx- imate rate of 5,400 per month. Florida is fourth Nationally in state veteran population. By the year 1990, over half the veterans are expected to be 65 years old or over, which can only compound an already overloaded VA health care system. OPPOSITION: For various reasons, attempts to create a Department of Veterans Affairs has met with sympathetic listening but unresponsive action in the legis- lature,aibeit, the margin of defeat has been slim. The excuse that the twenty- five departments authorized by law are filled is lust that, an extremely lame- excuse...bunko! It is not an insurmountable rea:: n. 814