A Guide to the Records of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and Homeland Security, 2010-2013 Records of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and Homeland Security, 2010-2013 51141

A Guide to the Records of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and Homeland Security, 2010-2013

A Collection in
the Library of Virginia
Accession Number 51141


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Library of Virginia

The Library of Virginia
800 East Broad Street
Richmond, Virginia 23219-8000
USA
Email: archdesk@lva.virginia.gov(Archives)
URL: http://www.lva.virginia.gov/

© 2022 By The Library of Virginia. All Rights Reserved.

Processed by: Paige Neal

Repository
The Library of Virginia
Accession Number
51141
Title
Records of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and Homeland Security, 2010-2013
Extent
7.35 cu. ft. (21 boxes)
Creator
Virginia. Office of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and Homeland Security
Language
English

Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Use Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Preferred Citation

Virginia. Office of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and Homeland Security. Records, 2010-2013. Accession 51141. State Records Collection. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Va.

Acquisition Information

Transferred from the Office of Veterans Affairs and Homeland Security on 9 January 2014.

Processing Information

The original arrangement of records by subject and series file names was respected and maintained. Processing archivist imposed an alphabetical order given lack of useful one.

Biographical/Historical Information

In 2010 Governor Robert F. McDonnell initiated legislative action which changed and re-organized the former Office of Commonwealth Preparedness (OCP) into the Office of Veterans Affairs and Homeland Security (OVAHS). With this legislation the Department of Veterans Services (DVS) was moved from the Office of Public Safety to the Office of Veterans Affairs and Homeland Security along with the Virginia War Memorial. In April of 2011 Terrie L. Suit was appointed by Governor McDonnell to the position of Secretary of Veterans Affairs and Homeland Security after previously serving as Assistant to the Governor for Commonwealth Preparedness. James W. Hopper was appointed Deputy Secretary. She stepped down from the position on September 22nd, 2013 after being selected as the Chief Executive Office of the Virginia Association of REALTORS (VAR). Hopper, a previous staff member of McDonnell's tenure as Attorney General from 2006-2009 took over the Secretary's position until January 2014.

The Office of Commonwealth Preparedness had originated from Governor James Gilmore's Virginia Preparedness and Security Panel created after the September 11th terrorist attacks to better prevent and respond to such attacks in Virginia. Shortly thereafter, Governor-elect Mark R. Warner named John H. Hager to the newly created position of assistant to the governor for commonwealth preparedness, now a cabinet-level position, on 28 December 2001. Hager served as lieutenant governor under Governor James Gilmore and was a member of the Virginia Preparedness and Security Panel. On 31 January 2002, Governor Warner issued Executive Order 7, also known as the Secure Virginia Initiative, which rescinded Gilmore's Virginia Preparedness and Security Panel. Executive Order 7 also created the Secure Virginia Panel to review, evaluate, and make recommendations relating to emergency preparedness for the Commonwealth. The Secure Virginia Panel, which became the Secure Commonwealth Panel under Executive Order 69, was to consist of twenty members, later increased to twenty-eight members, under the Assistant to the Governor for Commonwealth Preparedness as chairman. The Office of Commonwealth Preparedness and the Secure Commonwealth Panel were later codified under 2.2-304 through 2.2-306 of the Code of Virginia.

The Office of Commonwealth Preparedness was created with the purpose of developing a coordinated security and preparedness strategy and implementation plan. The Assistant to the Governor for Commonwealth Preparedness, who is appointed by the governor for a term of four years, is responsible for the general management of the Office. The Secretary of Veterans Affairs and Homeland Security, was later renamed Secretary of Veterans and Defense Affairs by Governor Terry McAuliffe in 2014, with Homeland Security transferred to the Secretary of Public Safety, (renamed Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security).

Scope and Content

The Secretary of Veterans Affairs and Homeland Security records, 2010-2013, consist of 21 boxes divided into eight series. These records document the work of Secretary Terrie L. Suit and the Office of Veterans Affairs and Homeland Security during Governor Robert F. McDonnell's gubernatorial term. Includes correspondence, legislative files, decision briefs, meeting records, as well as project and subject files. Topics and initiatives include disaster preparedness, emergency preparedness and cooridination, Fort Monroe Authority, grants, homeland security, interoperability, military facilities, military retirements, Military Strategic Response Fund, Secure Commonwealth Panel, services for veterans and military families, Virginia War Memorial, and the Wounded Warrior Program. These records were created or collected between 2010-2013, though some records may pre-date this time period.

Arrangement

This collection is arranged into the following series:

Series I: Secretary's correspondence, 2010-2013; Series II: Correspondence with the Dept. of Veterans Affairs, 2010-2013; Series III: Constituent correspondence, 2010-2013; Series IV: Legislative files, 2010-2013; Series V: Decision briefs, 2010-2013; Series VI: Meeting records, 2010-2013; Series VII: Project files, 2010-2013; Series VIII: Subject files, 2010-2013.

Related Material

The Governor Robert F. McDonnell Administration Web Archive Collection, 2010-2014 contains archived versions of websites for the Governor's Office, his initiative sites, and the sites of his cabinet secretaries, including the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and Homeland Security and Secretary of Public Safety .

The Records of the Virginia Secretary of Veterans Affairs and Homeland Security, 2005-2012 (Accession 51438).

Contents List

Series I. Correspondence - Office of the Secretary , 2010-2013 .
Extent: 2.1 cu. ft. (6 boxes).

Correspondence - Office of the Secretary, 2010-2013, is arranged chronologically and contains incoming and outgoing correspondence of Secretary Terrie Suit. Include correspondence from local, state and federal government officials, state and federal legislators, officials from other states, business owners, commissions, authorities, and associations, as well as constituent correspondence sent directly to the Office of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and Homeland Security or referred from the Office of the Governor. May also include articles, invitations, memoranda, presentations, reports, Support Services financial statements, and letters of thanks. Topics include appointments, appropriations, congratulations, continuity of operations, grants administration, military relations, BRAC, campus security, emergency preparedness and coordination, critical infrastructure, interoperability, veterans services and homeland security. Also includes correspondence during Terrie Suit's tenure as Assistant to the Governor for Commonwealth Preparedness.

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Series II. Correspondence - Dept. of Veterans Services , 2010-2013 .
Extent: .2 cu. ft. (1 box).

Correspondence with the Dept. of Veterans Services is arranged chronologically and includes both incoming and outgoing correspondence. Topics include audits, board appointments, budget, resignations, Virginia War Memorial, and the Wounded Warrior Program, among others.

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Series III. Constituent correspondence regarding military retirements , 2010-2013 .
Extent: .2 cu. ft. (1 box).

Constituent correspondence regarding military retirements, 2010-2013, is arranged chronologically and includes incoming correspondence from U. S. military branches to the Governor requesting retirement letters for Virginia residents. These letters were forwarded to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and Homeland Security for response. This series in incomplete and includes correspondence for 2010 Jan-Apr; 2011 Oct-Dec; 2012 Jan-Dec; and 2013 Jan-Feb.

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Series IV. Legislative files , 2010-2013 .
Extent: 1.05 cu. ft. (3 boxes).

Legislative files document proposed legislation related to veterans affairs and homeland security, as well as the 2012-2014 biennial budget. Proposed legislation files may include correspondence, enrolled bill review, fiscal impact statements, key points, legislative action summaries, memoranda, statements of need, tracking sheets.

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Series V. Decision briefs , 2010-2013 .
Extent: 1.4 cu. ft. (4 boxes).

Decision briefs, 2010-2013, are arranged chronologically and document decision requests sent to the Governor for approval. Briefs include background information, discussion and summary, as well as tracking sheets and include recommendations, comments and signatures. The decision brief file may also include reports and correspondence. Topics may include appointments, commissions, communication, disaster preparedness, emergency operations, Fort Monroe, grants, interoperability, Military Strategic Response Fund, staffing, proclamations, Secure Commonwealth Panel, veterans, Virginia War Memorial, Wall of Honor ceremony, and the Wounded Warrior Program.

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Series VI. Meeting records , 2010-2013 .
Extent: 1.05 cu. ft. (3 boxes).

Meeting records, 2010-2013, are arranged alphabetically by name of entity. These records document the meetings, activities, discussions, policy decisions, and recommendations are various boards and commissions related to veterans and homeland security. Files may include agendas, handouts, lists of attendees, maps, meeting notes, minutes, presentations, reports, and other supporting material. Includes records for the following: Commission on Military and National Security Facilities, Commission on Military Installations and Defense Activities, Local Military Advisory Council, Oceana Fentress Military Advisory Council, Secure Commonwealth Panel, Virginia Military Advisory Council, and the Virginia Veterans Working Group.

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Series VII. Project files - Fort Monroe Authority , 2010-2013 .
Extent: .7 cu. ft. (2 boxes).

Project files: Fort Monroe Authority, 2010-2013, are arranged alphabetically and include Board of Directors meeting records, correspondence, deeds, financial records, manuals, maps, photographs, plans, and reports. Located along the Chesapeake Bay within the city limits of Hampton, Fort Monroe was an Army base that was designated for closure pursuant to the 2005 Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission Report. When the base closed, the land, buildings, and infrastructure assets transferred to the Commonwealth and this necessitated a redevelopment and reuse plan. The Fort Monroe Federal Area Development Authority (FMFADA), a political subdivision of the Commonwealth of Virginia and local redevelopment authority, was established to determine how best to manage the historic resources, preserve and protect the open space, and ensure the economic sustainability at Fort Monroe. In 2010, an act of the General Assembly established the Fort Monroe Authority which was charged with the responsibility of reuse planning and management of the area.

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Series VIII. Subject files , 2010-2013 .
Extent: .7 cu. ft. (2 boxes).

Subject files, 2010-2013, are arranged alphabetically and document topics of interest to the Secretary, such as homeland security, veterans, and the Wounded Warrior Program. Files may include correspondence, reports, and studies.

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