Message from Director Devine  

Dear Veterans, Supporters and Advocates,

This year Memorial Day falls on Monday, May 27th with ceremonies planned at both our northern and southern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemeteries. Governor Lombardo and I will be attending the ceremony in Boulder City. The Governor will serve as the keynote speaker. The ceremony will start at 1:00 p.m. In Fernley, Lt. Governor Stavros Anthony will serve as the keynote speaker with that ceremony beginning at 11:00 a.m.

In preparation for our Memorial Day ceremonies, the annual Flag-In events will be held on the Saturday prior, May 25th with Flag-In beginning at 7:00 a.m. in the south and at 8:30 a.m. in the north. It is heartwarming to see so many volunteers show up each year for Flag-In. We cannot thank them enough for making sure those interred at our cemeteries receive the respect and honor they deserve.

If you are not able to attend a Memorial Day ceremony, I highly encourage you to set aside some quiet time to reflect on the tremendous debt we owe to our fallen brothers and sisters. It is important we take the time to remember them, along with the unthinkable sacrifice made by their families and loved ones.

I have one more request. I need your help to spread the word about a requirement of those charging a fee or compensation to file a claim to the VA on behalf of a veteran or their family. (This requirement does not apply to an attorney or agent accredited by VA.) Private, third party companies or individuals seeking compensation for filing a claim are required to provide written disclosure letting the client know the service is available for FREE. They are also required to obtain the client’s signature to verify the information has been disclosed before entering into an agreement! For more information, please check out, “What You Need to Know About Filing a Claim,” in this newsletter.

Finally, we are excited to announce our southern Nevada HQ NDVS office is moving to a new location on June 1-9, 2024. It is by the Harry Reid International Airport. The new address will be:

Nevada Department of Veterans Services
Storey Building
7220 Bermuda Rd
Las Vegas, NV 89509

Two Veterans Service Officers (VSO) will be available at the new location with one specializing in serving women veterans and the other specializing in supporting LGBTQ+ veterans. We are hoping this makes accessing a VSO in the Las Vegas area more convenient as our VSO services will continue to be available in North Las Vegas at the VA and in Boulder City at our Southern Nevada State Veterans Home. Go HERE for more VSO contact information.

As always, I thank you for your continued support of our veterans, military members and their families. I hope to see you on Memorial Day or at an upcoming event in the weeks ahead.

Respectfully,
Col. Mary Devine
NDVS Director