Committee Hears Bills to Expand Office of the Veterans Advocate to Serve Active-Duty and Transitioning Service Members

At a February public hearing, the Joint Committee on Veterans and Federal Affairs heard testimony on bills (including S.2466 and H.33872) that would expand the statutory mission of the Office of the Veteran Advocate to include active-duty members of the armed forces and to coordinate pre‑separation transition services.

Supporters told the committee that the change would let the office coordinate state resources with federal transition programs and provide earlier outreach to service members before they receive separation paperwork. Bob Notch, the Commonwealth’s veteran advocate, told the committee: "Expanding the office of the Veterans Advocate mission to include active serving members of the military of our commonwealth" would "simplify coordination to a single office through which to…