Kane County veterans advocate elected 2nd vice president of national veterans group

Nate Johnson of Kane County was elected June 7 as second vice president of the National Association of County Veterans Service Officers at the organization's annual business meeting and training summit.

As second vice president, Johnson will be responsible for serving as a delegate liaison and he will participate in the legislative committee for the organization.

Johnson is the assistant superintendent of the Kane County Veterans Assistance Commission and a County Veterans Service Officer responsible for assisting veterans and their families from across Kane County. "I am excited to continue my advocacy for VSO's across the country by working with this incredible organization in my capacity as second vice president," Johnson said.

Johnson is a veteran himself, serving on active duty in the U.S. Army from 2008 through 2013. Johnson deployed to Iraq in 2009 and completed his service after 3 years in the Army Reserve.

Since 1989, NACVSO has advocated for government policies that serve veterans and supported the nation's approximately 1,800 county veterans service officers. CVSOs are local government employees responsible for helping veterans and their families in their communities access their benefits. CVSOs can help advocate for veterans and their families with the VA, connect them to state and local resources and identify gaps in policies that serve the veterans in their communities.

Earlier in the week, Secretary of Veterans Affairs Denis McDonough spoke at the conference with a keynote address highlighting the importance of the relationship of NACVSO with the Department of Veterans Affairs. The conference ended Thursday with a closing keynote address from Kimberly Mitchell, the Senior Advisor to the Secretary, Veterans Service Organizations Liaison with the Department of Veterans Affairs.

The National Association of County Veterans Service Officers is the national advocacy organization for the nation's approximately 1,800 CVSOs, local government employees who aggressively pursue all benefits for veterans and eligible family members in their local communities. NACVSO supports CVSOs through education, training and advocacy programs. Established in 1989 by VSOs from eight states who saw the need for a national association to provide education, training and advocacy, it held its first training conference in 1991.