DIRECTOR OF OFFICE OF VETERANS SERVICES STEPS DOWN

 For Immediate Release                                               October 28, 2011                                                                              

DIRECTOR OF OFFICE OF VETERANS SERVICES
STEPS  DOWN

HONOLULU, HAWAII- Office of Veterans Services (OVS) Director, Gregory Jackson, Jr. has stepped down from his position. Jackson was recently invited to join a team of civilian advisors to the country of South Sudan.  Their task will be to assist the South Sudanese military as it normalizes and downsizes.  Jackson's role will be to advise the South Sudanese Ministry of Defense in the development of discharge programs and veterans programs that afford their service members a dignified and effective way to smoothly transition into the civilian world, find jobs and education.  "I have been honored by the opportunity to be a part of our government and to serve our veterans," said Greg Jackson.  "I have no doubt the state and OVS is on the right path and can sustain the partnerships we have created with the VA and other agencies to provide our veterans the support and respect they deserve."

Jackson joined the administration in February 2011 as Director for OVS. His prior experience includes an Air Force deployment in 2007 to Baghdad, Iraq where he served on a team of advisors to the Iraqi High Tribunal, Iraq's special court to prosecute former Baathists for their human rights atrocities.

As OVS Director for the past nine months Jackson has accomplished or initiated many projects that benefit Hawaii’s veteran community. He has reduced office lease overhead without forfeiting space requirements, thus saving the State (DAGS and OVS) tens of thousands annually. He has established an execution plan for expansion of the Maui Veterans Cemetery and received a $1.6 million grant for expansion of columbarium at four neighbor island cemeteries by more than 1,000 niches. Jackson was a Veterans Affairs planning committee member working towards establishment of a State Veterans Court to help veterans avoid incarceration and receive treatment for associated problems such as PTSD, TBI, and substance abuse. He also proposed State Identification Card program that will afford veterans a means of identifying themselves without the need to carrying discharge documents which contains sensitive personal information.

“Greg Jacksons experience in service to Hawaii's veterans will be critical to his efforts in South Sudan and will afford him the opportunity to share the ‘spirit of aloha’ with this fledgling democracy,” said Maj. Gen. Darryll D.M. Wong, State Adjutant General. “We, at the Department of Defense, wish him the best of luck and a safe future. We will miss Greg and all of the motivation and vision that he brought to OVS, but understand that this is a once in a lifetime opportunity. His projects and programs will be carried through by the dedicated staff at OVS.”

In order to make this new mission a success, Jackson must be in place in South Sudan by the beginning of November. The State of Hawaii, Department of Defense will be conducting a search for a replacement.

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For more information, contact:

Lt. Col. Charles Anthony

Public Affairs Officer

Phone: (808) 733-4258