Message from the Commissioner

Dear NYC Veteran Community,

New York City is home to over 210,000 current and former U.S. Military Service Members—an extraordinary population whose leadership, labor, and legacy continue to shape this city every day. At the NYC Department of Veterans’ Services (DVS), we exist for you and because of you. As the first standalone municipal agency in the nation dedicated solely to serving Veterans and their families, our mission is clear: to connect, mobilize, and empower.

That mission calls us to ensure every Veteran, caregiver, survivor, and family member has access to the support and benefits they’ve earned—from VA healthcare and claims assistance to housing, employment, mental health resources, and educational opportunities. Together with community partners and government allies, we are working to make New York City a national model for Veteran belonging.

To do that, we’ve outlined a deliberate course of action—short-, mid-, and long-term—grounded in service and shaped by your needs.

In the short term, we’re focused on the essentials. We are launching a next-generation version of VetConnectNYC to serve as our digital front door. We’re expanding access to accredited VA claims officers, increasing outreach to transitioning service members, and promoting affordable housing and homeownership for Veterans across the city. We’re also bringing the Joseph P. Dwyer Peer Support Program to NYC and moving forward with the design of the Post-9/11 Veterans Memorial—two projects rooted in connection, healing, and honor.

In the mid term, we’re scaling up. That means expanding citywide VA claims support, processing Council discretionary awards for Veteran-serving programs, and integrating Veteran-identifying digital tools into agency operations. We’re working to bring federal resources to New York City to fund more boots on the ground, and we’re growing cultural programs that uplift the stories of our community—like a city-sponsored Veteran film festival, the planned Ticker Tape Parade for Post-9/11 Veterans and their families, and new recognition efforts for Vietnam Veterans who are still missing in action. We’re also deepening support for military-connected children by expanding the Military Family Advocate Program in public schools.

In the long term, we’re building a city where Veterans can truly thrive. That means increasing access to VA healthcare, ensuring housing options for Veterans at every income level, growing the percentage of Veterans who file for benefits, and strengthening ties with major institutions that serve our communities. It also means supporting Veterans and military families throughout their educational journey—from early childhood through higher education—and creating more pathways to meaningful employment and entrepreneurship.

DVS will always toil on your behalf. We will do the work, share the road, and stand beside you. We are here to ensure that the Veteran experience in New York City is not only supported, but seen, sustained, and celebrated—for this generation and the next.

If you need anything—reach out. This city is your home, and we’re here to help you thrive in it.

Yours in Service,

James W. Hendon
Commissioner
Colonel, US Army Reserve

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