State Veterans Service Board Elects New Leadership

Georgia’s seven-member State Veterans Service Board recently elected new officers for 2009-10.

Ray Hendrix, a retired Army Sergeant Major and resident of Statesboro, was voted board chairman.

He has served on the Veterans Service Board since September 2001; he was reappointed by Governor Perdue in 2007. 

Hendrix, the board chairman during 2005-06, retired from the Army in 1992 after serving over 42 years in uniform. His Army experience included serving in artillery, maintenance, intelligence, and recruiting units.

Hendrix, a retired Bulloch County Magistrate Court Constable, is an active member in The American Legion at state, local, and national levels.  He currently serves as a National Executive Committeeman and as a member of The American Legion’s National Legislative and International Affairs Commissions. Over the years, he also served on The Legion’s National Veterans Affairs and Rehabilitation, Military Affairs, and Americanism Commissions.

Hendrix, past state commander of The American Legion - Department of Georgia, is a member of the local American Legion Post 90, Scottish Rite Temple and Statesboro Shrine Club and attends Eastern Heights Baptist Church.

Kenneth W. Birdsong, U.S. Army veteran and former state legislator, was named board vice chairman. 

Birdsong, whom Governor Perdue recently reappointed for another seven-year term, has served on the Veterans Service Board since January 2005. That followed his retirement from government after 28 years of continuous service in the State House of Representatives.

Birdsong, who represented Georgians from Bibb, Jones, Twiggs, and Wilkinson counties, also served as chairman of the House Defense and Veterans Affairs Committee.

Birdsong, a veteran of World War II and Korea, served in the U.S. Army from 1945 to 1947. Upon discharge, he enlisted in the Army Reserves serving on active duty in 1949 and 1950 with the 340th Engineer Construction Battalion. He was discharged from reserve status in 1953.

Birdsong is an active member of both the Gordon and Gray communities, involved in both the local VFW and American Legion posts, Exchange Club of Macon and is a 32nd Degree Scottish Rite Mason.

Rod Casey, retired Air Force Colonel and former Chairman of the Lowndes County Board of Commissioners, was selected to serve as board secretary.

Casey, a Marietta native and now Valdosta resident, was appointed to the Veterans Service Board by Governor Perdue in 2007.

Casey, who served 21 years on active duty, accounted for over 3,000 hours flying four different tactical fighter aircraft. He culminated his Air Force flying career as a combat-ready aircraft commander in the F-16 Falcon.

Casey ended his military career with assignments at Moody Air Force Base in Valdosta. There he served as Deputy Commander for Logistics before taking command of the 450-person Component Repair Squadron responsible for over $450 million in assets. Casey retired in 1994.

Having served on the Valdosta City Council since 1995, Casey ran for and was elected Chairman of the Lowndes County Board of Commissioners in November 2000. During his eight years as Chairman, Lowndes County received numerous state and national awards in virtually every countywide service. 

Currently serving as members of the State Veterans Service Board for 2009-10 with Hendrix, Birdsong and Casey are James Blaylock of Decatur, Fred T. Fincher, Sr. of LaGrange, and Pat Phillips of Blairsville.

The seven-member, Governor-appointed, constitutional Board of Veterans Service recommends policy, procedure, and work projects and through the Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Veterans Service controls overall veteran policy for the state.

More information about the Veterans Service Board, and its members (to include full bios), is available at www.sdvs.georgia.gov, under About SDVS.