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Friday, October 20, 2006
N.M. Vets' Affairs Secretary Heads National Group
Associated Press
SANTA FE — New Mexico Veterans Affairs Secretary John Garcia has been elected president of a national association that represents cabinet secretaries and state directors of veterans affairs.
Garcia called it an honor to serve a one-year term as president of the National Association of State Directors of Veterans Affairs.
''Collectively, state governments expend more than $3.5 billion annually in support of veterans' benefits and services,'' he said Thursday. ''Although each state is unique, with its own traditions, programs and resources, we are united by a common goal of making a difference in the lives of our veterans.''
Garcia, a Vietnam veteran, is a founding member of the Vietnam Veterans of New Mexico and served as the national deputy director of the Vietnam Veterans Leadership Program in Washington, D.C. He was appointed secretary when the New Mexico Department of Veterans Affairs was created in 2003.
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