Friday, January 28, 2005
Contact: Terri Durdaller, (573)751-1274
Blunt Nominates Two for Veterans Commission
JEFFERSON CITY - Missouri Governor Matt Blunt today nominated Joseph Frank of Sunset Hills and Carson Ross of Blue Springs to serve on the Missouri Veterans Commission.
Ross, 58, served as a U.S. Army combat infantry sergeant during the Vietnam War. Ross served in the Missouri House of Representatives from 1989-2002, including tenures as the Republican whip and vice chairman of the Missouri Legislative Black Caucus. Ross has served on the Missouri Veterans Commission as vice chairman since 2003. Ross' term expired in November of 2004.
Frank, 57, serves on multiple boards. Frank is the vice chairman to the National Commanders Advisory Committee, an executive board member on the Presidents Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities, and an advisor to the director of Help Disabled War Veterans, a non profit organization. As a combat engineer during the Vietnam War, Frank was honorably discharged because of permanent disability. Frank has served on the Missouri Veterans Commission since 1999.
The commission is a state agency created in 1989 to replace the Division of Veterans' Affairs. The commission is made up of five veterans appointed by the governor. Frank will replace Carl Niewoehner, who has been serving as an interim member since his term expired in 1997. Along with Ross's reappointment, the two join Emmett Fairfax, Arvid West, and Bernadette Miller.
Both appointments are subject to senate confirmation.