Maryland Department of Veterans and Military Families

The agency’s lineage traces back to the Soldiers' Relief Fund Commission, which was created in 1924 to administer a state relief fund for disabled World War I veterans (Chapter 344, Acts of 1924). In 1929, it was renamed the Veterans Relief Commission (Chapter 134, Acts of 1929). This body became the Maryland Veterans Commission in 1935 (Chapter 481, Acts of 1935). The Commission was moved to the Department of Employment and Social Services in 1971 (Chapters 370 and 617, Acts of 1971), which later became the Department of Human Resources in 1975. In 1977, the Commission became an independent agency (Chapter 895, Acts of 1977). The Maryland Veterans Trust, a 501(c)(3) organization, was created in 2010 with authorization of the Maryland General Assembly. The Department of Veterans and Military Families was established by the Maryland General Assembly in July 2024 through Chapters 11 and 12 of the Acts of 2024. List of secretaries • Thomas E. Hutchins, 2003 • James A. Adkins, 2007–2009 • George W. Owings III, 2015-2023 • Anthony Woods, 2023–2025 • Ross Cohen (acting), 2025 • Ed Rothstein, 2025–present == Services ==

MDVMF provides services and programs to veterans, service members, and their families. The Service and Benefits Program assists eligible individuals in accessing benefits from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of Defense, the State of Maryland, and other related agencies; this support is delivered through service officers located in communities throughout Maryland. U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen stated that over 40,000 veterans were employed by the federal government in Maryland and that many were laid off under an executive order targeting probationary employees. According to Van Hollen, some terminated veterans received performance-related dismissal notices despite prior positive evaluations. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs announced plans to cut more than 70,000 workers nationwide, including positions in hospitals and benefit processing centers. In response, the MDVMF increased its outreach efforts, organizing job fairs and distributing resource guides to assist affected veterans. Denise Nooe, Deputy Director of the Department's Communications and Outreach & Advocacy Program, stated that the agency was actively conducting outreach and coordinating employment support events. == References ==