Benjamin appointed to VA Advisory Committee

James Kennedy Benjamin of the CNMI has been appointed to the Advisory Committee on U.S. Outlying Areas and Freely Associated States.

The Advisory Committee will advise and provide guidance to the Veterans Affairs secretary on matters relating to veteran needs. The committee was created with the passage of the National Defense Authorization Act of 2023 last year. According to Delegate Gregorio Kilili C. Sablan, H.R. 3730 was included in Section 5102 of the NDAA that created the advisory committee.

“I was honored to nominate a son of the Marianas and Micronesia, U.S. Army combat veteran James Kennedy Benjamin to represent the Northern Marianas on the advisory committee, and glad he recently got confirmation of his selection. Mr. Benjamin’s knowledge of veteran needs in the Marianas will be invaluable to the VA secretary,” said Sablan.

Benjamin has over 10 years of military service. He was deployed to Iraq and has served with the 302nd Quartermaster Company, 305th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment, and continues his service with the 9th Mission Support Command. “I am humbled and would like to express my gratitude for recommending me to serve the Marianas and the Freely Associated States Veterans in this capacity,” Benjamin said. (PR)