Gary L Herman
On July 30, 2025, the North Carolina Institute of Medicine (NCIOM) announced the full membership and launch of its Task Force on Veterans’ Health. Alexander County Veteran Services Officer Cherry Kilby was selected to be a member of the 43-person task force. She was nominated by Jocelyn Mallette, Secretary of the NC Department of Military and Veteran Affairs, and Crystal Miller, Director of Military Service Member, Veteran, and Family Programs.
Over the next 16 months, the group of military veterans, policymakers, health care professionals, and veteran service providers will develop a set of policy recommendations to release to the public. These recommendations will offer solutions to improve community-based care for veterans, meet veteran care workforce needs, and help North Carolina veterans navigate care, access substance use treatment, and address behavioral health needs.
The NCIOM is joined by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Substance Use Services to manage this project. Task force leadership includes:
• North Carolina Department of Military and Veteran Affairs Secretary Jocelyn Mitnaul Mallette, who served in the U.S. Air Force
• UNC Chapel Hill Professor of Nursing and retired U.S. Army Major General Dr. Margaret Chamberlain Wilmoth
• Veterans Bridge Home Triangle Network Senior Director and retired U.S. Marine Corps Command Sergeant Major Paul Berry
“As veterans ourselves, my fellow co-chairs and I are deeply committed to ensuring this task force is more than just a conversation—we are determined to deliver real, measurable progress for North Carolina’s veterans and their families,” said Mallette. “We owe it to those who have served to provide the support and resources they deserve, and to work toward making North Carolina the number one state for military and veterans.”
The NCIOM’s Task Force on Veterans’ Health comes in response to increased demand on the Veterans Affairs (VA) health system following the passage of the federal PACT Act in 2022.
The PACT Act increased the number of veterans eligible for care, bringing urgency to the need to identify system-wide improvements. Despite having access to care, many veterans face challenges navigating health care benefits and receiving care that is effectively coordinated between civilian health providers and the Veterans Affairs (VA) system.
“We are thrilled to see these task force members come together to contribute their expertise toward such an important topic in our state,” said NCIOM President and CEO Michelle Ries. “North Carolina is home to the 8th largest veteran population in the country, and the policy recommendations from the task force will provide thorough guidance to improve the care veterans receive in community settings.”
For more information about Alexander County Veteran Services, visit https://alexandercountync.gov/departments/veterans-services or call (828) 632-5411.