Vets irate over service officer pick

Local veterans groups are furious the Kootenai County Commission recently hired a new veterans service officer who they claim has too little experience.

Darryl Heisey, a retired 20-year U.S. Army veteran and chaplain, will start the $30,000-per-year job as Kootenai County Veterans Service Officer on Sept. 7. Heisey, 40, who currently works as a Sears manager, replaces former officer Mike Thornton, who left the job in April.

Some local veterans say they should have had more say in the interview process and that the commission had a “vindictive” grudge against former county Veterans Service officer Ben Keeley, who applied for the job. Keeley resigned on good terms with the commission in 2000 to take a job in the Idaho State Veterans Service Office, overseeing the 10 northern counties and the state veterans home in Lewiston. Some people claim the commission was mad at Keeley for leaving.

The commission is adamant that no negativity exists regarding Keeley, but that Heisey is the most qualified person to help the office reach more local veterans.

The county office helps veterans file claims for benefits ranging from medical care to pensions for widows and children. The claim forms are often complicated and some veterans say that’s why the county needs an officer with experience. If the applications aren’t filled out correctly the first time, veterans often have to wait extra weeks, months or even years to get services.

Dusty Rhoads, Veterans of Foreign Wars District 1 commander, said the commission blew off Keeley’s extensive experience handling claims, which speeds up the payment of benefits.

“There are a lot of old guys from WWII that don’t have that time,” Rhoads said. “They may end up in a pine box with no benefits.”

Don Riegel, co-chairman of the Idaho Veterans Affairs Commission appointed by the governor, said the County Commission never gave Keeley a fair chance. He said the commission should have had veterans, not the Job Service, narrow the pool of nearly 100 candidates. He said Keeley used to work for Job Services and had trouble with his manager but the County Commission didn’t see that as a conflict with the interview process.

Both Riegel and Rhoads said they have no problem with Heisey and think he has potential. Rhoads even told Heisey on Tuesday he was willing to help him get adjusted. They just think the commission’s disregard of experience will hurt local veterans, who total 15,000 in Kootenai County.

Keeley said Tuesday that he couldn’t comment on the situation because it could jeopardize his job with the state.

Commissioner Rick Currie said the commission unanimously picked Heisey because he was a “step above.”

“He’s definitely a person for people in need,” Currie said.

Commissioners Gus Johnson and Dick Panabaker were out of town and unavailable for comment.

Currie said the commission was lobbied heavily by veterans groups both for and against Heisey. He said the commission followed the county’s hiring guidelines and it would have been inappropriate for veterans groups to weigh in.

“If we are hiring a building inspector, we don’t have the contractors association sit in on the interview,” Currie said.

Job Service picked the top 10 applications, which included Keeley. Then the commission narrowed the pool to four candidates and interviewed those people before choosing Heisey.

Currie said that if Job Service had a problem with Keeley, he wouldn’t have made the top 10.

Heisey said his strength is in building relationships and that he will work hard to learn the system to serve fellow veterans.

“For me it’s a passion,” Heisey said. “I want to meet their needs in a tangible way. And the only way to do that is through relationship-building and training.”

The debate about the commission’s hiring process isn’t fazing Heisey, who said it shouldn’t have any impact on his ability to do the job.

“I have the ability to communicate well with folks and the background of a person who likes to volunteer to help folks.”

Heisey retired from the Army in 2002 and moved to Coeur d’Alene with his wife. He has four children.

Rhoads said local veterans want the public to know their dislike for the hiring process. Some veterans are considering having a rally in front of the commissioners’ office, but no date has been set.

Currie said the criticism won’t hinder Heisey’s ability to serve local veterans.

“I’m not concerned at all,” Currie said.