Kayla LaFond Joins Virginia Department of Veterans Services As Military Spouse Liaison
In this newly-created position, LaFond will serve as state liaison to military spouses, conduct outreach and serve as an advocate for military spouses throughout the Commonwealth. She will also work with Virginia’s Secretary of Veterans and Defense Affairs and the VDVS Commissioner to provide legislative and policy recommendations to the Governor and members of the Virginia General Assembly.
LaFond is an active duty military spouse. She most recently served as a Transition Assistance and Employment Educator at the Fleet and Family Support Center (FFSC) at Joint Expeditionary Base (JEB) Little Creek- Fort Story in Virginia Beach. In this role, she helped equip transitioning service members and military spouses with tools to secure meaningful and successful careers in the civilian workforce. She had previously worked in a similar position with the Fleet and Family Support Center at Naval Base Point Loma in San Diego, California.
“We have dozens of military installations in Virginia and every year thousands of service members establish a home in the Commonwealth,” said Commissioner of VDVS John Maxwell. “It is vitally important that we do everything possible to welcome the spouses of service members and guide them to pathways towards rewarding employment in Virginia. With her experience and energy, Kayla LaFond will be a strong advocate for all military spouses throughout the state.”
To learn more, contact LaFond at kayla.lafond@dvs.virginia.gov.
About the Virginia Department of Veterans Services
The Virginia Department of Veterans Services (VDVS) is a state government agency with more than 40 locations across the Commonwealth of Virginia. VDVS traces its history to 1928 and the establishment of the Virginia War Service Bureau to assist Virginia’s World War veterans. Today, VDVS assists veterans and their families in filing claims for federal veterans benefits; provides veterans and family members with linkages to services including behavioral healthcare, housing, employment, education and other programs. The agency operates two long-term care facilities offering in-patient skilled nursing care, Alzheimer’s/memory care, and short-term rehabilitation for veterans; provides an honored final resting place for veterans and their families at three state veterans cemeteries. It also operates the Virginia War Memorial, the Commonwealth’s tribute to Virginia’s men and women who gave the ultimate sacrifice from World War II to the present. For more information, please visit www.dvs.virginia.gov.