Illinois e-News Release

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Springfield, IL - IDVA Director Terry Prince announced today that Anthony Hernandez, Veteran Service Officer (VSO) was selected as the IDVA 2022 Employee of the Year. Anthony has served as an IDVA VSO for five years and was chosen from a group of 14 fellow nominees.

“Anthony serves at the “tip of the spear” of IDVA’s services, “ said Director Prince. “The Field Division meets Veterans where they are in the community. Anthony went above and beyond his main duties of preparing claims for submission to the VA by also handling 23 additional cases of constituent concerns from the Governor’s office and other elected officials. Anthony represents the ideals of IDVA by placing veterans and their families at the center of everything we do.”

Anthony’s nomination also cited his support of several itinerant offices requiring staffing, his well-known presence in the community, and his tenacious approach to finding the right answers for Veterans and their families. He is well known in the community through his regular attendance at local veteran events and works hard to find the right answers for veterans.

Anthony is a United States Navy Veteran having served 24 years on active duty where he completed numerous overseas deployments on various ships including the USS CARL VINSON (CVN-70). Notably, during his last 5 years of active duty, he was the Chief Legalman and Law Office Manager for the Legal Counsel to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, located in the Pentagon where he earned the Defense Meritorious Service Medal.

Originally from Chicago, Anthony and his family now reside in Lockport, IL.