Ivey Proclaims Veterans Week for Alabama Veterans
Governor Kay Ivey designated Nov. 5-11 as Veterans Week as the state restores its veterans home and expands services for its more than 400,000 veterans.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Military Jobs
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Governor Kay Ivey issued a proclamation designating Nov. 5-11 as Veterans Week in Alabama, home to more than 400,000 veterans. The announcement comes as the Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs completes restoration of the Command Sgt. Maj. Bennie G. Adkins State Veterans Home after an April 2025 fire.
Why it matters
The observance highlights state-level support for veterans, including housing, cemetery expansion and employment programs that affect veterans' access to services and jobs across Alabama. For military families, the changes signal expanded pathways into civilian work and teaching.
Alabama's veteran population exceeds 400,000, and the Veterans Week observance runs Nov. 5-11. The extraction does not provide the restoration cost or job-placement figures for the new programs.
The players
Kay Ivey
Kay Ivey is the Governor of Alabama who issued the Veterans Week proclamation and whose term ends in January 2027.
Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs
The Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs is the cabinet-level state agency that operates the veterans home, cemeteries and a statewide network of Veterans Service Offices.
The details
The proclamation recognizes veterans statewide, while the Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs worked with state and local partners to restore the Command Sgt. Maj. Bennie G. Adkins State Veterans Home after an April 2025 fire that caused no injuries. Residents returned in late September, and the state broke ground on the Alabama State Veterans Memorial Cemetery - North Alabama in mid-October.
Timeline
- April 2025: Fire damaged the Command Sgt. Maj. Bennie G. Adkins State Veterans Home.
- Late September 2025: Residents returned to the restored home.
- Mid-October 2025: Groundbreaking for the North Alabama veterans cemetery.
- Nov. 5-11, 2026: Veterans Week observance.
- Jan. 18, 2027: Governor Ivey's term ends.
Roadmap
Senate Bill 70 established a public-private partnership to create the Alabama Veterans Resource Center, and this year's Veterans Week and service expansions extend that statewide framework. The state's broader effort now includes housing restoration, a new cemetery and expanded employment preferences for military spouses.
Alabama veterans and military spouses can use the expanded employment preferences and temporary teaching certification pathway to pursue civilian work. Veterans can also consult local Veterans Service Offices for help accessing state benefits such as the homestead exemption, which no longer requires annual verification for qualifying disabled veterans.
The takeaway
Veterans and military spouses in Alabama have new employment and certification pathways, and local Veterans Service Offices can help navigate state benefits. Reviewing eligibility early can make these changes easier to use.
What happens next
Veterans Week observance runs Nov. 5-11, and Governor Ivey's term ends Jan. 18, 2027.
Further reading
Explore more on Military Jobs in Alabama.
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