Sacramento County is home to roughly 90,000 veterans, but they have a small voice in local government. That’s something the Sacramento Board of Supervisors wants to change.

In January, the board created a Veterans Advisory Commission to advise them about veterans’ issues. The idea came from a young gunnery sergeant who approached Supervisor Sue Frost with the observation that veterans were underrepresented at the county.

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Frost did some digging and discovered that just one seat on more than 100 county boards and commissions is designated for a veteran ­— a cemetery advisory commission.

“It completely shocked me,” Frost says. “Veterans need to have a voice.”
Frost says she hopes the commission, made up of veterans, will lead to some hard conversations and on things government officials haven’t thought of or seen. The commission will be tasked with reporting its findings to the board once a year.

“I really think that’s going to empower them and elevate them in the region,” Frost says. “I want to make sure I’m looking at all sides of every issue.”

The commission is made up of five veterans serving two-year terms, who are appointed by each of the board’s five supervisors.