Adjutant General details MVAD workload and forwards Fort Harrison concerns to federal VA; public accuses VA supervisor of misconduct

Brigadier General Trenton Gibson, the Adjutant General and director of the Montana Department of Military Affairs, told the State Administration and Veterans Affairs Interim Committee on Jan. 29 that Montana’s Veterans Affairs Division (MVAD) operates nine veteran service officer (VSO) offices serving all 56 counties and tribal nations and that in fiscal year 2025 more than $487,000,000 in federal, tax‑free benefits were paid to Montana veterans. "These funds go directly into the veterans' pockets and into local economies across the state," Gibson said during a presentation on MVAD operations and outreach.

Gibson outlined how accredited VSOs work — assessing eligibility, preparing and submitting claims, representing veterans in appeals, and conducting outreach — and emphasized that MVAD’s staff must be accredited by the VA and maintain continuing education and background checks. He said the agency has added three administrative assistant positions and created a new outreach FTE; the division estimates Montana veterans will receive about $550,000,000 in federal benefits by the end of fiscal year 2026. Gibson said the recently launched interactive website (veterans.montana.gov) and an upcoming marketing campaign are intended to better inform veterans about MVAD’s no‑cost services and to counter unaccredited fee‑based operators sometimes called "claim sharks."

The committee then turned to allegations raised in prior testimony about conduct inside the Fort Harrison VA Medical Center. Gibson said MVAD’s judge advocate general transmitted the full documentation packet to leadership at the federal VA in Montana and that the department does not have jurisdiction over federal VA medical centers. "While this boundary is established by law, jurisdictional limits do not lessen our concern," Gibson said, adding that MVAD stands ready to cooperate within the bounds of state authority.

During public comment that followed, Phillipsburg resident Dave Kessler described allegations he said he had received from multiple hospital employees about sexualized behavior and unsafe supervision at Fort Harrison. "The female employees that I've talked to said that the pelvic thrusting towards their faces has stopped, but none of the other behaviors has ended," Kessler said, and added that many employees fear retaliation if they report misconduct. He also alleged longstanding operational issues at the hospital's radiology department, including an MRI described to him as defective.

Veterans advocates in the room urged the committee to consider state responses to "claim sharks" — unaccredited consultants who charge veterans to prepare claims — while noting federal law governs VA claims representation. Shannon Wilson, the VFW’s national legislative committee person for Montana, referenced a recent federal court decision striking down a Louisiana law and warned states against attempts to create fee schemes that could conflict with federal protections for veterans.

Committee members asked MVAD to return with follow‑up information, including a status check on the new administrative hires and more detail about which federal VA office received the Fort Harrison packet; Gibson said he would provide the requested names and follow up on VA receipt. The committee also confirmed it had forwarded citizen testimony and documents to the VA Inspector General and encouraged potential whistleblowers to seek available protections.

Next steps: MVAD committed to data‑driven monitoring of caseloads and outreach results and to provide the committee with a status update before the next legislative session. The committee also requested copies of relevant handouts and model legislation examples related to state responses to unaccredited consultants.