Veteran issues take center stage at Alaska Governor’s Candidate Forum

As the race for Alaska's highest office intensifies, the state's veteran community—which represents the highest per-capita veteran population in the nation—took center stage at a recent gubernatorial candidates forum at the Glenn Massey Theater in Palmer. Hosted by the Alaska Veteran Community Partnership (AVCP) on March 30, 2026, the "Fireside Forum" brought together key contenders, including Republicans Bernadette Wilson, Adam Crum, and Dave Bronson, alongside Democrat Tom Begich. With an estimated 80% of Alaskans personally connected to someone who has served, the discussion transcended standard campaign rhetoric to address the critical, bipartisan issues facing the state's approximately 70,000 veterans, their families, and their caregivers.

While all the questions came from veterans associated with the AVCP, the first question out of the gate centered veterans and their desire for clear, direct commitments from the candidates, as one of them will lead the state with one of the highest veteran populations in the country.

Candidates were asked to identify one first-100-day policy aimed at directly improving the lives of Alaskan veterans. Here are their answers in the order the candidates were asked.

Dave Bronson said he install into the governor’s office a representative who would directly report on Veterans Affairs. He would also fix the state’s VA website “I’m going to fix it so you can go in there and find out how to access benefits,” he explained. Bronson, a disabled veteran himself said he uses the VA for healthcare and praised the job they do, but that other facilities need to do better.

Matt Heilala said that after having conversations with Verdie Bowen, Director of the Alaska Office of VA, and Dr. Paul Lawrence, Deputy Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), that veterans need greater access and visibility of the benefits available to them, and that would be accomplished through hiring more Veteran Service Officers (VSOs). He said that when Bowen arrived in 2009, there were no staff VSOs and now there are five, thought that is still short of the 18 VSOs allocated. “Enhancing funding for the VSOs…they need more assistance in gaining visibility and access to our veterans in need.”

Adam Crum said that an estimated 37,000 of the 80,000 veterans have signed up for VA services, or even understand the benefits they’re entitled to, and with that in mind, he says he would move the state VA out from the Department of military Veterans Affairs and put it under the Lieutenant Governor’s Office, something he could do under the Alaska Constitution. “I would elevate where the veterans’ issues sit, up to the Lieutenant Governor’s office, so they’re one step away from the Governor, and not buried in a department which has a lot to do.”

Treg Taylor said of the many things the state could do, he would use the PFD system to help enroll veterans into the VA, similar to Florida and Texas. He says that with less than 50% of Alaska veterans enrolled in the VA, it reduces the amount of resources the VA has to assist veterans with the issues they’re facing. “They’ve got great systems in place on the state level to help veterans enroll in the VA, make sure they get the resources they deserve right now.”

Bernadette Wilson said the biggest thing that can be done to help veterans is audit state spending, citing the unfilled Veteran Service Officer positions that are currently funded in the budget. “The money is there. The money is there not only for those positions, but the money is there for a whole host of other veterans’ programs involving outreach and education. It’s not being spent where it should be.” She would also love to see property taxes erased for veterans.

Tom Begich said the number one idea to improve veterans’ lives would be ensuring there is a veteran navigator at the governor’s office, believing that the best way to find out what’s going on in a community is to talk to someone within that community. “(The) Governor gets a number of special assistants. That’ll be one of those special assistants.” He’d also like to see a veterans’ preference for project labor agreements as well as expand access to healthcare and access to resources such as housing.

Shelley Hughes said that aside from meeting with veterans to hear what they believe needs to be addressed and better understand their issues, veteran behavioral health, PTSD, and suicide would be the center of her focus. “PTSD is real and it’s impacting our young soldiers and airmen…as well as our elderly ones.” She said that while there are some services and phone numbers to provide help, veterans are often put on hold or have to work through a network that can resemble a maze, frustrating many.

With Alaska boasting the highest per-capita veteran population in the nation, the 2026 gubernatorial candidates face immense pressure to deliver concrete solutions on healthcare access, housing, and employment. As the crowded field narrows toward the August primary, veterans and their families are looking beyond campaign promises to see which candidate will truly turn policy proposals into tangible support for those who served.