Skip to content
  • Subscribe
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Youtube
  • Instagram
  • Email
  • Home
  • News
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment
  • Features
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe to Ray’s Columns
Suburban Chicagoland

Suburban Chicagoland

Original News, Features & Opinion on Chicago, Illinois and America

  • About
    • About
    • Advertise
    • Our Writers
      • Ray Hanania
      • Bill Lipinski
      • Biography: Aaron Hanania
    • Terms of Service
    • Privacy Policy
    • Reach Out
  • Sections
    • Events
    • Opinion
    • News
    • Features
    • Seniors
    • Comic Strip
  • Library
    • “MIdnight Flight” Online Book
      • Midnight Flight Book Overview
      • Midnight Flight Introduction
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 1
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 2
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 3
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 4
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 5
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 6
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 7
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 8
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 9
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 10
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 11
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 12
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 13
    • Villages, Cities & Towns
    • Federal Office Holders
    • County Officials
    • Legislators
  • Subscribe to Ray’s Columns
  • Comment
  • Podcast
    • Ray Hanania on Politics
    • Two Guys on Politics
    • Hanania on Tiktok
  • News Wire
  • Archive 2004-2013
  • Toggle search form
  • Michael Frerichs Illinois Treasurer
    Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs Announces $50 Million Loan Program to Help Federal Workers During Shutdown Economy
  • Kat Abughazaleh 9th DIstrict Congress 2026 candidate democrat
    Federal Grand Jury in Chicago Indicts Six Individuals on Charges of Impeding Federal Agent Engaged in Immigration Enforcement Operations Civil Rights
  • 05-23-25 Jeffery M. Leving
    Little Girl Rescued from Feared Danger and Reunited with Dad News
  • Hastings insurance legislation
    Hastings announces legislation to ensure fair homeowners insurance rates for Illinois families Business
  • Mahnoor Ahmad campaign photo
    Mahnoor Ahmad runs for DuPage County Board seat Democrat
  • Sunday, October 26, the Village of Orland Park formally rededicated its Village Hall in honor of the late former Mayor Fredrick T. Owens
    Village of Orland Park Rededicates Village Hall in Honor of Late Former Mayor Fredrick T. Owens Government
  • Fire at townhome at 13900 block of Berkhansted Court in Orland Park, just before midnight on Monday, Oct. 27, 2025
    Firefighter treated for dehydration battling townhouse fire in Orland Park – no residents injured Fire
  • Firefighters with the Orland Fire Protection District who responded to a fire in an apartment at 15200 block of Al Camino Terrace on Saturday morning said the next day that they did find a kitten that needed respiratory aid that they saved.
    FIRE UPDATE: Fire District releases photos of kitten saved from Orland Park apartment fire Saturday Features
  • two-story apartment building on the 15200 block of El Camino Terrace in Orland Park
    Orland Park apartment fire Saturday morning, no injuries Fire
  • Illinois Senator Michael Hastings addressing the Orland Township Democratic Organization Wednesday Oct. 12, 2022
    Hastings calls for bipartisan action to protect Illinois families from SNAP benefit shutdown Baby Boomers
  • Illinios Industrial Energy Consumers, information ad
    Get information on the Illinois Energy Omnibus Bill in Springfield Business
  • State Senator Mike Porfirio secured over $20 million to support infrastructure improvements and construction in the 11th Senate District.
    Senator Porfirio applauds more than $20 million in infrastructure repairs coming to the 11th District News
  • Dad and daughter reunited Lebving Law firm photo
    Little Girl Recovered and Reunited with Dad After Long Separation Dads' Rights
  • 11-03-25 OFPD Coffee living alone
    Orland Fire hosts meeting on helping Seniors who live alone Nov. 5 Baby Boomers
  • State Senator Michael Hastings introduces law to revive long dormant and degraded Tinley Park Mental Health Center into a Sports Park for the community. Photo courtesy of the State Senate President Don Harmon
    Hastings secures $250,000 grant for Easterseals Academy’s Tinley Park campus Health
Stephen Curda, Illinois Director of the Department of Veterans Affairs, photo courtesy of Linkedin.com

Curda appointed Director of the Illinois Dept. of Veterans Affairs

Posted on September 24, 2018November 10, 2018 By News Editor No Comments on Curda appointed Director of the Illinois Dept. of Veterans Affairs
SHARE THIS STORY
            
 
  

Curda appointed Director of the Illinois Dept. of Veterans Affairs

By Jerry Field, Veteran Correspondent

Jerry FieldRetired Brigadier General Stephen K. Curda, Ph.D. was appointed as the Director of the Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs (IDVA) by Governor Rauner on June 5, 2018. He is responsible for nearly 1300 employees of the IDVA and manages a budget of approximately $150 million. Dr. Curda leads a team of professionals that serves more than 720,000 veterans across the State of Illinois.

Dr. Curda has served in the US military for over 30 years covering active duty, Guard and Reserve positions.

He has commanded units at every echelon from platoon, company, battalion, brigade and two general officer level commands. He is an Operation IRAQI FREEDOM (OIF) and Operation ENDURING FREEDOM (OEF) veteran having deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan.

His numerous awards and decorations include the Army Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, the Joint Service Commendation Medal, the Army Service Commendation Medal, the Army Service Achievement Medal, various campaign and service medals and the parachutist badge to include foreign jump wings from Canada and Italy.

Stephen Curda, Illinois Director of the Department of Veterans Affairs, photo courtesy of Linkedin.com
Stephen Curda, Illinois Director of the Department of Veterans Affairs, photo courtesy of Linkedin.com

Dr. Curda is a graduate of the U.S. Army War College and holds a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology and Instructional Technology.

Prior to serving in this position, Dr. Curda served as a tenured Associate Professor at the National College of Education and as Senior Advisor to the President of the University on Veteran Student education issues. He has previously held faculty positions at Florida State University, the University of Toledo, and the University of West Florida as a professor of Instructional Technology. He has served in a variety of administrative positions, to include Vice-President of Argosy University Online, and Director of Distance Learning with both the Joint Special Operations University in Hurlburt Field, Florida, and the Air University at Maxwell Air Force Base in Alabama.

Dr. Curda and his wife, Dr. Leslie Curda, five children- Riley, Piper, Major, Glory, and Saylor.

Dr. Curda outlined his immediate four point program for the IDVA this year. The first point is the Quincy Veterans Home (Quincy, IL) that is well under an accelerated rehabilitation program that is making progress to an orderly fashion. Some patients are relocated so the reconstruction work can be completed rapidly without inconvenience to the residents. The Chicago Veteran Home on North Oak Park Ave in Chicago has a final set of revised plans with the work moving closely to the expected timetable to opening next year. The second goal is better communication with the over three quarters of a million Veterans in Illinois. A recent survey taken by the McCormick Foundation indicated that just over 50% of veterans are not taking advantage of the services offered by the Veterans Administration (VA) for health care and cooperating agencies for family services, job placement and other services. I am setting up a program to allow our 34 field offices to have a checklist to ask Veterans if they are aware of the many services offered and can our IDVA staff help direct the Veterans to the service centers.

Several counties in Illinois have set up Veteran discount cards. You’ll need your DD 214 and you can register at any county office in an emergency. The county office has a record of your DD214. Another IDVA department goal is an updated data base, and automated system to distribute information on benefits, events, services and special programs in timely fashion.

The fourth goal is to have our 70 Veteran Service Officers (VSO) in 80 counties in Illinois who see 1200 Veterans a week  be sure they are aware of all the benefits and service available to them.

When asked if the Director had just four goals, He indicated that more goals and improved service will be instituted shortly.

UpComing:  Plan on Sunday November 4, at 11 AM the Mayfair Veterans Memorial (Lawrence and Keeler) to start the Veterans Day week. The event is sponsored by Alderman Marge Laurino, 39th ward and the Mayfair Veterans Committee.

newswire info
  • Author
  • Recent Posts
News Editor
News Editor
News Editor at Suburban Chicagoland
Managing Editor and News Editor for stories published in SuburbanChicagoland
News Editor
Latest posts by News Editor (see all)
  • Orland Park apartment fire Saturday morning, no injuries - October 25, 2025
  • Get information on the Illinois Energy Omnibus Bill in Springfield - October 24, 2025
  • Court vacates order of protection, reuniting dad and daughter - September 18, 2025
NPV: 95
  • Tweet

SHARE THIS STORY
            
 
  
 
 
 
           
Veterans, Veterans Column Tags:Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs, Jerry Field, military servicemen, Stephen Curda, veteran services, Vets

Post navigation

Previous Post: Munger named interim DCEO director
Next Post: Leyden dominates Lyons, 31-3

Related Posts

  • Cicero Fire Department responded to a fire at an apartment building just after midnight this morning, Sunday, Jan. 26, 2024 at the 5600 Block of 22nd Place,
    Fire damages 6 apartments in 18-unit Cicero building Sunday, no injuries Crime
  • US Navy Air Fighter Jets. Photo courtesy of the US Navy
    Military News: VAW-124 welcomes new commending officer in change of Command Ceremony Briefs
  • A fire severely damaged a 2nd Floor Apartment at a building at 15100 block of El Cameno Terrace on Saturday night, Jan. 18, 2024
    Fire damages 2nd Floor Orland Park Apartment, no injuries Crime
  • President George W. Bush walks across the tarmac with NFO Lt. Ryan Phillips to Navy One, an S-3B Viking jet, at Naval Air Station North Island in San Diego Thursday, May 1, 2003. Flying to the USS Abraham Lincoln, the President addressed the nation and declared "Mission accomplished" in Iraq to justify diverting forces from Afghanistan. Photo courtesy of Wikipedia
    Right from the Middle: Can we win the war in Ukraine? Bill Lipinski
  • Petty Officer 2nd Class Thomas Anderson, a native of Burbank, Illinois. Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Rusty Pang
    Burbank native joins multinational exercise in Baltic Sea region News
  • Orland Park Police Department courtesy of the Village of Orland Pakr
    Orland Park Police Department Releases Thanksgiving Enforcement Numbers Crime

More Related Articles

Chicago Native Protects U.S. Navy Forces in the Middle East News
Korean War Veterans lithograph Ald. Edward M. Burke. Photo courtesy of Jerry Field Women and men Health Information available at VA Hospitals and Online Features
Military veteran Photo by sydney Rae on Unsplash The Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs announces Veterans’ Grant recipients News
Thank a Veteran this week and every week Veterans
Photo courtesy of the Lyons Democratic Organization Illinois Provides Important Resources for Service Members, Veterans, and their Families Illinois Legislature
Microphone in Radio Studio, Leving Law Firm Leving team reunited two little boys with their dad, after they were taken from him Arthur Kallow

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Login with your Social ID
  • OPINION
  • Cook County Treasurer Maria Papas
    Your Mortgage Company May Pay Your Taxes — But You Still Need to Watch
    October 17, 2025
  • Mohammed Faheem The Lightning Strike Radio Show small
    The Politicization of the Nobel Peace Prize — and Trump’s Fury Over Losing Again
    October 11, 2025
  • 06-04-25 Two Guys on Politics Background Zoom LOGO with images
    Video Podcast: Trump Kimmel Kirk Great American Divide Illegal Aliens polling and Illegal Aliens and ICE
    September 20, 2025
  • Illinois House Speaker Emanuel "Chris" Welch speaking at a West Side affordable housing dedication
    Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch, one of the best candidates to become Illinois Governor
    September 7, 2025
  • Cook County Treasurer Maria Papas
    What You’re Missing on Your Property Tax Bill
    September 5, 2025
Subscribe to Ray Hanania's column graphic

Enter Your Email to Subscribe to Ray Hanania’s Columns

  • The-Kings-Pawn-Book-300-x-300.png

Mohammed Faheem The Lightning Strike Radio

  • NEWS
  • Michael Frerichs Illinois Treasurer
    Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs Announces $50 Million Loan Program to Help Federal Workers During Shutdown
    October 30, 2025
  • Kat Abughazaleh 9th DIstrict Congress 2026 candidate democrat
    Federal Grand Jury in Chicago Indicts Six Individuals on Charges of Impeding Federal Agent Engaged in Immigration Enforcement Operations
    October 30, 2025
  • 05-23-25 Jeffery M. Leving
    Little Girl Rescued from Feared Danger and Reunited with Dad
    October 30, 2025
  • Hastings insurance legislation
    Hastings announces legislation to ensure fair homeowners insurance rates for Illinois families
    October 29, 2025
  • Mahnoor Ahmad campaign photo
    Mahnoor Ahmad runs for DuPage County Board seat
    October 29, 2025
John Kass Columns

Order the book PoweR PR; Ethnic Activists Guide to Strategic Communications

YOUTUBE VIDEOS

CLICK TO SUBSCRIBE TO RAY HANANIA'S YOUTUBE VIDEOS


Click here to view the video on YouTube or use the widget below.

Follow Ray Hanania at
Twitter
Facebook
TitkTok
BlueSky
RayHanania Columns

Creative Commons License
All works on this website is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Do not edit original work. Give credit to the original source.

Categories

Copyright © 2022 Suburban Chicagoland & Urban Strategies Group

Powered by PressBook Premium theme