Press Releases
01/15/2018
Gov. Malloy Selects Thomas J. Saadi as Veterans Affairs Commissioner
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(HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Dannel P. Malloy today announced that he is nominating Thomas J. Saadi of Danbury to serve as Commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA).
Saadi, who is also a Major in the U.S. Army Reserve serving with the 411th Civil Affairs Battalion, has been serving as Acting Commissioner of DVA since October 2017. He joined the department in May 2015, first as its General Counsel and then as Chief of Staff. Immediately prior to that, he served as an Assistant Attorney General and Special Prosecutor, during which he was responsible for litigating numerous cases and supervising investigations to stop false and deceptive practices and recover funds for the State of Connecticut.
He received his commission in the Army Reserve in 2005, and completed officer basic training in 2006, officer advanced training in 2014, and Command and General Staff College in 2016, graduating in the top 20 percent of his class.
“Our veterans, active duty military personnel, and their families can face significant challenges, and it is the responsibility of state government to ensure that they have access to the resources and tools they need, whether they are currently serving, just returned from deployment, or finished their service years ago,” Governor Malloy said. “Our veterans have worked to ensure that we continue enjoying the freedoms we are blessed to have day in and day out, and it is important that we honor them by ensuring support is there for them when they need it the most. Tom’s experience in the U.S. Army Reserve, coupled with his years of service in state government serving veterans, will continue to be a benefit at the agency, and I think him for accepting the nomination.”
The mission of DVA is to provide care for the approximately 200,000 veterans living in Connecticut and their dependents.
“I want to thank Governor Malloy for his confidence in first appointing me Acting Commissioner of the Department of Veterans Affairs and now nominating me for the position of Commissioner,” Saadi said. “It has been and honor for me to be part of a great team at the department, and to work with our statewide veteran organizations, the DVA Board of Trustees, state and federal partners, and our volunteers in our collective mission of ‘serving those who served.’ I look forward to continuing this mission as Commissioner and to serving our veterans and service members with compassion and professionalism.”
Prior to his current assignment as Chief Legal Officer of the 411th Civil Affairs Battalion, Saadi served in the 4th Legal Operations Detachment, providing legal support at active duty installations domestically and abroad. He has received several awards and commendations including the Meritorious Service Medal, multiple Army Commendation and Army Achievement medals.
He is a graduate of Western Connecticut State University and received his Juris Doctor from Quinnipiac College School of Law (cum laude). He serves on the Danbury City Council and is a member of American Legion Post 60 in Danbury, Catholic War Veterans Post 1042 in Danbury, the 4th JAG Officers Association, and the Reserve Officers Association. He remains active with many civic and social organizations and has served on several of their boards of directors.
He lives in Danbury with his wife Valerie Ventura-Saadi and their twin children, Sabrina and Jacob.
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