(a) There is created within the state government a Department of Veterans Service. The Department of Veterans Service shall be administered by a commissioner of veterans service and a Veterans Service Board comprised of seven members appointed by the Governor. The commissioner of veterans service shall be the executive officer of the department and shall be charged with the administrative responsibilities of the department in conformity with the orders, rules, and regulations of the Veterans Service Board. The original appointments of the members of the board shall be for terms of one, two, three, four, five, six, and seven years, respectively. Except in cases of vacancy, all terms and appointments of members of the Veterans Service Board after the original appointments shall be for seven years. No person shall be appointed to the Veterans Service Board and no person shall be eligible for the office of commissioner of veterans service except persons who have honorably served not less than three months in the armed services of the United States during a war in which the United States was engaged. All persons serving as members of the board or as commissioner under the terms of this article shall be residents of this state for a period of five years unless they were residents of this state at the time they volunteered, enlisted, or were inducted in the armed services of the United States. There shall be a chairman, vice-chairman, and secretary of the Veterans Service Board annually elected from among its own membership.

(b) The members of the Veterans Service Board shall be confirmed by the Senate. All members of the board and the commissioner of veterans service shall hold office until their successors are appointed and qualified. Any appointment of a member of the board for a full term made when the Senate is not in session shall be effective only until the same is acted upon by the Senate.

(c) As used in this article, the term "commissioner" shall mean the "commissioner of veterans service."