Veterans understand accountability. In the military, no leader is above review, and no mission succeeds without trust. Which is why, after reading all the recent news stories on the Easterseals Military and Veterans Campus in Franklin, the veteran community deserves a renewed effort, one that aims to address the concerns expressed by many veterans and residents.
The Veterans Campus opened this fall with strong public support and a compelling mission — a space built with veterans at the center. State leaders and Easterseals officials spoke of dignity, support and stability for those who have already sacrificed enough.
However, in the months since its opening, a troubling picture has emerged, and when multiple senior leaders walk away from a mission-driven project simultaneously, veterans take notice.
There has been a wave of leadership departures. Four senior leaders associated with the campus resigned in quick succession, including the campus’s Executive Director, retired Brig. Gen. Allen Aldenberg. According to public reports, several former leaders cited concerns about mismanagement and the project’s direction. One departing senior staff member wrote that he could no longer work under a leadership structure that lacked “the understanding, commitment, and respect necessary to operate an organization intended to serve veterans.”
Other veterans living on the campus have raised concerns that cut to the heart of its purpose. Some residents say they feel like fundraising props rather than partners in a supportive community. Others question whether Easterseals has prioritized revenue-generating activities over veteran services.
One of the most confusing issues involves how the campus itself has been described. Early plans and public statements referenced short-term “respite” beds and retreat-style accommodations for veterans. However, more recent reporting shows that these features either do not exist or have been redefined. References to a hotel and conference space appeared and disappeared from the campus’s own website, adding to confusion about whether parts of the facility are meant primarily for veterans or for outside groups.
Former staff have stated that the promised respite beds are not in place. Instead, overnight accommodations appear tied to conferences or limited veteran access under specific conditions. For veterans who were told this campus would offer a supportive environment and flexible access to services, this shift feels like a broken promise.
Day-to-day experiences reported by residents raise additional concerns. One veteran described receiving eviction notices that had been slipped under his door despite having payment arrangements in place. Another noted that donated food meant for a community space was ordered to be thrown out because it could be seen as an unlicensed food pantry. These may sound like minor issues, but to veterans seeking stability, they signal something deeper about priorities and culture.
Easterseals leadership has said the campus is a complex project still finding its footing and has emphasized its commitment to veterans. But explanations focused on “adjustments” do not fully address why so many former staff and residents are describing similar concerns.
This is not about assigning blame. It is about accountability. The veteran’s campus was built with public support and public dollars because veterans’ needs are real and urgent. Veterans, their families, and taxpayers deserve to know whether the project is being carried out as promised and whether decisions align with the mission that justified its creation.
With the onboarding of Ana McKenna as Interim Director of Easterseals, I’m hopeful that she is able to move this project in the right direction and ensure that veterans in the Granite State get the services that we have been promised. It’s up to all of us to ensure that this issue is properly addressed rather than being swept under the rug.
Walter King is a retired U.S. Army Reserve captain. He lives in Dover.