Office of The Secretary

Major General (Ret) Kendall Penn was appointed as the 2nd Secretary of the Arkansas Department of Veterans Affairs on 10 January 2023. He had previously served for over 34 years in the Arkansas National Guard, culminating as the Adjutant General, a position he held for 3 years.

Kendall’s military career began upon his enlistment in the Arkansas National Guard in May 1982 with Company B/212th Signal Battalion in Benton, Arkansas. He was later commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant of Infantry upon graduating from the Reserve Officer Training Corps program at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. During his career, Kendall held every leadership position in Infantry formations from platoon leader to brigade commander, including command of 1st Battalion 153d Infantry and the 39th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, both while deployed to Baghdad, Iraq.

Kendall’s awards include the Defense Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star with oak leaf cluster, the Combat Infantryman’s Badge, the Expert Infantryman’s Badge, the Senior Parachutist Badge, the Pathfinder Badge, the Air Assault Badge, and the Ranger Tab. Kendall received his Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and a Masters in Strategic Studies from the US Army War College.

He is a lifetime member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the American Legion, the Disabled Veterans of America, and the National Guard Association of Arkansas. He is married to the former Amy Dawson. They have 3 daughters, Julie, Becca, and Lois and 4 grandchildren: Gus, Claire, Jed, and Roselyn.

Scott Stanger is the Deputy Secretary Chief of Staff of the Arkansas Department of Veterans Affairs. He previously served as the Chief of Staff for the Arkansas Department of the Military. He served 33 years as an Army officer ending his career as the Director of the Joint Staff. Prior to serving on active duty, he was a Registered Nurse working in the Operating Room at Washington Regional Medical Center in Fayetteville Arkansas and St. Vincent Hospital in Little Rock. He served in various command and staff assignments. Scott has operated at high levels in government including Agency, Legislative, and Executive branches. Scott has consulted with pipeline companies helping them navigate through government environmental rules and regulations. He has knowledge of government organization,

legislative, and rulemaking processes. He has briefed and interacted with Ministers of Defense of Bosnia, and Guatemala, and several high-ranking politician and General Officers in Iraq and Kuwait. Scott has a vast knowledge in financial operations, Human Resources, and talent management. He has led small teams and large organizations up to 1,300 employees. Scott also has experience in public affairs, external communications, community outreach, and recruiting. He is currently responsible for 155 employees. Scott has a current active RN license. Scott is married to Errin Stanger and they have 6 kids.

Assistant Director of Long-Term Care
Mariah Borror
Mariah.Borror@arkansas.gov

Director of Veteran Services
Gina Chandler
Gina.Chandler@arkansas.gov

Director of Long-Term Care 
Danny Luncsford
Danny.Luncsford@arkansas.gov