The Oklahoma Veterans Commission announced Monday the selection of another retired admiral to head the Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs, an agency embroiled in controversy since 2023.

Retired Rear Adm. James (Jay) Bynum will assume his duties Aug. 1, succeeding retired Rear Adm. Greg Slavonic, who will be leaving after leading the veterans agency since March 2023.

In announcing the appointment, the commission said Bynum would bring “a wealth of experience and a deep commitment to serving the veteran community” after three decades of operational leadership, government finance, data analytics and congressional relations experience.

Earlier the commission had said it received nearly 50 applicants for the position and interviewed half a dozen in person. Slavonic announced his intention to retire in April, but agreed to remain in his post until a successor was found.

Slavonic was named to head the agency after a 2023 conflict between Joel Kintsel, then its executive director, and Gov. Kevin Stitt.

Kintsel, who had run unsuccessfully against Stitt in the 2022 Republican primary for governor, was fired after a dispute over appointments to the Veterans Commission, refusing at one point even to allow commissioners to meet inside the building because he claimed they had been illegally appointed by the governor.

Four of the nine commission positions remain unfilled.

Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs in legal battle with contractors over Sallisaw veterans facility

During the same time period it became known that a new veterans facility being constructed in Sallisaw would not open on time and would require extensive modifications because of errors made in the design process. Revisions were estimated to cost more than $20 million.

The agency has filed a lawsuit against two contractors accused of negligence in designing the new 175-bed facility. It said design firm Orcutt Winslow and Cooper Project Advisors were responsible for the multi-million-dollar mistakes that held up completion of the center.

According to the lawsuit filed in Sequoyah County, the department hired Cooper to represent and advise it during the design phase of the project. Orcutt Winslow was hired as a subcontractor under the primary construction contractor, Flintco.

During construction, Flintco reportedly encountered numerous issues with the documents Orcutt Winslow submitted. For example, the lawsuit alleges Orcutt Winslow failed to incorporate the correct fire rating required by building codes.

Orcutt Winslow and Cooper have declined to comment on the lawsuit.

A special appropriation from the state legislature was needed to get construction of the center back on track.

The commission said Bynum’s background has included consulting for mid-sized defense engineering and manufacturing companies, and serving as senior fellow at the Potomac Institute for Policy Studies. He has also held positions at the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations in Washington, D.C., and served as a military legislative assistant/confrere for the staff of the late U.S. Sen. John McCain.

Bynum graduated from the University of Oklahoma’s Navy ROTC program and earned a Bachelor of Arts in management of information systems at OU. The commission said he completed the Capitol Hill Fellow program at Georgetown University, and received executive education from the Harvard Kennedy School, the Kenan-Flagler Business School at the University of North Carolina, and the Naval Post Graduate School. He holds subspecialties in financial management and strategy. 

His operational assignments include tours with Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 113, VFA-22 and a tour under the services Personnel Exchange Program where he deployed with the U.S. Air Force’s 94th Fighter Squadron. He commanded VFA-27, as part of the forward deployed U.S. Naval Forces in Japan, and Carrier Air Wing 3 as part of the Harry S. Truman Strike Group where he deployed in support of Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom respectively.

The department currently operates five facilities for veterans in Claremore, Ardmore, Sulphur, Norman and Lawton. A center in Talihina was recently closed in anticipation of opening the Sallisaw facility this fall.

After a meeting last month, the commission announced it was giving consideration to reducing the number of beds at its facilities throughout the state. A spokesman for the department said the current occupancy rate at state homes was less than 77% against a goal of 90%.

Oklahoma State football running back Ollie Gordon II was arrested on accusations of driving under the influence early on Sunday, according to multiple reports.

As first reported by News On 6 on Monday night — citing a probable cause affidavit from the Oklahoma Highway Patrol — Gordon was pulled over on Interstate 35 near Moore, south of Oklahoma City, after a trooper reported Gordon driving 82 mph in a 65 mph speed limit zone and swerving through traffic.

Here is everything to know of Gordon’s reported arrest:

More: Oklahoma State football recruiting tracker: Which players are committed to 2025 class?

Ollie Gordon arrest details

According to additional reporting by Oklahoma City-based KOCO, the trooper who pulled Gordon over at roughly 2:30 a.m. reported smelling “an odor associated with an alcoholic beverage” from Gordon, who is 20 years old. Gordon reportedly denied drinking, saying he had been around friends who were. He then reportedly refused to take a field sobriety test before telling the trooper he had consumed one alcoholic beverage.

The trooper then reportedly asked Gordon whether he had any alcohol in the vehicle, to which Gordon replied he had two open containers of liquor. The trooper then reported finding “a half-full bottle of lemonade vodka and a half-full bottle of tequila,” per the report.

Per the report, the trooper again asked Gordon whether he would take a field sobriety test, which he again refused. He was then arrested on complaints of DUI under the age of 21, transporting an open container of alcohol, failing to manage a single lane of traffic and speeding 16-20 mph over the speed limit.

Gordon reportedly had a blood alcohol content (BAC) of .11 and .10 when tested twice at the jail. The legal drinking limit in the state of Oklahoma is a .08 BAC.

More: Why Oklahoma State commit Adam Schobel wanted to be a quarterback ‘ever since I was little’

Oklahoma State statement

When reached by the USA TODAY Network for comment on Gordon’s reported arrest, an Oklahoma State spokesman said the university is aware of the situation but has no further comments at this time.

Gordon, listed as a junior on OSU’s football roster, is coming off a season in which he won the Doak Walker Award as the nation’s top running back. The Fort Worth, Texas, native is coming off a breakout season in which he rushed 285 times for 1,732 yards (6.1 yards per attempt) and 21 touchdowns.

This story will be updated.

Today is a historic day for the University of Oklahoma. The Sooners are officially SEC members and have left the Big 12 after years of dominating the conference.

Monday is a day of jubilation in Norman, with a flurry of activities and events planned to commemorate the historic move to the nation’s premier conference. The addition of four-star wide receiver Cortez Mills only adds to the excitement for the Sooners.

Mills, a terrific wideout out of Florida, chose the Sooners over offers from Clemson, Nebraska, LSU, and Florida. Oklahoma hosted Mills on an official visit in the spring, and he made it known then how much of a fan he was of what the Sooners were about.

🚨BREAKING🚨 4-star WR Cortez Mills has committed to Oklahoma⭕️

More from @ChadSimmons_: https://t.co/UmMF4EMn2l pic.twitter.com/EfKvgppX94

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— On3 Recruits (@On3Recruits) July 1, 2024

Emmett Jones built a strong relationship with the Mills, and the other 2025 wide receiver commits for OU also helped chip in. In short, Oklahoma stole Mills from Clemson’s hands, and the Sooners effectively stopped. Clemson entered the summer as the presumptive favorite, and Oklahoma made that ground up to overtake the lead.

After his official visit, the whispers around Oklahoma got louder, and ultimately, the Sooners and Jones earned his commitment.

With Mills on board, the Sooners bring in the No. 196-ranked player in the 247Sports rankings and the 88th-ranked overall prospect in 247’s Composite rankings. He’s a consensus four-star prospect on every primary recruiting service.

Mills wins with long speed and athleticism, allowing him to turn 50/50 balls into 70/30 balls. He will be an excellent addition to the Sooners and should thrive winning on the outside in this offense.

Brent Venables’ team now has 20 commits for the 2025 class, passing Texas A&M and the Oregon Ducks to possess the fifth-ranked recruiting class in the 247Sports team recruiting rankings.

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