4. This section does not apply when the position to be filled is that of an administrative head of a department required by law or the chief deputy or private secretary of an elected or appointed official. Temporary committees and individual or group appointments made by the governor or legislative assembly are also excepted from the provisions of this section. If an exempt position is advertised, the advertisement must state that veterans' preference does not apply to the position being advertised.

3. When a veteran applies for employment to a position that is being filled through a competitive personnel system, the officer, board, or person whose duty it is to employ an individual to fill the available position shall investigate the qualifications of the veteran. If the veteran is found to possess the qualifications required for the position applied for, whether educational or by way of prior experience, and is physically and mentally able to perform the duties of the position applied for, the officer, board, or person shall employ the following:

2. When a veteran applies for employment to a position that is not being filled through a competitive personnel system, the officer, board, or person whose duty it is to employ an individual to fill the available position shall investigate the qualifications of the veteran. If the veteran is found to possess the qualifications required for the position applied for, whether educational or by way of prior experience, and is physically and mentally able to perform the duties of the position applied for, the officer, board, or person shall employ the veteran.

1. Veterans are entitled to preference, over all other applicants, in recruitment and selection processes by governmental agencies, provided that such veteran is a United States citizen at the time of application for employment. Veterans qualified for preference may not be disqualified from holding any position with an agency because of physical or mental disability, unless the disability renders them unable to properly perform the duties of the position applied for. To receive veterans' preference, an applicant must submit the following documentation:

The state accepts the conditions imposed by an Act of Congress, entitled "An act to provide aid to state or territorial homes for the support of disabled soldiers and sailors in the United States, approved August 27, 1888", and the various amendments thereto.

All lands granted by the United States or by this state for the veterans' home are set apart for the support of the home. The proceeds from the sales of these lands are pledged as a perpetual fund for the use and benefit of the home.

If the veterans' home is full and a waiting list for admission is necessary, further admission to the veterans' home must be according to priorities for admission to the facility appropriate to the different levels of care that are provided by the veterans' home. The priorities for admission must be established by rule as provided under chapter 28-32.

1. An applicant may not be admitted to the veterans' home unless the applicant is a bona fide resident of this state preceding the applicant's application for admission. The residency requirement may be waived if the applicant served in a North Dakota regiment or was accredited to this state.

2. The spouse or surviving spouse of those mentioned in subsection 1 of section 37-15-02 may be admitted upon the same footing as the veteran.

The administrator of the veterans' home shall appoint all necessary subordinate officers of the home. In the appointment of the officers, the preference afforded by chapter 37-19.1 must be given to those persons who qualify for the preference. The administrator shall fix the compensation of all subordinate officers, subject to legislative appropriation, and any officer may be removed by the administrator for inefficiency or misconduct.

The appointment, qualifications, term of office, and salary of the administrator of the veterans' home must be as prescribed in section 37-18.1-03. The administrative committee on veterans' affairs may designate the administrator as commandant of the veterans' home if the administrator is an honorably discharged veteran.