The veterans service commission may employ an executive director, who shall be a veteran and shall be employed in the unclassified service, and such investigators and clerks as are necessary to perform the duties of the commission. Each investigator and clerk shall be a veteran or, if a qualified veteran is not available, the spouse, surviving spouse, child, or parent of a veteran. Each shall be employed in the classified service and is exempt from civil service examination. The compensation of such investigators and clerks shall be established by the commission, and shall be paid from the county allotment of veterans service funds.