diabetes Va Secretary Announces Resignation

[betrayed]

:D

VA Media Relations <va.media.relations@va.gov>

to VANEWS-L

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11:33 am (3 minutes ago)

Recent VA News Releases

To view and download VA news release, please visit the following

Internet address:

http://www.va.gov/opa/pressrel

Nicholson to leave VA and Return to the Private Sector

Under his Leadership, VA Makes Strides in Health Care and IT

Modernization

WASHINGTON (July 17, 2007) -- Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Jim

Nicholson announced today he has tendered his resignation to President

George W. Bush, effective no later than October 1, 2007.

Under Nicholson's leadership, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)

continued its evolution as a leader in health care innovations, medical

research, education services, home loan and other benefits to veterans.

He transformed the VA health care system to meet the unique medical

requirements of the returning combatants from Iraq and Afghanistan.

In his letter of resignation, Nicholson praised and thanked the

President for the honor of serving him and our Nation's veterans in this

key post at such a "critical time in our nation's global war on terror."

"The VA is a dynamic organization dedicated to serving our nation's

finest citizens - our veterans," Nicholson said. "It has been an honor

and privilege to lead the VA during this historic time for our men and

women who have worn the uniform. We have accomplished so much and the

VA is always striving to improve our services to veterans."

Nicholson said he wants to return to the private sector. "This coming

February, I turn 70 years old, and I feel it is time for me to get back

into business, while I still can." He said he has no definite plans at

this time.

He also addressed an assembled group of Washington VA employees and

those watching around the country on VA's closed-circuit television. In

his message to employees, Nicholson told them how privileged he felt to

have worked with them in fulfilling our nation's promises and

obligations to its veterans.

"VA has come a long way in meeting the growing needs and expectations of

our veterans and you deserve the credit", Nicholson said.

Nicholson, a Vietnam Veteran, was sworn in as Secretary of Veterans

Affairs on February 1, 2005.

During Secretary Nicholson's tenure at the Department of Veterans

Affairs:

* Directed each of our veterans of the global war on terror who come

to the VA for any kind of care to be carefully screened for brain damage

(TBI) and post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

* Hired 100 new Outreach Coordinators to provide services to

returning OIF/OEF veterans. The new coordinators are located in Vet

Centers throughout the country especially near our military processing

stations.

* Created a new Advisory Committee on OIF/OEF Veterans and their

families to advise him on ways to improve programs serving OIF/OEF

veterans.

* Directed the Veterans Benefits Administration to give priority to

Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom (OIF/OEF)

veterans in its compensation and pension claim system.

* Launched a major information technology transformation in the VA

with the way it uses and safeguards personal and health information of

veterans.

* Created a new Office of Operations, Security, and Preparedness to

deal with emergency planning and security.

Initiated the overhaul of the VA's vast contracting and acquisitions

systems.

* Created a blue ribbon Genomic Research Advisory Committee to use

the VA's expansive medical data holdings to advance the science of

predictive medicine.

* Commenced a major campaign to reduce the high rate of diabetes in

veterans.

* Launched a national effort in the Veterans Health Administration to

eradicate staph infections in VA hospitals.

* Approved 82 new Community-Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOC) to bring

VA top notch care closer to the veterans who have earned it.

* Created a new multi-campus Nursing Academy through partnership with

the nursing schools throughout the country to help address a shortage of

nurses within the VA and nationwide.

* Directed the hiring of suicide prevention counselors at each of

VA's 153 facilities to strengthen one of the nation's largest mental

health programs. He also established a 24-hour national suicide

prevention hotline that will be operational by the end of July 2007.

* Hired 100 new Patient Care Advocates to help severely injured

veterans and their families manage VA's system for health care and

financial benefits.

* Led the President's recent Task Force on Returning Global War on

Terror Heroes to improve the delivery of federal services and benefits

to Global War on Terror service members and veterans.

"This is a very big Government agency that, among many other things,

sees over 1 million patients a week in its health care system, and is

doing a world class job," Nicholson said. "The American people can feel

proud about the way we are treating our veterans. The President and the

Congress have been very supportive and for that I am grateful as well."

Nicholson thanked the President, "he has given me terrific opportunities

to serve my country and under his strong and supportive leadership, it

has been a real privilege."

Nicholson left the private business world over 10 years, where he ran a

successful residential development and construction company. He was

elected Chairman of the Republican National Committee in January 1997.

Immediately prior to becoming Secretary, he served as the U.S.

Ambassador to the Holy See.

[john999]

The current secretary was the Devil we knew.

[Berta]

Yeah-I just got this-

an hour ago Jeff emailed me that the hearing I mentioned yesterday was cancelled-Vets Edu Benefit hearing on the hill---

I knew something seemed funny about that-

Lets call Anthony Principi up and bring him back----

[huskerfanfl]

I am not sure we will not get someone even worse. I know that when I submitted a claim in 1993, I got a whopping 10% disability. After I went back on active duty and retired, I submitted a claim for most of the exact same things in 2004, I was rated at 50% and am now at 70%. I know a lot of folks have problems with the secretary and I am not defending him, but the VA has treated me well. In fact, I have a physical therapy screening appointment this afternoon and I called my primary care doc just last month. I also got into mental health within two weeks of calling for my initial visit.

[Pete53]

Nicholson was the worst that I have known. He was downright evil in my opinion. No one could be worse and whoever it is has to be confirmed.

[john999]

I think Nicholson was just a party hack. They gave him the VA job as a reward. I bet he thought it would be an easy job and plenty of time to play golf. That shows the lack of respect they have for vets to put a hack like Nicholson in charge. I have always thought the war was right here at home and not in Iraq. The VA appointees have their marching orders. I was listening to C-Span today and they had some VA official trying to say that mental health funtions could be done by primary care doctors and that psychiatrists were just for the severely disturbed. The VA is having plenty of trouble attacting psychiatrists to the VA and they don't want to pay them, so get the overworked primary care doctor to do it. They are trying to piss up our backs and tell us it is rain water.

[Stretch]

This is the forth bad tooth that had to be pulled. Now we need a solid bridge.