President-elect Joe Biden has selected former Obama White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough as his selection for Veterans Affairs secretary, according to Military Times. If confirmed, McDonough would be the second non-veteran to ever hold the post at the VA. He would be the second member of former President Obama’s national security team to be given a Cabinet level post in the Biden administration. Despite his defense policy ties, McDonough was not a major figure on veterans’ issues under Obama. He oversaw staffing changes and policy responses to the department’s 2014 wait-time scandal. Former secretary David Shulkin is the other non-veteran. “We are surprised by this pick, no way to deny that,” said AMVETS National Executive Director Joe Chenelly. “We were expecting a veteran ... maybe a woman veteran, or maybe a veteran who knows the VA exceptionally well.” (Source: Military Times 12/10/20) https://www.militarytimes.com/news/pentagon-congress/2020/12/10/biden-to-name-former-wh-chief-of-staff-denis-mcdonough-as-va-secretary-nominee/ As deputy national security advisor at the Obama White House, McDonough had a pivotal role helping guide the U.S. military drawdown in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the handling of the attack on the U.S. diplomatic mission in Benghazi, Libya, according to the NY Times in an article from Jan. 17, 2013.
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