Twenty veterans organizations urged President-elect Trump on Wednesday to keep on Veterans Affairs Secretary Bob McDonald in the next administration.
The groups sent a letter that voiced support for “those who have proven their commitment and qualifications to getting it right” and asked that McDonald be able to stay in his role after “leading the largest transformation in the department’s history.”
“As you make your selection for VA secretary, then, we advocate for an approach that recognizes and builds upon current progress,” the letter says. “Given the challenges we face, we cannot afford to start over.”
The letter was organized and led by Got Your 6 executive director Bill Rausch. The groups supporting it include AMVETS, the Institute for Veterans and Military Families, the National Military Family Association, the Service Women’s Action Network, the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors and Wounded Warrior Project.
The groups in the letter join Disabled American Veterans, which called for McDonald to keep his post this week.
President Obama tapped McDonald, the former CEO of Procter and Gamble, in 2014 following the wait-time scandal that saw the ouster of former Secretary Eric Shinseki.
The letter touts McDonald’s accomplishments in the two years at the helm of the department, including the MyVA initiative, which is starting to show tangible results. While only 47 percent of veterans trusted the VA to uphold its commitment to veterans in December 2015, that number was up to 60 percent in June.
Other names that have been floated for consideration to lead the VA include former Massachusetts Sen. Scott Brown and retiring Rep. Jeff Miller, who chairs the House Veterans Affairs Committee.
Trump made improving care for veterans a key part of his presidential campaign rhetoric, but has faced some criticism since being elected. Task and Purpose, a website geared toward vets, slammed the incoming president for making time this week to meet with Kanye West when he has not yet met personally with any veterans service organizations since his election.
