Gov. Scott Walker appointed Daniel Zimmerman to serve as secretary of the state Department of Veterans Affairs on Thursday.
Zimmerman is a retired lieutenant colonel who served for 25 years in the U.S. Army, retiring in 2008. He is a decorated combat veteran.
Daniel Zimmerman has been tapped as Wisconsin’s next Veterans Affairs Secretary. Courtesy of Gov. Scott Walker’s office
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Walker said one of Zimmerman’s highest priorities in office will be improving communication between the department and veterans service organizations and officers.
“We serve some of our most vulnerable veterans at our veterans’ homes, and I expect nothing short of the best when it comes to the care of these patriots,” Walker said in a prepared statement.
The governor has also directed to the new secretary to immediately conduct a “thorough assessment” of the operations at Wisconsin’s veterans homes. The state’s largest, the Wisconsin Veterans Home at King, is currently undergoing a state audit in response to allegations of poor conditions and resident care.
“‘Serving those who have served’ will be our guiding principle at WDVA,” Zimmerman said in a prepared statement. “It will be engrained in every action we take. I thank Governor Walker for trusting me to lead the department. I’m ready to get to work.”
Zimmerman replaces former Secretary John Scocos, who left office last month.
Editor’s note: This article has been updated with original reporting from WPR.
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