U.S. VETERANS AFFAIRS SECRETARY JAMES NICHOLSON ANNOUNCED TUESDAY HE WOULD RESIGN, LEAVING AN AGENCY THAT HAS BEEN CRITICIZED FOR THE CARE RECEIVED BY IRAQ WAR VETERANS. NICHOLSON, WHOSE RESIGNATION WILL BE BY OCTOBER 1, SAID HE WANTED 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 IN A STATEMENT. NICHOLSON HAS BEEN VETERANS' SECRETARY SINCE EARLY 2005. HE ALSO HAS SERVED IN THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION AS U.S. AMBASSADOR TO THE VATICAN. THE VETERANS AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT AND THE PENTAGON HAVE BEEN HEAVILY CRITICIZED THIS YEAR FOR THE QUALITY AND THE LEVEL OF CARE RECEIVED BY VETERANS OF THE IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN WARS. REPORTS HAVE SHOWN THAT THE RISE IN POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS AND TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY AMONG RETURNING TROOPS HAS NOT BEEN MET WITH MORE RESOURCES TO DEAL WITH MENTAL-HEALTH PROBLEMS. CRITICS ALSO SAID THE DEPARTMENT IS UNPREPARED AND LACKS THE BUDGET TO CARE FOR A COMING WAVE OF IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN VETERANS WHO WILL SEEK VETERANS BENEFITS WHEN THEY LEAVE THE MILITARY.
