The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) appointment of a new director for the VA North Texas Health Care System has stirred controversy among veterans and veteran advocacy organizations in the greater Dallas area.
Jason Cave, the former CEO of the West Texas Veterans Health Care System, was named director in January, according to a press release provided to The Dallas Express by VA Heart of Texas Health Care Network, which manages most VA facilities in the Lone Star State.
However, the move upset local veterans groups that felt that they should have had some input into the selection. Representatives of these groups argued that the current interim director at VA North Texas, Kendrick Brown, should have at least been considered and given an interview.
“He has done a great job. He keeps all the veterans informed on what’s going on. I’ve got his cell phone number right now, I can call him. If we have an issue, his door is open. We haven’t had that in the past,” said Ken Watterson, president of the Veterans Resource Center, speaking with Fox 4.
In a statement to The Dallas Express, VA spokesperson Kat Bailey defended Cave’s hiring, claiming that hiring is “a fully internal process” and that the agency is “legally prohibited from having external groups be a part of the selection process.”
Critics of the decision to hire Cave pointed out that a job posting was never even listed, suggesting the move could be akin to cronyism.
“When I see something like this, it begins to kind of make me question whether I should be telling … my fellow brothers and sisters … to go to the VA,” said Domingo Rodriguez of the Military Veteran Peer Network, speaking with CBS 11.
Retired Marine Corps Major General James Williams agreed, telling CBS 11, “There’s a trust issue here.”
Still, the federal agency maintains it did nothing wrong, telling The Dallas Express:
“VA followed the standard hiring process for this position, as approved by the Veterans Health Administration and vetted through the Office of General Counsel. VA can either fill Medical Center Director positions via an open process on USAJOBS or non-competitively.”
