Gov.-elect Dan Malloy today said he intends to keep on Gov. M. Jodi Rell’s well-regarded commissioner of Veterans Affairs, Linda Schwartz.
“With her experience as a veteran and a nurse, Commissioner Schwartz brings first-hand knowledge to the job that few others have,” said Malloy, who becomes governor Wednesday. “Her dedication to improving the lives of Connecticut’s veterans is admirable to say the least, and I look forward to working with her.”
Schwartz is a former U.S. Air Force flight nurse who retired in 1986 after being injured during a military flight. She served in the military from 1967 to 1986 on active duty or as a reservist. She holds a masters in nursing and a doctorate in public health from Yale.
“My commitment to improving the lives of our state’s veterans transcends politics and I’m pleased to say that it has transcended administrations, as well,” Schwartz said.
Schwartz served for seven years on a scientific advisory committee to the U.S. Department of Veterans’ Affairs, compiling long-term data on Vietnam veterans.
From 1989 to 1998, Schwartz served in several advisory positions to the U.S. Secretary of veterans affairs, working on issues that included the readjustment of combat veterans, homeless veterans, women veterans and seriously mentally ill veterans.