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VA town hall designed to solicit feedback from stakeholders

Posted August 14, 2018 7:00 am

The Associated Press

MOUNT VERNON, Ill. (AP) - A town hall meeting in southern Illinois has been scheduled by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to discuss the agency's health care system.

Spokesman Kevin Harris says the Wednesday event in Mount Vernon is being held in light of the new leadership at Veteran Affairs.

The U.S. Senate last month confirmed Pentagon official Robert Wilkie to be secretary of Veterans Affairs. Wilkie has been charged with delivering on President Donald Trump's campaign promises to fire bad VA employees and steer more patients to the private sector.

During confirmation hearings, Wilkie said he will "shake up complacency" at VA, which has struggled with long waits in providing medical treatment to veterans.

Harris says the 5-7 p.m. town hall at American Legion Post 141 is designed to solicit feedback from veterans and their families about the department's plans.

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