Wis. veterans board head to step down


September 2, 2010

 

Marcia Anderson


MILWAUKEE - The head of the Wisconsin Board of Veterans Affairs will resign to take an active duty assignment with the Army, she told The Associated Press on Wednesday.

Marcia Anderson, who has been a lightning rod for critics of the agency, plans to formalize her resignation in the coming days. The longtime member of the U.S. Army Reserve said she has been called up to serve at least one year at Fort Knox in Kentucky as the deputy commanding general for the Army's human resources command.

"I'm very honored to have been selected for this assignment," she said.

Anderson was appointed to the board overseeing the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs by Gov. Jim Doyle in 2008. Some veterans, however, accused her of not being a "veteran" as defined under state law because she had not served on active duty or in combat. They said Anderson should be ineligible to serve on the board.

She acknowledged in an interview Wednesday that those attacks have hurt, since she has been a Reserve member since 1979 and could have retired long ago. Anderson, who has the rank of brigadier general, said their interpretation of state law is mistaken and noted she was confirmed for the job by the state Senate.

Anderson, 52, of Verona, also was instrumental in last year's firing of then-Secretary John Scocos for what she called poor management of the veterans agency and replacing him with department administrator Ken Black.

After taking over, Black has been embroiled in controversy over several personnel decisions and at least two employment complaints have been filed against him. Anderson said Black has been doing a good job reaching out to veterans returning home and coming up with budget plans to guide the agency's future.

Scocos has also filed a lawsuit arguing that his termination, just weeks after he returned from serving in Iraq, was illegal under a federal law that protects the jobs of service members.

Among other things, the lawsuit argues that Anderson was not qualified for the board. It also claims that she violated the open meetings law by having secret meetings and exchanging e-mails with other board members to firm up plans to fire Scocos before the public meeting.

Anderson, a lawyer who is the clerk for the federal bankruptcy court based in Madison, said she had no idea whether her going on active duty means she will have immunity in that lawsuit. She has denied open meetings violations in the past, but wouldn't predict whether the board would prevail in the case.

"I'm not one to put any bets on anything," she said.

Anderson is the second member of the board to resign since the lawsuit was filed. Wisconsin National Guard spokeswoman Jacqueline Guthrie resigned in June, saying she needed to spend more time with her family. Guthrie also acknowledged she should not have sent e-mails related to her board work from her Army account.

Anderson's term was set to expire in 2013. After she officially resigns, Doyle will be able to appoint a replacement to finish that term.

Doyle spokesman Adam Collins said Anderson "has served the state and her country with honor" and said her latest assignment is a reflection of her service.

"The governor wishes her the best," he said.

Associated Press