After a mere 640 days, President Obama has nominated Michael Missal as the next Veterans Affairs Inspector General on Friday. If approved, Missal will spearhead all investigations of the Department of Veterans Affairs for years to come.

The Office of the Inspector General is a vital government watchdog that investigates government corruption. Considering the nonstop barrage of whisteblowing and scandal coming from the Department of Veterans Affairs, choosing the best person to lead these investigations is relevant to the entire military community.

 

The position, however, has been unfilled for years. Since the last permanent Inspector General retired in 2013 in the midst of constant scandal, veterans have viewed the office as little more than a joke. Sen. Ron Johnson said that he had been pushing for the president to nominate a new IG since the beginning of the year.

“For far too long, the VA OIG’s lack of permanent leadership has compromised veteran care, fostered a culture of whistleblower retaliation within the agency, and compromised the independence of the VA’s chief watchdog,” Johnson said. “Since January, I have been calling on President Obama to appoint a permanent VA inspector general, and I am pleased that he finally has nominated one today.”

Shea Wilkes of the VA Truth Tellers, a whistleblowing network of veterans, was pleased to hear of the nomination. “VA Truth Tellers are heartened to hear that President Obama has listened to the cries of whistleblowers, Congress, American taxpayers, and most of all, veterans,” Wilkes said.