First-ever VA Secretary takes oath in Delaware

MILFORD, Del. — Delaware’s first secretary of veterans affairs was sworn into office Wednesday morning in a ceremony at the Delaware Veterans Home. Gen. Karen Berry will serve as the first cabinet secretary of the newly created department.

“I will be that voice for veterans and their families,” Gen. Berry said.

It is a new chapter in Delaware, one that leaders say will improve the lives of the state’s 72,000 veterans.

“We’re not just the first state in name. We’re going to be the first state for veterans in this nation,” Gov. Matt Meyer said.

Gen. Berry said her first priority is hearing from veterans firsthand about their concerns and needs.

“I’m honored to be the one to lead us into the future of supporting veterans and making sure they and their families understand what services are available to them,” Gen. Berry said.

Meyer said the new department comes from months of community and lawmaker advocacy. The bill creating the department passed unanimously.

State Sen. David Lawson, a Vietnam veteran and a sponsor of the bill, said he hopes the state’s veterans affairs department will make access to benefits and resources easier.

“They don’t want a handout. They just want to feel that somebody cares about them, not for what they did but just as a person. And that’s what has to be done,” Lawson said.

State leaders also acknowledged that this is just the first step in making sure Delaware veterans have all the resources and support they need to thrive.