Much to the delight of many state lawmakers and gallery viewers, Delaware Secretary of the Veterans Affairs Department nominee Brig. Gen. Karen Berry was confirmed by the state Senate on Sept. 22.
Berry spent more than three decades in both the Connecticut and Delaware National Guards before her retirement in 2023.
Her experience also includes over 25 years in education, having previously taught math in the Laurel and Indian River School districts and served as a mathematics specialist at Sussex Central High School.
Gov. Matt Meyer first named Berry as his pick for the position last month, noting how she is “the leader Delaware veterans deserve.”
“Her lived experience, her leadership, and her lifelong commitment to veterans make her the ideal person to launch this new department,” the governor said in a statement issued Aug. 25.
Berry will now be responsible for ensuring services for First State veterans are brought front and center.
She will also be required to develop a roadmap to separate Veterans Affairs from the Delaware Department of State and operate as its own entity by July 1, 2030, as outlined in the bill.
This plan must be presented to the General Assembly and then approved via a concurrent resolution.