Under Secretary for Health Dr. Robert Petzel resigned on Friday in response to the growing scandal in the Department of Veterans Affairs, but he was already planning to retire the agency for at least seven months.
President Obama had already announced his intent to nominate Dr. Jeffrey Murawsky on May 1 to replace Petzel, who has has served as Under Secretary since 2010.
According to Federal News Radio, Petzel was expected to leave as soon as the Murawsky was in place. The Department of Veterans Affairs announced Sept. 20 it was beginning a search to replace Petzel, who “will retire in 2014 as planned, following a four-year tenure as Under Secretary for Health.”
But Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki painted Petzel’s resignation as a signal that changes were being made at the agency.