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Wis. veterans home leader reinstated

MADISON — The administrator of the state’s largest nursing home for veterans, who was abruptly fired in August as the home faced an investigation into its spending, has been reinstated, a spokesman said Wednesday.

Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary John Scocos reinstated Bill Crowley as commandant of the Wisconsin Veterans Home in King, aide Mike Trepanier said.

Scocos told agency employees Crowley’s reinstatement was appropriate after the Department of Justice declined to press charges last week against anyone in connection with spending irregularities at the home. The Department of Justice’s investigative report did, however, cite miscommunication and confusion at all levels and portrayed Crowley as relying heavily on subordinates.

The reinstatement comes even though Crowley is not a licensed nursing home administrator, a credential the agency’s board wants to require for leaders of the state’s two veterans homes and the Madison administrator who oversees them.

Crowley, who will run the central Wisconsin nursing home that houses roughly 700 veterans and spouses, will now be the only one in those three positions without that credential.

Scocos this week promoted the commandant of the Veterans Home in Union Grove, Randy Nitschke, to be the acting administrator in Madison while Tom Rhatican is on military leave. Scocos also appointed Pat Shaughnessy as acting commandant at Union Grove. Both Nitschke and Shaughnessy are licensed administrators.

Having Crowley report to Nitschke "is another step to make sure the ball is not dropped" when it comes to providing quality care for veterans, Trepanier said.