By James Call
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wfsu/local-wfsu-974969.mp3
Tallahassee, FL – Governor Rick Scott's former chief-of-staff is now the executive director of the
Florida Department of Veterans Affairs. James Call reports Scott and the Florida Cabinet appointed Mike Prendergast during a special meeting Wednesday.
The Prendergast nomination was the only agenda item and Agricultural Commissioner Adam Putnam the only Cabinet member present in Tallahassee; Scott and the others participated by phone. Prendergast served 31 years in the Army. Putnam made the motion to approve the nomination saying he can't think of a better fighter to serve Florida veterans.
"With our strong military presence in the state we have more than our fair share of veterans coming back home to Florida and Mike is going to be the leader to be there for them to make sure thy are able to avail themselves of all the benefits they so richly earned."
Prendergast was an army military police officer and served in Iraq and Afghanistan. About 1.6 million veterans living in Florida.