Columbia Standard

A political science graduate and Air Force veteran from the University of South Carolina is celebrating his appointment as special assistant to the U.S. Secretary for Veteran Affairs. 

James Anderson was sworn-in to the position in February, and is assigned to advance Secretary Denis McDonough's policy priorities in the Department of Veteran Affairs.

Anderson's responsibilities include working on equity initiatives, according to a post on the University of South Carolina website. 

"The VA has a long history and a good track record of providing services to veterans. We are trying to get our arms around the fact that there are Veterans interacting with services differently across the spectrum of underserved communities," Anderson, a Fulbright scholar, said in the post. "We’re ensuring that we have equity woven into the fabric of the way we do business at the VA."

Anderson's opportunity came about thanks to fortunate timing. 

While the Biden administration was preparing for the presidential transition in December 2020, Anderson was looking for a job as he finished his latest service commitment on active duty. A friend connected him with the Department of Veteran Affairs for an interview for a different job, but later he was recruited for the special assistant role, the post said. 

Connecting veterans to the services they deserve is a passion for Anderson.

When he attended UofSC in between two tours of active duty in the Air Force, he said he noticed opportunities to improve the way the school interacts with veteran students and alumni. 

He organized the Veterans Alumni Council and led that organization for a time. Today, as he splits his time between his Columbia home and Washington, D.C., he continues to serve on the UofSC Alumni Association Board of Governors, the post said.