Governor Dannel Malloy is naming a U.S. Army reservist and ethics officer for Pratt and Whitney to oversee Connecticut's Department of Veterans Affairs. Malloy announced the appointment of Lt. Colonel Sean Connolly on Thursday afternoon.
Connolly lives in Hebron, and serves with the 655th Regional Support Group, headquartered at Westover Air Reserve Base in Chicopee, Massachusetts. He currently works at Pratt and Whitney as the global ethics and compliance officer.
An attorney, Connolly previously served more than seven years on active duty as an Army Judge Advocate in a variety of positions. A veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom, he was a prosecutor at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, and in Kuwait and Iraq.
“Connecticut has over 270,000 veterans and active duty military personnel residing in our state, and whether they are currently serving, just returned from deployment, or finished their service years ago, they deserve our support and commitment through each step of their lives. State government has a responsibility to meet this obligation and ensure that Connecticut’s veterans have access to the resources and tools they need,” Malloy said in a statement. “Lt. Colonel Connolly’s personal experience serving in the military, in addition to his work in the private sector, gives him a unique familiarity with the needs of the men and women who make up our armed forces, and I am excited that he is now bringing this service to state government.”
“As a veteran myself, who continues to wear the uniform in the Army Reserve, I am deeply humbled and grateful for this chance to serve the veterans of the State of Connecticut,” Connolly said. “Our veterans and their families face significant challenges against homelessness, physical and mental health concerns, finding and transitioning to good civilian jobs, and getting the support they so deeply deserve. Working together, we will build a world-class Veterans’ Affairs program. Those who have selflessly served our state and nation deserve no less.”
Connolly succeeds longtime commissioner Linda Schwartz, who is now working with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. He begins his service on March 16.
This report includes information from The Associated Press.
