Washington (CNN) Former Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin used an op-ed late Wednesday to blast "the environment in Washington" that "has turned so toxic, chaotic, disrespectful and subversive that it became impossible for me to accomplish the important work" of his job. "As I prepare to leave government," he wrote in an op-ed for The New York Times , "I am struck by a reoccurring thought: It should not be this hard to serve your country." He listed what he said were accomplishments during his time as VA secretary. But, he claimed, "these successes within the department have intensified the ambitions of people who want to put VA health care in the hands of the private sector." hospitals and clinics, particularly when it involves the mental health needs of people scarred by the horrors of war," Shulkin wrote, adding that the department's understanding of veterans' needs and its research "cannot be easily replicated in the private sector."

Source: CNN March 29, 2018 11:37 UTC