Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo announced two rounds of hires this week, including a new counsel for his office. . . . .

Jim McDonough has been appointed Director of the Division of Veterans’ Services. Mr. McDonough previously served as the Director of the New York State Division of Veterans’ Affairs from 2007 to 2010 where he was responsible for providing quality services and benefits to the nearly one-million veterans and families across the state. Mr. McDonough will continue to serve the Governor as the primary advocate for all veterans issues affecting access to federal, state, and local benefits and programs. Prior to joining the administration, he served as the Managing Director of the Institute for Veterans and Military Families at Syracuse University, widely acknowledged as higher education’s most known and respected center of thought leadership and programing related to the social, economic and wellness concerns of the nation’s veterans and their families. Prior to that, he served as a Senior Fellow for Veterans Affairs at the New York State Health Foundation and President and Chief Executive Officer of the Veterans Outreach Center in Rochester. In addition to his civilian professional career, Mr. McDonough has served in key military assignments, including as a Senior Operations Officer during Operation Iraqi Freedom; a Battalion Commander in the 3rd Battalion, 43rd Air Defense Artillery Regiment; a Joint Operations Officer for the Joint Staff in Washington, D.C.; an Operations Officer and Executive Officer for the 1st Battalion, 43rd Air Defense Artillery Regiment; and as a speechwriter to the Secretary of the Army. McDonough retired as a Colonel in 2007. He has a Master’s degree in Strategic Studies from the United States Army War College, a Master’s degree in Communications from Indiana State University and a Bachelor’s degree in Anthropology from SUNY Plattsburgh. . . . 

[For rest of article, see https://blog.timesunion.com/capitol/archives/287633/cuomo-makes-new-round-of-staff-appointments/)