The Army's top civilian official resigned Friday in the wake of a scandal over care and conditions for wounded Iraq war veterans at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C.
Army Secretary Francis Harvey stepped down just a day after he fired the top general in charge of Walter Reed. Speaking on condition of anonymity, Pentagon officials said Harvey's resignation was requested by Defense Secretary Robert Gates.
The Army also announced Friday that Maj. Gen. Eric B. Schoomaker, 58, will be the new commander of Walter Reed. His appointment came less than a day after Lt. Gen. Kevin Kiley, the current Army surgeon general and a former commander of Walter Reed, was appointed interim head of the hospital.
Lt. Gen. Kiley's appointment as interim commander of Walter Reed was controversial because of accusations that he knew about the problems at the facility years ago.
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