Image courtesy State of DE
UPDATED – 09/29/25 – She was confirmed during a special session of the Delaware State Senate on September 22 and on Wednesday, October 1, Retired Brigadier General Karen Berry will be sworn in as Cabinet Secretary of the Office of Veterans Affairs. She will be sworn in at 11am by former Judge William Witham at the Delaware Veterans Home in Milford. The swearing-in will be live-streamed on the State of Delaware’s Facebook and YouTube pages.
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ORIGINAL STORY – 08/25/25 – Governor Matt Meyer has nominated Brigadier General Karen Berry to serve as the first Cabinet Secretary of the new Delaware Department of Veterans Affairs. Gov. Meyer signed HB 1, which established the Department, earlier this month. This new department will centralize and expand services for more than 70,000 veterans across the state. Brigadier General Berry retired from the Delaware National Guard in 2023 after over 30 years of distinguished service. She is also a retired educator and since 2023 has served as a Veterans Advocate at Delaware Tech in Georgetown. Her nomination still needs confirmation by the State Senate.
Additional information from Gov. Meyer:
“General Berry is the leader Delaware veterans deserve,” said Governor Meyer. “She has worn the uniform, commanded with distinction at home and abroad, and dedicated her civilian career to education and service. Her lived experience, her leadership, and her lifelong commitment to veterans make her the ideal person to launch this new department. Delaware veterans will now have one of their own advocating for them at the cabinet table, and I look forward to her confirmation by the Delaware State Senate.”
Brigadier General Berry retired from the Delaware National Guard in 2023 following more than three decades of distinguished service. She most recently served as Director of the Joint Staff for both the Delaware and Connecticut National Guards and previously deployed to Afghanistan as Deputy Commander of the 335th Signal Command. Her awards include the Distinguished Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, and the Delaware Conspicuous Service Cross.
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In addition to her military career, Berry is a retired educator, having taught mathematics for 25 years in Delaware schools before serving as a Mathematics Specialist at Sussex Central High School. Since 2023, she has served as a Veterans Advocate at Delaware Technical Community College’s Owens Campus in Georgetown.
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“I am humbled and honored by this nomination,” said Brigadier General Karen Berry. “Delaware’s veterans have given so much to our state and our nation. As Secretary of Veterans Affairs, I will work every day to ensure they receive the care, respect, and opportunities they have earned. This department is a promise kept — and I look forward to serving those who served us.”
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Pending Senate confirmation, Berry will lead the Department of Veterans Affairs through its transition from the Department of State, with full independence by July 1, 2030, as required by HB 1.
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BRIGADIER GENERAL KAREN BERRY-BIOGRAPHY
Brigadier General (Ret.) Karen A. Berry has dedicated her life to service — as a decorated military officer, respected educator, and passionate advocate for veterans.
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A University of Delaware ROTC graduate, Berry was commissioned in 1990 and went on to serve more than three decades in the Delaware and Connecticut National Guards. Over the course of her distinguished career, she commanded at multiple levels, including as Commander of the 261st Signal Brigade, and deployed to Afghanistan as Deputy Commander of the 335th Signal Command. She later served as Director of the Joint Staff in both Delaware and Connecticut before retiring in 2023 as Special Assistant to the Adjutant General in Delaware.
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Her military service was recognized with some of the nation’s highest honors, including the Distinguished Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, and the Delaware Conspicuous Service Cross.
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In addition to her military career, Berry spent more than 25 years in education, teaching mathematics in the Laurel and Indian River School Districts and later serving as Mathematics Specialist at Sussex Central High School. Since 2023, she has served as a Veterans Advocate at Delaware Technical Community College’s Owens Campus in Georgetown, supporting student veterans and their families.
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Berry holds a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Engineering Technology from the University of Delaware, a Master of Education in Mathematics from Salisbury State University, and a Master of Strategic Studies from the U.S. Army War College.
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Active in professional and civic organizations, she is a member of the National Guard Associations of the United States, Delaware, and Connecticut, as well as the Signal Corps Regimental Association and the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics.
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Throughout her career, Berry has been guided by a simple principle: service before self. Her lifelong commitment to country, community, and education continues today in her work to honor and support Delaware’s veterans.
