The Bexar County Military and Veteran Services Department is wrestling with a leadership shakeup after its executive director was placed on paid administrative leave this month and the agency’s deputy director exited in late October. Even as frontline staff lined up to defend their bosses at a recent commissioners' court meeting, investigators were documenting misconduct allegations in a formal report. The turmoil has raised fresh worries about whether services for local veterans who depend on the county’s benefits counseling and peer-support programs will be disrupted.
Keith W. Wilson is listed as executive director of the Military and Veteran Services Center in the county’s staff directory, which describes the office as handling benefits counseling, claims assistance and peer support for service members and their families, according to Bexar County's staff directory. As director, Wilson oversees a relatively small but heavily used operation that many Bexar County veterans turn to for help navigating VA benefits, as part of the county’s broader network of programs for veterans and military families.
Ombudsman Investigation Finds Misconduct
A 34-page report from the county ombudsman, detailed in coverage by KSAT Investigates, found that former deputy director Nancy Taguacta “more likely than not” violated county policy along with state and federal employment protections. According to the report, Taguacta targeted some employees over their service-connected disabilities, improperly shared protected medical information and fostered a workplace environment investigators described as hostile and isolating. The ombudsman recommended a formal audit of the agency and required discrimination and sexual-harassment training for Military and Veteran Services Department staff as part of a list of corrective actions.
Director Put on Leave as Employees Rally Around Leadership
County officials placed Wilson on paid administrative leave on Dec. 10, telling him it would last 30 days with the possibility of an extension. County managers declined to provide additional details. Wilson told reporters he was “in the dark” about the reasons, and Deputy County Manager Thomas Guevara said in a written statement that there would be no further comment, according to KSAT Investigates. At a commissioners' court meeting last week, several Military and Veteran Services Department employees publicly defended the agency’s leadership, with staffer George Westfahl labeling the allegations “a witch hunt instigated by some ambitious people.”
Next Steps for a Shaken Veterans Agency
The ombudsman’s recommendations for an audit and mandatory training for staff landed shortly before the department’s second-in-command departed. Records show that a notice of proposed termination was delivered to Taguacta on Oct. 30, preceding her resignation that same day and retirement effective Oct. 31. The Military and Veteran Services Center is responsible for benefits counseling, claims assistance and peer support for veterans, a mission emphasized in the county’s public-facing materials and confirmed by Bexar County's staff directory. Local advocates are watching closely for any sign that the leadership turmoil might interfere with veterans’ access to state and federal benefits or other county support.
Legal Stakes and Unanswered Questions
The ombudsman’s conclusion that the misconduct likely violated county rules as well as state law and federal employment protections carries potential legal consequences and is expected to influence future personnel and oversight decisions. Taguacta had already been placed on paid administrative leave in mid-October while the investigation was underway and was given a notice of proposed termination on Oct. 30 before she resigned, according to the investigative reporting. County officials have not provided a public timeline for any further disciplinary measures, leaving unresolved questions about accountability and how the county will safeguard the continuity of core services that local veterans rely on.
