Leo Mackay Jr. facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Leo Mackay Jr.
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Mackay in 2002
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| 4th United States Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs | |
| In office May 24, 2001 – September 30, 2003 |
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| President | George W. Bush |
| Preceded by | Edward A. Powell (Acting) |
| Succeeded by | Gordon H. Mansfield |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Leo Sidney Mackay Jr.
August 15, 1961 San Antonio, Texas, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Education | United States Naval Academy (BS) Harvard University (MPP, PhD) |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch/service |  United States Navy |
| Years of service | 1983–1995 |
| Rank |  Lieutenant Commander |
| Unit | VF-11 |
| Battles/wars | Operation Earnest Will |
Leo Sidney Mackay Jr., born on August 15, 1961, is an American businessman. He used to be a high-ranking official in the U.S. government, helping veterans.
Today, he is a senior leader at Lockheed Martin Corporation. This is a big company that makes things like airplanes and defense systems. At Lockheed Martin, he helps make sure the company acts ethically. He also works on making the company more environmentally friendly and safe. Lockheed Martin's efforts in being sustainable are known worldwide.
Mr. Mackay is also part of Lockheed Martin Ventures. This group invests in new and exciting companies. He helps guide other large companies like Ameren and Cognizant Technology Solutions. He has won awards for his work, including the Black Engineer of the Year Award in 2012. He also received the Lincoln-Douglass Award in 2014.
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Government Service and Helping Veterans
Leo Mackay Jr. served as the Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs from May 2001 to October 2003. This means he was the second-highest leader in the department. His job was to help manage important services for veterans.
He oversaw three main groups:
- The Veterans Health Administration (VHA): This is the largest healthcare system in the U.S.
- The Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA): This group helps veterans get their benefits.
- The National Cemetery Administration: This group takes care of national cemeteries.
Mr. Mackay worked to improve how the department was run. He helped make sure veterans' claims were processed faster. He also worked on a program called VetFran. This program helped veterans start their own franchise businesses. He also helped create a council with the Department of Defense. This council worked to improve how the two departments shared information and helped veterans.
Before this, from 1993 to 1995, Mr. Mackay worked for the Secretary of Defense. He helped with important policies about nuclear weapons and preventing their spread.
Considering a Cabinet Role
In January 2017, Mr. Mackay met with then-President-elect Donald Trump. They talked about him possibly becoming the Secretary of Veterans Affairs. While he said it was a "good discussion," he decided not to take the job. Reports suggested he preferred to stay in the private business world.
His Life Story
Leo Mackay Jr. lives in Northern Virginia. He was born in San Antonio, Texas, into a military family. This meant he grew up living on and around military bases. He lived in Japan as a child. He also spent about a year and a half of high school in Tehran, Iran. His family had to leave Iran in 1978 when the government there changed.
He joined the Navy and became a naval aviator, which means he flew planes for the Navy. He finished pilot training in 1985. He flew the F-14 fighter jet for three years. He also went to Topgun, a special school for fighter pilots. He completed many carrier landings and flew over 1,000 hours in the F-14. He served in Operation Earnest Will. This earned him the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal. Later, he taught history at the Naval Academy.
Education and Learning
Mr. Mackay graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1983. He received a special award from the Secretary of the Navy. He also earned two advanced degrees from Harvard University. These were a master's degree and a Ph.D. in public policy.
He has received honorary doctorates from two seminaries of the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod. This means they recognized his achievements with a special degree. He is the first person who is not a religious leader to receive an honorary doctorate from both of these seminaries.
Affiliations and Groups
Mr. Mackay has been a member of several important groups. These include the Aspen Strategy Group and the Council on Foreign Relations. He is also a lifelong member of the U.S. Naval Institute. He has been a research fellow at the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs. He was also a guest fellow at the Brookings Institution.
