United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs
Flag of the secretary
Seal of the department
Incumbent Doug Collins since February 5, 2025
United States Department of Veterans Affairs
Style	Mr. Secretary (informal) The Honorable (formal)
Member of	United States Cabinet
Reports to	President of the United States
Seat	Washington, D.C.
Appointer	President of the United States with Senate advice and consent
Term length	No fixed term
Constituting instrument	38 U.S.C. § 303
Formation	March 15, 1989
First holder	Ed Derwinski
Succession	Seventeenth
Deputy	United States Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs
Salary	Executive Schedule, level I

The United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs is a very important job in the U.S. government. This person leads the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, which is a special government group. Their main goal is to help military veterans. Veterans are people who have served in the U.S. armed forces.

The Secretary of Veterans Affairs makes sure veterans get the benefits they earned. This includes things like health care, help with education, and support for their families. They also look after national memorials and cemeteries where veterans are honored.

This Secretary is part of the President's Cabinet. The Cabinet is a group of top advisors to the President. The Secretary of Veterans Affairs is also 17th in line to become President if something happens to the President and other leaders. This position used to be last in line until another department was added in 2006.

Sometimes, if the main Secretary position is empty, another person steps in. This person is called an "acting secretary." They do the job until the President chooses a new Secretary and the United States Senate agrees.

What Does the Secretary of Veterans Affairs Do?
Who Has Been the Secretary of Veterans Affairs?
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What Does the Secretary of Veterans Affairs Do?

The Secretary of Veterans Affairs leads a huge team. This team works to provide many services to millions of veterans and their families. They manage hospitals, clinics, and special programs. These programs help veterans with their health, finding jobs, and getting an education.

The Secretary also helps decide how the government spends money on veterans' services. They work with other government leaders to make sure veterans are always supported. It's a big job that needs a lot of care and dedication.

Who Has Been the Secretary of Veterans Affairs?

The role of Secretary of Veterans Affairs was created on March 15, 1989. The very first person to hold this job was Ed Derwinski. Since then, many people have served in this important role. They have all worked to improve the lives of American veterans.

The current Secretary of Veterans Affairs is Doug Collins. He started his role on February 5, 2025.