Secretary of Veterans and Defense Affairs

Purpose:

The Secretary of Veterans and Defense Affairs serves the Commonwealth in four critical ways. First, it oversees the Virginia Department of Veteran Services (DVS), whose mission is to serve Virginia’s Veterans, Guardsmen, Reservists, and their family members, by ensuring they receive timely transition, employment and education assistance, benefits, health care and long-term care and recognition they have earned through service to our Nation and Commonwealth. The Secretary distinguishes and elevates issues and opportunities for Veterans and transitioning Service members in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Of primary importance are the employment, health care, and education needs of our Veterans. With the seventh-largest Veteran population in the Nation and the greatest number of Veterans in the workforce per capita, the Secretariat maintains a particular focus on employment of our newest generation of Veterans who have the current skills needed here in the Commonwealth.