#Middlebury #Veterans #VASecretary #DougCollins
Changes are coming fast and furious at the Department of Veterans Affairs. Since these impact many of us, we need to pay attention to what’s going on – and who’s now in charge.
The VA has a new secretary, Douglas A. Collins, the 12th in the position since the VA was started in 1988. Collins is an Air Force veteran, served as chaplain, has been a Reserve colonel for 23 years and additionally served for two years in the Navy. He served in Iraq and at his confirmation hearing said that he slept next to burn pits for many months. He’s an attorney and was a U.S. representative for a Georgia district from 2013 to 2021. Quite the resume, and the Senate vote to confirm him was fairly strong: 77 to 23.
He’s jumped right in, saying he wants to expand the VA’s private sector care and figure out how to get rid of employees who aren’t doing their job. He stopped the employee teleworking right away, insisting people come back to work, and put a hiring freeze in place until things shake out and they see if there are any vacancies once people decide if they’re staying or going. Further, he vowed to fix the $16 billion computer system that’s been sitting unfinished for two years.
Sometimes you just want to see a man and hear his voice before you make up your mind about him. Go online to YouTube and look for “Doug Collins opening remarks in Veterans Affairs secretary confirmation hearing.”
Watching that video, I liked things about him that have nothing directly to do with the VA and the position he’s been given but instead tell what kind of a man he is. He’s been married 36 years, he still has a bracelet a female Airman made for him when he was a flightline chaplain 15 years ago and he thanked his 88-year-old father. In the end, those things matter. I wish him well.
© 2025 King Features Synd., Inc.
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