Administrator of Veterans Affairs

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The Administrator of Veterans Affairs was the head of the Veterans Administration, a United States Government agency responsible for military veterans benefits. The administrator was appointed by the President. In 1989, the Veterans Administration was replaced by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (a member of the cabinet) as its head. The last VA administrator, Derwinski, went on to become the first Secretary of Veterans Affairs.

Directors of Veterans Bureau

Before the VA was established on July 21, 1930, its functions were carried out by the U.S. Veterans’ Bureau, the Bureau of Pensions of the Interior Department, and the National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers. The director of the Veterans' Bureau corresponds somewhat with the later position of Administrator.

Name Start End President(s)
Charles Forbes August 9, 1921 February 28, 1923 Warren G. Harding
Frank Hines March 2, 1923 July 21, 1930 Warren G. Harding
Calvin Coolidge
Herbert Hoover

Administrators of Veterans Affairs

Name Start End President(s)
Frank Hines July 21, 1930 August 15, 1945 Herbert Hoover
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Harry S. Truman
Omar Bradley August 15, 1945 November 30, 1947 Harry S. Truman
Carl Gray January 1, 1948 June 30, 1953 Harry S. Truman
Harvey Higley July 22, 1953 November 13, 1957 Dwight D. Eisenhower
Sumner Whittier December 18, 1957 January 20, 1961 Dwight D. Eisenhower
John Gleason January 30, 1961 January 1, 1965 John F. Kennedy
Lyndon B. Johnson
William Driver January 1, 1965 May 31, 1969 Lyndon B. Johnson
Richard Nixon
Donald Johnson June 23, 1969 October 12, 1974 Richard Nixon
Gerald Ford
Richard Roudebush October 12, 1974 January 20, 1977 Gerald Ford
Max Cleland January 20, 1977 January 20, 1981 Jimmy Carter
Bob Nimmo July 15, 1981 January 5, 1983 Ronald Reagan
Harry Walters January 5, 1983 March 21, 1986 Ronald Reagan
Thomas Turnage March 21, 1986 January 20, 1989 Ronald Reagan
Ed Derwinski January 21, 1989 March 15, 1989 George H. W. Bush