After being confirmed by the Senate July 23, Navy and Air Force veteran Robert Wilkie was officially sworn in as the 10th secretary of Veterans Affairs in an Oval Office ceremony, held July 30. Wilkie indicated he will focus on modernizing the department to ensure it delivers high-quality, timely health care and benefits services to the men and women who served.

Since becoming acting secretary in March, Wilkie has worked closely with the veterans service organization community to better understand the needs facing his fellow veterans. With years of leadership experience in the Department of Defense, the secretary has a deep understanding of how to navigate federal government policies.

“We look forward to working with Secretary Wilkie to build upon the strong foundation put in place by his predecessors,” said Washington Headquarters Executive Director Garry Augustine. “The VA has seen measurable growth and modernization over the past few years, and DAV looks forward to building on that progress with him so that VA can continue serving veterans for generations to come.”

A graduate of Wake Forest University, Wilkie also holds a Juris Doctor from Loyola University College of Law in New Orleans, a Master of Laws in international and comparative law from Georgetown University and a master’s in strategic studies from the U.S. Army War College.