Doug Collins
Secretary of Veterans Affairs
Douglas Allen Collins was born in August 1966 in Gainesville, Georgia. He earned an undergraduate degree from the University of North Georgia and later received an M.Div. degree from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. He then earned a Juris Doctor from Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School. He served as a chaplain in the U.S. Navy.
Collins interned for a U.S. representative from Georgia before he went into sales. He became the senior pastor of a Baptist church and owned a retail store with his wife. He also practiced law and became a partner in a firm. Collins returned to the military after September 11, 2001, and still serves in the U.S. Air Force Reserve Command as a chaplain.
He served in the Georgia House of Representatives and then was elected to the Georgia State Senate. In 2012, Collins was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives and served four terms. He made an unsuccessful run for U.S. Senate in 2020.
President-elect Donald Trump nominated Collins as Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs. He was confirmed by the Senate and sworn in in February 2025.
Collins is married to Lisa and they have three children. He is a Southern Baptist.
In the News…
The Department of Veterans Affairs announced that tens of millions of taxpayer funds are being redirected from subsidizing federal unions to serve veterans, families, caregivers, and survivors. The department stated the termination of contracts last month for bargaining-unit employees.
“VA is redirecting nearly $45 million per year in federal funds from unions to America’s Veterans,“ the VA explained, “There are many egregious examples of how taxpayer-funded union time enabled senior, skilled VA staff to collect taxpayer-funded salaries for doing union business instead of working on behalf of Veterans.“
Secretary Collins said, “VA staff will now get to spend more time with Veterans, VA facilities can focus on treating Veterans, and VA can manage its staff according to Veterans’ needs and national security requirements, not union demands.“
Contact this Leader…
Did you pray for Secretary Collins? You can let him know at:
The Honorable Doug Collins, Secretary
Department of Veterans Affairs
810 Vermont Ave NW
Washington, DC 20420
