Portal:Department of Veterans Affairs/Section 1

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Organization

Secretary of Veterans Affairs

Administrations, each headed by an undersecretary:

  • Veterans Health Administration (VHA): responsible for providing health care in all its forms, as well as for biomedical research (under the Office of Research and Development), Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs), Regional Medical Centers (VAMC), and Readjustment Counseling Services (RCS) Vet Centers.
  • Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA): responsible for initial veteran registration, eligibility determination, and five key lines of business (benefits and entitlements): Home Loan Guarantee, Insurance, Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment, Education (GI Bill), and Compensation & Pension
  • National Cemetery Administration: responsible for providing burial and memorial benefits, as well as for maintenance of VA cemeteries


Secretary of Veterans Affairs The Secretary of Veterans Affairs (SECVA) is the head of VA and is appointed by the President, by and with, the advice and consent of the Senate. The SECVA is responsible for the proper execution and administration of all laws administered by the Department and for the control, direction and management of the Department. Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs The Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs (DEPSECVA) serves as the second in command and Chief Operating Officer for the Department. The DEPSECVA directs the policy and operations of the Department and provides broad direction to the Department’s Staff Offices, ensuring coordinated action and conformance with the Secretary’s directives. Chief of Staff of Veterans Affairs The Chief of Staff of Veterans Affairs(COSVA)synchronizes and coordinates SECVA policy guidance and direction with VA’s Administrations, Staff Offices and key officials. Through the Deputy Chief of Staff, COSVA oversees Office of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (OSVA) staff, including several senior advisors and special assistants to ensure effective and efficient support to the SECVA and DEPSECVA. Administrations and Staff Offices The Department has three Administrations that provide for the delivery of services and benefits, seven Assistant Secretaries, and five key officials: the General Counsel, the Chairman of the Board of Veteran VA Functional Organization Manual Version 8.0 – Volume 1: Administrations 7 Appeals, the Chief Acquisition Officer, the Chief Veterans Experience Officer and the Inspector General. These officials advise and support the SECVA, and the Administrations and Staff Offices provide specific assistance to the SECVA. The three Administrations are the National Cemetery Administration, the Veterans Benefits Administration and the Veterans Health Administration. The head of each Administration reports to the SECVA. These Administrations give centralized program direction to field facilities that provide diverse program services to Veterans and their families. Further, each Administration has Central Office components that support the Administration’s operations. This organizational structure reflects a basic management approach of centralized policy direction, complemented by consistent decentralized execution. The seven Assistant Secretaries serve as the principal staff advisors to the SECVA and DEPSECVA and oversee or administer programs in their respective areas of responsibility. Assistant Secretary for Accountability and Whistleblower Protection The mission of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Office of Accountability and Whistleblower Protection (OAWP) is to promote and improve accountability in VA. OAWP was established in 2017 and its functions are codified at 38 U.S.C. § 323. OAWP advises the Secretary of Veterans Affairs on accountability within VA. OAWP improves and promotes accountability in VA by investigating allegations of VA senior leader misconduct and/or poor performance and allegations of whistleblower retaliation. OAWP confidentially receives whistleblower disclosures from VA employees and applicants for VA employment. OAWP tracks and confirms the implementation of recommendations from audits and investigations conducted by several internal and external investigative entities. OAWP identifies trends so that VA can proactively address concerns and improve accountability. Assistant Secretary for Congressional and Legislative Affairs The mission of the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Congressional and Legislative Affairs (OCLA) is to improve the lives of Veterans and their families by advancing pro-Veteran legislation and maintaining responsive and effective communications with Congress. OCLA coordinates the Department’s Activities with Congress. It is the Department’s focal point for all interactions and engagements with Members of Congress, authorization committees and personal staff. Additionally, the Office is the Department’s liaison with the Government Accountability Office (GAO). The Assistant Secretary advises the Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and serves as the Department’s primary point of contact with Congress. The Assistant Secretary also serves as the Department’s principal point of contact between OCLA and the White House Office of Legislative Affairs as well as other federal agency legislative operations. Assistant Secretary for Enterprise Integration OEI’s mission is to drive unity of effort across the Department in support of Veterans, their family members, caregivers and survivors by providing complementary capabilities to enhance VA’s operations, inform decision-making and policy, and integrate initiatives within the Department as well as with other agencies. OEI functional offices include the Office of Planning and Performance Management (PPM), the VA Functional Organization Manual Version 8.0 – Volume 1: Administrations 8 Office of Data Governance and Analytics (DGA), the Office of Enterprise Policy and Governance (EPG), and the Enterprise Program Integration Office (EPIO). These offices lead Departmental efforts in strategic and future foresights, strategy and strategic planning, integrated enterprise planning, enterprise risk management, policy research, data analytics and statistics, performance management, policy management and analysis, actuarial science, data governance and VA-DoD Collaboration. Assistant Secretary for Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security and Preparedness The mission of the Office of Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) is to lead the development and oversight of human capital strategies, policies and practices; manage the Department’s preparedness, law enforcement and security capabilities; and provide or oversee VA Central Office infrastructure and support services to cultivate an engaged, skilled and resilient workforce. HRA/OSP also coordinates VA’s “Fourth Mission” supporting national efforts to prepare for, respond to and recover from disasters and acts of terrorism. HRA/OSP provides critical mission support for VA Administrations and Staff Offices through a diverse portfolio of programs that include policy, governance, oversight and some direct operations work. HRA/OSP develops policy, guidance, oversight and technical assistance in the areas of human capital management and information services, law enforcement and physical security, workforce development and training, labor relations and bargaining, national security and emergency preparedness, workforce planning and position management, personnel security and suitability, and Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO), diversity, equity and inclusion. HRA/OSP also provides direct operational support by managing human resources services for VA senior executives, providing basic and sustainment training for all VA police officers, providing background investigations and adjudications for VA employees and contractors, issuing personal identity verification badges and coordinating support services for VA Central Office (VACO) facilities. Assistant Secretary for Information and Technology The mission of the Office of Information and Technology (OIT) is to collaborate with our business partners to create the best experience for all Veterans. Information technology (IT) is an essential enabler to the mission of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)—serving our Nation’s Veterans and their families. The Assistant Secretary (AS) for Information and Technology serves as the Chief Information Officer (CIO) for the Department. As the CIO, the Assistant Secretary is responsible for the vision, management, operation, and execution of VA’s Office of Information and Technology (OIT) and its resources, to deliver adaptable, secure, and cost-effective technology services to the Department. The AS/CIO is the principal advisor to the Secretary for Veteran Affairs (SECVA) on matters relating to information and technology management as delineated in P.L. 104-106, the Clinger-Cohen Act, the Paperwork Reduction Act, Chapter 35 of Title 44 U.S.C. and, other associated legislated or regulatory media. The role of the CIO is to understand the department’s administrations and staff offices’ mission areas, goals, objectives, and operational processes. Armed with this information and the knowledge of technologies, the CIO leads OIT in applying the best and most effective technical solutions that address mission requirements. The CIO manages a more than $7B Information and Technology (IT) Congressional appropriation, safeguards space and facilities services for OIT’s 28 locations nationwide, ensures talent management services for OIT’s currently authorized 8,668 appropriated and funded VA Functional Organization Manual Version 8.0 – Volume 1: Administrations 9 positions, and has 35 areas of responsibilities across six key functions: (1) IT Leadership and Accountability; (2) IT Strategic Planning; (3) IT Workforce; (4) IT Budgeting; (5) IT Investment Management; and (6) Information Security. These efforts are supported through operational transparency, effective communication, and management of people, technology, business requirements, and financial processes. CIO directs the tactical and strategic operations of three key offices and six divisions: Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary and Deputy Chief Information Officer; Executive Director of Information Technology Program Integration and Chief of Staff; Office of Chief Technology Officer; Compliance, Risk, and Remediations; Office of People Science; IT Budget and Finance; Office of Strategic Sourcing; Office of Information Security; Account Management Office; End User Services, Product Engineering, Software Product Management, Infrastructure Operations, and Solution Delivery. OIT’s team of skilled technical experts collaborates with business partners, internal and externalstakeholdersto make VA a world-class organization that providesseamless unified services and benefits to our Nations’ Veterans and their families. Assistant Secretary for Management The Assistant Secretary for Management and Chief Financial Officer oversees all resource requirements, development and implementation of agency performance measures, and financial management Activities relating to VA programs and operations. In addition, responsibilities include a Departmental accounting and financial management system that provides for management, cost, budgeting, and account information. In addition, OM oversees the Department's capital asset management Activities and business oversight Activities, including development and implementation of policies and regulations. Assistant Secretary for Public and Intergovernmental Affairs The Office of Public and Intergovernmental Affairs (OPIA) helps build and maintain public confidence in the Department of Veterans Affairs by positively reinforcing its commitment and readiness to serve America’s Veterans of all generations. OPIA accomplishes this by developing, routinely updating and communicating the Department’s key messages to many audiences through media relations, public affairs, intergovernmental affairs, outreach and Veteran engagement to reach Veterans and their families, other beneficiaries and other stakeholders. Under VA’s modernization effort, OPIA is designated as the enterprise policy and functional coordinator of internal employee and external communications to ensure consistent messaging and to be the unified voice of the department. OPIA provides executive oversight, management and direction to OPIA. The Assistant Secretary oversees VA’s communications and outreach programs including media relations, internal communications and media products, social media and intergovernmental affairs. The Office of the Assistant Secretary includes the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, the Chief of Staff, Special Assistant, Executive Assistant and other program analysts and assistants. The General Counsel The Office of General Counsel (OGC) provides legal advice and services to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (SECVA) and all organizational components of the Department. The General Counsel is, by statute, 38 U.S.C. 311, the Department’s Chief Legal Officer. OGC serves as VA’s in-house counsel and is VA Functional Organization Manual Version 8.0 – Volume 1: Administrations 10 committed to ensuring that every member of OGC is focused on how OGC’s work impacts Veterans and has an understanding and commitment to the business priorities of our VA clients many of whom directly serve Veterans. OGC’s attorneys act as business partners, providing sound legal expertise, and as needed, critical problem-solving skills and risk-management advice. Chairman of the Board of Veterans’ Appeals The mission of the Board is to conduct hearings and decide appeals properly before the Board in a timely manner. The Board is the agency within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA or Department) responsible for making final decisions on behalf of the Secretary for appeals for Veterans’ benefits and services from all three administrations – Veterans Benefits Administration, Veterans Health Administration, and National Cemetery Administration – and the Office of General Counsel (OGC) that are presented to the Board for appellate review. The Board’s mission is to conduct hearings and issue timely decisions for Veterans and other Appellants in compliance with the law. 38 U.S.C. 7101. This involves expediting remands by the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, expediting certain cases in special circumstances, and conducting hearings at alternate locations. 38 U.S.C. 7112; 38 U.S.C. 7107(b), (c). The Board’s jurisdiction extends to all questions in a matter involving a decision by the Secretary under a law that affects a provision of benefits by the Secretary to Veterans, their dependents, or their Survivors. 38 U.S.C. 511; 7104. Final decisions on such appeals are made by the Board based on the entire record in the proceeding and upon consideration of all evidence and applicable provisions of law and regulation. Principal Executive Director for Acquisition, Logistics and Construction and Chief Acquisition Officer The Principal Executive Director for Acquisition, Logistics and Construction provides a full range of innovative, cost-effective business solutions, and responsible services tailored to meet the ongoing and emerging needs of our customers in their support of America’s Veterans and their families. Chief Veterans Experience Officer The Veterans Experience Office (VEO) supports VA as the Secretary of Veterans Affairs’ (SECVA) customer experience (CX) insight engine and a shared service to partner with, support, and enable VA Administrations and Staff Offices to provide the highest quality CX in the delivery of care, benefits and memorial services to Servicemembers, Veterans, their families, caregivers and survivors. The Inspector General The Office of Inspector General (OIG) was administratively established on January 1, 1978, to consolidate audits and investigations into a cohesive, independent organization. In October 1978, the Inspector General Act, P.L. 95-452, was enacted, establishing a statutory Inspector General in VA. It states that the IG is responsible for: (1) conducting and supervising audits and investigations; (2) recommending policies designed to promote economy and efficiency in the administration of, and to prevent and detect criminal activity, waste, abuse, and mismanagement in VA programs and operations; and (3) keeping the Secretary and Congress fully informed about problems and deficiencies in VA programs and operations and the need for corrective action. The Inspector General has authority to VA Functional Organization Manual Version 8.0 – Volume 1: Administrations 11 inquire into all VA programs and Activities as well as the related Activities of persons or parties performing under grants, contracts, or other agreements. In addition, P.L. 100-322, passed on May 20, 1988, charged the OIG with the oversight of the quality of VA health care.

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