Doug Collins

Douglas Allen Collins, born August 16 1966, is an American public servant who has held a variety of roles in government, law, ministry, and the military. He was appointed by President‑elect Donald Trump as the twelfth United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs, confirmed by the Senate on February 4 2025, and assumed office the following day. Prior to his cabinet appointment, Collins represented Georgia’s 9th congressional district in the U.S. House from 2013 to 2021 and served three terms in the Georgia House of Representatives between 2007 and 2013. His career has also encompassed legal practice, pastoral ministry, and long‑standing service as a chaplain in both the United States Navy and the Air Force Reserve.

Early life and career

Collins was born in Gainesville, Georgia, to a father who served more than three decades as a state trooper. He graduated from North Hall High School before attending North Georgia College & State University, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science and criminal law in 1988. Pursuing theological studies, Collins obtained a Master of Divinity from the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary in 1996. He later added a Juris Doctor to his credentials, graduating from John Marshall Law School in Atlanta in 2007.

Early professional experiences included an internship with U.S. Representative Ed Jenkins and work as a salesman selling hazardous‑material safety products to state and local governments across Georgia. From 1994 until 2005, Collins served as senior pastor at Chicopee Baptist Church while co‑owning a retail scrapbooking store with his wife, Lisa. His legal career began in earnest when he joined the firm Collins & Csider, eventually becoming its managing partner in 2010.

Collins’s military service began in the late 1980s when he served two years as a chaplain in the United States Navy. After the September 11 attacks, he joined the Air Force Reserve Command as a chaplain, where he continues to serve. He holds the rank of colonel and is assigned to the 94th Airlift Wing at Dobbins Air Reserve Base in Marietta, Georgia. In 2008, Collins was deployed for five months to Balad Air Base during the Iraq War.

Cabinet tenure

Collins’s appointment as Secretary of Veterans Affairs came after President‑elect Donald Trump announced his intent to nominate him on November 14 2024. The United States Senate confirmed the nomination on February 4 2025 with a vote of 77–23, and Collins began his term the next day. As secretary, he leads the Department of Veterans Affairs, overseeing programs that provide health care, benefits, and support services to veterans and their families. His tenure has involved managing the department’s response to evolving veteran needs, coordinating with other federal agencies on veteran affairs policy, and ensuring the efficient delivery of services across the nation.

During his time in office, Collins has drawn upon his extensive experience as a military chaplain and former legislator to address issues such as mental health support for veterans, access to care, and the administration of benefits. He has also engaged with veteran advocacy groups and stakeholders to assess the effectiveness of existing programs and identify areas for improvement. While specific policy initiatives undertaken during his tenure are not detailed in the available references, his leadership role places him at the center of national efforts to support those who have served.

Legacy

Collins’s legacy spans multiple arenas—legislative, legal, pastoral, military, and executive. In the Georgia House of Representatives, he represented the 27th district, which includes parts of Hall, Lumpkin, and White counties. His legislative work included sponsoring a reform to the state’s HOPE Scholarship program in 2011, aiming to adjust scholarship eligibility criteria and reduce projected costs. He also supported constitutional amendments in 2012 that would establish a statewide commission to authorize and expand charter schools. Collins’s committee assignments during this period—House Appropriations (Secretary), Judiciary Non‑Civil, Public Safety & Homeland Security, Health & Human Services, and Defense and Veterans Affairs—reflected his broad policy interests.

In the U.S. House of Representatives, Collins served Georgia’s 9th congressional district from 2013 to 2021. He was elected in a competitive primary runoff in 2012 and subsequently won re‑elections unopposed in 2014 and 2016, before defeating Democratic challenger Josh McCall in 2018 with a substantial margin. His committee assignments included the Rules Committee, the Judiciary Committee (with subcommittees on courts, intellectual property, regulatory reform, and antitrust law), and the Oversight and Government Reform Committee (with subcommittees on federal workforce, postal service, census, economic growth, job creation, and regulatory affairs). He also participated in the U.S.–Japan Caucus.

Collins’s attempt to transition to the Senate in 2020—running in a special election to fill Johnny Isakson’s seat—did not result in election to that office; he finished third in the nonpartisan blanket primary. After leaving Congress, he served as legal counsel for former President Donald Trump.

Beyond his legislative and executive roles, Collins’s long‑standing service as a chaplain has shaped his perspective on veteran care and support. His deployment during the Iraq War and ongoing responsibilities in the Air Force Reserve underscore a personal commitment to military service that informs his leadership of the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Collectively, these experiences illustrate a career dedicated to public service across multiple sectors, with a consistent focus on supporting veterans, addressing educational policy, and contributing to legislative oversight. Collins’s current role as Secretary of Veterans Affairs continues this trajectory, positioning him at the forefront of national efforts to honor and assist those who have served in the United States armed forces.