- Oklahoma Secretary of Veterans Affairs
-
Oklahoma Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
Great Seal of Oklahoma Agency overview Formed June 6, 1986 Headquarters 2311 N. Central
Oklahoma City, OklahomaEmployees 1998 (FY2011) Annual budget $130 million (FY2011) Minister responsible Rita Aragon, Secretary of Veterans Affairs Child agency Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs Website Office of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs The Oklahoma Secretary of Veterans Affairs is a member of the Oklahoma Governor's Cabinet. The Secretary is appointed by the Governor, with the consent of the Oklahoma Senate, to serve at the pleasure of the Governor. The Secretary serves as the chief advisor to the Governor on veterans healthcare and benefits.
The current Secretary is Major General Rita Aragon, USAF (ret.), who was appointed by Governor Mary Fallin in 2011.
Contents
History
The position of Secretary of Veterans Affairs was established in 1986 to provide greater oversight and coordination to the energy activities of the State government. The position was established, along with the Oklahoma State Cabinet, by the Executive Branch Reform Act of 1986. The Act directed the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to advise the Governor on policies and operations of the Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs.
Unlike any other Cabinet Secretary, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs is the only Cabinet position to have statutory requirements in order for an individual to hold that office. Under Oklahoma state law, any person the Governor appoints to serve as the Secretary must be a honorably discharged veteran and be eligible to receive benefits from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.
Oklahoma state law always for Cabinet Secretaries to serve concurrently as the head of a State agency in addition to their duties as a Cabinet Secretary. Historically, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs has never served in any such dual position.
Responsibilities
The Secretary of Veterans Affairs is responsible for overseeing the provision of financial assistance, vocational rehabilitation, survivors' benefits, medical benefits and burial benefits to all honorably discharged veterans of the United States military or their dependants or survivors.
As of fiscal year 2011, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs oversees 1998 full time employees and is responsible for annual budget of over $130 million.
Salary
The annual salary of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs is set by state law at $65,000.[1]
List of Secretaries
# Name Branch Rank Took Office Left Office Governor served under 1 ? ? ? 1987 1991 Henry Bellmon 2 John Willis USAF ? 1991 1995 David Walters 3 Norman Lamb USA Colonel 1995 2003 Frank Keating 2003 2011 Brad Henry 4 Rita Aragon USAF Major General January 10, 2011 Present Mary Fallin References
See also
References
External links
Agriculture • Commerce and Tourism • Education • Energy • Evnironment • Finance and Revenue • Health and Human Services • Human Resources and Administration • Military • Safety and Security • Science and Technology • State • Transportation • Veterans Affairs
Past Cabinet members: Administration • Commerce • Health • Human Resources • Human Services • Tourism and Recreation
Governor of Oklahoma
Secretary of the Military • Secretary of Veterans Affairs
Department of the Military • Department of Veterans Affairs
National Guard • 
Army National Guard • 
Air National Guard • State GuardCategories:- State cabinet secretaries of Oklahoma
- Heads of Oklahoma state agencies
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
