VA Under Secretary posts filled.

The United States Senate has confirmed President Bush's nominations of Robert H. Roswell to be Under Secretary of Veteran, Affairs for Health and Daniel L. Cooper to be Under Secretary of Veterans Affairs for Benefits.

"The DAV looks forward working with Dr. Roswell and Cooper in helping to fulfill this nation's sacred obligation to the men and women who have defended our freedoms, often at great personal sacrifice," said Washington Headquarters Executive Director David W. Gorman.

"It is vital that the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) and the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) have the strong leadership necessary to enable VA to fulfill its primary mission of meeting the needs of sick and disabled veterans," Mr. Gorman said.

As Under Secretary, Mr. Cooper directs the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) through regional offices in every state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines. He is responsible for the administration of benefits provided by the VA to veterans and their dependents, including education, home loan guaranty, compensation, pension, vocational rehabilitation, and life insurance.

Prior to his nomination, Mr. Cooper, a retired U.S. Navy vice admiral, served as Chairman of the VA Claims Processing Task Force. As Chairman, he over a 12-person force established last April to assess and critique VBA's organization, management, and processes in order to develop recommendations to improve the quality and timeliness of the claims processing system. The task force final report made 34 recommendations to streamline claims processing. (See the January/February DAV Magazine.)

The VBA includes a network of 57 regional offices and more than 12,000 employees. Nearly 2.7 million veterans currently receive compensation for disabilities incurred in service or pensions for wartime veterans who become totally disabled in civilian life. In addition, more than a half million widows, children, and parents of deceased veterans are paid survivor compensation or death pensions.

Other programs administered by the Under Secretary for Benefits include education benefits and vocational rehabilitation and employment for veterans, and life insurance and VA-guaranteed home loans for both active-duty personnel and veterans.

As Under Secretary for Health, Dr. Roswell serves as the chief executive officer for the Veterans Health Administration and is responsible for the operation of the nation's largest integrated health care system. With 163 hospitals, 800 facility and community-based outpatient clinics, 135 long-term care facilities, 206 readjustment counseling centers, and 73 homecare programs, the VHA system provided health care to almost 4.1 million veterans last year. In addition to its medical care mission, the veterans health care system is the nation's largest provider of graduate medical education and a major contributor to medical and scientific research.

Dr. Roswell directed VA's health care network for Florida and Puerto Rico since 1995. Based in Bay Pines, Fla., the network includes 10 VA medical centers, nine satellite outpatient clinics, and 34 community clinics. He also served as Executive Director of the federal Persian Gulf Veterans Coordinating Board from 1994 to 1999.

Dr. Roswell previously held positions as chief of staff at the VA medical centers in Birmingham, Ala., and Oklahoma City, and held leadership positions in other VA facilities and VA Central Office in Washington, D.C.

A colonel in the Army Reserve Medical Corps, Dr. Roswell is certified in internal medicine.