United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs
The United States secretary of veterans affairs is the head of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, the department concerned with veterans' benefits, health care, and national veterans' memorials and cemeteries. The Secretary is a member of the Cabinet and second to last at sixteenth in the line of succession to the presidency (the position was last until the addition of the United States Department of Homeland Security in 2006). Until the appointment of David Shulkin in 2017, all appointees and acting appointees to the post were United States military veterans, but that  is not a requirement to fill the position. When the post of Secretary is vacant, the United States Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs or any other person designated by the President serves as Acting Secretary until the President nominates and the United States Senate confirms a new Secretary. Denis McDonough is currently serving as the 11th secretary of veterans affairs since February 9, 2021 under President Joe Biden. (2) List of secretaries of veterans affairs. (3) Living former secretaries of veterans affairs. As of , there are seven living former secretaries of veterans affairs (with all secretaries that have served since  2001 still living), the oldest being Jim Nicholson (served 2005–2007, born 1938). The most recent secretary of veterans affairs to die, as well as the recently serving secretary to die, was Togo D. West Jr. (served 1998–2000, born 1942), on March 8, 2018.