MIRECC / CoE
List of U.S. Presidents who served in the Armed Forces and Secretaries of VA
U.S. Presidents who were Veterans
Highest rank held by Presidents in uniformed service.
- George Washington
- General and Commander in Chief, Continental Army
1775-1783 - Thomas Jefferson
- Colonel, Virginia Militia
1770-1779 - James Madison
- Colonel, Virginia Militia
1775-1781 - James Monroe
- Major, Continental Army
1775-1778 - Andrew Jackson
- Major General, U.S. Army
1814-1821 - William Henry Harrison
- Major General, Kentucky Militia
1812-1814 - John Tyler
- Captain, Virginia Militia
1812 - James K. Polk
- Colonel, Tennessee Militia
1821 - Zachary Taylor
- Major General, U.S. Army
1805-1815, 1816-1849 - Millard Fillmore
- Major, Union Continentals (home guard)
1861 - Franklin Pierce
- Brigadier General, New Hampshire Militia
1846-1848 - James Buchanan
- Private, Pennsylvania Militia
1814 - Abraham Lincoln
- Captain, Illinois Militia
1832 - Andrew Johnson
- Brigadier General, U.S. Army (Volunteers)
1862-1865 - Ulysses S. Grant
- General, U.S. Army
1866-1869 - Rutherford B. Hayes
- Major General, U.S. Army (Volunteers)
1861-1865 - James A. Garfield
- Major General, U.S. Army (Volunteers)
1861-1863 - Chester A. Arthur
- Brigadier General, New York Militia
1858-1863 - Benjamin Harrison
- Brevet Brigadier General, U.S. Army (Volunteers)
1862-1865 - William McKinley
- Brevet Major, U.S. Army (Volunteers)
1861-1865 - Theodore Roosevelt
- Colonel, U.S. Army (Volunteers)
1898 - Harry S. Truman
- Colonel, Army Officer Reserve Corps
1919-1945 - Dwight D. Eisenhower
- General of the Army, U.S. Army
1915-1948, 1951-1952 - John F. Kennedy
- Lieutenant, U.S. Naval Reserve
1941-1945 - Lyndon B. Johnson
- Commander, U.S. Naval Reserve
1940-1964
Richard M. Nixon- Commander, U.S. Naval Reserve
1942-1966
Gerald R. Ford, Jr.- Lieutenant Commander, U.S. Naval Reserve
1942-1946 - Jimmy Carter
- Lieutenant, U.S. Navy
1946-1953 - Ronald Reagan
- Captain, U.S. Army
1942-1945 - George Bush
- Lieutenant (junior grade), U.S. Navy
1942-1945 - George W. Bush
- First Lieutenant, Texas Air National Guard
1968-1973
You can read about all the Presidents on the White House website.
Secretaries of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
| Name | Dates |
|---|---|
| Ed Derwinski | March 15, 1989 – September 26, 1992 |
| Jesse Brown | January 22, 1993 – July 3, 1997 |
| Togo D. West Jr. | January 2, 1998 – July 25, 2000 |
| Anthony Principi | January 23, 2001 – January 26, 2005 |
| Jim Nicholson | January 26, 2005 – October 1, 2007 |
| Retired Lt. Gen. James Peake | December 20, 2007 – January 20, 2009 |
| Retired Gen. Eric Shinseki | January 20, 2009 – May 30, 2014 |
| Robert A. McDonald | July 30, 2014 – January 20, 2017 |
| David Shulkin | February 14, 2017 – March 28, 2018 |
| Robert Wilkie | July 30, 2018 – January 20, 2021 |
| Denis McDonough | February 8, 2021 – Present |
Spanning 23% of the US land mass, VA Northwest Health Network (VISN 20) is the largest geographic region of VA. In the Pacific Northwest, VISN 20 serves Veterans in 135 counties in Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington. Operating across three time zones over 817,417 square miles, VISN 20 is home to 273 federally recognized American Indian and Alaskan Native tribes. VISN 20 also serves Veterans in Del Norte and Siskiyou counties of California and Lincoln County Montana. Veterans may be eligible to receive care from a community provider when VA cannot provide the care needed. Veterans Community Care Program (VCCP) provides health care for Veterans from providers in the local community. VCCP includes General Community Care, Urgent Care, Emergency Care, Foreign Medical Care, Home Health and Hospice Care, Indian and Tribal Health Services, In Vitro Fertilization, State Veterans Home, and Flu Shots.
Vet Centers in VISN 20
Vet Centers in the VISN 20 Health Care Network are community-based counseling centers that provide a wide range of social and psychological services, including professional readjustment counseling to eligible Veterans, active-duty Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, Air Force, and Space Force service members, including National Guard and Reserve components, and their families. 1-877-WAR-VETS is an around the clock confidential call center where Veterans, service members and their families can talk about their military experience or any other issue they are facing in transitioning after military service or trauma and get connected to their nearest Vet Center.
Vet Centers provide counseling to make a successful transition from military to civilian life or after a traumatic event experienced in the military. Individual, group, marriage and family counseling is offered in addition to referral and connection to other VA or community benefits and services. If you can’t make it to a nearby Vet Center, VA offers satellite Vet Center locations and Mobile Vet Centers that may be closer to you.
AlaskaAnchorage Vet Center (Anchorage, AK) Anchorage Satellite Vet Centers in Anchor Point and Homer Fairbanks Vet Center (Fairbanks, AK) Fairbanks Satellite Vet Centers in Fort Greely and Fort Wainwright Kenai Vet Center Outstation (Soldotna, AK) Wasilla Vet Center (Wasilla, AK) OregonCentral Oregon Vet Center (Bend, OR) Eugene Vet Center (Eugene, OR) Eugene Satellite Vet Centers in Florence and Reedsport Grants Pass Vet Center (Grants Pass, OR) Grants Pass Satellite Vet Center in Cave Junction and Grants Pass Mobile Vet Center Portland, OR Vet Center (Portland, OR) Portland Satellite Vet Centers in Oregon City, St. Helens, and Vancouver, Washington Salem Vet Center (Salem, OR) |
IdahoBoise Vet Center (Boise, ID) Boise Satellite Vet Center in Ontario, Oregon and Boise Mobile Vet Center Spokane Satellite Vet Centers in Couer d'Alene, Kootenai, Post Falls, Fairchild AFB, and Newport, Washington WashingtonBellingham Vet Center (Bellingham, WA) Everett Vet Center (Everett, WA) Federal Way Vet Center (Federal Way, WA) Lacey Vet Center Outstation (Lacey, WA) Seattle Vet Center (Seattle, WA) Spokane Vet Center (Spokane, WA) Spokane Satellite Vet Centers in Fairchild AFB, Newport, Post Falls and Couer d'Alene, Idaho Tacoma Vet Center (Tacoma, WA) Vancouver Vet Center - Washington State University, Clark County (Vancouver, WA) Walla Walla Vet Center (Walla Walla, WA) Yakima Valley Vet Center (Yakima, WA) Yakima Satellite Vet Center in Ellensburg |
Veterans Crisis "988" - The Military Crisis Line is a free, confidential resource for all Army, Navy, Marines, Coast Guard, Air Force, and Space Force service members, including members of the National Guard and Reserve, and Veterans. You're not alone—the Veterans Crisis Line is here for you. For immediate help in dealing with a suicidal crisis, contact the Veterans Crisis Line: Dial 988 then Press 1. You don't have to be enrolled in VA benefits or health care to call.
Europe:
Call +1 844-702-5495 (off base) or DSN 988 (on base)
Southwest Asia:
Call +1 855-422-7719 (off base) or DSN 988 (on base)
Pacific:
Call +1 844-702-5493 (off base) or DSN 988 (on base)
A Veteran overseas may contact the Veterans Crisis Line via the chat modality at VeteransCrisisLine.net/Chat. If the Veteran prefers a phone call, they can request this within the chat venue. For TTY users: Use your preferred relay service or dial 711 then 1-800-273-8255. Are you looking for clinical care or counseling? Assistance with benefits? No matter what you’re experiencing, we’re here to connect you with resources and support systems to help. The Veterans Crisis Line is free and confidential. When you call, chat, or text, a qualified responder will listen and help. You decide how much information to share. Support doesn't end with your conversation. Our responders can connect you with the resources you need.
Find out if you can get VA health care as a Veteran
The following four categories of Veterans are not required to enroll but are urged to do so to permit better planning of health resources:
- Veterans with a service-connected (SC) disability rated at 50% or more.
- Veterans seeking care for a disability the military determined was incurred or aggravated in the line of duty, but which VA has not yet rated, within 12 months of discharge.
- Veterans seeking care for a SC disability only or under a special treatment authority.
- Veterans seeking registry examinations (ionizing radiation, Agent Orange, Gulf War/Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation New Dawn (OEF/OIF/OND) depleted uranium, airborne hazards, and Open Burn Pit Registry).
Find out how to apply for VA health care benefits as a Veteran or service member. For other mental health services, contact a VA medical center for information on eligibility and treatment options.
Plan your trip to VA
In 1946, Veterans Canteen Service (VCS) was established by law to provide comfort and well-being to America’s Veterans. With our many retail stores, cafés and coffee shops across the country, we serve those who have served our country. Our Canteens are whole health spaces for Veterans to connect, relax, share and care for themselves in an environment that is their benefit. We are proud to Serve America’s Veterans and those who provide for their care.
VCS operates over 200 Patriot Stores in Veterans Administration (VA) Medical Centers nationwide. Many of our stores have been recently updated and expanded to provide our customers with a modern, clean and comfortable shopping experience. Our stores welcome our customers with wider aisles, wood-like floors, enhanced lighting and directional signage. PatriotStores have expanded hours of operation to provide service for customers on weekends at most locations.
The Patriot Cafe is the best place in the VA Medical Center to enjoy delicious, freshly prepared breakfast or lunch served hot or cold each weekday. Providing Veterans, their families, VA employees, volunteers and visitors a place to relax and enjoy a meal or take-out for their convenience. With a wide variety of food from traditional comfort food, specialized menu selections and a large assortment of healthy choices; there is something for everyone's taste buds.
Hospital Service Directory
To find out whether there is a van near you use the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) Hospital Service Coordinator Directory to contact your nearest HSC for information or assistance. Please remember that the DAV Transportation Network is staffed by volunteers; therefore, it is unable to cover every community.
