Eric Shinseki

Eric Ken Shinseki (born 1942) is a retired U.S. Army general and former U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs. A career officer, he rose to four-star rank and served as the 34th Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army (1999–2003). Shinseki later led the Department of Veterans Affairs as its seventh secretary (2009–2014) in the administration of President Barack Obama. Born in Lihue, Kauai, Hawaii, he graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in 1965 and served in the Vietnam War, where he was wounded in action. He is recognized for advocating modernization and improved support for service members and veterans.