President-elect Donald Trump has nominated Doug Collins, a former Southern Baptist pastor, to head the Department of Veterans Affairs.
As reported by Baptist Press, Doug Collins, a native of Gainesville, Georgia, served as the senior pastor of Chicopee Baptist Church from November 1994 until October 2005.
He also held the position of chaplain for the Chattahoochee Baptist Association and earned his Master of Divinity degree from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. Alongside his ministry work, Collins and his wife, Lisa, are members of Lakewood Baptist Church in Gainesville.
Collins is a Southern Baptist chaplain endorsed by the North American Mission Board, serving in the Air Force Reserves since 2002. Before joining the Air Force following the 9/11 terrorist attacks, he spent two years as a Navy chaplain. He also remains active in the Air Force Reserves, which included a deployment to Iraq from 2008 to 2009.
“I am grateful for people of faith, like Doug, who have sacrificially served our country and continue to do so when the nation calls upon them,” stated Maj. Gen. (retired) Doug Carver, the executive director of chaplaincy and federal endorser for the North American Mission Board. He added, “Caring for our nation’s veterans and their families, caregivers, and survivors is an extremely noble calling. I will be praying for him as he takes on this important leadership role.”
Collins was first elected by Georgia voters to the District 27 state representative seat in 2006. He moved from Atlanta to Washington six years later, winning the election for the U.S. House in District 9. Although he stepped down to run for the U.S. Senate in 2020, he ultimately lost the race.
In a statement, Trump expressed confidence in Collins, stating that he “will be a great advocate for our Active Duty Servicemembers, Veterans, and Military Families to ensure they have the support they need.”
