Patrick W. Dunne, VA Under Secretary for Benefits, to Step Down

Patrick W. Dunne, VA Under Secretary for Benefits, to Step Down



WASHINGTON (Nov. 20, 2009) - Patrick W. Dunne, the Under Secretary for
Benefits for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), today announced
his resignation for early next year. Dunne, who attained the rank of
rear admiral while in the U.S. Navy, has been with VA since 2006.



As Under Secretary for Benefits since October 2008, Admiral Dunne has
directed the administration of VA's disability compensation, pension,
education, home loan guaranty, vocational rehabilitation and employment,
and life insurance programs through a nationwide network of 57 regional
offices, other special processing centers, and Veterans Benefits
Administration headquarters.



"I've appreciated the wonderful opportunity VA has given me to serve our
nation's Veterans and their families," said Dunne. "We have an
obligation to care for our heroes and their dependents, and I will fully
support the transition of my successor to meet that moral
responsibility."



"Pat Dunne has guided the Veterans Benefits Administration through a
number of challenges during his tenure as Under Secretary. I applaud
his service and loyalty to our team and thank him for his unfailing
commitment to our nation's Veterans," said Secretary of Veterans Affairs
Eric K. Shinseki.



Born in Washington, D.C. and raised in Troy, N.Y., Dunne earned his
undergraduate degree in mathematics from the U.S. Naval Academy at
Annapolis and earned a master's in mathematics from the Naval
Postgraduate School and is a graduate of the Navy's nuclear power
training program.