Bob Milligan Taking Over State Department of VA

The Cabinet unanimously confirmed Gen. Bob Milligan to serve as the interim executive director of the Florida Department of Veterans Affairs, taking over from LeRoy Collins Jr. who was killed by a car while riding his bike. A former general with the Marines, Milligan has also served as state comptroller, winning election to that office in 1994, and as interim director of the State Board of Administration.

With the tragic passing of Admiral Leroy Collins Jr., we have extremely large shoes to fill at the Florida Department of Veterans Affairs, said Attorney General Bill McCollum. Today, I was honored to support the nomination of General Bob Milligan as the interim executive director of that agency.

General Milligan is a man with the utmost integrity who will provide the department steady leadership in continuing the good work for the veterans of the state of Florida, said McCollum. The people of Florida are fortunate to have General Milligan willing to step up for a third time to serve our state, having already served for a distinguished tenure as Floridas comptroller and again as the interim director of the State Board of Administration."

The sudden and tragic loss of Admiral LeRoy Collins Jr. almost a month ago shocked Floridas military veterans community, and we will forever remember his legacy of service to his fellow veterans, said Gov. Charlie Crist. I am honored to have served alongside such a tireless advocate for the men and women who have made countless sacrifices to protect the precious freedoms we enjoy every day as Americans.

Admiral Collins fiercely supported Floridas more than 1.6 million veterans and their families, with a special call to action for our new and returning veterans serving in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom, added Crist. By establishing new resources such as the Florida Vets First website, www.floridavets.org, and the new 120-bed Clyde E. Lassen State Veterans Nursing Home in St. Augustine, he constantly sought to preserve the dignity and honor of our men and women in uniform.

I commend the admirals work to champion the creation of the nonprofit Florida Veterans Foundation, which will assist Floridas veteran community for generations to come, said Crist. I am confident General Bob Milligan will continue Admiral Collins great work on behalf of the veterans who call Florida home.

Milligan will serve in the position until the end of the year when Crists term will end.