Michael Walcoff
Acting Under Secretary for Benefits
Michael Walcoff was appointed Acting Under Secretary for Benefits in the Department of Veterans Affairs on Jan. 4, 2010.
As Acting Under Secretary for Benefits, he leads the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) in the delivery of a wide range of integrated programs of non-medical benefits and services authorized by law to veterans and their dependents and survivors.
Through a nationwide network of 57 regional offices, special processing centers, and VBA Headquarters, he directs the administration of VA’s disability compensation, pension, education, home loan guaranty, vocational rehabilitation and employment, and life insurance programs. The funding levels for these benefit entitlement programs exceed $47 billion annually, approximately half of VA’s total budget.
Prior to his appointment as Acting Under Secretary, Mr. Walcoff served as VA’s Deputy Under Secretary for Benefits since January 2008. Previously, Mr. Walcoff served as the VA’s Associate Deputy Under Secretary for Field Operations, supervising VBA's 57 regional offices with over 13,000 employees.
Mr. Walcoff began his career as a veterans claims examiner at the Philadelphia Regional Office and Insurance Center in 1974. During his career, he has served as Director of the VBA regional offices in Seattle, Wash., and Huntington, W.Va., as well as Deputy Area Director of VBA's Western Area.
Mr. Walcoff received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from American University in Washington, D.C., and his Juris Doctor degree from Temple University School of Law in Philadelphia, Pa. He is a member of the Pennsylvania Bar.
Mr. Walcoff received the Senior Executive Service Presidential Rank Award of Meritorious Executive in 2001 and the Distinguished Executive Award in 2005. He and his wife live in Fairfax, Va.
