Togo West | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait, 1998 | |
| 3rdUnited States Secretary of Veterans Affairs | |
| In office May 4, 1998 – July 25, 2000 | |
| President | Bill Clinton |
| Preceded by | Jesse Brown |
| Succeeded by | Anthony Principi |
| 16thUnited States Secretary of the Army | |
| In office November 22, 1993 – May 4, 1998 | |
| President | Bill Clinton |
| Preceded by | Michael P. W. Stone |
| Succeeded by | Louis Caldera |
| General Counsel of the Department of Defense | |
| In office February 1, 1980 – January 20, 1981 | |
| President | Jimmy Carter |
| Preceded by | Deanne C. Siemer |
| Succeeded by | William Howard Taft IV |
| General Counsel of the Navy | |
| In office April 22, 1977 – January 13, 1979 | |
| President | Jimmy Carter |
| Preceded by | Grey Lewis |
| Succeeded by | Coleman Hicks |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Togo Dennis West Jr. (1942-06-21)June 21, 1942 |
| Died | March 8, 2018(2018-03-08) (aged 75) |
| Resting place | Arlington National Cemetery Arlington, Virginia |
| Party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Gail Berry |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | Howard University (BS,JD) |
| Military service | |
| Branch/service | United States Army |
| Years of service | 1965–1973 |
| Rank | Captain |
| Unit | J.A.G. Corps |
| Awards | Legion of Merit Meritorious Service Medal Order of Military Merit |
Togo Dennis West Jr. (June 21, 1942 – March 8, 2018) was an American attorney andArmy officer who served as the thirdsecretary of veterans affairs in theadministration of PresidentBill Clinton from 1998 until his resignation in 2000. A member of theDemocratic Party, he was thesecond African American to beSecretary of Veterans Affairs.[1][2] West previously served as the 16thsecretary of the army from 1993 to 1998, asGeneral Counsel of the Department of Defense from 1980 to 1981, and asGeneral Counsel of the Navy from 1977 to 1979.
West was born inWinston-Salem, North Carolina, where he became anEagle Scout with Bronze Palms, and attendedAtkins High School (where his parents were teachers), graduating asvaledictorian[2][3] in June 1960.[4]
He subsequently enteredHoward University, obtaining aBachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering in 1965.[2][4] He received hisJuris Doctor degree from theHoward University School of Law in 1968, receivingcum laude honors and graduating first in his class.[5]
While a freshman at Howard University, he became a brother of Zeta Phi chapter ofAlpha Phi Omega service fraternity.[6] West was a member of the Kappa Psi chapter ofOmega Psi Phi fraternity.[2][6]
While a law student at Howard, West became the managing editor for theHoward Law Journal.[2] Around that time, he met Gail Berry, who later became his wife.[1]
A member ofSt. John's Episcopal Church, Lafayette Square, he served as a vestryman andSenior Warden.[6]
West was a member of theNational Executive Board of the Boy Scouts of America, the organization's governing body.[3] He was named aDistinguished Eagle Scout by theBoy Scouts of America and was awarded theSilver Buffalo Award for his national contributions to America's youth.[3] He previously served as the president of theNational Capital Area Council of theBoy Scouts of America.[3]
After completing law school and clerking for federal District JudgeHarold R. Tyler Jr.,[4] West entered theUnited States Army. He was in the Army Field Artillery Corps from 1965 to 1968, then attendedThe JAG School at theUniversity of Virginia.[1] He enteredU.S. Army JAG Corps, and he served as an Army lawyer from 1969 to 1973.[1]
From his military service, he earned theLegion of Merit and theMeritorious Service Medal.[5] He subsequently practiced law at the firm ofCovington & Burling before being appointed anassociate deputy attorney general in the administration of PresidentGerald Ford.[1]
West held several posts in the administration ofJimmy Carter:General Counsel of the Navy (1977–79), Special Assistant to the Secretary and to the Deputy Secretary of Defense (1979), andGeneral Counsel of the Department of Defense (1980–81).[1] As the Secretary of the Army, West weighed in on theAberdeen scandal, prompting stricter enforcement and investigation into theArmy's sexual harassment policies.[5]
West returned to private practice in 1981 with the firm ofPatterson Belknap Webb & Tyler and later worked as senior vice president for government relations of theNorthrop Corporation until he became a member of theClinton administration.[7] In 1996, as Secretary of the Army, West earned the Grand-Officer of theOrder of Military Merit by the Brazilian PresidentFernando Henrique Cardoso.[8]
West was nominated byPresidentBill Clinton on January 27, 1998, during Clinton's second term, and was confirmed by theSenate on May 4, 1998.[5] He had previously served asSecretary of the Army from 1993 to 1998.[5] From January 2, 1998, through May 4, 1998, he served a dual role as Acting Secretary of Veterans Affairs and Secretary of the Army while awaiting confirmation as Secretary of Veterans Affairs.[1]
After leaving office, West practiced law and served on the boards of various institutions.[1] From 2004 to 2006, he served as president of theJoint Center for Political and Economic Studies, a Washington-based think tank focused on issues of concern to minorities.[9] He was a strong supporter of and past board member of theMount Vernon preservation society.[1]
West and formerChief of Naval Operations retired admiralVernon Clark led the Defense Department's investigation into theFort Hood massacre, issuing a report in January 2010.[10]
West died of aheart attack on March 8, 2018, at the age of 75, while on a cruise betweenBarbados andPuerto Rico.[1] He was interred atArlington National Cemetery on April 26, 2018.[11]
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| Preceded by | General Counsel of the Navy 1977–1979 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | United States Secretary of the Army 1993–1997 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs 1998–2000 | Succeeded by |
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