Togo D. West, Jr.

Togo Dennis West, Jr. (born June 21, 1942) was the third person to occupy the post of United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs. He was nominated by President Bill Clinton on January 27, 1998, during Clinton's second term, and was confirmed by the Senate on May 5, 1998.

Early life and career

West was born in Winston-Salem, North Carolina; there, he attended Atkins High School, graduating as valedictorian in 1961. He subsequently entered Howard University, obtaining a Bachelor of Science degree in engineering in 1965, and a Juris Doctorate in 1968, receiving cum laude honours and graduating first in his class. While a freshman at Howard University, he became a brother of Alpha Phi Omega. While a student at the Howard University School of Law, West became the managing editor for the Howard Law Journal; he also met Gail Berry, whom he married in 1968.