HELENA — On Thursday the U.S. Senate unanimously voted to confirm Montana Major General Matthew T. Quinn to be Under Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) for Memorial Affairs.
Quinn’s new position as the Under Secretary for Memorial Affairs will be to direct the National Cemetery Administration. The organization maintains 158 national cemeteries and 34 other cemetery installations, preserving them as national shrines, in addition to providing burial services for all eligible veterans and family members.
“General Quinn has a long history of serving our nation’s military, and has demonstrated a strong commitment to providing veterans with the quality services and respect they deserve,” said U.S. Senator Jon Tester, Chairman of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee in a statement. “As head of the National Cemetery Administration, he is tasked with overseeing state cemeteries, addressing the special memorialization and burial needs of rural and tribal veterans, and ensuring all veterans have a final resting place that honors their service. General Quinn is well qualified to take on this role, and I look forward to working with him to ensure VA has the resources it needs to preserve the legacy of our nation’s heroes.”
“Congratulations to Major General Matt Quinn on his confirmation as VA Under Secretary. It was a pleasure working with you in uniform, and I look forward to working together to serve Montana’s veterans,” said Senator Steve Daines in a statement.
Quinn served nearly 37 years in the U.S. Army and Army National Guard, culminating in his selection as the 27th Adjutant General for the State of Montana. He is a veteran of Operations Desert Storm and Iraqi Freedom, commanding Soldiers at the company and battalion level. Prior to selection as the Adjutant General, Quinn was the President of ELM Locating and Utility Services, while serving in the Montana National Guard. He holds an MSS in Strategic Studies from United States Army War College, an MS in Business Administration from the University of Montana and a BS in Electrical Engineering from Montana State University.
Most recently Quinn served as executive director of the Montana COVID-19 Task Force under both Gov. Greg Gianforte and former Gov. Steve Bullock.
