Most recently, he served as Administrator of the Charlotte VA Health Care Center. Prior to joining the Department of Veterans Affairs, he served in the U. S. Air Force as an enlisted Airman, contractor and civilian for a total of 35 years.  He is a retired USAF Command Chief Master Sergeant, having served at clinic, hospital, aeromedical evacuation, wing and major command levels during his 29-year military career. He also served as Commandant of the Robert D. Gaylor NCO Academy.

Mr. Collins is a graduate of Wilmington University with a bachelor’s degree in Human Resources Management and holds master’s degrees in Health Administration and Human Resource Management from Webster University. He is a 2016 Graduate of the VISN 6 Leadership Development Institute and graduate of the 2019 Health Care Leadership Development Program.

During military service, Mr. Collins attended the USAF Senior Executive Leaders Course (Lean 6 Sigma) at the Porsche Factory in Stuttgart Germany, the Center for Creative Leadership Course, and Senior Executive Gettysburg Leadership Experience. He also deployed to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in 1990 in support of Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. He is a native of Burlington, North Carolina.