James Rodriguez

Mr. James D. Rodriguez is the Acting Assistant Secretary of VETS while appointed as the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy within the Department of Labor’s Veterans’ Employment and Training Service.

Mr. Rodriguez previously served as a senior executive within Deloitte LLP to support the Government and Public Sector practice within the Business Operations offering. His primary duties included serving as a customer relationship and business development executive for Deloitte leadership at the Department of Defense, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and the Military Health System with an emphasis on the development and sustainment of new executive client relationships and account growth opportunities.

Prior to his recent appointment, Mr. Rodriguez served as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense, Office of Warrior Care Policy, Office of the Secretary of Defense from 2014 through 2017. In this role, Mr. Rodriguez served as the principal advisor on the coordination of recovery, rehabilitation, and reintegration for wounded, ill, and injured service members across the military departments.

Mr. Rodriguez also served as the Director of Government Relations and for Veteran and Wounded Warrior programs at BAE Systems. In that capacity, he acted as the Corporate Liaison for the White House Joining Forces initiative, to senior military leaders, government officials, and nonprofit organizations, increasing the footprint of our nation’s Veterans and wounded, ill, injured service members across all employment spectrums.

Prior to entering the corporate arena Mr. Rodriguez served twenty-one years in the United States Marine Corps in numerous leadership and management positions. He deployed to over 11 countries around the world and served in Operations Desert Shield/Desert Storm, Operation Eastern Exit- Somalia, and Operation Enduring Freedom. During his final duty assignment at Balboa Naval Hospital, he was the Senior Enlisted Leader/Advisor to the Officer in Charge of the Wounded Warrior Battalion, where he was responsible for the rehabilitation, transition, professional development, and education of service members with service-connected disabilities.

Mr. Rodriguez holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from the University of Maryland, University College and a Masters of Arts Degree in International Commerce and Policy from the George Mason University School of Public Policy. He also serves as an adjunct faculty member in the government and political science department within the University of Maryland Global Campus.