Richard J. Griffin
Deputy Inspector General

Richard J. Griffin was appointed as Deputy Inspector General of the Department of Veterans Affairs on November 23, 2008. With the Inspector General, he directs a nationwide staff of auditors, investigators, health care inspectors, and support personnel. His office conducts independent oversight reviews to improve the economy, efficiency, and effectiveness of VA programs, and to prevent and detect criminal activity, waste, abuse, and fraud. Mr. Griffin previously served as VA Inspector General from November 1997 to June 2005.

Mr. Griffin came to VA from the Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of Inspector General where he served as a senior advisor to the Inspector General from March 2008 to November 2008, assisting him in managing all aspects of that organization’s audits, inspections, investigations, congressional and public affairs, budget, and strategic planning.

Mr. Griffin served as the Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of Diplomatic Security at the Department of State where he led a global workforce of 32,000 security and law enforcement professionals from June 2005 to November 2007. His office was responsible for ensuring the safe and secure conduct of United States diplomacy across the world. He concurrently served as Director of the Office of Foreign Missions, with the rank of Ambassador, where he managed reciprocity and immunity issues for foreign diplomats in the United States.

Mr. Griffin previously served as Deputy Director at the U.S. Secret Service, where he was responsible for planning and directing all investigative, protective, and administrative programs. He began his career with the Secret Service in 1971 as an agent in the Chicago office. Subsequent positions included Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Presidential Protective Division, Special Agent in Charge in Los Angeles, Deputy Assistant Director in the Office of Investigations, and Assistant Director for Protective Operations.

During his career at Secret Service, he received a number of special achievement awards including the Senior Executive Service Presidential Rank Award of Meritorious Executive in 1994. In 2000 and 2005, he received the Exceptional Service Award of the Department of Veterans Affairs.

In 1971, Mr. Griffin earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio, and in 1984, received a master’s degree in business administration from Marymount University in Arlington, Virginia. He is a 1983 graduate of the National War College. In May 2004, he received an honorary doctorate in Humane Letters from Marymount University.