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Hershel W. Gober

Hershel Gober
Gober sm.jpg
United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs
Acting
In office
July 25, 2000 – January 20, 2001
President Bill Clinton
Preceded by Togo West
Succeeded by Anthony Principi
In office
July 1, 1997 – January 2, 1998
President Bill Clinton
Preceded by Jesse Brown
Succeeded by Togo West
United States Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs
In office
February 4, 1993 – August 10, 2000
President Bill Clinton
Preceded by Anthony Principi
Succeeded by Leo Mackay
Director of the Arkansas Department of Veterans Affairs
In office
January 4, 1988 – February 4, 1993
Governor Bill Clinton
Jim Tucker
Preceded by Grady Brown
Succeeded by Nick Bacon
Personal details
Born Hershel Wayne Gober
(1936-12-21) December 21, 1936 (age 80)
Monticello, Arkansas, U.S.
Political party Democratic
Education Alaska Pacific University (BA)
Military service
Allegiance  United States
Service/branch  United States Army
 United States Marine Corps
Battles/wars Vietnam War
Awards Purple Heart
Bronze Star

Hershel Wayne Gober (born December 21, 1936) is a former government official and Vietnam War veteran. He served as acting United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) on two occasions during the administration of Bill Clinton: first from July 1, 1997, until January 2, 1998, between the resignation of Secretary Jesse Brown and the appointment of Togo D. West, Jr. as acting secretary, and the second time from July 25, 2000, until January 20, 2001, after the resignation of Secretary West; this time Gober served in the post until the end of the Clinton presidency.

He started out in the VA as deputy secretary, serving from February 4, 1993, until August 10, 2000. Gober was also briefly secretary-designate, when Clinton named him on July 31, 1997, to replace Jesse Brown. However, the nomination was withdrawn before Senate action on October 27 the same year because of fears that nomination hearings for Gober would become heated due to questions about a 1993 claim of sexual misconduct made against him; he also wished to stay as Deputy Secretary.

During his tenure Gober, as a close and longtime aide, played an important role in the Clinton-era VA. He headed a delegation that traveled to Vietnam to seek the fullest possible accounting of missing veterans. He was also active in improving health care and expanding clinics for veterans.

Before serving in the VA, Gober was director of the Arkansas Department of Veterans Affairs from January 4, 1988, to February 4, 1993, during Clinton's tenure as governor.

Gober served two tours in Vietnam. In addition to his combat duties, at one point he worked with an American-Vietnamese team that produced songs to help sway Vietnamese public opinion in favor of the American and South Vietnamese causes and to encourage the leadership in Washington to favor reaching the hearts and minds of the Vietnamese people. Later, in 1969, he was wounded while serving as a company commander.

In 1970, Gober released a 45 rpm single, "Picture of a Man", which received some airplay on popular music radio stations.

Gober had at least five single releases and one album as a recording artist; the first two were as Hershel Almond on Ace and Challenge in 1959. The others were on ABC ("The Proud American", 1966), Tee Pee (1967) and Buddah (1969).


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