WASHINGTON — President-elect Donald Trump has nominated a former Southern Baptist pastor to be the next head of the Department of Veterans Affairs.

A native of Gainesville, Ga., Doug Collins was senior pastor of Chicopee Baptist Church from November 1994 through October 2005, according to the church’s annual church profile reporting.

He also served as chaplain for Chattahoochee Baptist Association and earned his Master of Divinity degree from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. He and his wife Lisa are members of Lakewood Baptist Church in Gainesville.

Collins is a North American Mission Board-endorsed Southern Baptist chaplain in the Air Force Reserves, serving in that role since 2002. He had served two years as a Navy chaplain before joining the Air Force after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. He remains active with the Air Force Reserves, which included a 2008-09 deployment to Iraq.

“I am grateful for people of faith, like Doug, who have sacrificially served our country and continue to do so when the nation calls upon them,” said Maj. Gen. (retired) Doug Carver, executive director of chaplaincy and federal endorser for the North American Mission Board.

“Caring for our nation’s veterans and for their families, caregivers, and survivors is an extremely noble calling. I will be praying for him as he takes on this important leadership role.”

Georgia voters elected Collins to the District 27 state representative seat in 2006. He was sent from Atlanta to Washington six years later, winning the District 9 election for the U.S. House. He stepped down to run for U.S. Senate in 2020, but lost.

Trump said in a statement that Collins “will be a great advocate for our Active Duty Servicemenbers, Veterans, and Military Families to ensure they have the support they need.”

This article has been republished with permission from Baptist Press.

Scott Barkley is chief national correspondent for Baptist Press.