The VA Seal: A Work of Artistry and Patriotism

For us VA employees it is a common sight. We see it every day as we enter our workplace. It is prominently displayed in VA lobbies, executive offices and conference rooms. One sees it in front ofthe podium whenever there is a VA speaker. This month it celebrates its 25th birthday. It is the VA seal.

On Oct. 25, 1988, President Ronald Reagan signed the Department of Veterans Affairs Act to establish the Veterans Administration as an executive department.

The legislation called for the act to take effect on March 15, 1989. With the elevation to cabinet status, the new department now needed a seal to replace the old Veterans Administration seal. And time was of essence because this needed to be done in about four months.

A call went out to VA employees nationwide to put their creative skills to work and submit designs that best represent the newest cabinet department. One hundred and eighty-seven (187) VA employees, including Jan Northstar, Atlanta OPA Director, submitted entries for consideration. To review all these designs and drawings, VA set up a committee to review the entries and select the winning design.

I was a part of that 10-member panel. We reviewed all the submissions and narrowed it down to a select few and then, after much discussion, agreed on the entry submitted by David Gregory, a medical media production specialist at the Indianapolis VA Medical Center.

Once the selection was made, the proposed design needed to be sent to the Institute of Heraldry, the government’s overseer of official seals, decorations, medals, insignia, badges, and other items authorized for official display or wear by government personnel or agencies.

The heraldry made only two changes to the submitted design. It added the five stars that we see above the eagle and it spelled out United States of America at the bottom of the seal instead of USA.

Now I know many of you have become very familiar with the VA seal. We can easily identify it. But do you know what the seal represents?

Well, Mr. Gregory, the designer explained it in his entry. He said he focused on traditional American symbols and his own innovative symbolism to visually convey VA’s special mission. Gregory was a Veteran who served in the Army Reserve, Naval Reserve, and Army National Guard. After his military discharge, he worked for DoD as an illustrator prior to coming to VA in 1985.

VA Secretary Edward J. Derwinski presents David Gregory an award for the newly selected and approved official VA seal.

The VA seal features five key elements. The primary element is the bald eagle, the official symbol of the United States since 1789. The mature eagle is a powerful representation of the United States symbolizing both the American people and the freedoms they enjoy.
The two flags in the eagle’s talons symbolize America’s history from the thirteen colonies to the present fifty states. A golden cord symbolic of those Americans who have fallen in service to their country binds the flags. The cord is also held by the eagle to perpetuate the memory of those Veterans who have sacrificed for the nation. The seal’s colors are derived from the American flag and the natural colors of the earth, representing the nation’s commitment to its Veterans.

The circle of five stars above the eagle, added by the Institute of Heraldry, represent the five branches of the U.S. military – Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard, which produce the Veterans VA serves.

For his winning entry, Mr. Gregory, who died in 2004, received a cash award and a trip to Washington, D.C. where he was honored by Edward J. Derwinski, the first secretary of Veterans Affairs.A bigger reward for him, however, was seeing the wide display and recognition of his work and design.