Brigadier General Leslie ("Les") E. Beavers, U.S. Army, Retired was appointed as the Commissioner of the Kentucky Department of Veterans Affairs on 1 October 1998 by Governor Paul E. Patton. He was re-appointed by Governor Ernie Fletcher on 1 September 2004. Additionally, he recently served as President of the National Association of State Directors of Veterans Affairs.
Brigadier General (Retired) Leslie “Les” Beavers, U.S. Army, graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in 1960 with a BS degree in Military Science and Engineering, and was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the U. S. Army Field Artillery branch. He was born and raised in the small coal camp of Berwind, WV on the Dry fork of the Tug Fork river and is married to a Kentucky native: Brenda Maynard.
He commanded at all levels totally some six (6) years: commanded two Batteries in the 11th Field Artillery Regiment at Schofield Barracks in Hawaii 1963-64, and later commanding the 2nd Battalion of the 11th Field Artillery Regiment in 1974-75. Commanded the 1st Armored Division Artillery in 1981-84 with headquarters in NÜrenberg, West Germany, with four Artillery Battalions, three separate Companies and a NATO nuclear storage facility located at five separate installations. Served as Deputy Commanding General in 1986-87 at the U.S. Army Training Center, Fort Dix NJ.
He had three staff tours in Washington DC: two tours in Personnel Management as an assignment officer and as Chief, Field Artillery Branch, and a Pentagon tour as the General Officer Director for Army Personnel Plans and Systems.
His combat experience was in Vietnam during 1967-68 in the delta as District Advisor and Province operations officer serving during the Tet Offensive in Can Tho, South Vietnam.
In addition to West Point, his civilian schooling includes a Master’s Degree from Tulane University in Nuclear Physics in 1967, and his military schooling includes the Field Artillery Basic and Infantry Advanced courses, the Armed Forces Staff College and U.S. Army War College (Class of 1977) at Carlisle Barracks, PA.
General Beavers’ awards include the Legion of Merit, three Bronze Star Medal for Valor, two Meritorious Service Medals, Air Medals, the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal, the Combat Infantryman’s Badge, the Parachutist Badge, and Department of Army staff Badge, and Ranger qualification.
Following retirement at the Pentagon in Washington, DC with 27 plus years of service, the Beavers’ reside in Frankfort, Kentucky, Franklin County. General Beavers was appointed by Governor Patton to be the first Commissioner for the new Kentucky Department of Veterans Affairs, October 1, 1998, currently serving in that capacity with Headquarters in Frankfort, KY. Governor Ernie Fletcher re-appointed General Beavers to the position in September 2004.