Director Daniel W. Grant

Committed to Serving Country and Community

Director Daniel W. Grant was appointed Director of the Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs by Governor Pat Quinn on February 8, 2009.

As a Veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom and a serving member of the Illinois National Guard, Director Grant understands the needs of Illinois Veterans and servicemen. During his tenure in the Illinois Lieutenant Governor's Office, he was a strong advocate for Veterans' issues – advocating for legislation to support Veterans and their Families and promoting programs that expand Veterans' access to education, employment, housing, and healthcare. He has testified before House and Senate committees in support of expanded rights and protections for the Veteran and Military Community, and continues to push for the services that veterans have earned. Supporting Governor Quinn's commitment to Illinois' Veterans, Director Grant will ensure the state is serving the needs of these honorable Illinoisans.

In November 2007, Director Grant joined the Lt. Governor's staff as a Senior Policy Advisor. As an organizer and advocate, Director Grant was instrumental in developing and supporting legislation to benefit the Illinois military and Veteran communities. He spoke at countless military and Veterans events across Illinois, including public service forums, community meetings and intergovernmental panels. Among his many accomplishments, Director Grant developed legislation to help our Veterans and service members continue their education, protect their spouses' employment, care for their school-age children when they're stationed in Illinois, and provide support to surviving family members of those who have fallen in the Global War on Terror; coordinated the State's Annual Gold Star Mother's Ceremony – a two day event which supports over 250 family members of fallen service members from Illinois and a total of approximately 500 attendees, including distinguished visitors and media from around the state; and designed and implemented a new training process for the initial phase of Officer Candidate School for 60 Soldiers in the Illinois National Guard.

As a member of the military, Director Grant is currently a Captain with the Illinois National Guard where he serves as an Instructor and Trainer at Camp Lincoln. From 2003 – 2004, Director Grant led 28 men in a combat arms platoon from the 1st Infantry Division during a year-long deployment in Operation Iraqi Freedom. He served throughout the Sunni Triangle in Bayji, Samarra, Balad, and Tikrit in a wide range of roles, including leading a 120 person team of soldiers, local Iraqi's, U.S. contractors, and coalition allies in the excavation, collection, and destruction of 3 million pounds of enemy ammunition during a 120 day mission.

As a Soldier, Director Grant received two Army Commendation Medals and the Combat Action Badge.

Director Grant is a 2002 graduate from West Point, where he studied International Relations and Civil Engineering. He also is a graduate from the United States Army Ranger School and Airborne School in Fort Benning, Georgia.

Director Grant was born and grew up in Allen Park, Michigan. He currently resides in Chicago, IL with his wife Stacey and daughter Adelyn.