Les’ (pronounced “Lesh”) Melnyk was selected as the National Cemetery Administration’s chief historian in June 2023. He joined VA in Feb. 2019 and previously served as NCA’s chief of Public Affairs. Before joining VA, Les’ served 30 years in the Army National Guard (ten years as a traditional Guardsman, and the last 20 years on active duty). Highlights include assignments as Army National Guard and National Guard Bureau historian, and as Chief of Public Affairs for the National Guard Bureau. He deployed to Iraq in 2011-2012 as the Command Historian for US. Forces-Iraq. A native of Queens, New York, Les’ holds both a Masters and a Ph.D. in History from the City University of New York, and a Masters in Government Information Leadership from National Defense University.
