Steven Mooney, a retired U.S. Army Warrant Officer, is the Director of Operations for the West Virginia Department of Veterans Assistance. He oversees 14 Benefits Offices, a Claims Office, and a staff of 34, which include regional supervisors, veterans service officers, and assistants. His department leads the State’s push to direct U.S. Veterans Affairs benefits to West Virginia veterans and to the West Virginia economy. In 2022, West Virginia veterans received more than $2.7 billion in assistance.
A native of Huntington and Marshall University alumnus, Mooney enlisted in the West Virginia Army National Guard in 1991. During his 23-year military career, Mooney’s service included operations in Egypt, Afghanistan, and Iraq. He received numerous awards, including the Combat Action Badge, Senior Parachutist Badge, Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal with 4 Oak Leaf Clusters, and Afghanistan and Iraq Campaign Medals. His unit awards include the Joint Meritorious and the Meritorious Unit Award.
His foreign awards include the Egyptian, British, and United Arab Emirates Parachutist Badges. Mooney joined the West Virginia Department of Veterans Assistance in 2017 as a Veteran Service Officer in the Huntington Claims Office. He was promoted in 2019 to Deputy Operation Director and to Operations Director in 2021.