The Oklahoma Veterans Commission announced on July 1 the appointment of Rear Admiral James (Jay) Bynum, USN (Ret.) as the new Executive Director of the Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs. Bynum will officially begin his role on August 1.
RADM Bynum brings a wealth of experience and a deep commitment to serving the veteran community. His extensive background includes over three decades of operational leadership, government finance, data analytics, and congressional relations experience. He has provided marketing and business development strategies for the Defense sector, leveraging his leadership experience and skills including government relations, strategy, Defense financial management & budget development processes, all-domain warfighting concepts, analysis & assessment, knowledge management, and decision support.
Chairman of the Oklahoma Veterans Commission Executive Search Committee, Sidney Ellington, expressed confidence in the new appointment, stating, “We are thrilled to welcome Admiral Bynum as our new Executive Director. He possesses the leadership, vision, and dedication necessary to advance our mission and enhance the support we provide to Oklahoma’s veterans.”
Bynum has a distinguished career marked by various executive roles, including President of Bynum & Bynum Consultants, LLC, Lead Consultant for mid-sized Defense engineering and manufacturing companies, and Senior Fellow at the Potomac Institute for Policy Studies. He has also held positions at the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations in Washington, D.C., and served as a Military Legislative Assistant/Confrere for the Staff of United States Senator John S. McCain III, (R) AZ.
RADM Bynum graduated from the University of Oklahoma’s Navy ROTC program. He earned his Bachelor of Arts in Management of Information Systems from the University of Oklahoma, completed the Capitol Hill Fellow program at Georgetown University, and received executive education from the Harvard Kennedy School, the Kenan-Flagler Business School at the University of North Carolina, and the Naval Post Graduate School. He holds subspecialties in financial management and strategy.
His operational assignments include tours with Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 113, VFA-22 and a tour under the services Personnel Exchange Program where he deployed with the U.S. Air Force’s 94th Fighter Squadron. He commanded VFA-27, as part of the forward deployed U.S. Naval Forces in Japan, and Carrier Air Wing 3 as part of the Harry S. Truman Strike Group where he deployed in support of Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom respectively.
The Oklahoma Veterans Commission is excited about the future and confident that under Bynum’s leadership, the Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs will continue to grow and excel in its service to veterans.
