Congressman Adam Putnam (R-Fla.) today issued the following statement upon learning of the death of Rear Admiral LeRoy Collins, Jr., USNR (Ret.), the Executive Director of Florida’s Department of Veterans’ Affairs:

“My thoughts and prayers are with the family of Admiral Collins.  He was an untiring leader for Florida, as a public servant, as a warrior and as a friend to all who knew him.  At the helm of Florida’s Department of Veterans’ Affairs, he helped to better the lives of nearly two million military veterans and their families and survivors.  In his long and distinguished Naval career, he helped defend this nation. And in a multitude of other ways large and small, he was constantly working to make this a better place.  I am very saddened by his death.  We are all much poorer for his loss.”

Since 2001, Putnam has represented Florida’s 12^th Congressional District, which includes most of Polk County and portions of Hillsborough and Osceola counties.