washingtonscene
“We recognize that mission comes fi rst “Your visible presence in the VA is
and that current missions and force lev- absolutely necessary because there has
els keep us from being able to meet these been a lot of confi dence lost [by employ-
dwell time requirements for now,” said ees, veterans, and the country] — you are
Tauscher. “That’s why we included the now the ‘veterans’ veteran’ — be honest
waiver provisions.” But she insisted the with us,” said Filner.
nation can’t keep extracting such sacrifi c- Shinseki noted the president’s vision of
es from military members and families. a 21st-century VA that is veteran-centric,
Rep. Carol Shea-Porter (D-N.H.) results-driven, and forward-looking.
observed that requiring multiple, short- Shinseki acknowledged ongoing chal-
turnaround combat tours means com- lenges in creating a “seamless transition
pounding the exposure of military men between military and VA health care and
and women to combat trauma and stress benefi ts.” Solving those problems comes
conditions that could affect them for down to leadership involvement, he said,
the rest of their lives. She noted that in insisting that technology alone can’t get the
January, for the fi rst time, the number of job done. He said changing the VA’s culture
military suicides exceeded the number of will require innovation and initiative to be
combat deaths. relevant and responsive to veterans.
Ryan expressed MOAA’s support, say- Shinseki said he and Secretary of De-
ing: “This bill lays down a marker that fense Robert M. Gates would personally
we can’t backtrack from planned force lead the next two meetings of the DoD/
increases. If we have to give waivers for VA Senior Oversight Committee, a joint
even these very modest dwell times, that’s executive body normally headed by their
a clear signal that our forces are too small deputies, to send a clear message down
for the missions we ask of them. We must the chain that they intend to be engaged
continue the plan to grow the force. The on these important issues.
alternative is consciously forcing our Shinseki said he supports automatic
troops and families to keep bearing ever- enrollment of wounded warriors in the VA.
greater sacrifi ces, and that’s a recipe for a “[That] will force the two agencies to work
retention and readiness meltdown.” together and take care of the hand-off is-
sues between their departments,” he said.
Shinseki Takes
When asked if he would support advance
(two-year) VA health care appropriations
VA Lead
to ensure continuity of funding between fi s-
cal years, Shinseki said he supports “timely
Plan includes a VA revamp.
funding” and would work with the commit-
tee to prevent funding delays.
“I promise to be a forceful advocate for
T
he House Veterans’ Affairs veterans, and I promise to be forthright
Committee expressed eagerness and direct to you [Congress] — taking care
to work with new VA Secretary of veterans is what the VA is all about,”
Eric Shinseki at a hearing in February, Shinseki said in his closing remarks. MO
where the secretary testifi ed on how he
plans to transform the VA.
— Contributors are Col. Steve Strobridge, USAF-
Chair Rep. Bob Filner (D-Calif.) applaud-
Ret., direct or; Col. Mike Hayden, USAF-Ret.; Col.
ed Shinseki’s reputation as a man of prin-
Bob Norton, USA-Ret.; Cmdr. René Campos, USN-
Ret.; Cmdr. John Class, USN-Ret.; Col. Phil Odom,
ciple and honesty in his Army career from
USAF-Ret.; Joy Dunlap; Cass Vreeland; and Bret
which he retired as Army Chief of Staff. Shea, MOAA’s Government Relations Department.
A P R I L 2 0 0 9 M I L I T A R Y O F F I C E R 3 7
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