Paul Rieckhoff: Shinseki for VA Secretary: A Bold Choice
From The Huffington Post
Dec. 7th, 2008
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General Shinseki has a record of courage and honesty, and I believe he is a bold choice to lead the VA. As a wounded and decorated combat veteran and the first Asian American in U.S. History to be a four-star general, General Shinseki has the potential to be an effective and dedicated advocate for veterans of all generations. He is a man that has always put patriotism ahead of politics, and is held in high regard by veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan. IAVA looks forward to supporting him to implement the historic change that is needed at the VA.
But General Shinseki has a monumental task before him. One in five veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan are facing serious mental health injuries like Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) or depression. Wounded veterans are waiting months, sometimes years, to receive disability benefits. The struggling U.S. economy is hitting new veterans especially hard. And the new GI Bill, which will make college affordable to every veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan, must be implemented by August 2009. To address these issues will require real leadership that encourages active VA outreach and transparency. We recommend General Shinseki to move quickly to add Iraq and Afghanistan veterans to key positions in his senior staff.
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Full article can be found
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/paul-rieckhoff/shinseki-for-va-secretary_b_149042.html">at HuffPo.