Gen. Eric K. Shinseki told senators he doesn't understand why veterans are currently waiting six months on average to have a claim processed. Wednesday, January 14, 2009
WASHINGTON — President-elect Barack Obama's choice to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs said Wednesday that six-month waits to process a disability claim would not be acceptable under his watch.
Retired Gen. Eric K. Shinseki, 66, promised to modernize the nation's second largest agency.
He told the senators he doesn't understand why veterans are currently waiting six months on average to have a claim processed. "We need to do something about this," he said.
Shinseki said another priority would be to ensure that new GI benefits are rolled out in August, as planned.
He promised to work to reopen benefits to many "Priority 8" middle-income veterans who didn't qualify under the Bush administration. Such "Priority 8" veterans, whose income exceeded roughly $30,000 annually, were blocked from enrollment in the VA system in January 2003.
right on . . . about damn timeread:
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/01/14/shinseki-month-wait-military-disability-unacceptable/