Shinseki promises changes in VA

WASHINGTON, Jan. 15 (UPI) -- Retired Gen. Eric Shinseki, President-elect Barack Obama's choice to lead Veterans Affairs, promises a host of changes, lawmakers said Thursday.

Shinseki told the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee if confirmed he would seek out for treatment for Iraq and Afghanistan veterans suffering psychological or brain-damage wounds, slash wait times for disability claims and make educational benefits under the new GI Bill available on time, USA Today reported.

He said he wanted to implement a long-promised "seamless transition" for service members leaving active duty and work toward reopening VA healthcare enrollments to some moderate-income veterans who do not have service-connected disabilities.

Shinseki, a former Army chief of staff, promised a dramatic transformation of the department, second largest federal agency to the Defense Department, to become more "people-centric, results-driven, forward-looking."

Response from the committee appeared to be positive.