In a letter to President Bush this week, Sen. Daniel Akaka (D-Hawaii), chairman of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, and five of his fellow Democrats, praised Bush on his quick formation of a commission to review the care afforded to veterans wounded in the war on terror, however they criticized the commission’s “particularly broad” mission. They wrote: “The mission encompasses a review of the very nature of military service and the transition back to civilian society. This alone would take more time than the commission is afforded.” The executive order creating the commission calls for a final report by June 30.
The Air Force ramped up operations and maintenance spending to keep its F-35A fighters flying over the past six years, but readiness continues to lag behind goals, according to a new report from the Government Accountability Office.