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 has finished modifying and testing the new VC-25B Bridge aircraft that will serve as a temporary Air Force One, the service announced May 1. All that’s left now is to finish painting the jet before it starts flying this summer.