Vice President Dick Cheney on Dec. 20 administered the oath of office for the new head of Veterans Affairs, James Peake, a combat veteran of the Vietnam War and former Army Surgeon General. President Bush stood at his side during the ceremony. Peake, who graduated from West Point in 1966 and retired from the Army in 2004 as a lieutenant general, is a thoracic surgeon.
The Air Force is spending heavily on F-22 improvements through the end of the decade, suggesting it may not retire the jet in 2030 as it previously planned. New sensors, fuel tanks, communications, and electronic warfare systems are among the upgrades that comprise the package.