Sen. Daniel Akaka (D-Hawaii), chairman of the Veterans’ Affairs Committee, wants to boost the Administration’s 2008 VA budget by $2.9 billion to expand funding for veterans’ medical care. The Administration has requested $36.6 billon out of a total VA budget of $87 billion to pay for medical services. Akaka says the boost would ensure the VA can “treat all eligible veterans” and provide “resources to absorb the thousands of service members presently on medical hold” at various military medical facilities.
Air Force depots are not typically meant for quick repair jobs, but during Operation Epic Fury, the service moved some of its stateside heavy maintenance capability forward to fix battle-damaged aircraft closer to the fight.
