VA Secretary James Nicholson told Washington Post reporters that the additional 2005 and 2006 funding was prompted by “this surge in demand from people coming back from the theater, plus a real increase in demand from veterans of other eras.” Asked if VA is now prepared to handle the load, Nicholson said, “We’re working on it for ’07 now.”
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.
