President Bush on Tuesday nominated retired Army Lt. Gen. James Peake to direct the embattled Department of Veterans Affairs, which is strained by the influx of wounded troops returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.
“He will work tirelessly to eliminate backlogs and ensure that our veterans receive the benefits they need to lead lives of dignity and purpose,” Bush said.
Peake, 63, is a physician who spent 40 years in military medicine and was decorated for his service in Vietnam. He retired from the Army in 2004 after being lead commander in several medical posts, including four years as the U.S. Army surgeon general.
“He will be the first physician and the first general to serve as secretary,” Bush said, standing next to Peake in the Roosevelt Room.
The nomination comes as the administration and Congress struggle to find clear answers to some of the worst problems afflicting wounded warriors, such as adequate mental health treatment and timely payment of disability benefits. Disclosures emerged in February of shoddy outpatient treatment at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center.
Peake is chief medical director and chief operating officer of QTC Management, which provides government-outsourced occupational health, injury and disability examination services. If confirmed by the Senate, Peake would lead the government’s second-largest agency with 235,000 employees in the waning months of the Bush administration.
