Published: December 31, 2008 09:26 am      

Obama chooses exceptional leader to steer VA

Barack Obama’s choice of retired Army Gen. Eric Shinseki to head the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is brilliant on several levels. Politically, it re-emphasizes the fact that Shinseki, who served as Army Chief of Staff from 1999-2003, was right about Iraq.

Shinseki, a true patriot, butted heads with former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld over the estimated number of troops it would take to stabilize Iraq following the end of major combat operations. Rumsfeld strongly disagreed with Shinseki’s assessment that it would take “something in the order of several hundred thousand” troops to do the job.

Shinseki, who refused to kowtow to Rumsfeld, was subsequently compelled to retire from the Army. The general has since been vindicated through many unfortunate, painful lessons proving his assessment was right on target.

On a second level, Shinseki is the perfect choice to oversee a VA that is struggling to meet the demands of our country’s growing ranks of veterans. Twice-wounded in Vietnam, Shinseki’s combat experience and firsthand understanding of what wounded soldiers must endure in the VA system makes him an outstanding choice to lead the organization.

Shinseki is a combat-tested, exceptional leader. Unlike so many of his high-ranking, “perfumed prince” military peers who bowed to Rumsfeld, Shinseki demonstrated he is not afraid to speak the truth, no matter how objectionable it might be to the boss. His fortitude will provide a long-awaited breath of fresh air for veterans, who have suffered innumerable injustices from an underfunded, poorly led VA in recent years.

Shinseki is a strong family man of exceptional character.

He was my commanding officer in Germany during the late ’90s. I can still remember the first time I met Shinseki and his charming wife, Patty.

It was a Sunday morning in August 1997. The general had just assumed command of two major forces, the United States Army Europe (USAREUR) and Land Forces Central Europe (LANDCENT), a NATO organization. I was assigned to LANDCENT as a senior intelligence analyst.

On that particular day, my wife, Linda, and I were attending worship services at the main chapel in Heidelberg, Germany. As was traditional, near the end of the service the chaplain asked if there was anyone new attending services. A short, slim, handsome fellow stood up and said, “I’m Eric and this is my wife, Patty.” This was the first time I’d seen Shinseki in person, but I recognized him from photographs.

I leaned over and whispered to Linda, “He’s a four-star general, our new commander.”

After the service the general and his wife stayed around to chat with the other worshippers.

Not long after, he hosted a reception to meet the officers of his new commands. Unlike similar receptions Linda and I had attended, for this one we were encouraged to bring our children. So with our two teenage daughters in tow, Linda and I attended the reception.

As we proceeded through the receiving line to officially meet the general and his wife, Shinseki and Patty took time to chat with our girls, displaying a real interest in what the young ladies had to say.

This genuine interest in listening to others carries over into Shinseki’s professional life. In my 24 years of military service, I never met another four-star general or admiral who was as accessible or as willing to hear the opinions of his subordinates. This trait will certainly prove valuable for the VA.

Although I’m not an ardent Obama supporter, I’ve been fairly impressed with most of his picks to fill the high-level positions in his administration.

I predict that his choice for VA chief will prove to be one of his best political and practical decisions.

May God bless the general and all of those he will work with in his vital new role as a civil servant.



Zachary Hubbard is a freelance writer residing in Johnstown. He is a member of The Tribune-Democrat's Reader Advisory Committee.