Cold War Veterans Blog

An Open Letter to Veterans
From Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki

WASHINGTON (March 13, 2009) - Following is an open letter to Veterans from Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki:

"My name is Ric Shinseki, and I am a Veteran. For me, serving asSecretary of Veterans Affairs is a noble calling. It provides me theopportunity to give back to those who served with and for me during my38 years in uniform and those on whose shoulders we all stood as we grewup in the profession of arms.

"The Department of Veterans Affairs has a solemn responsibility to allof you, today and in the future, as more Veterans join our ranks andenroll to secure the benefits and services they have earned. I am fullycommitted to fulfilling President Obama's vision for transforming ourdepartment so that it will be well-positioned to perform this duty evenbetter during the 21st Century. We welcome the assistance and advice ofour Veterans Service Organizations, other government departments andagencies, Congress, and all VA stakeholders as we move forward,ethically and transparently, so that Veterans and citizens canunderstand our efforts.

"Creating that vision for transforming the VA into a 21st Centuryorganization requires a comprehensive review of our department. Weapproach that review understanding that Veterans are central toeverything VA does. We know that results count, that the departmentwill be measured by what we do, not what we promise, and that our bestdays as an organization supporting Veterans are ahead of us. We willfulfill President Lincoln's charge to care for ". . . him, who shallhave borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan . . ." byredesigning and reengineering ourselves for the future.

"Transforming any institution is supremely challenging; I know this frommy own experience in leading large, proud, complex, and high-performingorganizations through change. But the best organizations must beprepared to meet the challenging times, evolving technology and, mostimportantly, evolving needs of clients. Historically, organizationsthat are unwilling or unable to change soon find themselves irrelevant.You and your needs are not irrelevant.

"Veterans are our clients, and delivering the highest quality care andservices in a timely, consistent and fair manner is a VA responsibility.I take that responsibility seriously and have charged all of thedepartment's employees for their best efforts and support every day tomeet our obligations to you. Our path forward is challenging, but thePresident and Congress support us. They have asked us to do thiswell-for you. Veterans are our sole reason for existence and our numberone priority-bar none. I look forward to working together with all VAemployees to transform our department into an organization that reflectsthe change and commitment our country expects and our Veterans deserve.

"Thank you, and God bless our military, our Veterans, and our Nation."

Signed: Eric K. Shinseki