Sun, Feb 10, 2008 (2 a.m.)

The new Veterans Affairs secretary, Dr. James Peake, pledged to a congressional committee Thursday to reduce by five weeks the time it takes to get disability checks into the hands of wounded war veterans.

If he lives up to his pledge, it will be at least a small relief for the veterans who now wait a minimum of six months after they apply for disability to receive their first check.

The way disability claims are processed has been one of the VA’s most vexing problems. The agency was simply unprepared for the number of Iraq war veterans who would return either fully or partially disabled.

This was acknowledged in December by Sen. Daniel Akaka, D-Hawaii, a World War II veteran and chairman of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee. During Peake’s confirmation hearing, Akaka said, “It is no exaggeration to say that the VA’s current compensation system is broken.” He said the system must be addressed “quickly and efficiently.”

Peake’s commitment to fixing the VA was a factor in his quick confirmation. His background also played a big role. A West Point graduate, he earned a Silver Star in Vietnam for his leadership of an Army platoon. And as a Cornell University medical school graduate, he became an Army doctor and rose through the service’s medical and administrative ranks to become Army surgeon general.

We supported Peake’s nomination and remain confident that he is capable of at least beginning the transformation of the VA into a modern and efficient agency. Peake himself, after his nomination by President Bush, acknowledged the job ahead, saying the VA’s “disability system is largely a 1945 product.”

We hope Peake will fight for his agency even if it means bucking the administration. He said Thursday that Bush’s proposed budget of $91 billion for fiscal year 2009 is sufficient.

Peake should double-check his budget against the enormous task ahead. We hope that he won’t hesitate to inform Congress if he learns it won’t be enough.