Veterans groups have applauded President-elect Donald Trump's choice of David Shulkin to head the embattled Veterans Administration, despite a few blemishes attached to the agency's current under secretary.
Shulkin, appointed to the VA in March of 2015, has been accused of misrepresenting facts before Congress on more than one occasion, the Washington Examiner reports.
Further, for an agency in dire need of reforms — and one that has been in Trump's crosshairs — is Shulkin the right pick given his place in the status quo, albeit for a short period of time?
"The president-elect has laid out a pretty ambitious VA reform agenda and ... we hope that [Shulkin] embraces it, because we strongly support where the president-elect stands," Dan Caldwell, vice president for legislative affairs at Concerned Veterans for America (CVA), told the Examiner.
The CVA's release Wednesday reacting to Shulkin's nomination could be described as cautiously optimistic.
"While Shulkin already holds a leadership position at the VA as secretary, he will now have ultimate responsibility over the agency and we are hopeful he will take it in a new direction.
"CVA will seek to partner with Shulkin on urgently needed reforms, such as empowering veterans to access care outside the VA when the VA is failing them," the statement read.
The American Legion approved, saying Shulkin, a certified internist, has improved the VA during his short tenure, and AMVETS called the choice a "wise decision.
Shulkin, if confirmed, would be the first non-veteran to lead the VA, a fact noted by the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA).
"We are optimistic about the nomination of Dr. Shulkin by the President-elect. He is well known to us, a man of character and has been a trusted partner of IAVA at VA. However, his selection is unprecedented. Our membership overwhelmingly supported the selection of a veteran for this critical leadership position," read the statement.
"Dr. Shulkin's service as Under Secretary is respected by the entire veterans community," the IAVA said.
Trump said Wednesday that his team interview 100 candidates for the position.
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