President Obama recently made excellent leadership appointments to Veterans Affairs. Even with their proven leadership abilities, and impeccable credentials, both Secretary Eric Shinseki and Deputy Secretary W. Scott Gould are facing the cumulative inadequacies of decades past. The tiny fuse of overmedication that has kept this whole VA system operational for 30-some years now desperately needs to be replaced with major re-wiring.

This young generation of veterans should not have to experience the palliative treatment of health care most veterans using the VA have experienced for decades. It would be great to see the VA step into the 21st century as the leader in world-class health care.

But after decades of under-funding, this proposed new VA budget is not enough. For our new leadership to achieve its full potential along with world-class VA health care, a one-time, additional funding of at least $17 billion is desperately needed.

The VA has many good doctors working there who will feel much relief to actually have the opportunity to treat their patients instead of just medicating their symptoms.