Obama administration to start new group to advise on veterans issues

WASHINGTON Fri Mar 13, 2015 8:08am EDT

(Reuters) - President Barack Obama's administration on Friday will announce the creation of a new advisory group made up of public officials and leaders from the private sector to advise on improvements to the government agency tasked with helping U.S. veterans.

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert McDonald will announce the formation of the new committee during an event with President Barack Obama at the Phoenix VA facility, where long waits for medical care sparked a political crisis for the administration.

"The committee will advise the VA on additional ways the VA can work to improve customer service delivery and veteran outcomes and set the course for longer-term excellence and reform," a White House official said.

"The members of this new advisory committee have experience in customer service, large-scale organizational change and advocacy for veterans and include business leaders, Veteran Service Organizations members, and health sciences and academic professionals," the official said.

Obama is making a stop at the Arizona facility after a brief trip to California, where he attended a Democratic fundraiser and appeared on a late night television show.

(Reporting by Jeff Mason; Editing by Robert Birsel)