The Veterans’ Disability Benefits Commission held its first public hearings in May, the first step in a 15-month journey to decide how best to modernize a complex system of disability and death benefits that hasn’t been overhauled since 1956. The big challenges for the 13-member commission will be managing its time, setting priorities from a wide range of possible reforms, and reaching consensus. Another challenge could be managing expectations of the sharply divided group of politicians who appointed them to the panel.

President George W. Bush and Republican leaders in Congress, with authority to name nine commissioners, are presumed to view the commission as a way to get veterans’ entitlement spending under control by shaping disability pays for efficiency and consistency, with the focus on the most deserving and needy veterans. The Bush administration, which opposed relaxing the ban on concurrent receipt of both military retirement and VA disability benefits, might see this as a chance to streamline future veterans’ disability benefits and gain a kind of fiscal consolation prize.

Democratic leaders, as well as veterans’ groups and military associations, also seek to modernize the disability system, but with an eye toward protecting or expanding benefits so that they more adequately compensate disabled veterans and survivors.

One lawmaker with some open expectations for the commission is Rep. Steve Buyer (R-Ind.), chairman of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee. Buyer said in March that he wants the commission to consider changing the way disability ratings are set and to review and perhaps change what defines a service-connected — and therefore, compensable — injury or ailment. Buyer said he found “something bothersome in the system where you can have a soldier blow out his knee from a roadside bomb and end up with a disability that’s the same as a guy who blew out his knee sliding into home plate at church league softball on Sunday.”

There was only one lawmaker, Sen. Daniel Akaka (D-Hawaii), who appeared before the commission in May. “I, for one, will not tolerate any weakening in the definition of service-connection or a system of compensation that differentiates between those injured while in combat and those who are not,” said Akaka. “Out nation’s servicemembers are on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week.”

Retired Lt. Gen. James T. Scott, commission chairman, emphasized the panel’s “independence” during opening remarks at the Washington, D.C., hearing May 9. The charter from Congress directs the commission to evaluate the appropriateness of veterans’ disability programs and services and those for survivors and to recommend improvements. “I’ve asked the members to withhold judgment on these issues until we’ve had a chance to become fully informed and armed with as much factual information as can be made available [for] commission business,” Scott said.

For two days, commissioners probed experts from the VA, GAO, DoD, and the SSA about the current disability system. Witnesses for veterans’ service groups and military associations, including MOAA’s deputy director, government relations, Col. Bob Norton, USA-Ret., pressed for benefits for more veterans. Scott himself expressed interest in several areas of reform on which both sides likely can agree. This included ending inconsistencies in awarding disability payments across VA offices or regions.

A few commissioners showed an inclination either to defend or challenge the status quo of level and breadth of disability payments. Five of the 11 present have backgrounds as professional advocates for veterans. The most outspoken was Rick Surratt, deputy legislative staff director for Disabled American Veterans. At almost every opportunity Surratt defended current or improved benefits, including full concurrent receipt for all disabled retirees.

Commissioner John H. Grady, an actuary from Texas who has advised DoD on the soundness of its military retirement fund, had a more fiscally conscious approach. Grady suggested the commission review underlying principles behind disability payments, including why Congress relaxed the ban on concurrent receipt.

The commission, said Scott, will hold a public hearing at least every three months but will conduct much of its day-to-day business and discussions by e-mail and by telephone.

Tom Philpott is a freelance writer and syndicated news columnist. His column, "Military Update," appears in 48 daily newspapers throughout the United States and overseas.