On March 6, 2007, President Bush established the Task Force on Returning Global War on Terror Heroes. The purpose of the Task Force was to improve the delivery of Federal services and benefits to Global War on Terror (GWOT) servicemembers and veterans. The President appointed the Secretary of Veterans Affairs as Task Force Chair.  Membership consisted of the Secretaries of Defense, Labor, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, and Education, plus the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, the Administrator of the Small Business Administration, and the Director of the Office of Personnel Management.

Over the course of 45 days, the Task Force received over 2,400 comments from servicemembers, veterans, family members, and veterans’ advocates.  The Task Force inventoried Federal services provided to returning GWOT servicemembers; identified gaps in those services; and sought recommendations from Federal agencies on ways to address the gaps with an emphasis on timeliness, ease of application, and effective delivery.

The Task Force report includes 25 recommendations that focus on enhancing the delivery of services and information to GWOT servicemembers and veterans within existing authority and resource levels. A Government-wide Action Plan contains implementation strategies for each recommendation.  The Task Force report was submitted to the President on April 19, 2007.