On the anniversary of the bombing of Pearl Harbor, President-elect Obama named General Eric Shinseki as Secretary of Veterans Affairs. Shinseki is the latest to join Obama's cabinet.

"There is no one more distinguished, more determined, or more qualified to build this VA than the leader I am announcing as our next Secretary of Veterans Affairs – General Eric Shinseki," Obama said yesterday at a Chicago press conference. "No one will ever doubt that this former Army Chief of Staff has the courage to stand up for our troops and our veterans."

Here is Shinseki's bio, according to the press release announcing his nomination:

Born in Hawaii to a Japanese-American family, Eric Shinseki graduated from West Point in 1965. He went on to serve in the Army for 38 years, from 1965 to 2003, including two combat tours in Vietnam, where he lost part of his right foot. He served as Chief of Staff of the Army from 1999-2003.

General Shinseki has commanded troops from Vietnam to the Balkans, and his career has been marked by innovation, vision, and fierce loyalty to the troops who served under him. He is the recipient of numerous decorations, including the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart, the Legion of Merit, and the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard Distinguished Service Medals.