WASHINGTON » Retired Gen. Eric Shinseki, who clashed with the Bush administration on its Iraq war strategy, will bring qualities to the job of Veterans Affairs secretary his predecessors sometimes lacked: credibility, experience and sound judgment.

Even if it means challenging his bosses.

Shinseki was nudged out as Army chief of staff in 2003 after testifying to Congress that the United States needed more troops in Iraq than Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld believed at the time. Shinseki was later proved correct.

Now, Shinseki is faced with the task in the Obama administration of fixing a broken VA criticized for underestimating the resources needed to provide medical care and timely benefits to thousands of returning Iraq war veterans.

Shinseki, 66, the first Army four-star general of Japanese-American descent, was born and grew up in Hawaii, like President-elect Barack Obama. Formal announcement of his selection came yesterday at a Chicago news conference where he appeared with Obama.

Obama said yesterday he chose Shinseki for the VA post because the general predicted the U.S. would need more troops in Iraq.

“;I think that Gen. Shinseki is exactly the right person who is going to be able to make sure that we honor our troops when they come home,”; Obama told NBC's “;Meet the Press.”;

At the VA, thousands of veterans currently endure six-month waits for disability benefits, despite promises by current VA Secretary James Peake and his predecessor, Jim Nicholson, to reduce delays.

The department continues to work with the Pentagon to fix gaps in coordinating medical care of troops and veterans that contributed to the Walter Reed Army Medical Center scandal. And it is scrambling to upgrade government technology systems before new legislation providing for millions of dollars in new GI education benefits takes effect in August.

Shinseki pledged yesterday to improve the VA.

“;A word to my fellow veterans,”; Shinseki said at the press conference where Obama announced his nomination. “;If confirmed, I will work each and every day to ensure that we are serving you as well as you have served us.”;