The Department of Veterans Affairs plans to fill 705 "high-priority" IT positions by April 22, according to a department internal memo. The memo -- issued by Angelia H. Weldon, co-chair for a joint task force in charge of hiring the staff for office of information and technology -- characterized the VA's IT hiring needs as "critical" and called the hiring spree the "race to 705." The memo also suggested that the 705 new positions are just the beginning of an effort to add new talent to its IT staff.