This Dva "flap" Is Ongoing Like Never Before!

[hollywoodnc]

In the past several months, people have really been raising hell about how our troops are not being given their due diligence, and how the VA is mistreating our nations Veterans.

A newly filed Lawsuit (filed against the DVA by the Disability Rights Advocates)hits home, and will force the Gov't. to further review the way that the VA conducts business. I'm sure more lawsuits will follow.

The "Flap" is more ongoing than I've seen in years. The Congress, Senate and even Bush are raising the bar, by saying that the DVA is broken and needs to be overhauled!

TWO Secretarys resigned since bush stole office in 2002. To date, a successor hasn't been named yet.

I've addressed issues of concern to oversite committees, but to no avail.

I wrote my elected officials (Congressman, Senator, & President) and addressed that there are a lot of flaws in the processing of claims, understaffed RO's, lack of storage, to employees holding Pot Lucks during business hours! (It later became known as a Whistleblower case involving: Gross Mismanagement, Gross waste of Funds, and Abuse of Authority.)

I saw that the VA was in horrible shape, disorganized, and still using Windows 95 on Pentium 2 computers, when I was there in 2002. The Afghanistan war hadn't even begun yet! I knew then that the VA was in big trouble, when the casualty numbers started to role in.

And it did with a vengeance!

Does all of this mean that the VA is about to go through a major overhaul, or is this just more of the usual "Lip Service" by elected officials?

Will we finally be heard when we file a claim?

Will biased doctor reports, and decision making at the RO level, be a thing of the past unless it's absolutely frivolous?

Quite frankly, I don't believe that a change will occur, until they hire more personnel and properly train these people.

That won't happen either, until they expand their current real estate...and in order for THAT to happen, they'll have to go paperless!

OWCP has done this, and it seems to be successful. Social Security is in the process of doing the same.

As it stands now...File cabinets take up a huge amount of space at your local RO. Your claims file is most likely on top of those cabinets also, being that the drawers are filled to capacity.

Retiring (inactive claims) folders is not a resolution to the problem, being that a claim can be generated by a Veteran at any time.

Those of you who work at a local RO know this to be true.

Should the DVA also consider having ALJ's similar to Social Security? I believe that they should, to force RO decision makers to comply to law!

Politicians don't understand the "Nooks and Crannies" involved with overhauling the VA. They think that granting claims, spackeling and painting few walls, or hiring a few more doctors will reduce the screaming made by everybody, but honestly, it'll be back to normal within a year or so.

In order for true change, billions will have to be spent, millions will have to voice their concerns, and the gov't will have to comply!

Will it happen? Your guess is as good as mine.

Edited July 29, 2007 by hollywoodnc

[Berta]

HR 2942 just appropriated (passed in the House) money for hiring of 1,100 more adjudicators.

"Specifically, H.R. 2642, the 2008 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Bill, would increase the VA budget

$6.7 billion above 2007 levels. It would hire 1,100 more VA claims adjudicators to help reduce a backlog of more than 685,000

compensation and pension and education claims. It would provide $600 million for three "Centers of Excellence" in mental health care,

and five polytrauma centers to care for the needs of thousands of men and women returning from Iraq and Afghanistan with serious mental

and physical conditions. The bill would increase VA maintenance and repair budgets. And, for the benefit of Category 7 and 8 veterans,

the House bill rejects an administration proposal to create annual enrollment fees and raise prescription co-payments for almost

2 million veterans with nonservice-connected disabilities.

- On the Defense Department side, H.R. 2642 would provide a record $21.4 billion for military construction, family housing, and base realignment

and closure actions. The increase would equate to better barracks, family housing and training facilities. It supports the relocation of 70,000 " etc etc

In the area of VA claims- the time for the training of these new adjudicators will still mean the backlog can grow.

I am asking Congressman Filner on Wed Night SVR radio- to support my amendment to the VCAA.

THAT would get the backlog show on the road-

by preventing any more VCA violations to occur- and by putting the onus onto both thr ROs and vet reps to challenge immediately an illegal VCAA notice or lack of election form-

the main cause behind thousands of backlogged and remanded claims.

Someone has to step up to the plate on this-

the solution to problems are right within the problems.

38 CFR clearly states what a VCAA letter is supposed to be. If the VAROs cannot comply-by reading the plain English of the regs- then those illiterates should be canned.

EVen vet reps- after not ever receiving a legal VCAA letter in over 4 years- and then being told by the highest official in my POA org that I DID get a legal VCAA letter- a real vet rep 2 weeks ago went over my POA file and immediatley said Hey this VCAA letter isnt illegal.

Tell me about it-numerous other reps and their bosses told me it was legal -like I was born on a turnip truck-

If vet reps dont know what a VCAA letter is supposed to be , the ROs have a very easy time of sending vets illegal ones-knowing the claim will be in limbo land year after year and sent to BVA only to be remanded again.

Anyone whose claim is transferred to BVA and who did not get legal VCAA letter and election form-if they act VERY fast-can call this legal error to BVA's attention and get the claim remanded in weeks instead of years.

The GPO printed thousands and thousands of pamphlets as enclosures with a VCAA letter to explain in detail what the VCAA was all about.

I dont know a single vet who ever got this pamphlet and mentioned this fact to the Inspector General-

Of course we dont get the pamphlet-it would let us determine right away if the enclosed VCAA letter is legal or not.

And many of us widows didnt get a Dingess Hartman letter and were supposed to-as I understand it.

Maybe VA should send every vet a complete copy of the current 38 CFR instead of the "we are working on your claim"......yadda yadda-

I recently got one of these letters-my AO claim has been there for over 4 1/2 years.

Edited July 29, 2007 by Berta

[dman001948]

I don't post here often, mostly when I see idiots starting to use this form a place to bash Bush..This form is not for that...Go some other place like moveom.org and do that.

Second the VA problem has been going on longer then most of you have been alive..but yet you bash the current President. Well how about Clinton when he took all the medical away from retiree's.

You Bush bashers need to get a grip...This form is not for that..It about problems etc with VA claims etc...

Now go get a life so where else....or keep me off this list, because I don't bash Bush...

[hollywoodnc]

I don't post here often, mostly when I see idiots starting to use this form a place to bash Bush..This form is not for that...Go some other place like moveom.org and do that.

Second the VA problem has been going on longer then most of you have been alive..but yet you bash the current President. Well how about Clinton when he took all the medical away from retiree's.

You Bush bashers need to get a grip...This form is not for that..It about problems etc with VA claims etc...

Now go get a life so where else....or keep me off this list, because I don't bash Bush...

dman001948...

You stated: "I don't post here often,..."

Is that because you fail at supplying pertinent info to help others...even if it's minimal?

You stated: "You Bush bashers need to get a grip...This form is not for that..It about problems etc with VA claims etc..."

You bush bashers??? Did the MAJORITY of my post refer to bush the CHIMP?

This FORM? Did you mean F-O-R-U-M? Is that the reason why you don't post here often?

You stated: "Now go get a life so where else....or keep me off this list, because I don't bash Bush..."

Now go get a life so where else...?

You stated: "Second the VA problem has been going on longer then most of you have been alive..but yet you bash the current President. Well how about Clinton when he took all the medical away from retiree's."

Don't ASSume that I'm fresh out of High School!

I bash the CHIMP, because, I've actually seen chimpanzees that possess more intellect than he does!

Additionally, when my President addresses me, an American (Born & Bred), in his State of the Union Address, I expect him to TELL ME THE TRUTH!!!

Now, you tell me dman001948, were there any WMD's in Iraq? If not, why are we there? Why are our Men and Women dying in Iraq, and thousands injured, all because CHIMPY wanted to be the "War President"?

Uh...didn't you bash Clinton here? In your eyes though, that's OK?

(I really like the 'Double Standards' the the Repukes attempt to force down our throats)

Before you come back with a stupid response, I am not thrilled about the Clintons either!

In all due respect...

Your post accusing me of bashing a complete moron in the White House, shows how much of a true IDIOT you are! Your party has attempted to reign, based on the theory, that people in this country are STUPID, and we'll accept anything and everything that your corrupt party will dish out...well...

As you see, that is truly not the case, and it is coming home to roost!

The GOP is severely damaged, due to the incompetence of this administration. It's surely not Clintons fault!

So before you decide to post an attack, make damn well sure that you learn how to spell, and present a more organized sentence structure before you decide to return with such illiterate rants!

[hollywoodnc]

HR 2942 just appropriated (passed in the House) money for hiring of 1,100 more adjudicators.

"Specifically, H.R. 2642, the 2008 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Bill, would increase the VA budget

$6.7 billion above 2007 levels. It would hire 1,100 more VA claims adjudicators to help reduce a backlog of more than 685,000

compensation and pension and education claims. It would provide $600 million for three "Centers of Excellence" in mental health care,

and five polytrauma centers to care for the needs of thousands of men and women returning from Iraq and Afghanistan with serious mental

and physical conditions. The bill would increase VA maintenance and repair budgets. And, for the benefit of Category 7 and 8 veterans,

the House bill rejects an administration proposal to create annual enrollment fees and raise prescription co-payments for almost

2 million veterans with nonservice-connected disabilities.

- On the Defense Department side, H.R. 2642 would provide a record $21.4 billion for military construction, family housing, and base realignment

and closure actions. The increase would equate to better barracks, family housing and training facilities. It supports the relocation of 70,000 " etc etc

In the area of VA claims- the time for the training of these new adjudicators will still mean the backlog can grow.

I am asking Congressman Filner on Wed Night SVR radio- to support my amendment to the VCAA.

THAT would get the backlog show on the road-

by preventing any more VCA violations to occur- and by putting the onus onto both thr ROs and vet reps to challenge immediately an illegal VCAA notice or lack of election form-

the main cause behind thousands of backlogged and remanded claims.

Someone has to step up to the plate on this-

the solution to problems are right within the problems.

38 CFR clearly states what a VCAA letter is supposed to be. If the VAROs cannot comply-by reading the plain English of the regs- then those illiterates should be canned.

EVen vet reps- after not ever receiving a legal VCAA letter in over 4 years- and then being told by the highest official in my POA org that I DID get a legal VCAA letter- a real vet rep 2 weeks ago went over my POA file and immediatley said Hey this VCAA letter isnt illegal.

Tell me about it-numerous other reps and their bosses told me it was legal -like I was born on a turnip truck-

If vet reps dont know what a VCAA letter is supposed to be , the ROs have a very easy time of sending vets illegal ones-knowing the claim will be in limbo land year after year and sent to BVA only to be remanded again.

Anyone whose claim is transferred to BVA and who did not get legal VCAA letter and election form-if they act VERY fast-can call this legal error to BVA's attention and get the claim remanded in weeks instead of years.

The GPO printed thousands and thousands of pamphlets as enclosures with a VCAA letter to explain in detail what the VCAA was all about.

I dont know a single vet who ever got this pamphlet and mentioned this fact to the Inspector General-

Of course we dont get the pamphlet-it would let us determine right away if the enclosed VCAA letter is legal or not.

And many of us widows didnt get a Dingess Hartman letter and were supposed to-as I understand it.

Maybe VA should send every vet a complete copy of the current 38 CFR instead of the "we are working on your claim"......yadda yadda-

I recently got one of these letters-my AO claim has been there for over 4 1/2 years.

Hi Berta!

I haven't talked to you in a while...I hope you are doing well!

I RE to your response...

"HR 2942 just appropriated (passed in the House) money for hiring of 1,100 more adjudicators."

Only 1100??? That's a drop in the bucket, considering that THOUSANDS of claims will pour in once this bogus war is over! Additionally, adjudicators are NOT being trained properly, and as the Lawsuit depicts, are subjected to unrealistic numbers goals by managers who are motivated by quota bonuses!

In my opinion, that's a Band Aid being applied to an open gash!

Even though this gov't uses the Better late than never approach, it still will not rectify the overall problem.

Why does the Gov't always act after the fact? Is it that no one there anticipated such an influx of claims?

How is it that, the Gov't has possession to many "Think Tanks", but cannot anticipate UNTIL, we're in the middle of a drastic situation, or it's to late?

Case in Point...

It is FACT, that millions of individuals (baby boomers)are ready to retire. The Gov't is and was aware of this...YET, Social Security is short on Administrative Law Judges (ALJ's)?!

(This is why there's a backlog in Social Security claims)

Social Security recently decided to go paperless.

Shouldn't this have been done earlier, so as to work out any bugs?

Again, supporting my theory on the Gov't always responding After the Fact, and just like the VA, hoping the problem goes away!

In your post, you made reference to a VCAA letter...What is a VCAA Letter? I might know this by sight, but am unfamiliar with the reference to it. I did receive pamphlets, and instructions on how to appeal, etc...

Regardless, the overall message here is that RO's are not complying to laws pursuant to Title 38...either by blatant means or ignorance.

Again, as the saying goes "Ignorance is no excuse of violating the law"

You stated: "Maybe VA should send every vet a complete copy of the current 38 CFR instead of the "we are working on your claim"......yadda yadda-"

OK...fair enough, but what of the Reduction in Paper Act? They'd be violating that to!!! (hahahaha)

"Tell me about it-numerous other reps and their bosses told me it was legal -like I was born on a turnip truck-"

Is that the same analogy as getting off a Banana Boat? (hahahaha)

Take Care...

[Tbird]

No Bashing Either side, plenty of other sites for you to go and do that.

[dman001948]

dman001948...

You stated: "I don't post here often,..."

Is that because you fail at supplying pertinent info to help others...even if it's minimal?

You stated: "You Bush bashers need to get a grip...This form is not for that..It about problems etc with VA claims etc..."

You bush bashers??? Did the MAJORITY of my post refer to bush the CHIMP?

This FORM? Did you mean F-O-R-U-M? Is that the reason why you don't post here often?

You stated: "Now go get a life so where else....or keep me off this list, because I don't bash Bush..."

Now go get a life so where else...?

You stated: "Second the VA problem has been going on longer then most of you have been alive..but yet you bash the current President. Well how about Clinton when he took all the medical away from retiree's."

Don't ASSume that I'm fresh out of High School!

I bash the CHIMP, because, I've actually seen chimpanzees that possess more intellect than he does!

Additionally, when my President addresses me, an American (Born & Bred), in his State of the Union Address, I expect him to TELL ME THE TRUTH!!!

Now, you tell me dman001948, were there any WMD's in Iraq? If not, why are we there? Why are our Men and Women dying in Iraq, and thousands injured, all because CHIMPY wanted to be the "War President"?

Uh...didn't you bash Clinton here? In your eyes though, that's OK?

(I really like the 'Double Standards' the the Repukes attempt to force down our throats)

Before you come back with a stupid response, I am not thrilled about the Clintons either!

In all due respect...

Your post accusing me of bashing a complete moron in the White House, shows how much of a true IDIOT you are! Your party has attempted to reign, based on the theory, that people in this country are STUPID, and we'll accept anything and everything that your corrupt party will dish out...well...

As you see, that is truly not the case, and it is coming home to roost!

The GOP is severely damaged, due to the incompetence of this administration. It's surely not Clintons fault!

So before you decide to post an attack, make damn well sure that you learn how to spell, and present a more organized sentence structure before you decide to return with such illiterate rants! ;)

Hollywood, You have 30 posts..oh wow..you the man....Oh yea I'm sorry for misspelling moveon.org....

And my sentences? Take a good look at your own...Why I don't post that much? There are some very smart people here, WHO help people with thier problems and are not bent of bashing anyone.

From what I can see of you I have more time in the crap house then you do on this earth...But thats goes to show you what this America is made of now..smart punks like you.

You are what this form is NOT about...On military.com we are getting rid on the ones like you one at a time...They come and we show them the door...

Your not here to help any Vet, you are here for you own self serving interests.

I have learn a great deal from this site and have recommended it to a lot of people..but, if they let people like you invade this site..I will not anymore.

Either Serve the Vet or move on..So far I haven't you do much except to find fault in a system that has it faults longer then you have been alive...

We all want it fix..but I don't go around and put the blame on one person..you can't thats impossible, but excuse me..I know you can.

Point a finger..now doesn't that sound famililar? (sp) Thats you...

I came into the service in 1965 and retire in 1994...So mister, you don't tell me a thing...