Va Media Release

[Berta]

"Report on VA Performance Honored for Ninth Year in a Row

Peake: VA "Best of the Best" in Providing Clear Information

WASHINGTON (May 15, 2008) - Continuing its commitment to give veterans

clear, valuable information on how the Department of Veterans Affairs

(VA) is performing, for the ninth year in a row, VA has been rated by an

independent research center as having one of the best annual performance

reports in the federal sector.

"Veterans have the right to know whether this Department is meeting its

obligations to them," said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Dr. James B.

Peake. "This prestigious, independent group has found -- once again --

that VA is among the best of the best in the federal sector for

providing meaningful information to the American public about our

operations and performance."

Since 2000, the Mercatus Center at George Mason University has examined

the performance and accountability reports issued annually by federal

agencies. This year, VA's report was third among 24 federal departments

and agencies. VA also tied for having the highest score in both

transparency and leadership, an example of the Department's commitment

to provide information that is useful and easy to understand and that

clearly describes VA's contribution to America.

Called Ninth Annual Performance Report Scorecard: Which Federal Agencies

Best Inform the Public?, the new Mercatus study found VA's report is "a

user-friendly and informative document."

"The Department [of Veterans Affairs] continues to be an innovator in

performance accountability and reporting," the study's authors said in a

press statement.

"These findings show that VA has developed a management culture that

sets high standards, measurable goals, and encourages accountability to

the American public," Peake said.

VA published its latest performance and accountability report in

November 2007. It documents the Department's progress toward ensuring

America's veterans and their families receive timely, compassionate,

high-quality care and benefits. "

Men and women I have a nice big bridge for sale in Brooklyn too

Edited May 15, 2008 by Berta

[allan]

one of the best in the FEDERAL SECTOR? LOL...........

One of the best reports FEDERAL money can buy is more like it.

Your tax money at work, spreading only the best fertilizer across the country. Just like those huge, stupid signs we're force to look at while waiting for our Dr's appointment.

If the VA was that good, we would all be bragging about it.

The VA health care system has come close to killing me on several occasions and in my opinion, one of the reasons Sen. McCain vows to see caps on malpractice suits, when he takes office.

[rentalguy1]

My response to the authors of the piece of crap:

Ms. Wier,

This is the first time that I have heard of GMU's annual performance appraisal of federal agencies. I have read through the areas of your report that are meaningful to me, namely the part pertaining to the Department of Veterans Affairs, as well as Secretary Peake's comments in regard to the matter. All I can say is that I am equally appalled at both. Your study doesn't even begin to scratch the surface of these agencies. Secretary Peake's remarks would have the reader believe that everything the DVA has its hands in is just grand. This couldn't be further from the truth.

I understand that this is an educational endeavor, and I appluad it's academic style, however, it is upsetting that their is not some sort of disclaimer aimed at the media explaining that this is only a study of materials that the agencies, themselves, have produced. Almost anyone can put together a document stating that their employer is doing a wonderful job in all areas. Only a fool in a government agency would produce a report to the contrary. In this instance, it seems that you have a fool who lacks the intelligence and character to tell the truth.

If you wish to know the true performance rating of some entity, you should speak to the very people which it serves. This holds true anytime that a person desires to conduct business. Why should it be any different when dealing with the government? I submit that it is not. Therefore, I challenge you to go out and talk with veterans. Go to a VA hospital, and ask how the vets there are fairing. Ask them about the wait time, which extends into months, just to be seen by their primary care doctor. Then ask them about wait times for specialty clinics. Go to veterans web forums, such as hadit.com, and query veterans about the fairness of the disability ratings system. Ask those vets if they are happy with waiting years to receive benefits from the VA that they should have had instantly. Then, go ask the families of vets who have died while waiting for disability compensation. I think you will find a different story when you dig beneath the surface, and digest more than the agency is willing to spoon-feed to you.

If you want to know about the performance of the Department of Veterans Affairs, ask a veteran.

Respectfully,

Shane Bouton