Attention Detroit Vets

[Berta]

The Detroit News

"I'd like to be contacted by any veterans who can recount first-hand their

experiences in dealing with the VA office in Detroit."

Paul Egan

Reporter

The Detroit News

313-222-2069 pegan@detnews.com

--------------------------------------------

Pia Malbran

CBS News

Investigative Producer

Office: 305-571-4401

Cell: 404-414-9780

Email/Blackberry: malbranp@cbsnews.com

[yoggie2]

YES! you guy's need to get with this guy asap!!

[71M10]

The Detroit News

"I'd like to be contacted by any veterans who can recount first-hand their

experiences in dealing with the VA office in Detroit."

Paul Egan

Reporter

The Detroit News

313-222-2069 pegan@detnews.com

--------------------------------------------

Pia Malbran

CBS News

Investigative Producer

Office: 305-571-4401

Cell: 404-414-9780

Email/Blackberry: malbranp@cbsnews.com

Berta,

I will try to have my Neighbor who is a terminal cancer(cancer on AO list, and verified in country on discharge) patient that has been waiting for a rating since March 2007 to give them a call.

I will give them my story although since I am not a combat vet it probably isn't sexy enough for them.

Thank you for what you do.

Best regards,

Tyler

[Cheri0310]

I sent him an email this morning...I'll let you all know if he replys.

[Berta]

"will give them my story although since I am not a combat vet it probably isn't sexy enough for them."

Tyler -it does not matter if a vet is non combat or not- every veteran's claims should be treated with dignity and respect-

this is an outrageous situation-

we all know it happens but never had any proof before-

except our own stories-

As Larry Scott has been asking-

how many vets were denied because there claims were lost or shredded and how many died waiting for a decision that would never come.

Even if it was just a fluke and the shredder bins happened to innocently have claims in it-------(but why)

it is difficult to give the VA Benefit of Doubt.

What bothers me a lot is the "amnesty" that a VARO Supervisor in Detroit was giving VA employees-

if they were hiding claims so as not to work on them-they had an "amnesty" period to come clean with no repercussions-

what job in the world gives an employee amnesty for screwing up like that?

where is our amnesty if a veteran's appeal or NOD isnt filed on time-

Or when a vet gets a deficient VCAA letter, doesnt know what it really should have stated, and then their claim is doomed.where is their amnesty-

Those BVA employees (Lawyers)who did the very same thing a decade ago got canned-no amnesty for them-and they did not deserve any.

Certainly share with the reporter anything you personally witnessed as to your claim process.

I cant wait until the OIG comes to the Buffalo VARO.

if they, in fact, do- they were at NYRO already-

[Cheri0310]

I just got an email response from Reporter Paul Egan of the Detroit news. This is what he said. What do you guys think?

Dear Cheri:

Thanks for writing about your experience with the Department of Veterans Affairs. I have received a large volume of calls and e-mails since my article appeared in Thursday's paper and I am trying to organize a plan for a follow-up article exploring problems at the VA office in Detroit.

There is a good chance I will want to contact you in the near future.

Thanks again for writing.

Paul Egan

The Detroit News

313-222-2069

[john999]

I know nothing about Detroit but the ST Pete Times just pounds the local VARO and VAMC's every chance they get. It works because they are afraid of that newspaper.