Va Employees Steal Money Due To Vets..

[broncovet]

Well, now we know why our legitimate claims are denied, and we have to appeal for years just to get what is due to us. VA employees are stealing the money, and the last I checked money does not grow on trees, so this money has to be made up somewhere: Thus legitimate Veterans are denied benefits, so that VA employees can steal large bonuses. These crooks are not stealing money from the government, they are stealing this money from disabled Veterans. No wonder why those rating specialists are so stingy awarding our benefits, it is because its not the governments money, it is their bonus money. Here it is:

http://www.vawatchdog.org/09/nf09/nfaug09/nf082109-1.htm

(The above link may not work all day Friday while vawatchdog.org is doing maintenance)

My thanks to Larry Scott for watching out for us. Now maybe the politicians will have to do something to fix the VA.

Edited August 21, 2009 by broncovet (see edit history)

[broncovet]

It is very predictable what will happen next. The VA will either:

1. Say nothing or deny the allegations.

2. Say that this is an "isolated incident" and that no Veterans were harmed as a result. They will say this corruption is ONLY in the IT department, and not the mail room (where documents were shredded) and the rest of the VA, and that it was clearly NOT VA managements fault, rather it was the Veterans own fault. Remember the cardinal rule of VA management: When in doubt, BLAME THE VETERAN.

3. Say that they are taking corrective action, and it will be

BACK to Business AS Usual.

Edited August 21, 2009 by broncovet (see edit history)

[broncovet]

While Veterans are waiting for months or years for the VA to process disability claims, the VA employees are generating large bonus checks:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?.../w142743D10.DTL

[Berta]

Another outrage perpetrated on disabled veterans!

I got this from ALLVETS INC this AM- if the Watchdog site is down for a while:

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/articl...6wOXBAD9A751CG0

As vets await checks, VA workers get $24M bonuses

By KIMBERLY HEFLING (AP) – 4 hours ago

WASHINGTON — Outside the Veterans Affairs Department, severely wounded veterans have faced financial hardship waiting for their first disability payment. Inside, money has been flowing in the form of $24 million in bonuses.

In scathing reports this week, the VA's inspector general said thousands of technology office employees at the VA received the bonuses over a two-year period, some under questionable circumstances. It also detailed abuses ranging from nepotism to an inappropriate relationship between two VA employees.

The inspector general accused one recently retired VA official of acting "as if she was given a blank checkbook" as awards and bonuses were distributed to employees of the Office of Information and Technology in 2007 and 2008. In some cases the justification for the bonuses was inadequate or questionable, the IG said.

The official, Jennifer S. Duncan, also engaged in nepotism and got $60,000 in bonuses herself, the IG said. In addition, managers improperly authorized college tuition payments for VA employees, some of whom were Duncan's family members and friends. That cost taxpayers nearly $140,000.

Separately, a technology office employee became involved in an "inappropriate personal relationship" with a high-level VA official. The technology office employee flew 22 times from Florida to Washington, where the VA official lived. That travel cost $37,000.

The details on the alleged improprieties were in two IG reports issued this week. VA spokeswoman Katie Roberts said the agency was extremely concerned about the IG's findings and would pursue a thorough review.

"VA does not condone misconduct by its employees and will take the appropriate correction action for those who violate VA policy," Roberts said in an e-mail to The Associated Press.

The number of claims the VA needs to process has escalated, and the Information and Technology Office has a critical role in improving the technological infrastructure to handle the increase. President Barack Obama has said creating a seamless transition for records between the Pentagon and the VA could help eliminate a backlog that has left some veterans waiting months for a disability check.

Much of the IG's focus was on Duncan, the former executive assistant to the ex-assistant secretary for information and technology, Robert Howard.

In one situation, a part-time intern with connections to Duncan was allowed to convert to a full-time paid position even though the individual was working a part-time schedule 500 miles away at college, the IG said.

"We have never known of any other new VA employee provided such favorable treatment," the IG said.

The individual's name and relationship to Duncan was blacked out, as were many other names in the reports.

Investigators recommended that the employees who received the college money pay it back. The largest amount awarded was $33,000.

In addition to Duncan, three other high-level employees received $73,000, $58,000 and $59,000 in bonuses in 2007 and 2008, the IG said. In 2007 alone, 4,700 employees were awarded bonuses, on average $2,500 each.

Some employees were given cash awards for services that were supposedly provided before the employees started working at VA, the IG said.

A man who answered the phone at Duncan's residence in Rehoboth Beach, Del., said she was not available, and he said not to call back.

The IG also found that Katherine Adair Martinez, deputy assistant secretary for information protection and risk management in the Office of Information and Technology, misused her position, abused her authority and engaged in prohibited personnel practices when she influenced a VA contractor and later VA subordinates to employ a friend.

The IG also said Martinez "took advantage of an inappropriate personal relationship" with Howard to transfer her job to Florida. In the nine months after she moved, the IG said Martinez traveled to Washington 22 times "to accomplish tasks that she could easily do from Florida."

The relationship between Martinez and Howard started in April 2007 and continued several months after Howard left the VA in January of this year, the IG said.

Roberts' e-mail did not address a request from the AP to speak with Martinez. Howard could not be immediately located for comment.

Indiana Rep. Steve Buyer, top Republican on the House Veterans' Affairs Committee, urged quick action to fix the problems. "VA must appoint honorable individuals to these critical positions," he said.

The VA has faced criticism before in its awarding of bonuses. In 2007, the AP reported that the then-VA secretary had approved a generous package of more than $3.8 million in bonus payments in 2006, citing a need to retain longtime VA executives.

On the Net:

* Reports from VA Inspector General: http://www.va.gov/oig/51/fy2009rpts/VAOIG-09-01123-196.pdf

* http://www.va.gov/oig/51/fy2009rpts/VAOIG-09-01123-195.pdf

Copyright © 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

[windy city]

No wonder the system is so F**** up, a veterans haves to wait years to get a miserable 10 or 20% but these crookes get bonuses.

Another outrage perpetrated on disabled veterans!

I got this from ALLVETS INC this AM- if the Watchdog site is down for a while:

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/articl...6wOXBAD9A751CG0

As vets await checks, VA workers get $24M bonuses

By KIMBERLY HEFLING (AP) – 4 hours ago

WASHINGTON — Outside the Veterans Affairs Department, severely wounded veterans have faced financial hardship waiting for their first disability payment. Inside, money has been flowing in the form of $24 million in bonuses.

In scathing reports this week, the VA's inspector general said thousands of technology office employees at the VA received the bonuses over a two-year period, some under questionable circumstances. It also detailed abuses ranging from nepotism to an inappropriate relationship between two VA employees.

The inspector general accused one recently retired VA official of acting "as if she was given a blank checkbook" as awards and bonuses were distributed to employees of the Office of Information and Technology in 2007 and 2008. In some cases the justification for the bonuses was inadequate or questionable, the IG said.

The official, Jennifer S. Duncan, also engaged in nepotism and got $60,000 in bonuses herself, the IG said. In addition, managers improperly authorized college tuition payments for VA employees, some of whom were Duncan's family members and friends. That cost taxpayers nearly $140,000.

Separately, a technology office employee became involved in an "inappropriate personal relationship" with a high-level VA official. The technology office employee flew 22 times from Florida to Washington, where the VA official lived. That travel cost $37,000.

The details on the alleged improprieties were in two IG reports issued this week. VA spokeswoman Katie Roberts said the agency was extremely concerned about the IG's findings and would pursue a thorough review.

"VA does not condone misconduct by its employees and will take the appropriate correction action for those who violate VA policy," Roberts said in an e-mail to The Associated Press.

The number of claims the VA needs to process has escalated, and the Information and Technology Office has a critical role in improving the technological infrastructure to handle the increase. President Barack Obama has said creating a seamless transition for records between the Pentagon and the VA could help eliminate a backlog that has left some veterans waiting months for a disability check.

Much of the IG's focus was on Duncan, the former executive assistant to the ex-assistant secretary for information and technology, Robert Howard.

In one situation, a part-time intern with connections to Duncan was allowed to convert to a full-time paid position even though the individual was working a part-time schedule 500 miles away at college, the IG said.

"We have never known of any other new VA employee provided such favorable treatment," the IG said.

The individual's name and relationship to Duncan was blacked out, as were many other names in the reports.

Investigators recommended that the employees who received the college money pay it back. The largest amount awarded was $33,000.

In addition to Duncan, three other high-level employees received $73,000, $58,000 and $59,000 in bonuses in 2007 and 2008, the IG said. In 2007 alone, 4,700 employees were awarded bonuses, on average $2,500 each.

Some employees were given cash awards for services that were supposedly provided before the employees started working at VA, the IG said.

A man who answered the phone at Duncan's residence in Rehoboth Beach, Del., said she was not available, and he said not to call back.

The IG also found that Katherine Adair Martinez, deputy assistant secretary for information protection and risk management in the Office of Information and Technology, misused her position, abused her authority and engaged in prohibited personnel practices when she influenced a VA contractor and later VA subordinates to employ a friend.

The IG also said Martinez "took advantage of an inappropriate personal relationship" with Howard to transfer her job to Florida. In the nine months after she moved, the IG said Martinez traveled to Washington 22 times "to accomplish tasks that she could easily do from Florida."

The relationship between Martinez and Howard started in April 2007 and continued several months after Howard left the VA in January of this year, the IG said.

Roberts' e-mail did not address a request from the AP to speak with Martinez. Howard could not be immediately located for comment.

Indiana Rep. Steve Buyer, top Republican on the House Veterans' Affairs Committee, urged quick action to fix the problems. "VA must appoint honorable individuals to these critical positions," he said.

The VA has faced criticism before in its awarding of bonuses. In 2007, the AP reported that the then-VA secretary had approved a generous package of more than $3.8 million in bonus payments in 2006, citing a need to retain longtime VA executives.

On the Net:

* Reports from VA Inspector General: http://www.va.gov/oig/51/fy2009rpts/VAOIG-09-01123-196.pdf

* http://www.va.gov/oig/51/fy2009rpts/VAOIG-09-01123-195.pdf

Copyright © 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

[Testvet]

I am amused by Congressman Buyer trying to get out in front of this by calling for accountability yet he was the one who insisted on the VA CIO having all the power over the purse that was used and abused in this mess remember when he made a spot for his friend MacFarland and gave control for the money for all IT related expenditures software, hardware, research etc Buyer is the man responsible for creating this mess in the first place and he is trying to spin it as one bad apple, absolute power leads to total corruption as this shows there was little or no oversight which is why this was allowed to get out of hand hiring practices, paying school bills for employees who weren't even veterans, moving girlfriends to Florida and then using the VA funds for travel for her back and forth to DC we had people at the Post Office using government credit cards to buy Xmas presents, trips to Vegas etc they all were fired and made to pay restitution but it makes other employees bad not all postal employees have govt credit cards usually supervisors and upper level management not clerks and carriers people abuse situations that is why they all need oversight and employees need to know that someone IS watching them.

No office should have the power that Buyer insisted the IT office have.

[purple]

I've given up believeing that the VA system will ever be a "just" system.....

[tagandbag]

To go from 3 mil. in 2006, to 24 mil. in 09, ther is no way that can be justified. I just can't think of anyting else to say that would be printable.

t&b

[pacmanx1]

We still need to learn that,

"Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely."

By: John Emerich Edward Dalberg in 1887.

Edited August 21, 2009 by pacmanx1 (see edit history)

[broncovet]

Tag and Bag is right..The Department of Veterans Affairs, between 2006 and 2009 INCREASED the backlog of Veterans claims and then patted each other on the back for that, awarding $24 million in bonus money while Veterans are becoming homeless and committing suicide at an alarming rate.

I just cant wait for the Va to say this is an isolated incident, that corruption is not widespread througout the VA. Hillary Clinton already said that the New York RO was corrupt, and now the Central IT department is corrupt. Are we to beleive that our own Regional Office is somehow not corrupt, even tho 40 of 57 Regional Offices were CAUGHT shredding Veterans evidence? There is no guarntee that the other 17 RO's did not shred evidence, they just did not get caught.

It may just mean those 17 RO's are better at cover up than others.

Edited August 21, 2009 by broncovet (see edit history)

[carlie]

VBA sucks.

carlie

[broncovet]

Testvet is right..Buyer gave Howard complete control over the IT department $2 billion budget with zero accountability. I think it was a couple months ago when Shinseki suspended IT projects because they were late and way over budget...gee I wonder why they were over budget, when the hired family members, paid people full time for part time "work" and showed nepotism and favoritism.

The rest of the VA also does not have accountability either and regularly awards VA employees bonus money while Veterans wait on theirs. I think some people should go to prison for this. The IT department is just the tip of the iceburg, and I certainly hope this scandal leads not to additional promotions and bonuses, for covering it up, but rather to prosecution and jail time.

There are some bad apples at high level positions at the VA, and they need weeded out for Veterans to make any progress.

Unfortunately, in the VA, corruption is rewarded with big bonuses and promotions. For example:

http://www.vawatchdog.org/08/nf08/nfdec08/nf120408-1.htm

I think the former Cleveland VARO manager used the famous Enron defense:

He claimed he did not know that the employees were stealing money.

In private industry, Enron CEO's go to jail, when they steal money in the VA, they get promoted to the Central office.

Edited August 21, 2009 by broncovet (see edit history)

[RetiredVet]

Testvet is right..Buyer gave Howard complete control over the IT department $2 billion budget with zero accountability. I think it was a couple months ago when Shinseki suspended IT projects because they were late and way over budget...gee I wonder why they were over budget, when the hired family members, paid people full time for part time "work" and showed nepotism and favoritism.

The rest of the VA also does not have accountability either and regularly awards VA employees bonus money while Veterans wait on theirs. I think some people should go to prison for this. The IT department is just the tip of the iceburg, and I certainly hope this scandal leads not to additional promotions and bonuses, for covering it up, but rather to prosecution and jail time.

There are some bad apples at high level positions at the VA, and they need weeded out for Veterans to make any progress.

Unfortunately, in the VA, corruption is rewarded with big bonuses and promotions. For example:

http://www.vawatchdog.org/08/nf08/nfdec08/nf120408-1.htm

I think the former Cleveland VARO manager used the famous Enron defense:

He claimed he did not know that the employees were stealing money.

In private industry, Enron CEO's go to jail, when they steal money in the VA, they get promoted to the Central office.

So where are all of the vet orgs that are supposed to be helping us and lookign out for us? They should be on all the medai and organizing protests. but the orgs sit back make money off of vets and do nothing. they play politics same as any public servant in D.c. we need to form a group that will actually go after employess in the va and after this kind of stuff inside the va. a group that will use the media for the vets and show abuse inside the va. a groupd that does not cower to the va or the government. every vet org claims they did soemthing whenever congress does something for vets. when they actually did not thing but write a letter or go to a hearing and state an opinon on how they stand. they enevr want to take action directly with protests of going on the medai as much as possible to let peopel knwo how messed up the va and the gov is.

they seem more organized to collec tmoney and use that for their own betterment of life.

[sixthscents]

Any veteran representative organization that exists "cheek and jowl" with the VARO's have always been suspicious to me. People say there are good and bad VSO's but when it comes to my personal experience, I have yet to meet the good one.

IT is a funny field, as someone experienced in the field I think I can say that in certain jobs like database management, or creation, generally people are paid fairly large salaries, and can "work from home" literally. Honestly, I could manage most database tasks from my desk here in my bedroom, as easily as 1000 miles away. So, while I understand a real need to keep certain people (honestly it is hard to find someone with the necessary qualifications to keep a big IT operation up, and current.... it can be really really hard) these people are salaried. They agreed to a salaried package, and if bonus's for performance (which in IT is actually rather common) were part of their contract.. well ok, BUT and a BIG BUT... the performance MUST be achieved.

What went on here was nothing but sheer fraud. IT people need - the field demands - continual education. Often platforms for database management change, or completely disappear and the whole system has to be adapted - quickly to the new service. Without constant education many of these IT personnel would be useless in a matter of months, not years months. So I understand a grant program for this. Again though, it must be MONITORED.

However, the VA's IG DID find this. They DID report it. And the people caught are going to get some punishment. As far as I can see, that system is working, maybe not a well as we would like, but the VA IG does seem to be increasing their efforts to find the flaws. Now if they would just look at all the "new" raters the VA hired.

Bob Smith