Abusive Phone Call

[Berta]

I cannot believe the abuse I just took from a supervisor-at the Buffalo VARO-

When she was a VA 800# operator she actually questioned the basis of my claim when it was in appeals telling me I didnt have a potential claim at all.

Now she is a supervisor and the claim she questioned (maybe in 2007?)was the same one I was recently awarded.

Without even asking me why I had called the director's office (and she didnt have my C file or anything else when she called me)

she would not even let me explain the problem I am having.

I complained already to VACO, to the regional counsel and then VBA said to send a complaint letter directly to Shinseki.

I also had the initials of the two RO employees included in the complaint -who still send me clearly and erroneous award letters.

Now I am trying to find out if the letter they got from regional counsel regarding one matter has been put into my C file- or ignored.or destroyed.

I wonder how many vets and widows get treatment like this but dont complaint.

I just let it go when the supervisor , as a 800 number rep a few years ago , tried to tell me my 2003 claim had no basis at all but of course I knew better.I cant help but wonder if she talked anyone else out of pursuing their claim.

[LarryJ]

"Don't Piss Down My Back and Tell Me It's Raining."

Clint Eastwood...."The Outlaw Josey Wales"

more truth in one two hour movie than in the rest of life, compounded

[sharon]

The call center was staffed by trained Veterans Service Representative when it was at the Regional Office. Now that it is at a central location it is staffed by operators. They simply read what is on the screen. They have not a clue what is going on. When they don't know they try to fake it. An IRIS inquiry at least has to go to the Regional Office for an answer.

[Commander Bob]

Wonder how the powers that be would feel if a few thousand angry veterans showed up at the VA Headquarters in DC?

...think I would be history!!

It was history....The WWI vets tried that during the Summer of 1932, It was called the Bonus Army, They built a makeshift camp called Hooverville. The army was called out, led by Douglas MacArthur and George S. Patton. Several vets were shot and killed..... I can assure that if you and a few thousand of your comrades went to D.C. and shouted up the place,.. You would be shot like a "mad dog" in the street...

Edited November 3, 2009 by Commander Bob

[john999]

A million vets need to go to VA HQ, and not a thousand. Massive numbers need to show solidarity, but that has not happened in 200 years. So we remain beggers.

[Wings]

It was history....The WWI vets tried that during the Summer of 1932, It was called the Bonus Army, They built a makeshift camp called Hooverville. The army was called out, led by Douglas MacArthur and George S. Patton. Several vets were shot and killed..... I can assure that if you and a few thousand of your comrades went to D.C. and shouted up the place,.. You would be shot like a "mad dog" in the street...

true dat! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bonus_Army

[vaf]

The last time someone at the VARO insulted my husband over the phone, we wrote a complaint to the OIG at the VA, and in fact, we found those records in the claims file the following year, so at least we got our say.

I would urge everyone to just forget about dialing the 1-800 number and instead put your inquiries in IRIS via the VA website, the reason being that you never know when you might need a hard copy of a response you receive as evidence for another claim, or a writ petition, or what have you. With these guys, you need a paper trail.

We're in that position right now. My husband's Board appeal was cancelled when the VARO told the Board my husband had withdrawn it, and of course, he never did that in any way shape or form. No one ever performed the elementary step of checking to see if there was something in writing from him that requested an appeals withdrawal! He didn't even know it was withdrawn until we had a Congressman get involved after a lengthy delay in deciding this now 15 year old appeal-- the VA HAD to answer the Congressman, but they ignored us prior to that. The Board Chairman told the Congressman that if my husband had any questions, he was to call the 1-800 number for resolution, now is that a laugh or what?

We're using their IRIS responses to us in our writ petition over this Board appeal cancellation, clearly in violation of 38 CFR, because only the veteran or his representative (we're pro se) can withdraw a Board appeal. In that IRIS response, at the same time they told us the appeal had been decided and we'd receive something in writing soon, they had two days prior to that told the Board that my husband had withdrawn his claim. The fact that the Board told us to discuss this aggregious error with the 1-800 number shows us that they don't give a damn about due process, either.

Again, I think I mentioned this before. Print up your VA responses in hard copy as soon as you get them, because if you just save the e-mail, you'll find that eventually the link to the answer is dead, and you won't be able to retrieve the VA's response.