ptsd Veterans Affairs Failing Faster In Nearly All Areas, Monumental Problems

[Capt.]

Hello All,

I have been watching the post from so many of our members , old ones and alot of new ones. Watching the hearings from both house and senate, numerous news agencies and I am also seeing the problems with so many areas within the Veterans Affairs.

After reading so many post from not just myself but members like Berta, Carlie, Jbasser, Boomer, Teac, Bronco, Asknod, 71m10, Sp4, Meghp0405 and many others who post specific articles and news links, I am seeing a terrible pattern.

One that I believe we all can look at and say , this whole VA system is corrupt. It is so far gone that their is no answer to get any of the problems fixed.

I am going to bring up just a few of the problems we are facing at an alarming rate with a downward spiral.

Arrogance, Elitist, criminal mindset, refusing to answer Congressional hearings questions, failing to comply with Office of Inspector General reports, GOA reports and recommendations and outright lies, coverups are expressed with non compliance and blatant ignoring the laws and regulations of our country and the Code of Federal Regulations. This is the Secretary , Assistant Secretary , Directors and VARO Service Managers that continue to operate with immunity. No one can touch them and we see everything getting worse. Responsibility and accountability are totally ignored and rewarded with more bonuses.

I am going to list just a few of the more recent problems within the last 6 months to a year from some of the news articles or past post with topics that are here at Hadit.

1. The incredible increase of the backlog

2. Inacurracy of the claims decisions process and its error rates especially from initial decisions to BVA remands process

3. Problems viewing Cfiles

4. Lack of Due Processs to Veterans and the Timelines faulty, error ridden decisions making Appeals nearly impossible

5. Failing to answer phone calls at most VAROS

6. VARO C and P exams not available to veterans or delayed more than one year

7. FOIA delays of information or non compliance at all

8. Dependents pay non-compliance and or long delays

9. VA arrogance on questions from House and Senate subcommittees, GOA, OIG reports

10.Fidicuiary Scandals

11. Legionaires Disease Coverup

12. Suicide Veteran Rate Increase

13. Lack of treatment for PTSD veterans

14 Homelessness of our Veterans

15. Paperless transitions for records inconsistancy between VAROs and VAMC, Clinics , dealing with MyhealthyVet, Ebenefits

16. Travel pay issues

17. Treating any correspondance with VAROS as a NEW CLAIM

I have used Hadit, and many news organizations, House and Senate reports, OIG, GOA and other agencies to bring up these points above.

Now I know I have missed alot of areas and these are just some of the more recent events and directions VA is taking and it is so evident by the huge number of Veterans that are posting on Hadit and viewing our topics.

You can see it in the tone of our topics and the Veterans and their wives and widows desparation. I have been a member here for over 6 years and the overall direction the Veterans Affairs has taken is absolutely out of control.

It has gotten so bad. I am so fearful for our Veterans that are just now coming into the VA claims and benefits process. That so many are going to fall thru the cracks and that the number of Veterans who will just say I quit and face prison, divorce or death or homelessness. That the number of Veteran problems now dominate our news agencies. Our courts and prisons are fast seeing an alarming problem with our Veteran community. We see it daily in our News reports.

That is why I have to just bring this topic up thats been on my mind for a long while, so that many of our Veterans can see that we all face some very dark waters ahead. And that is why I hope that every Veteran that comes to Hadit will say to each other....... NEVER GIVE UP. God Bless, C.C.

Edited February 11, 2013 by Capt.Contaminate

[meghp0405]

How can we keep politics out of this? This agency is totally political in so many ways! I truly wished that the Secretary would remove the politics and get back to focusing on the Veterans Administration taking care of our veterans! This leadership within this agency is subpar at it's best!

I look back when the Deputy of VA was testfying before Congress on the raises and their lavish training seminars. Where was the Secretary at? Why was he not appearing before Congress? He was in Arizona, telling folks how great and wonderful the VA is and how they are focusing on the homeless veteran situation. What a joke this Secretary is!

Actually, why did managers and supervisors each receive a $10,000.00 bonus? Our Secretary found time to answer this with a blistering "they work hard and haven't received any type of raise in the last 2 years" I am a retiree, I or any other retiree, or a receipant of social security never received a raise for 2 years. Does this mean we will be receiving a raise. It's because of us that they have a job. Don't worry, i'm not holding my breath nor should anyone else.

I know several folks that work in the VA. I do believe that most employees work hard, but it is the rules and regulations that they have to follow. I can tell you from a source that the "benefit of the doubt" rule is not used as much as it should or could be.

it's one of those days and I'm in the extremely frustration role today. Sorry to vent...

[indyman]

I honestly feel the secretary of the VA is operating under orders of the president. The president on many occassions has stated publicly that he was determined to clean up the VA and its backlog of claims. The person who he appointed to do this, is not coming through in the pinch. There is no accountability. The backlog of claims is over one million strong and growing more. It is a shame when a veteran applies for an SC disability, goes through all the hoops, blows all the whistles, takes all the exams, follows all the instructions and is still waiting two years later. The same vet files for SSDI and has it in six months. I will not give up, and I have told my family when I go, do not give up on anything. I have said this many times, and I will say it again. This backlog is a complete, intentional, way of PROTECTING & GUARDING THE COFFERS. The second part of the mission is to completly frustrate the veterans into GIVING UP, and moving on. And the VA hoping the veterans will die before they have to address the claim. I know this has happened in Mid 2001 when veterans 70 and over had their claim files placed on the bottom in hopes they would pass away before the claim was worked. A whistle blower brought it to the surface, and then retired.

[autumn]

I honestly feel the secretary of the VA is operating under orders of the president. The president on many occassions has stated publicly that he was determined to clean up the VA and its backlog of claims. The person who he appointed to do this, is not coming through in the pinch. There is no accountability. The backlog of claims is over one million strong and growing more. It is a shame when a veteran applies for an SC disability, goes through all the hoops, blows all the whistles, takes all the exams, follows all the instructions and is still waiting two years later. The same vet files for SSDI and has it in six months. I will not give up, and I have told my family when I go, do not give up on anything. I have said this many times, and I will say it again. This backlog is a complete, intentional, way of PROTECTING & GUARDING THE COFFERS. The second part of the mission is to completly frustrate the veterans into GIVING UP, and moving on. And the VA hoping the veterans will die before they have to address the claim. I know this has happened in Mid 2001 when veterans 70 and over had their claim files placed on the bottom in hopes they would pass away before the claim was worked. A whistle blower brought it to the surface, and then retired.

http://www.legion.org/veteranshealthcare/214300/legion-reacts-allegations-va-whistleblower

http://www.legion.org/veteranshealthcare/214296/coffman-va-gulf-war-illness-treatment-%E2%80%98embarrassing

more legit whistleblower's need to speak out. i know they are worried about losing their job, rightfully so, but, there has to be more employee's at VA that see the crap being shoveled daily.

as it seems veterans as a group won't march on washington or ROs these days, remember it did happen in 1932, the Bonus Army march of 1932. that march woke up some people.

[autumn]

Remember that to the government, veterans are an "inconvenient" result of war. Disabled veterans are "traditionally" considered as even lower.

There's even a poem by a famous English poet that sums up the situation fairly well today as it did when written.

Lincoln was sort of the first president to recognize that disabled veterans should be compensated.

Last I heard, a few years back, the VA was still paying a small number of Civil War "Widows Benefits". Fancy that!

My great grandmother was a small child at the time of the Civil War, and I can also remember (I think) the last civil war veterans deaths.

Last Union veteran, Albert Woolson, died 8/2/1956, age 109

Last Confederate veteran, John Salling, died 3/16/1958, age 112 (Arguable as to real status)

you wouldn't know which poet/poem would you?

Laurence Binyon's "For the Fallen" ?

Rupert Brooke's "The Soldier." ?

i would like to read it if you do. thanks

[Chuck75]

The Poem

"Tommy"
Rudyard Kipling
AttachedPoem-Tommy.txt

[broncovet]

I agree, Cap'n. Corruption is rampant in the VA, and the VA just tells still more lies to cover it up. This is a great example of why citizens need to be armed, else we would be defenseless against a corrupt government. The government assures us "they" will protect us from bad guys, but what happens when the government IS the bad guys?

Remember, our country was founded in rebellion of a corrupt (English) government. If the VA can/has become corrupt, can the police, the IRS, the other federal and state governments, as well as the prison system also become (or already is) corrupt? I think they can.

Beleive me, I am against gun violence. One poster pointed out that the president is "protecting" children by taking away citizens guns. Interestingly, how is the president himself protected? By heavily armed security guards. So why would we not "protect" children in a similar way, by arming some officials (or armed police) at the school. Anyone who goes crazy can now go to a school and knows there will be no one there to "shoot back". He can keep shooting until he runs out of ammo, and no one will stop him. I dont see these crazies breaking into a Marine Barracks and start shooting...these guys would shoot back.