Momentum Gathering On Top Va Officials Positions Ousters

[Capt.]

http://washingtonexaminer.com/watchdog-vets-affairs-chairman-miller-calls-for-top-va-officials-ouster/article/2525164

Start calling all of your senators and congressman...... we cannot let this one loose momentum. Enough is enough. Even our President has told the American Public that some changes would be painful. This is one of them. I called Congressmans Jeff Millers office yesterday and spoke with one of his aids. NEVER GIVE UP. God Bless, C.C.

[Chuck75]

Well heres hoping brothers that we don't get someone even worse! Kinda of like trying to pick your neighbors.

That is supposedly one of the reasons behind the DAV and others fighting against various changes over the years.

In the name of liberalizing and updating regulations, the VA has a very bad habit of changing procedures and regs to benefit only the VA.

Even worse, such things as only a C&P can diagnose PTSD for VA purposes are "snuck in".

The one I remember had to do with a revision that disconnected IHD and DMII. The VA "renumbered" a section of the regs, and didn't bother to mention that the previous language admitting IHD/heart disease and DMII can be related had been removed. Part of the effect was later removed by making IHD "presumptive".

Even the "presumptive" label has some undocumented gotchas.

One a "presumptive" condition is SC'd (adjudicated) there supposedly is no difference between it and any other SC'd condition.

Internally, the VA seems to treat it as a separate category, even in a VAMC's patient records system. The question is why and what are the unstated implications?

Edited March 26, 2013 by Chuck75

[manning01]

Check this out:

http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/03/26/17473926-va-honcho-to-step-down-with-parting-shot-from-congressman?lite

VA Secretary Eric Shinseki's chief of staff will leave that post Sunday, saying "my wife and I decided it was time to retire," but the Department of Veterans Affairs honcho exits amid the sound of Capitol Hill criticism.

John Gingrich, a retired Army colonel who commanded a field artillery battalion during the Gulf War, told VA staffers in a note that after 37 years of combined military and federal service, he had discussed his "transition" with Shinseki earlier this year, as the Obama administration began its second term. During that conversation, Gingrich and Shinseki "agreed to ensure a smooth transition and to set the conditions for an interim chief of staff, which will be completed by March 31," he wrote.

"Over the last four years, I have had the tremendous honor to serve the Nation's Veterans, their families, and survivors as VA's Chief of Staff," Gingrich wrote to VA employees. "I will always be grateful for the opportunity that the Secretary afforded me. After a long career in the Army, and after four years of balancing my dedication to the department with my other responsibilities, it is time for me to shift my focus."

Word of his departure comes six days after members of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America met with White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough about the chronically long claims-benefits backlog, which is managed by VA. The leader of that veteran's group, Paul Rieckhoff, called on President Obama to find an immediate fix for the backlog, adding the time had come "to go above the VA" on the problem.

'Lack of judgement'
Also last week, Rep. Jeff Miller, R-Fla., chairman of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, told NBC News "the president needs to take a personal interest" in the backlog. Miller, additionally, had called for Gingrich to resign in October after revelations surfaced detailing improper VA spending. Last fall, Miller condemned Gingrich’s approval of an $8 million budget for a pair of VA human resources conferences held in Florida during 2011.

“Even though I deeply respect John Gingrich’s time in uniform and public service, the fact remains that his lack of judgment in approving a number of lavish VA events cost taxpayers more than $6 million and cast a lingering shadow over the department’s reputation," Miller said Tuesday in a statement.

"The task at hand for the department is finding a replacement who will avoid repeating Gingrich’s past mistakes," Miller said. "In addition to being a good steward of taxpayer dollars, Gingrich’s successor must be willing to have an honest conversation about the challenges VA faces and its ability to overcome those challenges — qualities that are absolutely essential for every VA leader to have.”

Edited March 26, 2013 by manning01

[manning01]

Anouther resigning:

The top human resources official for the Department of Veterans Affairs has resigned and two other employees were placed on leave after an investigation into two conferences in Orlando found that department conference planners allowed up to $762,000 in unauthorized or wasteful spending and accepted gifts including spa treatments and entertainment. John Sepulveda, assistant secretary for human resources and administration for the Department of Veterans Affairs, stepped down Sunday, the VA said in a statement. The resignation followed by the agency’s office of inspector general an investigation into more than $6 million spent by the VA on two training conferences in Orlando last year.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/federal-eye/post/vas-top-hr-official-resigns/2012/10/01/248ad27a-0bec-11e2-bb5e-492c0d30bff6_blog.html

[stillhere]

I don't get it why do these people think they are the gods gift to Veterans and spend our money like this?

! And then nickle and time us to death?!!

[autumn]

Blacks back in the 1960's did not get their rights by depending on Uncle Tom organizations like the DAV, VFW and AL. They marched and protested in the belly of the beast. They took the fight to where the injustice was strongest. This is what we must do I think. It is easy to forget the vet after the war is over. In less than two years we will be out of Afghanistan and in less time than that veterans will be out of the national mind. It is only in time of war that Americans think about vets and active duty. After these wars are over politicians will be thinking about how to cut back on benefits. They cut the G.I. Bill after Vietnam and that was the only good thing that came out of that war.

John

agree, and as you write here, i have written basically the same in pas posts, and i suspect others have too. and that is, why don't we march/roll onto ROs and/or DC? its our life and quality of that life. no one is going to actually help clear this mess up unless the sheet is dropped on their frontdoor so to speak.

so why don't we organize marches for all veterans, old, young, injured, sick, etc as a whole unit. start a webpage, collect "issue statements", form a plan, and then march.

we know from reading hadit.com and vawatchdog.com that phone calls, letters, VSO,s, congresspeople, etc., doesn't help much for veterans as a whole. no one believes our experiences until like these major news stories come out. and we're grateful for the stories and exposure but if the irons aren't kept hot its just going to fade out as usual, which the VA and congress i suspect is hoping.