Rachel Maddow Show On Msnbc

[meghp0405]

I watched this lady's show last night, which i normally don't do. her guest was Tommy Sowers who is a Assistant Secretary with the VA. He was on the program to speak and answer questions pertaining to the backlog of claims.

Mr Sowers, a former green beret medic, stated that "the company First Sergeant and Junior Officers need to help those getting out with their claim". he further went on to state that the backlog will be cleared up by 2015.

I'm really not sure where this guy is coming from, So now the unit 1SG's and junior officers are going to start doing claims? To me, that just doesn't make sense. That's why there are transitional service officers to do just this. It would seem to me that those individuals whould have their hands full. I remember when I was a 1SG, that just wouldn't been feesable. But then agin if I was given a mission, it was tackled head on. I just don't see this happening nor is it there responsibility?

And then to say that the backlog of all claims would be completed by 2015, I guess we will just have to wait on that one, but I'm not to optmistic.

His time on the show was just a waste and that's 15 minutes of my life I'll never get back....

[jcolwell]

This is all wrong...................they all need to go.......Tonight news reports 1 million claims pending. This guy SCH needs to go and his underlings and all the DRO at VA RO needs to go,. It is a lack of leadership all the way around.

The DOD computer system that they bought does not interface with the VA computers..........incompetence and more. ONce the inexperienced staff get hold of a computer that will be the new excuse ..." new system implemented sorry for the delay " .

It is just wrong.It sucks.

Pc

[71M10]

They are going to use this ACE system Acceptable Clinical Evidence to relieve themselves of the burden of doing C&P's. By intruducing a review of clinical evidence in place of a Compensation and Pension Exam they can scew veterans based on the existing evidence and not generate any additional evidence that might support thier claim.

Thats just what I am seeing folks!

[JR Reihs]

How many times have we heard this same old BS........year after year, administration one after another.

The VA was not prepared 40 - 60 years ago, and they are not prepared now, nor will they ever be.........The only good out of this now is, MSM has picked it up and talked about it more than I have ever seen...Problem is, we here.. already knew this and so did the VA.

[Vync]

http://cheezburger.com/7159446272

[Berta]

Meg is SO RIGHT......

I tried to find a PEBLO , as a transitional liason officer, for someone here recently and a bunch of PEBLO job positions opened up.

You would think they would have hired and trained enough PEBLOs by now!

Neither the VA nor the Military was prepared at all for OEFs.

Someone here , a few weeks ago, still AD, said he couldn't get any of his transition questions answered at his duty station, and was being MEBbed out.

He did get our help.

This is a disgrace.

Luckily , IAVA and other sites are helping these men and women with the PEB and MEB stuff...but they should have access to help NOW while they are still in the Mil, at or near to their Duty place.

You all know I am a civilian but I get very upset and the way some (not all) of our OIF,OEF,ONDs are being treated by the Mil.

Petreaus said the other day he wanted to help them...I missed his whole speech and caught only this about helping other OEFs (as he is an OEF)and an additional apology , (which I don't feel he ever needed to do)

and maybe a kick ass General is what the VA needs.

I admit I Love Secretary Shinseki, because of all of the wonderful things he has tried to accomplish.I remember the days beginning with Derwinski ,Jesse Brown, and the whole litany of VA Secs ever since and Shinseki,in my opinion, has tried to do MORE ,with much less help and support, than all of them put together.

Just my opinion on the Secretary............we sure had some doozys like Peake and Nicholson and I sure see the difference in Shinseki, but I feel he has people working against him at VA Central all the time.

It is the people under him, who make sure every good idea he has, gets either snafued or fubared.

Edited March 29, 2013 by Berta

[Pete53]

I have been with the VA since 1991 and there has always been a long backlog. Wityh cost cutting and forgotten promises to Veterans I don't see it getting better any time soon.

My advise is to put together a solid claim and wait for it to develop. Asking for other things makes it take a lot longer.