Anyone Out There Desire To Change The Process?

[PayBack]

Hi,

I realize that you all must be laughing hysterically at this post. Thinking that this guy must be joking or extremely naive. Well, I'm not joking, just disgusted. As I browse the internet seeking assistance about veterans issues, I'm really appalled by the injustices that many of us face in our pursuit of benefits. I've decided that I'm going to dedicate a major portion of my time and limited resources to ensuring that this stops. There is NO reason that this process takes so long. Call it apathy or lethargy, take your pick. I call it an " American Tragedy". Our elected officials have the power to change this and with everbodies help, I think we can get them to change it. As long as THEY are creating more disabled veterans every day, they're accountable. We have so many compelling stories, and it's time we informed the world of this treatment. There is no logical reason that any claim can't be completed with 365 days (including appeals). I've been inside VA buildings, they must work smarter and perhaps harder (limiting breaks, internet browsing, chit chat etc...). If there goal were redefined for them and officials held accountable, perhaps we could affect positive outcome. Imposing real disciplinary action on neglectful officials would be a key component in affecting this change. Something as simple as three strikes and your gone. Do away with REMANDing? It wastes time. Simply overrule the previous findings. If a VA official has an original decision or a DRO has their rulings changed 3 times, they gotta go. This may make the actually read the evidence that's before them. We would simply want those involved in the process "Do the Right Thing". No more, No less. If you want to help let me know. I'm very serious. If I have to do it alone, I'll work it till I die. I heard the stories, but until it happened to me, it never hit home. I apologize to all for not taking up the fight sooner. I swear by all that is sacred to me that I will not rest until this issue is resolved. We have an election coming in 2008, if we organize and work smart, perhaps we could use this to our advantage and affect positive change by then. Media, print, internet, we'll need to pool the resources and get real EXPOSURE. I'm very serious, and I hope you are too.

GOD Bless

[jbasser]

Allan, This post sounds familiar. I believe I posted the same same topic several years ago.

Change would be a welcome sight for all involved.

Payback I wish there were some way to make the changes and streamline the system. The VA hires outside consultants to make reccommendations for changes to improve the system. The VA attends the meeting, pays the Consulting firm a big sum of money and takes the reccommendations and files them in a special file. ( I wonder how many vets claims are in there also.

As a former Employee of the VA I can tell you this. Unless congress is forced to change the system there will be no changes. The President does not have the power to change it. He has to get the votes in congress to do so.

The VA secretary is a political appointee.

As we know it, we are looking at a system designed to be this way as Allan stated. It is supposed to be Vet friendly, but the VA knew there was an avalanche ahead they designed the system imphatically with the intention of delaying claims. (Every step in the process has a time frame)

The best advice I have to offer to ensure your own success is to add kevlar to your claim.

[hurryupnwait]

1. Allow lawyers to represent a veteran before he/she files a claim and anytime thereafter.

2. Have the VA pay interest on the claims.

Paul

[betrayed]

Everything you have said is correct, thats why I put up www.betrayedveteran.com to educate the non veterans out there. I would welcome horror stories from anyone and put them on the site, since I put that site up I have had over 33000 hits, I figure thats pretty good just for some pissed off veterans website. I was recently contacted by one of our hadit members and she is writing her horror story and I will put it up. So far the only real horror story is mine, and it all has to due with haphazard medical care, which nearly caused me to commit suicide numerous times, well actually three times I was in the nut house for being suicidal. I just started a claims section (which I stated hadit is the best site on the net). And like berta I have written letters to everyone under the sun, all the veterans committees and such, never got a answer from one. I even wrote Montel Williams a Veteran with MS, wrote him two letters asking him to do a show about the Claims process no reply. Anything that is going to cause a change is going to take a organized effort by allot of people, as one we are nothing, as we band together we become a force to be reckoned with................

[Berta]

"Has anyone ever heard of a rating specialist, DRO etc going to jail for illegally cheating disabled Veterans out of their benefits?"

I think the OIG web site has investigation of one or two VARO employees whio were involved in a claims scam.

Also I remember the days in the late 1980s- when some lawyers at the BVA stuffed dozens of claims into the bottoms of old file cabinets so they would not have to work on them.

They were caught.I forget if this was a federal crime or not- it should be.

[Tbird]

Here's some of my thoughts on this, if i had the resources and it was me doing it

1. I would set up a website to gather veterans stories of their trip through the compensation system.

2. I would have some staff and i would be sure all veterans stories are vetted before being posted.

3. i would contact all the various veterans websites and ask for volunteers to write their stories after they have been vetted.

4. i would probably put the stories up in some sort of database that could be sorted and view in a variety of ways, such as, on appeal, waiting for decision, etc.

5. i would re-contact all the veterans sites and let them know about my site

6. I would spend some money on adwords advertising to get the word out

7. i would hire some pr company to start putting out press releases about what the site is about.

8. i would have each veterans story include their zip code and would send a letter to their congressman and senators something to the effect your constituents are getting the run around.

9. i would also contact each major news source about my new site, what my purpose is and what they can find there.

off the top of my head.

tbird

[Pete53]

Most never know who rates their claim much less that they have been cheated by a maverick rater.