The Sec Bob Mcdonald Really Cares About Veterans!

[Chuck75]

The Govt allows the whole population of the country to file taxes on what basically amounts to a loosely regulated honor system.

Yet the warriors of this country who are in the top 15 percent of the best citizens that reside in this country, get treated like miscreants and habitual felons who are trying to game the system.. We are treated as lying unless proven otherwise. The process has pretty much become a contest between the veteran and the regional offices on who can stack up the most evidence. With C&P examiners working directly for the VA or contracted out and PAID by the VA, many times the veteran gets a innacurate exam, and the claim is denied. If the veteran cannot afford to get a second opinion from an outside the VA doctor, its almost impossible to win the claim.

As of late, many veterans have been recieving the C&P exams that were done at the VAMC, And finding many errors . Since then, the Va has decided to not let the vet have access to the results of thier C&P exams until AFTER the claim is decided. We never have been able to view the results of our C&P exams done by contracted services such as VES.. Now why would that be? once a vet loses a claim, the regional offices can wash thier hands of it, and forward it to the appeals board, which can be a 3 to 10 year wait. Once the regional office " punts" your claim off the appeals, it is no longer a claim in thier bean count. The claim is not considered in the existing claims on hand at the RO, even though the claim is not officially settled. Furthermore, once the claim does finally go to the appeals board it is many times remanded BACK to the Regional office for another ride on the merry go round of denials. When undersecretary Hicky was asked about that, the reply was to the effect of " we arent responsible once it leaves us" . WHAT and interesting concept.. Deny claims by any means possible, hope the vet just gives up, and if they dont, ship it off to appeals, its no longer my problem.

Time is on the VA side, not ours. If the claim goes on for several years , or if the vet dies, well the undersecretary, regional offices, ect.. They all collect a paycheck, while the vet suffers, commits suicide, loses his house, car, family, self worth ect.

"Yet the warriors of this country who are in the top 15 percent of the best citizens that reside in this country, get treated like miscreants and habitual felons who are trying to game the system.."

Believe it or not, that's quite similar to long standing practices and assumptions made by the military about the enlisted members. Many of those practices still exist today. Is there a parallel?

I think so!

[Pete53]

"Yet the warriors of this country who are in the top 15 percent of the best citizens that reside in this country, get treated like miscreants and habitual felons who are trying to game the system.."

Believe it or not, that's quite similar to long standing practices and assumptions made by the military about the enlisted members. Many of those practices still exist today. Is there a parallel?

I think so!

I wonder about your question. I have delt that the truth is many who work for the VA are jealous of Veterans who earned compensation. Unfortunately many of the people we deal with never served and have no idea of sacrifices we and our families have made and that most here that I know wish that they did not have the disability nor the compensation.

Today I feel much differently about service and benefits than I did before. I am proud that I served and grateful for the benefits that I earned.

[Buck52]

I agree Pete 53,

I appreciate the compensation & proud I served, it helps tremendously!

but I still feel uncomfortable simply because nothing is ''set in stone'' with the VA

I feel our compensation is always under scrutiny! & in my opinion no veteran should ever feel that way!

[ArNG11]

I have to say that I know most of us have waited months, years, and some even decades for fair and just benefits and care. It is an atrocity that one of the most powerful nations in the world whom most other nations turn to and rely on can't or sometimes won't take care of their military servicemen and women, take care of their own. But alas that is the society we unfortunately live in. I think eventually we as a nation will wake up and do what it right and just for our own people. The unfortunate truth is that it probably will take years to repair the damage and change people's perspective on the right thing to do for Veterans and their families. Rome was not built in one day. Hopefully sweet justice and retribution will be swift in the coming years and from now on. I don't like it any more than you do but we just are going to have to wait to see the progress unfold before us. At least now there has been my movement to n the right direction and the word is getting out. Actions are starting to replace empty words and promises. I believe the Honorable Secretary will try to change the mindset in this large organization for the better, I think he and most do care for Veterans and this may be the turning point for the VA. We will just have to wait and see how everything unfolds. JMHO.

[jeffperry1134]

I emailed Bob Macdonald and my appeal which was dead in the water five years suddenly was sent to me in a SSOC with an increased rating and retroactive pay from 2011. I may follow up with him again because in my case I filed the NOD in 2008 and they are saying all of the sudden I got worse in 2011 which is crap. I wonder if I can add a letter from my Vet Center contracted therapist and my old psych evaluation and appeal for the back pay to go back further.

[foreveryoung]

Good for you, glad you got your increase. I received and answer from Bob McDonald office ever time I contacted him, hope all other Vets here do as well.

Good Luck will the appeal.