Return Of Shreddergate?

[Berta]

In part:

"A pair of California lawmakers want to know why paperwork required to finalize veterans' disability claims ended up in a Los Angeles shredding bin.

The latest embarrassing episode for the Veterans Affairs Department comes alongside questions surrounding 240,000 deceased veterans on agency medical waiting lists and worries from senators that physician credentialing problems in Arizona may stop cancer treatments for veterans there."

http://www.militarytimes.com/story/veterans/2015/07/15/ig-report-la-shred-bins-disability-claims-va-veterans-affairs-los-angeles/30197103/

More at Ben Krauses site:

http://www.disabledveterans.org/2015/07/17/va-fixes-disability-backlog-with-shredder

[broncovet]

I noticed this, also, and was going to post it. According to Bergman and Moore,

"Speaking of things that need to be fixed: Veterans Affairs Office of the Inspector General found benefits claims in a shred bin at a VA facility in Los Angeles, reports Military Times’ Leo Shane. VA says it was a “one-time mistake,” but after IG reports of filing cabinets filled with years’ worth of unprocessed claims, there need to be far fewer mistakes."

end BM quote.

What a crock. VA credibility takes a blow. This is NOT a one time mistake, this has happened in Oct. 2008, in multiple RO offices at multiple times. And it had happened prior to that and, obviously "after" the "October incident". It was NOT a one time mistake, but rather this is the same problem rearing its ugly head again.

[GuaymasJim]

Who got fired the last time in 2008? Who go demoted? Who paid a fine? NOBODY! Until there is accountability, there will be no change. These employees are like children stealing money off the dresser. If nothing bad happens when they get caught, they are going to do it until the severity of the consequences out weights the benefit of the deed. A few years ago, even two attorneys at the BVA were caught doing it as a way to increase their work product and collect additional money.

Dump the OIG (aka VA stooge) and hire an outside auditing company with constant in-house monitoring. Pay for it by dropping bonuses completely for ALL VA employees (with what we know now why were they getting them in the first place?). Give the employees a week long amnesty to come clean (actually this would help veterans whose claims are currently in the netherworld), and then dump a load of crap (fire, claw back bonuses, charge) on anyone caught thereafter and their supervisor.

Ohhh, must have dozed off and had a dream.

[broncovet]

Nothing has changed since 2008 Shreddergate. The first thing the VA did was try to minimize it, and say things like it was an "isolated incident". It wasnt then and it isnt now. I know for a fact that my evidence was shredded AFter 2008, and it was "way way far away from California".

For VA to even say, "This is a one time mistake" is a bald faced lie. Did they investage the other 56 RO's? No. So, how can they come to that conclusion? They cant. Im in the process of hiring an attorney and I have evidence of shredding...even a VAOIG report!!!

[Buck52]

Sec Bob needs to get things cleared up and stand up for the veterans side.

He was in front of the senate house committed being drilled and a Senator ask why the VA is in such a mess ''Bob'' ''it was in a mess long before I became the VA Sec,'' ''senator ask well what are you doing to fix it, I'm working on it just give me the time turn around things or something like that he seemed cowed down and scared.

which worries the hell out of me.

................Buck