"VA Accountability Act" not so fast

[Reality]

I felt compelled to join this board and write a short article on the new “VA Accountability Act” recently signed into law.  I know there is a bunch of hype about this law and many are applauding the signature law, but proceed with caution and we must take a look at the complete picture of what is really going on and who this really affects.  Sure, there are some bad employees in the VA and those folks should rightfully be sent packing and I concede this law may help in that process.  However, there is a dirty little secret the VA is not telling you and the public display and spectacle of the adverse action report available tells the real truth behind this law.  First, look at the report.  You will notice the majority are low level employees and not any mangers, Directors, Assistant Directors, Coaches or Assistant Coaches. Again, most are considered low hanging fruit.  Now, to the average person reading this report and has no knowledge of how the VA works one would assume, or think, “This is great, they are holding people accountable.”, however once again it is the wrong people.  This law has now empowered the VA Leadership and Mid-Level Managers to go after the low hanging fruit as demonstrated in the adverse action report.  The VA has now giving the green light to go after employees who “Rock the Boat”, this included employees who challenge bad leadership decision, ideas, report potential fraud, waste, abuse, may openly disagree with their leadership in a public forum, stands up for what is morally and ethically correct. These little pesky VA employees are targeted through the leadership, typically by scrutinizing every little move they make. Unfortunately this includes Combat Veteran’s, Disabled Veteran’s and others who just want to do the right thing. The management teams target the employees by setting them up for failure on at least one critical element of their job.  This targeting then requires the employee to be placed on a Performance Improvement Plan (PIP). The management knows there is no way for the employee to survive the impossible PIP.  This becomes the final death sentence for the employee, ultimately sending him or her packing.  Again, look at the report, it does not reveal how many where placed in a PIP and failed to achieve the PIP standards.

So, what does this law really mean?  well, once again it provides cover for the incompetent VA Leaders, it has failed to hold accountable the real problem with the VA, Mid-Levels Leaders and Management, the law does not address the corruption, fraud, waste and abuse, it has placed fear in most all low level VA Employees, and as the report clearly demonstrate it has only impacted the low hanging fruit.

I would ask you to ponder this though.  Would the CEO of Amazon, Google, Ford or GM make a spectacle out of all the employees they have under adverse action? Why is the VA the only government agency to make a spectacle out of all the adverse action pending or completed?  How is this something to be proud of?  Should it not tell you something is wrong with leadership if we are required to send so many people home?  Is this not a direct result of poor leadership?  How much money did the tax payers spend training, paying all of these bad employees only to send them home?

I will be doing some follow on reports about the fraud, waste, abuse and corruption to demonstrate who really needs to be sent home.

In closing, the law has good intentions but as we all know or should know by now it has and will continue to be abused by management and leadership to provide cover for their incompetency while they make a spectacle out of all the low hanging fruit they fired.  The self righteous management will continue to protect themselves and their own while they continue with the corrupt machine know as the VA.

[broncovet]

We have to accept everything the VA says, "as fact", MikeHunt, even tho their history shows they dont deserve this presumptive.  So called  "Facts" at the VA usually last about 3 months or less, when the lies are exposed.   You are preaching to the choir here, as far as "not trusting" VA.  Most of us learned that lesson well at the "college of hard knocks" in our long journey's applying for VA benefits.  

Still, this is the first legislation which even "hints" at VA accountability, tho we mostly agree its not enough.    We also agree the VA propoganda machine is well tuned, from decades of scandals in the past.  

Each time there is a new VASEC, Veterans are hopeful that this nightmare will end, and each time we have been disappointed.  

Shinseki should go into politics...he already has experience at failed campaign promises, before he even gets into office with his "End of Veteran homeless" and "125 days to finish with 98 percent accuracy" plans.  

McDonald, some say, was even worse..he lied when he said how many VA employees were fired, and other lies, too.  I think McDonald getting removed was a big part of the accountability..he wanted to stay on  duty with the new administration, and fortunately, Trump saw through that ruse, also..  

I would not say VA is "that good", I would say that many in VA  are experienced criminals who "eat" Veterans who mostly either have no experience at crime, or are rookies.  We Vets probably need to enlist the leadership of a career criminal, so he can teach us the ropes and tell us what the "criminal minds" at VA are thinking.  

Edited July 17, 2017 by broncovet

[Tbird]

@MikeHunt Does anybody remember that Twilight Zone episode where the aliens show up and give the humans a book and lots of wonderful stuff even trips to their planet. The scientists cannot translate the language of the book only the title "To Serve Man" finally as the scientist starts to board the ship his assistant runs up yelling "Wait, Stop, It's a cook book!" There's a lesson there.

[Berta]

Mike Hunt said:

"Sadder yet, the VA propaganda was posted here by a member who should've known better."

 

Who posted the VA propaganda?

[Tbird]

Let's not start fighting with each other. Thats what they would love.

[MikeHunt]

On 7/17/2017 at 9:49 AM, Tbird said:

aliens show up and give the humans a book and lots of wonderful stuff even trips to their planet.

book ... title "To Serve Man"

ientist starts to board the ship his assistant runs up yelling "Wait, Stop, It's a cook book!"

There's a lesson there.

YIKES! You're more negative than me! LoL

If there's anything I ask to impress upon Veterans is the number of non-Veterans in charge at the VA, AND their attitude, AND how they promote their own. Hence the story of the Denver Director ...

I really think if people had to spend one day at an RO, your understanding of what's going on would make you ... Well, take T-Bird's post near literally! LoL

[Tbird]

@MikeHunt I can be a tad dark :-)