How to fix VA's low quality IT (computer) systems.

[broncovet]

Here is my take:

Next time (VA) gets money from Congress to update VA computers, award the contract to someone who is qualified, not to friends and family of politicians or VA "high ups" as political favors, who mostly squander the money and accomplish nothing.   That will improve things a lot.  Right now, ebenefits/va.gov is a mess.  You log in to one, it makes you log out and go to the other.  Merge ebenefits and va.gov, and you dont need 3 different ways to login.  VA should have COMPETENT Information security, not cushy jobs for politically well connected job seekers who stand around and make excuses for security breaches  and demand still more money from congress.  

The above would also improve VA claim process, and pretty much everything else.  Of course, it would mean firing some top management, because mostly the problems are NOT individual employees, but corruption in VA management which squanders money which should be used to help Veterans, ensuring the problem continues unabated.  

Too many top managers give cushy jobs to friends and family, as well as government contracts.  

Veterans deserve top level care, and many managers are determined to see Veterans dont get it.  

 

 

 

[brokensoldier244th]

E benefits is going away, that's the point of VA.gov. I haven't gone to E benefits in about 5 years. VA started dismantling it 3 yrs ago. 

[Lemuel]

4 hours ago, broncovet said:

Here is my take:

Next time (VA) gets money from Congress to update VA computers, award the contract to someone who is qualified, not to friends and family of politicians or VA "high ups" as political favors, who mostly squander the money and accomplish nothing.   That will improve things a lot.  Right now, ebenefits/va.gov is a mess.  You log in to one, it makes you log out and go to the other.  Merge ebenefits and va.gov, and you dont need 3 different ways to login.  VA should have COMPETENT Information security, not cushy jobs for politically well connected job seekers who stand around and make excuses for security breaches  and demand still more money from congress.  

The above would also improve VA claim process, and pretty much everything else.  Of course, it would mean firing some top management, because mostly the problems are NOT individual employees, but corruption in VA management which squanders money which should be used to help Veterans, ensuring the problem continues unabated.  

Too many top managers give cushy jobs to friends and family, as well as government contracts.  

Veterans deserve top level care, and many managers are determined to see Veterans dont get it.  

 

 

 

I was raging mad in the early part of June.  Friday, my first attempt at signing on was worse.

Called VA Whitehose Hot Line again to complain and was told that I would be transferred to IT for the site to walk me through getting to where I wanted to be.  Surprise, surprise.  When I signed on the second time after have to change my password in the attempt the first time with the IT guy on the phone, it went straight to VA.gov from DS login and the home page hade every link on one page that I had complained about on the June 6 attempt.  Quick links.  So suggest everyone try again soon.  You will probably have to change your pass word and not get a satisfactory sign on the first attempt.  Sign out, close your browser and come back to it.  Let us know if it is as different for you as it was for me.  Best of luck.  I hope our va.gov problems have been solved and no mor changes.  Maybe somebody got it right for a change.  Hoping so.

[Sgt. Wilky]

I've been using VA.gov for quite a while, maybe pushing a year and a half (don't quote me on that), it's a been awhile. Anyway, I've been using the ID.me login credentials and I've not been having any issues with it.

Semper Fi,

Sgt. Wilky

 

[Lemuel]

The problem I have with ID-Me is that it is too diversified.  Tax preparers.  Medical.  Too many break in points.  Did not feel safe with it when the va.gov tried to slam us into it.  

The problem with signing in was not the problem.  The problem was getting to the information page you needed on va.gov after you got there.  Especially on the June 6 of this year log in.  The link organization would not get you to the link you wanted for the page you wanted.  The benefits claims and appeals information just was not there if you got to that page.

Very different my second trip on Friday.

[Sgt. Wilky]

8 hours ago, Lemuel said:

The problem I have with ID-Me is that it is too diversified.  Tax preparers.  Medical.  Too many break in points.  Did not feel safe with it when the va.gov tried to slam us into it.  

The problem with signing in was not the problem.  The problem was getting to the information page you needed on va.gov after you got there.  Especially on the June 6 of this year log in.  The link organization would not get you to the link you wanted for the page you wanted.  The benefits claims and appeals information just was not there if you got to that page.

Very different my second trip on Friday.

Ah, okay. I haven't had to navigate to that part...yet. I will soon though. I'm moving out of state and I'm not looking forward to the hassle that brings with address changes and what-not. I have experienced the difficulty of trying to find the pages that I've needed since the "new" va.gov, but I've eventually found what I needed.

As far as ID.me, I have had it since (I think) about 2017 when they started. I have not had any issues. I understand the concerns surrounding the "break in points", but honestly, you have that risk with a lot of online things. It's just whatever you're willing to put up with.

Hope y'all have a good day.

Semper Fi,

Sgt. Wilky

[Lemuel]

1 hour ago, Sgt. Wilky said:

Ah, okay. I haven't had to navigate to that part...yet. I will soon though. I'm moving out of state and I'm not looking forward to the hassle that brings with address changes and what-not. I have experienced the difficulty of trying to find the pages that I've needed since the "new" va.gov, but I've eventually found what I needed.

As far as ID.me, I have had it since (I think) about 2017 when they started. I have not had any issues. I understand the concerns surrounding the "break in points", but honestly, you have that risk with a lot of online things. It's just whatever you're willing to put up with.

Hope y'all have a good day.

Semper Fi,

Sgt. Wilky

I am of the mind, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.  I have had a (forgot the term, maybe premiere) DS log in since 2001.  Lot of security to get it.  Had to appear in person to set it up.  Suspect the military maintains its security better than private organizations even if it is a contractor doing it.