Veterans Divided On Donald Trump Presidency

71 Comments

1. Trump??? You must be kidding.He is a business man and will run the government like a business, which means gutting services to cut costs..The ONLY candidate truly looking out for veterans is Bernie Sanders.. Bernie gets awards from the VFW all the time and has consistently fought for our rights and benefits..Just because Trumo has a big mouth doesn’t mean he is for vets. He has proven that he is for himself..

   1. Dianne,
      I don’t know if your aware of this, VFW, as are many VSO’s, are ‘in bed with VA! It’s a fact. They’re doing what VA is dictating.
      Haven’t you been keeping up with the ‘blog’s’ and ‘comment’ sections here?
      I don’t mean to be rude..

2. What I emailed to Trump.

   I have not been a Trump supporter this election, but if he announces a detailed plan such as that outlined below, I will not only become a staunch Trump supporter, but my family and thousands of other veterans will also not only support him, but turn out in droves to vote for him.

   To fix the VA:

   Mr. Trump has the business acumen to select the right person to thoroughly clean house at the VA. Get rid of the dead weight bureaucrats in lower, middle and upper management within the first 3 months of your election and you will see a drastic turn-around in the remaining organization within 6 months.

   Appoint a bulldog IG that will root out fraud, waste and abuse at all levels of the VA, particularly in contracting where billions are being stolen while both parties look the other way because the thief is a constituent.

   To fix the VA permanently:

   By the end of the first year, demand and get from Congress legislation that requires a percentage of any money authorized for military action be put into a Veteran Trust Fund.

   5% of the cost of any war will add up very quickly, and will be used for providing care to veterans who are sent to war by politicians who have no concern for the cost of war when fought, but refuse to fund the care of those doing the fighting.

   This Veterans Trust Fund will be overseen by a rotating, chartered board of military veterans only, with disbursement of funds only authorized by a majority of the board, and only to be used for initial medical care, adaptive housing, temporary housing or training for veterans. This will prevent VA bureaucrats and greedy politicians from raiding any funding, and will provide the help needed for any veteran until they are in the VA system with the VA providing the services needed by that veteran that were temporarily provided by the VTF.

   To summarize:

   1. Appointment of competent management at VA.
   2. Appointment of a competent Inspector General.
   3. Create the Veterans Trust Fund.

   In addition to the above, there should be at least 2 paid disabled veterans at every VA hospital and clinic to act as Ombudsmen for other veterans, and add the idea above of mandating Congress get their health care from the VA at least once per month throughout their elected term.

   1. THE VA IS ONE BIG BIG BIG !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! FEDERAL RICO CIME RACKET FROM AFGE UNION CONTRACTS AND FEDERAL CFR 38 LAWS PENDEJO VETS THE MAFIA IS CHUMP CHANGE TO VA RICO CRIME RACKETS VETS YOU ARE SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO SCREWED

3. Someone from outside the Beltway would certainly help. I’m not 100% sold on Trump because he seems to be a political opportunist, and we already have too many of those. I do like much of what he has to say, though — especially about veterans being denied benefits while the country spends billions to provide welfare and health care for illegals.

   A few weeks ago, I sent an email to one of Trump’s addresses I found listed somewhere (maybe it was in one of Ben’s posts). I got a response immediately. Very impressive, given my history of trying to get a response from the VA and my current congressmen. I’m willing to give Trump a shot if he keeps making sense. I don’t agree that he should raise taxes, but I’m impressed with his other positions.

4. I wanted y’all to hear the latest on Hillary. I heard this on 96.5 fm yesterday.
   Seems Hillary, or the Democrats, can’t keep out of trouble.
   Looks like Hillary’s campaign employees are breaking the rules and laws on contributions to her campaign. The story is, Canadians are contributing cash through American Citizens. Their doing so at campaign headquarters. When a Canadian comes into the headquarters, they are handing monies to an American in front of the campaign employee. The employees are being secretly video recorded. The surprising aspect of this is, the employees are being recorded stating they know this practice “is illegal”!

   Next. On military dot com
   today. There are three articles of note.
   1.) Is about the “300,000 deceased veterans”. There’s additional info in this article.
   2.) The “Tomah VA Director” was “let go” yesterday or Wednesday.
   3.) The last on of note is about the four VA hospitals. They are in Colorado, Louisiana, Florida and Las Vegas, Nevada. The Army Corps. of Engineers has a scathing article on all four.

   Check it out on
   “military dot com”

5. Uh, really, you think there is a comparsion? Not in same galaxy….Even want to go there? Comparing D.T. to B.O. is like a pos Dodge Neon to a Corvette ZR1 package…

   1. Trump as a long successful track record. Self-made, didn’t steal it fm the voter block, donations, false promises etc…this alone is huge. IE: has a business brain, something b.o. never had/never will.

   2. Trump cares about this country, how you ask? By using the free market, businesses for PROFIT, and employing many in the mean time. B.o. is what, a ramble rouser, race baiter, every thing handed to him, etc….Career burecrats need not apply.

   3. b.o. hates the military and for what all it stands. All leftys do, it’s there nature. This country was unjust in it’s founding. Miltary represnts strength, winners, etc… B.o./lefty’s likes victims, losers, leaches, minorities, using other peoples money to redistrute to more losers all in hope of buying/stealing a vote. Don’t believe me, point out to any city is USA in past 40 years that was one party rule by (D) class and show the sucesses…

   4. B.o. and other mental lightweights can put 2 sentances together without the teleprompter. That way, can’t ‘misspeak’ about all the lies/garbage…and heaven forbit there’s a q/a session? I don’t have time to answer questions fm sheeple thinks Shelery (Hillary)…just elect me and get it over with it…

   5. Need someone so badly with backbone, and to pushback all the yrs of rut-gut PC mind rot which has left us being laughed at by so many, having such a loser running the show for past 7 yrs.

   6. Foreign policy is real easy to understand. Like us (USA), and will help you out. Hate us, war against us, you receive (ZERO help/aid in any kind) indefinately…and when you do chg you’re mind, 5 solid yrs of liking us, speaking well, etc…

   I been waiting for a man like Mr Trump for lonnnngggg time, and it’s really about time, A Trump ticket with either Mr Carson, Cruz, etc… as VP. And no Bush, that’s what all the lib/leftys what so they’ll be the next Mccain/Romney…a pushover.

   1. Trump is not self made. He inherited from a rich daddy who also got him 5 deferments. I dont know if Obama hates the military but I do know that Hillary and Trump will follow the same corporate agenda to privatize everything and gut your benefits to keep giving tax cuts to the rich. -Not true that all lefties hate the military..Bernie Sanders consistently supports vets and might keep us out of another stupid war.

6. Trump would do the job, he is a leader with great respect by many. He cares
   About what our Goverment has not done for our Vietnam Veterans. We need
   A better America, someone opposite of Obama. The Staff that has been hired
   Now we’re not trained, this would not happen with Trump. Some org. Like Concerned American for Veteran is off base, speaking for many Veterans is wrong. Veterans and families should be able to speak for themselves on CNN, Fox, and others, they collect funds and under who’s watch. WWP should have
   To give funding to all non profits, so everyone gets help, and we know one org.
   To give money to. I believe Trump is our next President hopeful. He speaks
   Our language.

7. If, and it’s a gigantic “if,” the VA can be cleaned up, I think the Donald is the only candidate who could do it. VA needs to be ripped apart beginning at most hospital directors and then moving up from there. Of course, to be fair, no one should be removed who is doing a good job, but the majority are not and need to be replaced. YOU’RE FIRED!!! Damn, that sounds pretty good! We haven’t heard it anywhere around the VA.

8. I AM FOR TRUMP BECAUSE HE IS THE BEST CANDIDATE WHAT CAN DO WHAT HE SAY !!
   HE IS ACTION NOT A TALKER !

   1. YES, 100%, D.T. is the last great hope for this nation…get the steel toe boots on, and kickass event!

9. A president can only do what his cabinet, the congress, and the supreme court allow him/her to do. If the people want the president to do something he/she is not doing, then they need to unite and push him/her to do what they want. They have to create a movement. If they are not willing to do that, then what they want is not sufficiently important to them.

   1. Iholman, your correct. Our government and all departments below it, can only work IF the people demand it.
      In the last midterm elections only a third of registered voters voted. That’s sad. We, the people, need to take control and let all elected and appointed officials know WE AIN’T HAPPY WITH THEM.
      Get out and vote.

      1. I agree with what you said, but the people have demanded change as witnessed by the last two Congressional elections. Unfortunately, those elected decided to ignore those who just voted for them. THAT is the problem, and the only fix is for those voters to remove them from office by recall. All of that takes a considerable amount of work, and many people are either tired from working trying to support their families, or tired from trying to get these hacks to honor their oaths.
         Until people get PO’d enough to throw several of these hacks out of office, nothing will change.
         I thought throwing Eric Cantor out of office would get Congressional leadership attention, but they have ignored that and continued to ignore their voters.
         They will continue to do this until voters can figure out how to hold them accountable.

      2. There’s a march toward McCain’s office out in Phoenix Az, going on right now. It’s called “Detain McCain”! The people are going to be there tomorrow, 5 Sept. to demand he do something about veterans homelessness. They also want him arrested for allegedly committing crimes. The link is on the blog about Ron’s billboard article.
         Check it out.

10. LOL ,Cruz would STOP all VA payments immediately!

    What the hell are you talking about? Spread that Repube bs somewhere where people are stupid.

    Trump does not have a good VP candidate in Repube’s. Dem’s are not much better, but they are better in they will not directly sell America out. Maybe indirectly, but that is as good as we have for 30 more years OR until a 3rd party destroys the good cops/bad cops 2 party system. It’s broke.

    I think Trump is great for exposing Repubes leaders for what they are. Ultimately the only Armed forces the Repubes are going to help is contractors and not the soldiers by sending them into a life of misery with not even compensation. If you like repubes then you are baffled by propaganda talk shows, gullible, or not very smart: no offense intended.

    Don’t Tread on Me!

    1. burples, have you heard Hillary’s in trouble again. According to radio 96.5 fm a few days ago. Hillary’s taking campaign contributions FROM Canadians through Americans. Canadians are illegally donating to her campaign. The law says, only citizens of America can donate to a person running for office here!(paraphrasing).
       Guess what, it’s on video. The people recording these acts are going to release them soon.
       On the video, according to the people, one can hear them say they know their breaking the law. But don’t care.
       How’s that for the Democrats?
       At least we know Trump ain’t doing it. Cause he don’t need to take money if he doesn’t want to.

    2. Not that I really want to respond to your childish comment, but saying the Dems will not sell us out when Hillary is the front runner is a damn lie. You likely cant, but try be honest about that particularly with her sale of US uranium interests to the Russians, and their bribe taking to the Clinton Foundation from foreign nations around the world, including taking money from some nasty dictators.

       1. Hillary is not the front runner… This is propaganda put out by the corporate media..Bernie Sanders will be the next POTUS if people take the time to check out his record and funding and agenda..

       2. Hillary was the front-runner at the time I made my comment. As for Bernie…I met him years ago at a veterans conference. I agree he has been supportive of veterans legislation, but I believe his other crackpot ideas will mean veterans will continue to be considered second class citizens.

11. It’s ludicrous to allow a man who has filed for bankruptcy 4 times near ANY government agency, especially one that already has the financial problems that the VA has. It will take so little time before he is being picked apart by veterans as our new nightmare, and rightly so. Does he even realize how many members of the Armed Forces aren’t US citizens? How about the number of veterans who aren’t US citizens? He barely even realizes that over 3 million US citizens learned something other than English as their first language (US education system failure another issue). Anyway, I have faith that US citizens are smart enough to not waste their vote on this buffoon, and that our veterans will never have to deal with him in any official aspect.

    1. In some respects I agree, but I disagree about the bankruptcies. If he went to private lenders and convinced them to give him money for whatever scheme, that is between him and the lender.
       Nothing POs me more than to see some BS company created by a political crony who weasels public money for his company, then runs it into the ground with no accountability to the taxpayers. Think of the billions wasted on green energy companies like Solyndra. A businessman risking private money is between he and the lender and shareholders. In my opinion, risking public money on any kind of unproven business scheme should be illegal.

12. Trump will do what he`s told to do. Just to say he did it, Nothing More, Nothing Less, Exactly like every President has done sense THE beginning of the 1800`s THE FILTHY RICH RUN THE U.S. THE REAL LEADERS OF OUR GOVT IS THE FEDERAL EXCHANGE/AIPAC (ISRAEL) Has been Dictating POLICY along with EVERYTHING ELSE IN OUR LIVES From WHO & WHEN We Fight & Die. IT DON`T MATTER, “WHO” THEY ALL TURN OUT THE EXACT SAME. EVERY ONE OF THEM. A Figurehead. A Body. That is operated like a PUPPET That`s it. The Only thing that matters is Who`s got them IN THEIR LAP PULLING THE WIRES. M-O-N-E-Y Is the ONLY SUPERPOWER The TRUE Leader of the world. & we send our kids to die for SOMEONE ELSE`S MONEY AS WELL AS “THEIR” INTEREST These people don`t give a damn about America, OR YOUR KIDS Their`s are safe at home or Partying thru Collage. We`re Loaded down with Worthless HARMFUL FATAL “ALLIES”. The Brits are the only one`s that supplied any Blood & Treasure & That was just for the Show. Everyone else “HAS IT DONE” Until we start “Thinking” in our OWN Interest There is NO AMERICA. Some Guy can start a World War from his Cell phone. NOW “THAT`S” POWER. And It ain`t from the White House. FOLLOW THE MONEY!! It`s like old “King” Said in Platoon “Always have, Always Will”

    If I hurt your feelings Well, Sorry bout that. I`m to old to give a damn about that. What we need is Someone that will tell us the Truth. Kennedy was about to and they killed him. It is what it is. “The Truth will stand when the world is on fire”

13. Sorry. Did I miss the memo?? I thought this site was about the the vets ARE NOT GETTING / OR SHOULD GET. Not about politics.

    1. In all due respect, unfortunately, politics certainly affect Veterans in every way this site represents because the crap *always* falls downward, and those potential policies, continuation of status-quo, or someone potentially willing to even TALK about the problems at *The VA*, affect every one of regardless of our individual political persuasion.

       This current president has it within his Powers to do the right thin g but he evidentally does not think that “Veteran’s Lives Matter” much, or he would put as much emphasis on Veteran’s and cleaning-up the VA with his DOJ…so we simply cannot continue to allow the *CRAP* to keep falling upon us like helpless ants.
       Our Forefathers certainly were *political* when they decided to publish and then execute a Revolution…no different here. The ship is being run aground.
       Politics allowed the damn lazy-enabling gov’t. Employees Union to Infect the VA…we are the cure. Our vote packs a punch and collectively as Veterans, we can facilitate and administer the cure.

       Lastly, I hope you understand the nature of Commander-In-Chief. It truly affects us Vets.

    2. For many years I have been of the belief that politics has no place in veterans issues. Both parties have voted to send us to war. Both parties ignore the corruption of the VA and the suffering of the very veterans they sent to war.
       In this instance, I applaud Ben for including this because it allows veterans to express an opinion on various politicians, and discuss or understand what a candidate claims to support regarding veterans.
       Unless veterans get serious about holding both parties accountable for proper funding of veterans issues, we will continue to complain about why the VA is a disaster and why we can’t get medical appointments.
       It disgusts me to see the issues pushed by some candidates or promoted by the media, only to see veterans issues not even being a topic for discussion. I am sick of politicians from either party using veterans to get elected, then immediately forgetting what they promised once in office.

       1. ^So correct, Crazy Elf! McCain *always” comes to mind because he is the POSTER CHILD for using Veterans and polishing-up his collective military past, steps down from his Budweiser Throne (he married into an Empire), and only then, will he even VISIT the very VA in Arizona that’s one of many that have/are killing Veterans.
          I totally respect that he is a Veteran and POW. I have NO respect for his career parked politician a$$ and using Veterans only for his benefit to get re-elected. I will say the same for ANY politician that happens to also be a Veteran and does nothing tangible for Veterans. Colorado comes to mind and the INSANE over-budget Aura VAMC there…he could have damn well done something and demanded an audit….FAIL!

          Detain McCain…love it!

          Have a safe weekend people!

       2. ^Sorry, I MEANT 91Veteran, not Crazy Elf.

14. I Have to say the one thing I like about Trump is that in reality he isn’t a democrat or republican. A while ago we would have labeled him as a democrat, now he is running on a republican. I think what it shows is that label means nothing. He is a man that sees the issues of both sides. And he falls on the side of fixing the broken things on both. That is what he does. He analyzes things and he decides what has to be done to make it right. The great thing about him is he is self made. He owes no one and is in no ones pocket, something we haven’t seen in leadership in a long time. He will take advice from people as he has always done and then have the guts to make that final decision. He cares about what the public thinks and takes their advice and separates ludicrousness from sheer good common sense. He doesn’t need the money and whether he can fix in four or eight years will remain to be seen. And honestly is probably impossible with all the issues needing to be fixed. But out of all the others running, and let’s be clear about the others who are all politicians, he is the one most likely to be able to leave us in the the best possible position. But then again if I’m wrong how much worse can it get. I think he honestly respects our Veterans though and wants that fixed first, for our sake.

    1. Timothy,

       You are SO right there. That is also why the status-quo Republican Party has been wetting themselves over whether Trump would run as an Independent if not making it as a Rep. candidate.

       Call it the GOAT PARTY…or whatever. The Dogma of Party is actually antiquated in the current world we now live in. The “Tea-Party” did not work out exactly like they wanted and think that’s a clear example of people are tired of the same old book.

       We really need a very smart business minded person to turn this USA around…see stock market of late? What a lot of people do not realize is, China could call for USA to make good on the Trillions they lent us at any time and China’s economic boom bubble is popping now. The fools that got us in this mess are still acting like it’s not a big deal.

       Lastly, we are at war and the longest ever war in USA History. We have witnessed and are witnessing grave repeated mistakes of the past and refusing to learn from them…that’s quite literally the definition of insanity…expecting something different.

       Screw the whole Party System. Time for something completely different. Even Bill Gates could manage this Country’s finances better…and he IS a friend of Trumps. Hardly the Koch Brothers, and Trump is not part of their ilk. That’s a welcome change.

       I do NOT want a President that willingly brings infected people to USA with likes of Ebola as Obama has. Tired of our Immigration Problem and yes, it’s a huge problem.

15. Can’t stump the Trump.

    A nation without borders is not a nation. I want America to be great again.

16. Everyone has an opinion, one way or the other, Trump is a blow hard. No body can fix the VA. What institution with a million employees and several million patients does not have problems. You can’t just fire people because the VA has problems, just to bring in an outsider. Shinseki was a career VA person, and knew more about the VA then most. We lost 58,000 lives because somebody believed that politition’s knew what they were doing. I meet with veterans and the consensus is that the Vietnam war was a huge mistake. What makes anyone believe that things will change, we don’t run the system, we have no control, we are no different then trump, we are just blow steam to no avail. But if it makes you feel better, go ahead, blow off. A disabled veteran.

    1. Apathy also can kill a Nation. Rome 101.

17. Donald Trump made some negative comments about John McCain’s war time service and his P.O.W. status. Trump demonstrated to me what he thinks about veterans. Trump is a non veteran and it’s always been my experience that non veterans just don’t give a crap about veterans.

    1. Dennis, sorry to say this. Only not too many really cared for McCain in the first place. Arizona veterans, a majority, don’t have much to say either. McCain ain’t done squat for veterans in Arizona.
       As a matter of fact, there’s a large group going out there right now. Their going to converge on his office (Sept. 5,) and demand McCain take care of the veterans homeless situation. This group wants McCain’s arrested for a myriad of alleged crimes they say he committed.
       There’s more negativities to McCain than your aware of.

    2. McCain is the Uncle Tom of veterans, born with a silver spoon in his mouth, the grandson and son of Admirals. Received special treatment in POW camp, other prisoners referred to him as “Songbird John”.

       Married into money to finance his political career, parked his ass in the Senate and continues to listen to his own soundbites over and over again.

       Does not know how to use Email.

       Half the man an Senator that Jon Kyle was.

       Trump is right in this instance.

       1. Well said /Pol.
          McCain is a no good, kiss ass political stooge. I wonder how many “favors” he owes to the “lobbyists”?

    3. Back in the early ’90s, I used to ride into NYC from Jersey with construction workers who worked for the Donald. Many of them were veterans. They really liked the Don. He always treated them very well and on many occasions, treated them to lunch or dinner (Don not present though) on him. They all told me they enjoyed working on his construction projects and that he was very fair and understanding. They were “his” men. None of this “your fired” shit. I wonder Dennis, do you know of any instances or stories about any of the other “candidates” running that veterans actually worked for and liked personally?
       Thought not.

18. Tonight on Channel 6, Orlando, Florida
    CBS EVENING NEWS
    A small blurp,

    “Obama is wanting to cut the military by 300,000 troops”!

    There is definitely something wrong with him. He’s literally going to leave America defenseless. Oh, wait, that’s his intention.

19. He is the epitome of a 1% -er who does not have a clue – nor care about the rest of us. Having worked for the Trump, I will tell you he is a complete misogynist. His interests will prevail no matter what anyone here seems to think.

    1. Sher, your short blurp is in no way a positive or negative endorsement of Trump. You, in my opinion, just confirmed one thing! That is, Mr. Donald Trump IS a businessman. And, that he knows how to get something done!
       I really don’t care how he does it, I just care that he will get things done. And not care about how many toes he has to step on to do it!
       That, my dear, IS the mark of a true leader.
       One might equate him to Patton or MaCArthur.

       1. Spot-on! Real Leadership Leads or will be consumed by someone or something that wants otherwise. Obama wanting to reduce our current military by 300,000…while we are actively engaged in a “few wars” is as reckless as it gets. Nothing like announcing to your enemies your battle plans! Damn, stupid people did NOT learn a damn thing during all those Cold War Years, did they? I find this really interesting that JUST yesterday CHINA announced they were doing massive reductions in their military…what if…China only SAID that, figuring Dumbo Obama will just follow suit, while China actually is INCREASING their military might, not reducing???
          Something to think about and Obama has done this time and time again and the ONLY TIME I recall him NOT announcing our war plans was the isolated event of the “Zero Dark Thirty Event”…will not type that terrorist’s name on this fine blog. You ALL know who I mean, right?
          The inmates are truly in charge of the asylum.

    2. Misogynist? I think you are confused, this is a place where adults talk about real issues, not TUMBLR.

       American women have never had it so good in the history of womankind. Please unpack your invisible knapsack elsewhere.

20. Trump would just be another version of Bush/Cheney.

    1. I am seeing how the VA believes they can treat us like idiots. My grandfather always said “You can say any damn thing”. Donald Trump has faced personal bankruptcy on several occasions and bails on any business venture that doesn’t turn out the way he figures it should. The leader of the free world doesn’t have those options. Donald Trump is a rich idiot. He is a known quitter and may have been one situation from being a nobody. He rode a wave to prosperity, that doesn’t qualify him to gamble with the country. I fought along side men who were 1st generation Americans and they are just as patriotic as descendants from the Mayflower. Soundbites only prove someone generally knows what to say at a given moment. If he’s so patriotic why didn’t he marry a down home American girl? And if he’s so great why don’t the people who actually know him say so? He’s a blowhard.

       1. My daddy said, “you may not like what a person says. But, in America, he (or she) has the right to say it!”
          He was damn correct. That’s what this country was built on. The Constitution and Bill of Rights guarantees us those rights. But, for some reason, those “rights” are being slowly stripped from us. Just as they were in the last half of the 18th century. Look what had to happen to regain those “unalienable rights”!
          This ‘fight’ we’re in ain’t over. We still have a long way to go. Make no mistake, taxpayers (civilians) and veterans aren’t the kind of people (American’s all) to just lay down and whimper. American’s will stand tall when need be.

21. The VA can’t find out how many of it’s pending veterans are deceased? WTF. I was a Senior Systems Engineer for various companies, with the data bases that the government has I could write a program to match the social security numbers of all deceased veterans to pending applications in about 10 minutes.

    1. The sad thing is the VA has already in past couple of years spent Hundreds of Million$ on IT Contracts to attempt to digitize paper record-keeping system…and failed at every single contract.

       You would be considered “over-qualified” for the VA. How could they possibly squirrel away several more hundred million on your excellent expertise in doing what they have failed horribly at in just a 10 minute job?

       I do not get it either! Everyone’s Social Security Number is a dead-ringer (mind the pun) for whether a person is alive *or* deceased and you are correct, this should not be rocket science.

       There’s much speculation that the VA does this to purposefully fudge their numbers because NOBODY EVER asks the VA for documented accountability…ever! There lies one of the fundamental problems; lack of accountability. It’s reckless and insane. The VA has been basing their budgetary futures on statistics that include 30-50% deceased souls…yet still ran out of money and doing a craptastic job at helping Vets.

       1. Namnibor,

          A great article on VA number fudging
          “Countless Veterans Still Waiting for Mustard Gas Benefits: NPR”
          published August 25th of this year. Showing the wait until the Veteran dies attitude at the VA.

          “https://www.lawyersandsettlements.com/articles/va-disability-benefits/va-benefits-disability-lawsuit-9-20866.html#.VeivlnmFNhE”

          It is about an NPR expose on the VA promise in 1993 to contact 4000 who were entitled to receive benefits and health care but the VA claimed they couldn’t find the Veterans. NPR was easily able to find and contact the Veterans.

       2. Thank you, Jade. There’s just *so much crap* that it’s incredibly embarrassing to read where Sec. McDonald or others in that ‘herd’ claim they are farting rainbows out their behinds…you simply cannot make this stuff up and it’s really sad.

          I get enraged about it because it’s obvious even members of Congress have the ‘blinders on’, so it’s truly a “See no evil/Hear no evil” game they are playing with the VA Spin Machine.

          However, the spin has become so off-balanced, the train is no longer entirely on the track now and Veterans and Survivors and this Country deserves much better. McDonald and the VA’s higher echelon needs to just go…same for the VA OIG…corrupt to the core.

          I love NPR.

    2. I agree, I think their claim is BS. How do I know? Well, if a veteran files a claim for service connection, the VA can move with all speed to find some document from 20 years ago that they can use to deny that claim. If they can do it for denial of benefits, they can determine who died waiting for those benefits.
       Imagine a widow filing a claim how fast the VA could find out the veteran was dead.

22. Jade, who is Gen. Mattis? How can I find out about him? What’s in his bio that makes you think he’s the man for the job?

    Those two journalists I gave, want to do something for veterans and taxpayers.
    Don’t y’all think we should send them some articles so they can get the word out?
    We’ve been asking for help. Now it’s time to help them help us. Y’all can always add their email addresses on the C/C part of the email. When y’all sent it to Trump, right???

    1. Crazy Elf,

       I don’t know anything about General Mattis that isn’t on his Wikipedia Webpage or in Google news archives.

       I really have read that much about him and right now don’t think he would be the man for the job personally. But as far as cc the reporters I am sure that anyone sending info to Trump can also cc to the reporters.

       Also just wanted to say Great job the past few days Crazy Elf.

23. Trump is the only one who said anything about veterans in the first debate. He has even asked for input from vets on how to improve the care we receive. A true executive knows how to run an organization and no when it needs historical reform.

    Bush’s plan is just the same old crap with finding money that is being wasted in VA to help veterans and more use of technology – things the VA said it is already doing.

    Carson wants to get rid of the VA – maybe not a bad idea since they haven’t gotten it right for over 80 years. I think he needs to modify his position a little There should be real choice

    Walker has no published position…that should tell you something.

    Cruz said he wants to cut spending and maybe vets should sell cookies to raise funds.

    1. LOL!

       Ted Cruz would also think that air-dropping some cookies onto Middle East would distract them and make them stop fighting….he is a really INSANE person and should not even be allowed to carry a pencil, let alone a sharp crayon.

       Walker is amongst the “Privatize Everything” camp and is pretty anti-worker rights.

       I truly think Rubio will say ANYTHING if he thought it would benefit his dismal poll numbers…I think he has this mentality that since he could easily swap up most if not all the Latino Vote, that he has a chance…he has no idea that he is nothing but a TOOL for the Republican Party…just like Ben Carson and Bush Brands.
       Trump is all for establishing strict TERM LIMITS on ALL Gov’t./Public Offices and that’s the way it should be.
       Anyone that swears loyalty to Grover Norguist and the Koch Brothers are more of the same insanity that got us where we are at currently.

       1. namnibor, let’s not forget Soros. He’s been spouting “anti-America garbage” for decades.

          How many here belong to a veterans organization? Are you aware the quartermasters keep deceased members on the books for years at a time? They do so to get extra monies from National.
          In my opinion, this is how VA has been working it for decades. But, because of the constant bad publicity for past 14+ months. And the news media busting them over this issue. They had to divulge the truth about ALL the deceased veterans…..

          Recently, in front of the American Legion, McDonald and Obama wants to increase the VA’s budget by 7.5%. Over what they were going to ask for.
          Now, because of this new “revelation”, VA is going to have to convice the taxpayers. That’s not goin to br an easy job!
          First, VA is broken. No amount of money can fix it. Problem is, no one can come up with a solution.
          I believe the first thing Trump must do, is get rid of all “upper management”, from McDonald down. They’ve been there too damn long.
          Secondly, do a complete audit to find where all the taxpayers monies went.
          Third, and not last, fire anyone who has had a complaint lodged against them. Maybe that’s harsh. But not as harsh as a VA employee has been on veterans.
          Get rid of the “disruptive list” and the security guards. Their not needed. Put honest “patient advocates” in place. If a vet comes in, the PA has the authority to place the employee on nonpaid leave, until the complaint is adjudicated.
          There’s much thay can be done. Just no one wants to do it, because the upper management would lose their bonuses….

       2. Right-on, Crazy Elf. Totally agree!!

          No, I do not belong to any of the typical Veteran organizations. Why? because I was educated early-on while going through my own claim processes by the other great website called ‘hadit dot gov’, and I did my entire claims myself, and did not use any VSO and when I did run into some snags, I got one of my State Senators involved, whom happened to sit on the Congressional Veteran’s Committee at the time, Senator Sherrod Brown. (he tore both the VA and Soc. Sec. a new one and is a great advocate for Veterans and too bad there’s not more like him).

          I rather support ‘Wounded Warriors’ or real advocates like this with Benjamin Krause, hadit dot com, or even Ron’s Billboard Project…and figure those VSO’s receive all kinds of $$$ from the VA and am convinced my Claims would have still been lost in a stack or shredded someplace HAD I used or supported such groups that I personally feel have also lost their way and focus.

          I still think an elegantly simple way to FIX the VA would be under current Sequestration, MANDATE all members of Congress to utilize the VAMC’s and be there in line right next to any and every Veteran with no special treatment. The very NEXT session of Congress the problems would be addressed because most of these career politicians are self-absorbed a$$e$. Done. I have sent same suggestion to Mr. Trump. It is really an elegant solution.

24. One does have to wonder WHY VA Secretary McDonald is emphatic about wanting TOTAL DESCRETION on how to spend all the extra Billion$ he is demanding for VA Budget.

    Isn’t a ‘Budget’ put in-place as to ensure any said Budget is not exceeded and to ensure it’s used for, well, Veterans?!

    As well as news agencies, I am ALSO sending stuff to Donald Trump’s email address that can be found here in Jade Helm’s post. MSNBC News Shows and how to send info to them as well as any Mainstream Media can be found on any of their web pages and that includes Fox and Affiliates, Huffington, et al.

    For now, am not bothering sending this info to any of the other Presidential Candidates, only Trump, at this time.

    The Republicans are trying really hard to get trump to sign CONTRACTS to try to corner him into doing what THEY want and at this point I would not care if Trump formed the “Goat Party” or “Maimed Elephant Party”…it’s really time for something completely different. (not to be confused with Monty Python or Rabid Rabbits) LOL

    1. Trump just signed some sort of “allegiance contract” with the Republican Party…to promise that he will not run as an independent if he loses the nomination.

       However, I am thinking that Trump would not have signed that if he did not have a great Plan B in place, as he is a shrewd businessman.

       I will laugh like crazy if Trump simply runs as a Democrat if he does not get the nomination.

       If Trump does not become President, it would be great if he were asked to put his words in action and asked to take over and clean-up the VA…that…would…..be….priceless.

       This is way too early to tell anything, though! You can BET each one of these potential candidates have ‘dirt’ that’s yet to be revealed about themselves or BY the other candidates…that’s a guarantee.

       1. namnibor, another great site to find info is—
          “VAwatchdog”
          I get some great info and I also send to Trump and those two news journalists.
          Let’s keep the pressure on VA!

       2. I forgot, when there’s a blog on here about Jeb Bush, I will tell a TRUE story about him and his family.
          I was living here in Florida, while Jeb was governor, when it took place.
          Y’all haven’t heard about it yet. But, I have a feeling it will come out within a few more months……

25. Yesterday I posted a number of email addresses. Out of the few, two are willing to take on VA. Mr. Mike Holfeld (mholfeld@wkmg dot com) Orlando, and Mr. John Sharp (jsharp@al dot com) from Alabama. Both are interested in covering VA. Please contact them. Give them as many articles as you can. They truly want to help veterans nationwide.

    As far as Trump is concerned, I’m voting for him. Even though I’ve heard the same rhetoric in the past. It’s my opinion, Because he’s not taking money from anyone, I feel he’s telling the truth.
    namnibor said it straight. We need to vote our conscience.

    There’s an article that was posted online last night from CNN news, WCSU channel 6. The title is—-
    “307,000 vets died awaiting care, report says”
    by Curt Devine
    “The inspector general found the VA’s office responsible for enrollment “has not effectively managed its business processes to insure the consistent creation and management of essential data.”
    So what’s new? Veterans have known this for years.

    1. Channel 9 WFTV out of Orlando just did an article on what’s being said here today by all of us.
       Remember, send as many articles as you can to the news journalists I gave on here this morning. They’re wanting more!

    2. The VA continues to have secret programs that criminally stalk, harass, defraud of benefits, falsely deny care, seriously injure, frame and entrap, falsely arrest, arrange false arrests outside the VA, falsely imprison, and other grave harm to include far more than the 307,000 reported by CNN in this report. The VA is in fact a sabotage-based organization, to include that it is actually a literal contract killer type of organization, ran by mafia styled bosses who will literally do anything, tell any lie, use any illegal felonious tactic, to serve its own purpose of privileged and unchallenged employment and unchecked incompetence. They are the IRS on crack, combined with ISIS on crack, and they are a literally a criminally insane federal agency that practices unchallenged genocide on vets and their dependents. The only way to stop of them is for them to be privatized and regulated by independent pro-vet counsel, constant independent audits of financial and departmental performance. Summarize all this with two words to describe the VA: CRIMINALLY INSANE!

26. Guess what? In contrast to what the VA has been rabidly reporting in their extreme elimination of Claim Backlog to only 90,000, from 600,000., yesterday’s stripes dot com had VA Watchdog Report that shed alarming light on the “true spin and VA math” in this and it’s worth reading because it should make Veterans think more about what President in 2016 will appoint to head the VA top management positions as well as the entire corrupt VA OIG. Here it is:
    Watchdog: 900,000 veterans may have pending health care requests

    WASHINGTON — Almost 900,000 military veterans have officially pending applications for health care from the Department of Veterans Affairs, the department’s inspector general said Wednesday, but “serious” problems with enrollment data make it impossible to determine how many veterans were actively seeking VA health care.

    About one-third of the 867,000 veterans with pending applications are likely deceased, the report says, adding that “data limitations” prevent investigators from determining how many now-deceased veterans applied for health care benefits or when. The applications go back nearly two decades, and officials said some applicants may have died years ago.

    More than half the applications listed as pending as of last year do not have application dates, and investigators “could not reliably determine how many records were associated with actual applications for enrollment” in VA health care, the report said.

    The report also says VA workers incorrectly marked thousands of unprocessed health-care applications as completed and may have deleted 10,000 or more electronic “transactions” over the past five years.

    Linda Halliday, the VA’s acting inspector general, said the agency’s Health Eligibility Center “has not effectively managed its business processes to ensure the consistent creation and maintenance of essential data” and recommended a multi-year plan to improve accuracy and usefulness of agency records.

    Halliday’s report came in response to a whistleblower who said more than 200,000 veterans with pending applications for VA health care were likely deceased.

    The inspector general’s report substantiated that claim and others, but said there was no way to tell for sure when or why the person died. Similarly, deficiencies in the VA’s information security – including a lack of audit trails and system backups – limited investigators’ ability to review some issues fully and rule out data manipulation, Halliday said.

    The VA has said it has no way to purge the list of dead applicants, and said many of those listed in the report are likely to have used another type of insurance before they died.

    VA spokeswoman Walinda West said Wednesday the agency has publicly acknowledged that its enrollment process is confusing and that the enrollment system, data integrity and quality “are in need of significant improvement.”

    Sens. Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., and Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., chairman and senior Democrat of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, said in a joint statement that the inspector general’s report pointed to “both a significant failure” by leaders at the Health Eligibility Center and “deficient oversight by the VA central office” in Washington.

    The lawmakers urged VA to implement the report’s recommendations quickly to improve record keeping at the VA and “ensure that this level of blatant mismanagement does not happen again.”

    As of June 30, VA has contacted 302,045 veterans by mail, asking them to submit required documents to establish eligibility, West said. To date, VA has received 36,749 responses and enrolled 34,517 veterans, she said.

    “As we continue our work to contact veterans, our focus remains on improving the enrollment system to better serve veterans,” West said.

    The Health Eligibility Center has removed a “purge-and-delete functionality” from a computer system used to track agency workloads, West said. VA will provide six months of data to demonstrate that any changed or deleted data on VA workloads has undergone appropriate management review, with approvals and audit trails visible, she said.

    1. Forgot to mention that if there’s “…serious problems with enrollment data that make it IMPOSSIBLE to determine how many Veterans were actively seeking VA Health Care…”, as stated in article, then just HOW can the VA state for a fact that they brought the claim backlog from 600,000 to now 90,000 in a year?

       So, the VA *sometimes* can do math, sometimes not so much?

       Spin Cycle On!

27. Although it’s still early in the 2016 Presidential Election Spin, these are my takes and mind you, I have never voted Republican but I also tend to always vote regarding issues at hand and of course how that candidate appears to be on Veteran’s Issues:

    1) Ben Carson: Yes, he has worked at John Hopkins Hospital his entire life since age 33. While John Hopkins Medical Center is a respectable institution, and while he did Specialize in Pediatrics, it’s a bit worrisome to me because of how close bedfellows the VHA has WITH John Hopkins and Walter Riley Medical Center. Carson being an educated medical professional, has Extremist Beliefs that are always aligned with his Seventh Day Adventist Ideology he firmly holds onto and that brings perhaps a controversial issue, but one that I find troubling, is Carson is on record many times believing homosexuality is a “CHOICE” and he groups them in same sentence as Pedophiles and Rapists…not exactly Medical Science Fact, and he uses the analogy that Felons go into prison and come out “Gay”, thus, THAT and his Religious Beliefs seem to “Trump” any real Science.
    Carson has also been on the Corporate Boards of several corporations, and is aligned with the same old gridlock problems in D.C. as far as C Street and wanting to Privatize everything and is among the problematic Career Politicians that bow down to whatever Grover Norquist and the Koch Brothers want, which makes him just yet another part of the problem.
    If anything, I see the Republicans perhaps using him as a “Tool” to gain African American Votes and would not be surprised if he became the second name on the Republican Ticket, as VP just for that purpose.
    He ONLY started talking about Veteran’s Issues (barely) to gain momentum and ride Donald Trump’s sound bits on same issues.
    Carson does not have the experience in Business and Finance that this USA needs in it’s current financial condition. A neurosurgeon is not what we need at this time, let alone someone with a serious “God Syndrome”.
    Not a fan here.

    2) Donald Trump: Has an extensive Business and Financial Empire and all the hands-on experience to show for it.
    He can properly negotiate and I highly doubt if Trump been President now, that he would have made such a “deal with Iran” while we are in these on-going Wars…Trump also understands Foreign Currency and International Markets and OWES NOTHING to Koch Brothers nor Grover Norquist, and THAT is one of MANY reasons why the Republican Status-Quo that has got us in this mess oppose Trump and will go as far as fearing Trump, because he will not take marching orders from these career politicians and he speaks his mind and tosses Political Correctness out the door. Tells the ugly truth nobody else wants to utter.
    The fact Trump has from the start of his Presidential Candidacy spoke about the need to take care of Veterans and speaks out about how the VA is FAILING Veterans. He is also very well connected without having to bow to C-Street Lobbyist that currently run this countries financial affairs and have continually done so to the degree of running our Economy In The Ground.

    Time will tell but if the election were next Tuesday, I would without hesitation, vote for Trump, whether that be running as Republican or Independent because President Obama has proven to be a yes man and enabler for the VA to continue it’s reckless behavior and also rather passive. Certainly not feeling that “Change You Can Believe In” at all.
    Trump would have FIRED McDonald, Hickey, and Friends long ago because the status quo has run the VA Ship Aground and just this Tuesday Sec. McDonald appealed to the American Legion’s 2.4 Million Members for YET MORE MONEY, claiming he wants TOTAL DESCRETION in how to spend said ca$h, and I think Donald Trump would have DEMANDED hard evidence as in spread sheets and all finances of VA Audited and he would follow the MONEY TRAIL in order to fix the VA, not just throw yet more money with NO accountability.
    I really believe Trump would require real accountability with the VA. That really instills fear to the Status Quo…I very much like that. The tree needs a good shaking to get the garbage out so Veterans can be proud of the VA, not loathe it as a necessary evil.
    Like it or not, that’s my take. Politics are rather personal but I for one, am ready for something completely different.

28. Personally I have not decided about Trump but note that he has made some promises to Veterans and has set up a hotline and email for Veterans complaints. Quoting one of many articles on Mr. Trump and Veterans Complaints that state the following:

    “Mr. Trump established a hotline (855- VETS- 352) and email address ([email protected]) for Veterans to share their stories about the need to reform our Veterans Administration. If he is elected President he will take care of these and all Veteran complaints very quickly and efficiently.”

    As for the Dynasty Candidates Bush and Clinton both are non starters that would only cost more veterans and service members lives while enriching their Dynasties’.

    Ben Carson and his proposal to do away with the VA and transfer everything to the DOD, even thought the DOD is responsible for exposing Veterans to Agent Orange and the Anthrax Vaccine and then hiding the consequences to veterans. He really is a not worth a moment of consideration.

    1. I would say the DOD IS responsible for exposing vets to the anthrax vaccine. Difference is, the current anthrax vaccine may be vastly different than the garbage they were shooting into soldiers arms from 1990 through 2000. Point being, the current vaccine may be proper and do what it is intended to do while the other was a crony produced vaccine that was so bad that a General Accounting Office investigation found their production line was so bad the doses were contaminated with foreign matter including gasket material. The FDA finally started to do their job and were going to pull the license to produce the vaccine, but DOD cut a deal and agreed to a voluntary shut down to clean up the production line. About 2 million doses were contaminated, but rather than destroy them, SecDef Cohen said they would store them for emergencies. The cronys wanted payment for those doses. I never heard what happened to those contaminated doses.

29. I think he is going in the right direction. Like i said in the past, those hospitals are going to have to be “operationally ready” for warfare here in the US. We can’t waste money on big fat nurses who need to be extricated from their desk, when the shit hits the fan. I take General Mattis to head the VA and convert it to an operational entity. It cuts out paying out career long workers comp and 20 year light duty and many other claims that is high cost to the agency that can benefit veterans and their families.

    At this point, I am all out for embarrassing the shit out of their ass. I know for a fact , media is being paid by the VA in my case. I have direct evidence. LOL

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