VSOs The Big 6 Veterans Groups

Did Major VSOs Sell Out Veterans At Phoenix VA?

Phoenix VA

Major veteran organizations approved a billboard at Phoenix VA thanking them for a job well done but refused to tell the press who paid for it.

In an apparent counter-move to a wildly popular ‘VA Is Lying’ billboard movement, impotent veteran organizations put up a new billboard giving “thanks” to Phoenix VA. Maybe AFGE paid for it to make its members feel better?

But who paid for the new billboard? VSOs will not admit to it. Maybe AFGE paid for it to make its members feel better?

Veterans affected by the ongoing scandals at the facility are outraged by the apparent duplicity of the same veteran organizations that failed to act to prevent the scandals that killed veterans for years at Phoenix VA and nationwide. The wait list scandal itself predated 2001 but went unresolved until CNN exposed it in 2014.

The wait list scandal itself predated 2001 but went unresolved until CNN exposed it in 2014.

That’s the real deal. It took CNN and the press to out VA. Where was your VSO in exposing the scandals related to the wait list fraud? Were they playing golf with VA executives?

About The Billboard

The billboard is full of irony and apparently a ploy based on new revelations at the location including failed oversight investigations and continued failures.

These failures have largely been played out in the press, but VA has continued to say reforms at VA have fixed problems.

The sign reads:

“THANKS TO PHOENIX’S 400 VA AND 8,800 COMMUNITY PROVIDERS FOR TEAMING UP TO KEEP VETERANS STRONG!”

Why did your VSO thank Phoenix VA for its continued scandals?

RELATED: Outrage Over High VSO Pay

Follow the money.

Ron Nesler, founder of VA Is Lying, contacted Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA) to find out why they agreed to put their logo and endorsement behind the billboard.

Rick Weidman, policy director of VVA, said he thought the sign was well deserved:

“I contacted Rick Weidman Exec Director of the VVA about the new billboards in Phoenix praising VA. Rick says he authorized the VVA name to be used on the billboards, but that no VVA money went into them.  I asked him who paid, and he didn’t respond. It will be REALLY interesting to find out who paid for these.”

Weidman is not the only one slinking away when asked who paid for the billboards. Neither VVA or VFW (Veterans of Foreign Wars) answered the press when asked who funded the signs.

Why so secretive? What is going on behind the scenes?

I encourage all of you to contact your national VSO office to why the approved the billboard and who paid for the design and rent cost of the billboard.

Please report back here with what you find. I would appreciate it if you would call the following organizations and speak with their communications heads:

  • Disabled American Veterans – Dan Clare – (877) 426-2838
  • IAVA – (212) 982-9699
  • Purple Heart – John Bircher – (352) 250-9555
  • Vietnam Veterans of America – Rick Weidman – (301) 996-8557
  • Veterans Of Foreign Wars – Randi Law – (816) 968-1104
  • American Legion – (317) 630-1200

Is your veteran organization on this list? I belong to Disabled American Veterans and am disappointed but not surprised they approved of the sign.

It will be up to us to make sure the veteran organizations that endorsed the sign know they will experience a real cost for putting their inside baseball interests at pushing the VA agenda over the interests of veterans they purport to support.

The most interesting thing here is that these massive VSOs have huge budgets well over $100 million per year. Some of the VSOs including DAV have executives who earn between $200k-$400k per year.

Yet, the Facebook group VA Is Lying, with its crowdsourcing of funds to put up billboards nationwide including Phoenix VA, warranted a counter-message after the most recent billboard?

Perhaps this is a testament to the equalization of power that an open internet allows where the quality of the message matters more than the budget?

RELATED: VSOs – A Major Conflict Of Interest

Phoenix VA VSO Billboard Meaning

The language used in the billboard, which appears in front of Phoenix VA, is certainly curious because it subtly endorsing VA due to its location while also apparently thanking the city of Phoenix for supporting VA.

It “thanks” the 400 doctors working at VA. It also thanks the 8,800 doctors working in the community who also provide care to veterans.

Implicit in the sign based on its location is the endorsement of Phoenix VA, the quarterback for the care, despite documented failures that are still plaguing the location.

This makes readers wonder if VSOs are actually thanking Phoenix VA for continuing to obstruct access to care whether at Phoenix VA or in the community.

Are VSOs endorsing fraudulent behavior that is still obstructing access to care? And who paid for the sign?

Major VSOs – Who Do They Serve, Really?

Now, all major VSO’s have agreed to have their likeness included on a sign thanking it for a job well done immediately after revelations surfaced that a known liar took over its community care program and is obstructing access to such care.

The billboard was approved by IAVA, DAV, VVA, VFW, American Legion, Purple Heart and one other I could not make out.

Ironically, these are the same organizations that turned their backs on veterans who ultimately died from wait list fraudulent schemes perpetrated by staff at the facility that still go on.

Initially, it took exposure from CNN to get the ball rolling in 2014 to out a fraud scheme where Phoenix VA officials were cooking the books to make it look like veterans were getting timely access to care.

Now, two years later, veterans are still experiencing a hard time accessing care, and those problems are well documented by VA OIG and in the press. Yet, our cowardly veteran organizations have the audacity to thank VA for its bang-up job. So what is happening?

So what is happening?

RELATED: IG Confirms Appointment Manipulation Scheme

The Facebook sensation, VA Is Lying, put up a second billboard in front of the facility highlighting that veterans are still dying.

RELATED: New ‘VA Is Lying’ Set For Phoenix VA

Phoenix VA was outted in the press via patient video / audio recordings revealing doctors are still overbooked and veterans are still unable to get timely access to healthcare.

When that scandal broke, Phoenix VA director Deborah Amdur immediately announced her retirement asserting conditions at the facility resulted in her experiencing a life-threatening condition that required resignation.

VA #2 Sloan Gibson IV flew to Phoenix to explain the resignation to the press, name call anyone who called out the curious timing of Amdur’s retirement, and to declare Phoenix free of the problems that led to the wait list.

RELATED: Phoenix VA Director Suddenly Retires After Secret Recording, Cites Health

Amdur reportedly retired right before being outted for using her office to create a job for her boyfriend whom she brought with her after her assentation to the director position at Phoenix VA.

Then, VA OIG released a report that problems there still persist. The facility then selected the former St. Louis VA director to run Phoenix VA, RimaAnn Nelson. She was previously mired in scandals there, but VA thought she was the logical choice to fix Phoenix.

In St. Louis, Nelson’s staff possibly exposed thousands of veterans to HIV and hepatitis by failing to clean dental equipment. They repeatedly put veterans’ lives at risk to save money. Instead of being fired, she was booted Manila VA for a couple years until the heat cooled.

RELATED: New Phoenix VA Director Has Skeletons In Closet

Now, our cowardly VSOs have all signed up to thank Phoenix for its job coordinating community care.

But is this a worthwhile accolade or mere propaganda in the face of contrary evidence?

Early this month, reports surfaced that Phoenix VA hired a proven liar who was previously terminated from the North Chicago VA to take over the community care program at Phoenix. This selection resulted in absolute obstruction of veterans’ access to community care providers.

RELATED: Phoenix VA Hires Known Liar For Choice Program Administration

VA literally acknowledged that it made a mistake hiring the woman who was fired from North Chicago VA because it did not call the facility to find out why she was fired.

She was fired for making false statements to a judge and for bullying veterans.

So what are the veteran organizations doing? How does this continued behavior deserve a billboard and who funded it?

It seems obvious the signs were erected right after the lease for VA Is Lying expired. My best guess is VA organized the VSOs in a counter-propaganda campaign despite what Phoenix VA actually is doing.

RELATED: VFW, American Legion Left Behind By Younger Veterans

 

Should VA Is Lying put up a new sign calling out the VSOs who are now lying to the public to cover for crimes at Phoenix VA?

Source: https://freebeacon.com/issues/billboards-erected-thank-phoenix-va/

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68 Comments

  1. I was told by the VFW that “it was essentially donated billboard space, provided to the VSO’s in the Phoenix area”. I recorded the conversation & I honestly didn’t catch that sentence in real time. She said exactly what I wrote in quotations…which means that the VA must have asked each of the VSO’s if they would be on board with allowing them to use the space that they (VSO’s) had been given. WOW. They said yes. Wow. That’s why no one will tell you who paid for it…that billboard is free space donated to the VSO’s, that’s why all of their names are on it.

    1. Nothing like spamming the comment section of disabled veterans blog Eh Scoobie. Us the act of you spamming with the copy and past to try and promote that the VSOs paid for it in stead of Tri West tells everyone you are not credible. Do you have a source we can check out?

      Oh Scoobie,

      Seymore Klearly October 25, 2016 at 4:49 pm

      I see John McCain’s campaign is in trouble in Arizona right now and it appears that his Democratic challenger, Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick is about to get a major push by the Democratic party. In addition to additional funding his challenger is involved with the Clinton campaign bring in Sen. Bernie Sanders today, followed by Chelsea Clinton on Wednesday and Michelle Obama on Thursday.

      Some news sites are even posting Videos of John McCain running away from reporters for some unexplained reason. A poll taken by reporters out side a VFW where McCain was a no show for a speech shows that veterans were overwhelmingly against him.

      With what has been said about TriWest. Also noting that there are multiple billboards with the same message now being put up around the Phoenix area. Given TriWest’s CEO David J. McIntyre Jr., is a former aide to Republican Senator John McCain. It is likely that the billboards are being put up to try and hide John McCain’s failures in representing and protecting Veterans.

      Source: Wall Street Journal “John McCain Finds Arizona Senate Race Isn’t a Lock”

      “wsj.com/articles/john-mccain-finds-arizona-senate-race-isnt-a-lock-1476912037”

      Reply

      Seymore Klearly October 25, 2016 at 4:53 pm

      If TriWest did pay for the billboards that would be election fraud and all VSOs that allowed their emblems and names to be used would also be involved in election fraud.

      See: “Court upholds political contribution ban for federal contractors”, By Megan R. Wilson – 07/07/15, published in “The Hill”

      Link: “thehill.com/business-a-lobbying/247079-court-upholds-political-giving-ban-for-contractors”

      I know how to copy and past too!!!

  2. It has been my experience that any organization that receives federal funding will do the bidding of certain folks within the government to save the government money, It isn’t about helping vets or anyone else (injured workers, mold sufferers, etc) but to help the government save money, reduce lawsuits, insurance liabilities and image. As one ex director for the Sacramento City & County Human Rights Commission said back in 1993, it’s all about the wallet & PR. BUT once you get the real problems outed, then more money will be spent so these non profits like kaiser, CDC , AARP AND any other federal subsidized orgs can continue the theft and murder JUST SO THEY CAN continue to lie and PROSPER. When these orgs get billions every how can they be called NONPROFITS at the expense of millions of the American people’s lives & limbs. This is perhaps is as sinister as it gets MAKING MONEY like the parasites they are and it happened when Kaiser was brought in with it’s far and high reaching tentacles, getting bigger every year, thanks to the many billions in federal contracting and not just in health care either and now spending state and federal tax money, patient money on its big business in China. Kaiser is and has been a rapid spreading cancer, literally and figuratively from within and throughout the government and organizations spreading its sinister idea of health care, ( evidence based medicine) crippling harming and killing millions, all with it’s indoctrination of newer employees who couldn’t qualify under the older standards of real medical care. It is all about money and we the American people are supplying it with our tax dollars and patient money.
    Bernie & Trump are right when they say its all rigged. It has been since the government let kaiser in all that is our government, including the VA & DOD and the results are in because they have failed veterans just like us civilians are and have been since Nixon’s idea of health care with kaiser HMO starting in 1972. Doing less health care and making more money.
    That’s what we’ve been living with. AND I remember well, when working there in 1987 when kaiser said to us, that we had to do more with less and patients have been suffering and dying( for kaiser profit) ever since as well as its employees who are patients too. Kaiser is worth many many billions now.
    In 1990, kaiser knew that it was called communist according to it’s own newsletter. Kaiser has been up Hillary’s derriere since her husband was president and probably before, so who and what does she really represent with single payer or universal health care that kaiser wants to in complete control of?!?. As I stated to Bernie’s website as well as to others D.C. legislators, when they get kaiser out of the government our government will work mostly like it should.

  3. In all sincerity, this day belongs to Mr. Ron Nesler! The enemy of our Republic can only thrive in darkness and the enemy of darkness is truth.

    The enemy, tyranny, has been outed and is feeding off of the lush killing fields of Phoenix VA. A monster that feeds only on sick and dying veterans, or more specifically the green puss that flows from their wounds called $$$ lives and thrives in Phoenix. His kin are spread throughout VA.

    Mr. Nesler has shown light on the wound that America suffers and just like a festering wound exposed to the light the monster begins to ooze more green pu$$ in response. It is the infections attempt to maintain its hold on the victim it infects. Those signs cost $$$, and it has become so important for the infection to maintain its grip on America that it is shedding pu$$$$$$ out from the colony it lives in.

    Like a sub dural abscess that defies all attempt by the body to heal, once confronted with the truth that cures, the abscess fights back.

    Thank you Mr. Nesler – I see the bad guys have responded with pu$$. A sure sign the infection is slipping…

  4. They will do an bogus investigation and maybe stop trying to collect the monies back from the vets but, in NO way will anyone be held accountable! This whole mess will just be swept under the carpet and never covered by the media again! Mark my words on this one!

  5. Hey Elf,

    Did you catch this article “Pentagon promises to resolve National Guard bonus repayment problem amid House investigation”.

    A Bit from the article. “The House committee officially opened an investigation on Monday and requested all documents associated with the California cases. Representatives also asked for senior National Guard Bureau official General Joseph L. Lengyel and Major-General David S. Baldwin to brief the Committee by November 17.”

    ““The Committee is seeking information about this serious matter, and to see that officials who mismanaged bonus programs are held accountable,” wrote committee Chairman Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) in a letter to Lengyel and Baldin.”

    Link: “rt.com/usa/364107-national-guard-debt-pentagon/”

    That is out from RT News. I guess our press is to busy trying to pump up the coven of witches and war hawks to actually report the news.

  6. When I first saw this posted on the VA is Lying FB page, I thought, gee, the VA is Lying billboard is really getting under someone’s skin if they have to get sham veterans organizations to immediately put up a billboard supporting the VA.

    I then thought, what a way to shit on any veteran that has been a member of those organizations for years, specifically because they have been chartered by Congress to supposedly help veterans, not the very fucking organization that has been killing veterans.

    I will be keeping this column handy Ben because I will be calling the DAV and VFW and asking them why they did this, how much they each paid, and to whom I can send my lifetime membership cards to for a refund. For years I’ve watched as all of these organizations have given up their strong voice for veterans in favor of table scraps for a few insiders. I’m tired of getting a knife in the back from them. In fact, I think I will research a complaint against their congressional charters since they no longer seem to want to follow them.
    The Legion I could see, they’ve been suckasses for years. You would think the VFW or DAV would know better. The VVA is a shock. Why would they be involved in something where so many of their members would likely be so affected by lousy care?

    The IAVA? Well, it’s another issue where they can get their name out there to raise their profile…like they are doing with the bonus issue in California.

    Who is coordinating all this?

    If the AFGE is, why didn’t they pay for it? Why would veterans organizations smear their own names by lending them to support a union that specifically cuts veterans out of a job in favor of a crony?

    In the face of news reports and IG reports, every one of those involved in this have turned their backs on their own members.

    But this does make me wonder…where is Tom Burch in this? Why isn’t his group listed as a donor or supporter of this BS. Is his brother not involved? Need to pay for a tune up on his Rolls?

    1. I spoke to someone in the VFW organization who told me that the billboard space was donated to the VSO’s of the Phoenix area. That’s why no one will tell you who paid for it. They didn’t pay for it. It was free. Yes you read that correctly. The VA put that BS up for F.R.E.E. it cost them nothing. But every veteran that pays dues to the DAV & VFW (like me) paid for that sign.

  7. Knowing that currently in the news, not only have several major Obamacare Providers/Insurance Co.’s dropped out for 2017, but it was released today that most people’s premiums and costs will rise as *little as* 25% and get this….if you live in Arizona, expect a whopping 116% INCREASE next year….THAT ALONE would cause a McCain Team Reelection Campaign to go psycho and perhaps fund a bunch of ~feel good~ Billboards around Phoenix, a ‘Kiss Citizen’s Asses Feel Warm & Fuzzy About Vets” from TriWest, no less, before the rates go UP!! Remember, Obama and Hillary swore rates would ONLY go DOWN?
    Perhaps it’s not connected at all but I cannot ignore the irony and coincidental timing…and just WHY would the “fine providers in Phoenix” be increasing costs for next year by 116%??

  8. I do believe your life purpose is bringing discredit to the VA, all VSO’so and anyone who disagreeshould with you. It’s easy to find something wrong and to ignore positive attributes of the same thing. Now you are creating a furor over an innocuous billboard? I am convinced you don’t want the VA to solve its problems, because then you would be forced to find meaning elsewhere. Fortunately for you, there are more than enough people, ignorant of the VA history, what constitutes valid claims and who are just pissed they aren’t receiving everything they want, to provide a wealth of vocal commenter.

    What disappoints me as much as anything is that you don’t interject comments that would steer people in the direction of the truth. You don’t care whether people utter complete falsehoods. Where this could be where vets come to learn the facts is merely a Bullshit session, no better than guys telling war stories at a bar. And you are a lawyer. Why? So you can tear down the Agency that paid for your law school! Despicable in my opinion.

    1. The VA will never change and neither will the VSO’s in bed with them. I am a disabled Vietnam vet and know how rotten the VA the service organizations really are.

    2. I normally don’t feed the scum lying troll, but I’m pissed at the moment, and would love to have you and other VA cheerleaders in the Tower of London to have some fun with.

      I just received another fast tracked copy of more files that are nothing much more but lies and far from what anyone could consider ‘medical files,’ or factual. And those files being denied, changed, destroyed, deleted, fabricated, etc., are supposed to be illegal, but not with the VA or other forms of Indiana files from quacks that the attorney general and elected officials give a wink and nod to. Leaving me again screwed by the powers that be.

      Do you scum realize how many people and the time it takes to do all this to just one person’s file or record over many years or well screened over for more recent events or attacks from the VA and staff? Then they all seem to play the cover-up game and spend the energy and resources to see to it that the attacks and “professional courtesies’ (corruption – abuse) follows us on into civilian life??? All that for a mere job or some kind of status claimed for working at some crummy VA or system that is as corrupt and evil as the VA and the entire lot is from the DoD, HLS, the White House, ad infinitum down to the low-life’s playing doctor in our ‘professional’ clinics who fear going against the grain due to corrupt medical boards and other established agencies? What scum you are.

      Years and years and I have NOT, or ever, found a attorney to care to do what Ben does, none. And I have about zero respect for his cohorts and the profession due to what I have had to endure with THAT particular profession alone while seeing more corruption from the BAR, courts, and on and on. The majority of any of those “professionals” have no soul, decency, morals, or second thoughts about who they ruin, rip-off or ruin for personal gain, to be part of the country club and status quo cool kids in the system. And I have been in the fight against corruption and evil for many years while wearing many hats and while having others health and welfare part of my job at times. As a union officer I seen and back-stabbed by them too, along with federal, state, local agencies and it became dangerous to be me, challenging the most corrupt, connected, wealthiest, in the state. Over forty years spent, more or less wasted, taking stands others were afraid to do or didn’t have the strength to do. So I give Ben all the respect he has earned, unlike people, scum like you.

      The MCL, Legions, VFW, others, could all come together and help stop it all if they would drop their shit and divisive attitudes, drop the ‘group think’ and self-centered corrupt greed or political ambitions and allow groups, or us, to gather safely together and see to it that every complaint, like mine, be swiftly investigated before too much time passes and then hold all responsible accountable and jail them. That include that cowardly politicians to the medical boards and scum in appointed positions who really make our lives difficult or to ensure the VA threats continue on to make us suffer more like the stupid drug laws that withhold simple pain meds especially after years of testing and proof that we haven’t ever abused anything and we are NOT all criminals as the local VA claimed we are in a blanket statement and orientations that were also conveniently left out of my files. Just like the files over the constant change in primaries, or to not having a primary for a year or two until trained by the VA, so we done without. There is NO excuse to see this can kicked along to future generations like all the shit that has been passed and kicked down to mine.

      There is blood and death on your hands asshole, and on the hands of those VA cheerleaders that simply don’t care about nothing but a paycheck and status, oh and special interest groups that love to create problems for others just for kicks not having a life in the big city, or within the VA CBOC or contractors “team” of evil and lies. Damn good at propaganda, self promotion, facade, and causing death which would be cover-up in the same manner, and probably happened thousands of times just by the attitudes and new age college preparations and attitudes.

      We are attacked, forced into silence, people like you demand our silence, disallowing us to have physically meeting groups, hating being challenged, hate questions, means you all have something to hide and are as corrupt and evil as all hell. Just like with other issues in our society that has ruined this nation to the core. It’s sad we have to live in a nation/society as sick, uncaring, distracted, evil, as it is today. While we see the smiling faces and utopia on TV or from Hollyweird or from the lying talking heads on TV that help spread the facade for selfish reasons following the good ol’ college way, for the “teams” When all it would take is to spend the resources on some simple investigations and cutting all the corruption off at the roots and professional levels would aid greatly to the true cause of our issues. I will not live to see it thanks to ALL of Indiana’s corruption, medical issues piling on, inability to find decent care and now practically immobile again because of the stupidity, refusal of needed meds, and because even my chiropractor left the state due to it’s evil and pathetic ways, boards and police state rules and hate for us. Now have a nice day scum bag. A curse is on all of you cheerleaders and trash.

  9. Glad that I tripped up on this article and pages of usefull information. A veteran volunteer at the Phoenix VA.

  10. Mr. Corsa,

    I agree that the VA, from a medical perspective gives little if any bang for the buck. I’ve had good care from the clinic as far as monitoring blood sugar and blood pressure and getting immunizations but I’ve been told several times that medicines are not available because they’re too expensive- drugs like insulin pens and blood pressure meds like benicar. They offer insulin vials (need constant refrigeration) and other blood pressure meds that don’t have the active ingredient that benicar has. Damn whatever has been working for the last 10 years. And if you need a specialist get in the car. I have 3 major hospitals (including two Centers of Excellence) within 10 miles but I have to drive 77 miles for VA care. When I invoked Choice they offered a provider 112 miles away! Let’s do away with VHA and put all veterans on a VA paid premium Medicare or Federal Employee Health Benefits program and offer FEHB dental and eyecare insurance with veteran paid premium.

  11. Robert,

    I don’t use the VA because I was crippled by the care I received at a VAMC and if I had continued receiving care at the VA I would be dead right now. Although by law I am a Veteran who is eligible for VA Health Care.

    With your statement of “Wow and if you do not use the VA for medical services your opinion is
    not wanted or requested.”. Personally I don’t care whether you want my opinion or not. It is clear by your post you are either very high while posting here or you are just hear to post nonsense.

    Have a Great Evening! Eh’

  12. Last year I needed a lawyer to protect my families benefits and mine, from being taken by the VA. I started at the state level(NY), after 4(only 4) calls, I had ben told 4 times back down the ranks to the local post-“We don’t provide help to get a lawyer to help defend you and your family’s benefits.”
    It isn’t Just the VSO’s …If it seems like hard work, everyone from your local post on up comes down with some kind of work related malaria…that is the only way they could misplace, misfile, or misunderstand our needs as veterans…(fever related?) (Lets’ not forget they all seem to be veterans at the VA’s.)
    How could they be smart enough to get the job, yet, at the same time be way too stupid hold the position, and smart enough to know when to kiss the boss’ ass to get glowing reviews…ya can’t have both.

  13. Well the VA is up to its old tricks. Lets see theres smoke and mirrors , slight of hand and the
    big favorite of all times “now you see it now its gone. Let me go back away and ask what ever
    happen to the law suit that questioned where the names and other information went that was allegedly
    removed ( stolen )from a VA employees car . The PC and the information , what happened.

    Lets cheer the VA for long lines, choice programs with little choice . Lets all say what a great job they are doing ! They can’t get fired and the punishments range from , change of duty station with relocation monies and travel and etc. Med E vet is the answer and I propose the program be like medicare . Differences would be Priority one vets pay not a dime , nothing and they have a primary
    doctor in there home town ? Wow and if you do not use the VA for medical services your opinion is
    not wanted or requested.

    VHA is a major rip off of the veterans and tax payers of America.

    1. Robert,

      I don’t use the VA because I was crippled by the care I received at a VAMC and if I had continued receiving care at the VA I would be dead right now. Although by law I am a Veteran who is eligible for VA Health Care.

      With your statement of “Wow and if you do not use the VA for medical services your opinion is not wanted or requested.”. Personally I don’t care whether you want my opinion or not. It is clear by your post you are either very high while posting here or you are just hear to post nonsense.

      Have a Great Evening! Eh’

      1. Amazing. Another Vet almost murdered by the VA? Sounds like me. I went in for a small bowel blockage 4/2009. I escaped after four bungled surgeries, a colostomy bag, Alloderm patch recalled in 2007 and six ventral hernias in 5/10. Love them VA doctors. Thank goodness for Medicare and real doctors. Vote with your feet… if you can. Then become a VA agent and pay it forward.

  14. I see John McCain’s campaign is in trouble in Arizona right now and it appears that his Democratic challenger, Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick is about to get a major push by the Democratic party. In addition to additional funding his challenger is involved with the Clinton campaign bring in Sen. Bernie Sanders today, followed by Chelsea Clinton on Wednesday and Michelle Obama on Thursday.

    Some news sites are even posting Videos of John McCain running away from reporters for some unexplained reason. A poll taken by reporters out side a VFW where McCain was a no show for a speech shows that veterans were overwhelmingly against him.

    With what has been said about TriWest. Also noting that there are multiple billboards with the same message now being put up around the Phoenix area. Given TriWest’s CEO David J. McIntyre Jr., is a former aide to Republican Senator John McCain. It is likely that the billboards are being put up to try and hide John McCain’s failures in representing and protecting Veterans.

    Source: Wall Street Journal “John McCain Finds Arizona Senate Race Isn’t a Lock”

    “wsj.com/articles/john-mccain-finds-arizona-senate-race-isnt-a-lock-1476912037”

    1. If TriWest did pay for the billboards that would be election fraud and all VSOs that allowed their emblems and names to be used would also be involved in election fraud.

      See: “Court upholds political contribution ban for federal contractors”, By Megan R. Wilson – 07/07/15, published in “The Hill”

      Link: “thehill.com/business-a-lobbying/247079-court-upholds-political-giving-ban-for-contractors”

  15. I can imagine if I was driving by and saw the sign it would like thanks and I would see the VA Hospital. I think this political thing is just out-of-control , I mean they are really out of control. God bless veterans .

  16. You know somebody keeps sending the director of the Dayton Ohio VA to all these different VA centers to fix problems when he needs to stay in Dayton and clean up his VA center. Most of the time when they send him somewhere he is only there maybe a month and always come back to Dayton and receive praise for fixing something. The Dayton VA has BIG problems and is very good at covering them up.

  17. Thus far, I have attempted to contact VVA, VFW and DAV. No one has returned my contact request for information. VA did respond alleging they had nothing to do with the billboards.

    1. Thank You for the follow up Ben. I have difficulties with using phones and didn’t try to contact the numbers you listed. To me it seems very strange that no one will confirm who paid for the Bill boards.

    2. RAND predicts a 17% likelihood that VA responded to you with the truth. VA feels that this exceeds the lottery odds by orders of magnitude and since most Americans play the lottery, VA concludes that the capacity of truth far exceeds the expectations of the American public.

      Any further inquiries into the matter should be referrred to our VA specialists, Ms. Helen Wait. If you have questions, you can go to Helen Wait.

    3. I spoke to someone in the VFW organization who told me that the billboard space was donated to the VSO’s of the Phoenix area. That’s why no one will tell you who paid for it. They didn’t pay for it. It was free. Yes you read that correctly. The VA put that BS up for F.R.E.E. it cost them nothing. But every veteran that pays dues to the DAV & VFW (like me) paid for that sign.

      1. Your source is someone in the VFW. Then certainly they would not mind you stating who that is since it is on the up and up and the signs were not paid for by Tri West. Who was that source?

  18. 10/25/2016

    Dear Benjamin Krause,

    In your statements: “The billboard was approved by IAVA, DAV, VVA, VFW, American Legion, Purple Heart and one other I could not make out.
    Ironically, these are the same organizations that turned their backs on veterans who ultimately died from wait list fraudulent schemes perpetrated by staff at the facility that still go on.”

    According to the news articles this month there are over 500 dead victims at the Phoenix VA Hospital from this continuing [five to six year] N.E.A.R./Wait List scandal; so for every doctor at the Phoenix VA has blood on their hands.

    Mayor Stanton of Phoenix [the Best Managed City] sees no need to investigate. Gannett/Arizona Republic Newspaper/USA Today’s reporter Dennis Wagner is leaving the correction actions entirely on the Public, according to the video about his journey that has taken him to several VA Hospitals, in his recent article.
    Bill Montgomery, the Maricopa County Attorney, refuses to look into the now 500 cases [wrote him twice]; as for our U.S. Representatives—again, worthless in real time. So where are the Senators? Not far behind—do not forget the 1998 Cox Report—few senators like the bankers’ backlash [Keating Five] [Brubaker II] or the 2008 Banking Scandal [resulting in the “Great Recession”] and what came afterwards.

    So we can see that Free Speech is a threat to these treasonous bastards and they are disparate.

    America keep the pressure on!

    Sincerely,

    Don Karg

  19. “THANKS TO PHOENIX’S 400 VA AND 8,800 COMMUNITY PROVIDERS FOR TEAMING UP TO KEEP VETERANS STRONG!”…(Stronger Body Bags Than Chicago VAMC)<—should be slapped-up under their "thanks" to qualify what "stronger" means to the VA. (Heavier Ply)

  20. I and my evil Veteran friends contacted 30 different VSOs in the state of Washington to ascertain their level of NVSO knowledge on any given subject. This fall’s test question was “How do I apply for the VRE Independent Living Program?
    The answers varied from
    “That’s part of the SAH program.”
    “Somebody gave you bogus info. There is no such thing”
    “You have to be rated over 20% first”
    “Never heard of it. I’ve worked here 16 years and I would know if it existed”
    “I’m in charge here and in all my years nobody qualified for it. You have to be in a wheelchair to qualify”.

    VSO charters all carry the same codicil and promise to VA-We are here to help the Veterans Administration process Veterans’ claims. The difference with VA attorneys is -We are here to help and represent the Veteran.

    Why is that so hard to comprehend? VA has always stacked the deck heavily in their favor. What other justice system in the free world castrates the Veteran and deprives him of effective legal help at the most crucial phase (evidence-gathering) in his claim?

  21. We, now I alone, over the years have contacted ALL of those vet groups mentioned, All, of them for various reasons. Some people locally, anonymously, because of the rats, evil, and retaliation that permeates anything good here or against us wanting some change or to inform outsiders what it’s like here. No whistle blowers will come out of Indiana or Terre Haute for sure. None of those so called vet groups don’t seem to want anything to do with Indiana politics and power cabals, none of them. Yet we see some boasting vet groups on MSM seemingly rooting for more wars, conflicts, or about how great they are at helping veterans. BS. The same goes for several attorneys I tried to hire in past years that refused to come to this area for anything knowing just how corrupt it is. Dating back to the seventies and now the corruption, etc., is even more deep-seated and well protected in our claimed “Progressive Stronghold of Indiana.” That is, having three major far left corrupt colleges in one small corrupt town that has turned into one large college styled campus complete with the bullying and social engineering. Veteran’s groups approved.

    Twenty years ago or so, Voc Rehab here was a joke for most veterans and nobody cared. Cliques and their cohorts got all the perks, computers, aid, while many of us veterans who were promised this or that ended up with little but maybe some books paid for. Now its far too late for me to do anything and that’s the way ALL of the machinery establishments want it. That includes all the cowardly vet groups who have to play the community PC game to appease all the riff-raff, the corrupt, and globalist utopian crowd. Or the “Communitarians” who hate the individual apparently that have their propaganda, attack dogs/thugs, and cover-ups over-flowing. The more time passes the more people die off or give up. Or, evidence is lost and records/files messed with, witnesses long gone or impossible to find, or too afraid of all the forms of retaliation that encompasses many of us. Media in any form sure won’t report facts and truth while spouting about protecting and supporting our freedoms while censoring us. So unless people wake up and media starts being real the next generations are screwed, and being screwed, royally screwed, and they probably don’t even realize it.

    When the corruption flows out to the civilian sectors, as well as the total disregard and uncaring attitudes then something is very very wrong, and shows how deep the corruption runs to protect their own, or their comrades.

    I wanted the opportunity to meet and discuss matters with some folks moving here locally from Alaska or Phoenix area. They all refused through the grapevine being too fearful of what followed them here, and about what they have found out about the local regimes and how bad it is here. They want nothing to do with any activism, discussion, to get known of, or get involved.

    We face a predatory medical system, full circle, who demand no change and have the support and funds, lobbyist, to see it never happens. Civilian or VA doesn’t matter. Profit driven and not much more to do with bed-side manners, decency, patient comforts, or concerns, just profits. We just get lip service or threats. Many people don’t realize the health care they get is not the quality of care they think it is, and that’s sad.

    I gave the last group I belong to another chance, the Legion, and they failed the test again and again siding the the PC crowd and dirty politics. They don’t want to “rock the boat” and may need favors from the corrupt local in-crowd. Next year will be without my dues after many many years and going through a ton of crap with the locals here dealing with stolen money to the usual corrupt cliques. Hell, I’ll buy some poor old vet I may know a turkey dinner for their family instead of wasting another dime on dues with any vet group out there in operation today. They all have failed us, or me. And here locally they ALL swing far left to appease, and certainly are no “oath keepers.” It’s all about self-service and appeasing the lefties and college crowd here.

  22. TRI WEST corporation, which just got a MULTI $billion$ contract from VA to operate CHOICE is the payer behind these billboards. Which means it is actually VA money, just second hand.

    1. Of course this is an election year and TriWest’s chief executive officer David J. McIntyre Jr., is a former aide to Republican Senator John McCain of Arizona.

      McCain who has done nothing to help the Veterans at the hospital across the street from the billboard.

      Which is Phoenix VAMC, also known as ground zero for the Wait List Scandal.

      Thank You Ron it certainly helps clarify things. Of course TriWest will be able to write this off as a political contribution to John McCain.

      As for all the VSOs listed on the Billboard did they ask there members if they could use their organization’s name to reward bad conduct at the VA and endorse John McCain during his hotly contested election campaign while he has done nothing for veterans?

      1. Opps, my bad.

        Tri West will not be able to claim it as a political contribution because of the Campaign financing laws. It would be ultimately be admitting to election fraud if they claimed it as a political contribution. Even though we all know that it is just that election fraud.

        See: “Court upholds political contribution ban for federal contractors”, By Megan R. Wilson – 07/07/15, published in “The Hill”

        Link: “thehill.com/business-a-lobbying/247079-court-upholds-political-giving-ban-for-contractors”

      2. That also means that the VSOs listed on the Billboard are giving their seal of approval and are participating in Election Fraud.

      3. Well that clarifies everything, and why neither party in Congress would fix Choice. Both are up to their eyeballs with cronies in both companies holding the contract for Choice.
        Nancy Pelosi has her good friend of over 30 years, George Miller sitting on the board of HealthNet, and good ol boy McCain has his buddy running TriCare.

  23. Follow the money. If the corrupt VA lost its customers with a true choice program, these pathetic liquor selling and community drinking parlors would lose their influence in Washington and influence at the VA that gives them free propaganda. These VSOs did NOTHING in the face of its members being mistreated and dying at the hands of their biggest special interest – the $65 billion dollar VA with a captive customer base. I also am a lifetime member of DVA and have requested they drop me from their rolls. They do not have my interests in mind, only that of the govt socialized zero choice death machine.

  24. I stated in an earlier post that my opinion has been for many years that the relationship between the VSO’s and the VA has been aligned for the betterment of both. I believe that the most damage done to a veteran is through the filing, locating of records and adjudication of claims for compensation. We need lawyers not VSO’s. Lawyers will have their clients (VETERANS) best interests at heart not those of the veterans Administration. A hospital stay can be short or long. Appeals for SC of Agent Orange is one example of a health issue that has never been totally resolved during the lifetimes of those vets affected by it. These are my opinions only. Some formed by experience.

  25. namnibor,
    Do you ‘smell’ something?

    Darrell Myers,
    Are you implying some commenters on this morning are not veterans? If so, name them.
    Secondly, Ben is only reporting what he finds. Most of what he finds IS bad. Plus, we “veterans”, and others, who comment on here, also find other egregious acts committed by VA employees. Many commenters, such as does my wife, sends (emails) Ben “factual news reports” happening in our states.
    Ben does a fantastic job enlightening the public. You should be grateful there are MEN out there willing to go that extra mile.
    There are also other “websites” devoted to bringing VA’s “bad habits” out into the light. Where it deserves to be!

    1. @crazy elf- Yes, but it’s quite breezy here, so stench not so concentrated.
      I decided to not feed the trolls. They hang themselves with their own ignorance and it’s apparent to we Veterans when there’s a rat in the woodpile. Do not have to prove a thing to anyone.

      Interesting that Tri-West, a huge VA Contractor for “CHOICE” paid for Billboard. So this means that instead of a Veteran getting a needed procedure or diagnostic or cancer treatment has to wait even longer because some “choice $” went for blatant lies about how good the VA is doing in Phoenix.

      @Ron- You can surely use that, “Veterans Are Lying, The VA Is Trying” logo. Paint the roses red. 🙂

      1. I have already emailed Bob McDonald at VA and Rick Weidman at VVA , suggesting that they use “Veterans Are Lying, The VA Is Trying” for their next anti veteran billboard. 🙂

  26. Don’t believe that these responses are from people who are veterans or have kniwledge of the VA system, cause they do ‘t use it.

    Ben, do you have such a hard on for the VA that you cannot see anything but bad, cause not everything is as bad as you make it.

    1. Hey Darrell,

      How is your other brother I forgot his name?

      Did you happen to catch that new article at Military dot Com about the BS they are now putting the National Guard troops through at Election time. It is truly enlighten.

      You can find it by doing a Google search for the title of the article which is; “Congress Knew for 2 Years About Efforts to Take Back Veteran Bonuses”.

      This is a totally manufactured Crisis by Democratic California Senator Dianne Feinstein, Hillary Clinton, and Democratic California Representative Nancy Pelosi. All War Hawks who have not only supported all of the conflicts in the middle east but are now even supporting actions that would take us to war with Russia.

      This totally manufactured crisis by the same people who certainly had no concern about the men and women of the National Guard and other military members when they were sending them to wars they started in Iraq and Afghanistan. Wars to search for imaginary weapons of mass destruction in Iraq and for the boogieman Osama in Afghanistan even though he was really in Pakistan.

      This new manufactured crisis by our government harming the men and women who have served our country is just beyond belief.

      Oh and say hi to rosebud and paul for me. How is that new bridge working out?

      1. Another Oh and Darrell,

        All of these War Hawks are now promising to fix this right after the election. How convent, Eh’.

      2. Oh, oh, oh Darrell,

        Did you happen to read the LA Times on the Pentagon Reneging on the reenlistment bonuses? It is Titled ”

        “Congress knew for at least two years about Pentagon efforts to take back bonuses from veterans”

        In the article they state what Pillary Clinton had to say about it and what Donald Trump had to say.

        Pillary basically said congress should fix this, then tried to blow a bunch of smoke up all Veterans rear-ends to try and make herself look vote worthy.

        Donald Trump, at a rally in Florida, called the case another example of wrongdoing in a “corrupt” political system.

        “This can only happen with these incompetent people we have,” he said. “No common sense. They’re incompetent.”

        Damm just might have to vote for that guy he really hit the nail on the head with that statement.

        And Darrell I am sure you have already heard about what happened with John Bentel yesterday. Can you imagine pleading the 5th over 90 times during a deposition ordered by a judge.

        I see Judicial watch has posted the judges “Memorandum Opinion” online when he ordered the deposition because it was clear he lied to Congress during the Bengasi hearings. Good thing his immunity deal doesn’t cover him for that. Clearly this guy will be going to Jail.

        A link to the “Memorandum Opinion” is:

        “judicialwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/JW-v-State-Opinion-Clinton-Deposition-01363.pdf”

        Have a Great Day Darrell, Eh’

      3. Seymore,
        Just today or yesterday, Obama has called for Putin to “remove his troops from his border!”
        How’s that for trying to have “peaceful relations” with our one time enemy?!?!??

    2. Would you like to express your opinion a little bit more clearly, I don’t fully understand your attack. As for PROOF of us being vets, I don’t think you could handle it.

    3. Darrell, more VA cheerleader scum. Come investigate my claims before the rest of the witnesses die off. One simple investigation or talk with others in the so-called “new chronic pain clinic orientation” which has been covered-up, denied, should alone blow the doors open for much of the abuse, intentional threats, neglect, and hate towards veterans there. They have too many patients there to take care of, too many needing pain meds, not psych dope, then drive us away with insanity, lies, threats, attacks, etc. Me being in dire need for decent proper care? I’m not going back, I will gladly die first. I will die first before I again sit in a pain clinic waiting room for six hours playing games to get proper care or to get back on what works for me.

      I have no doubt in my mind if I did go back I would be killed or allowed to die on the table from what I have seen or endured to this point in life. So why bother with legalized corruption, malpractice, and torture when all of it is seemingly state sanctioned and legal complete with law enforcement help and fascist laws and more threats. Nope, you can have it all scum bucket. Have a nice evening vile creature. Go torture some more people that don’t need it in their lives.

  27. great comeback to that ‘billboard’ sign, brother.

    Here’s something interesting. On Oct. 5, 2016, ABC News went to Russia. The reporter wanted to know what the ‘average Russian’ felt about our two incumbents running for POTUS.
    The response is (not) surprising, in my opinion.
    The Utube video runs for 02:24 minutes.
    Titled;

    “What do Russians Think of Donald Trump”

    I think some of the “answers” will not surprise y’all!!!

    1. Off subject here, but I think Putin and Trump could solve a lot of problems by working together. And don’t call me commie!

      1. I wouldn’t call you a commie, because I agree. I think we have gotten into the situation we have with the Russians simply because we now have a President who is so over the top arrogant and full of his own greatness, he refuses to listen to anyone or acknowledge any thinking different from his own.
        Even a smart leader will surround himself with experts to advise them, not just inferior thinkers who only know how to nod yes to whatever stupid idea pops into his head.
        …and then points fingers of blame at others when those ideas fail miserably.

  28. The Petulant Childlike VA’s next billboard will state: “VETERANS ARE LYING, THE VA IS TRYING”. 🙂

    (Sorry, it was too easy and too hard to resist)

    1. TRI WEST corporation, which just got a MULTI $billion$ contract from VA to operate CHOICE is the payer behind these billboards. Which means it is actually VA money, just second hand.

      1. Well, they certainly are not paying private hospital bills incurred when a veteran is referred to Choice, so why not use it to screw veterans over and over.

  29. I wonder if this “false advertising” of/by/for VA in Phoenix is being paid for by a conglomerate?
    We all know what Hillary Clinton thinks of when asked about the “scandals”.
    Could this have been a combined effort by her DNC AND the AFGE?

    We all knew October would be a month of surprises. The DNC, all the government agencies and the MSM would be pulling out all the stops trying to get a “message” out. And, it wouldn’t/won’t matter how false that message would be.
    There’s so much corruption being brought out into the sunlight recently. It’s a wonder anyone has any “faith” left in our country!
    All I can say is, everyone better get down on their knees and pray for the corrupt ones to be held accountable!

    1. Hey, Seymore,
      Did you know 26 states have ‘voting machines’ owned by George Soros.
      Florida and California are two.
      There’s a great concern over “voter fraud”. As you’ve said.

  30. VA Spin Machine Overdrive by proxy, the VSO’s. Rather than a counter billboard, I would think a helicopter with one of those large forest fire water buckets attached, full of blood red paint splashed on most of the new billboard should get the message of “blood money” across loud and clear.
    However, this could easily be viewed as VA Psyops and am betting the AFGE paid for this billboard if no VSO will even say who paid for it…usually they are all too eager to take credit for financially backing something so it seems rather clear that they do NOT want Vets to know who’s behind the blatant lie of a billboard. Actually, I HOPE it was the AFGE that paid for this so it can be used to wipe their asses out of the VA.

    What’s next? A billboard at Tomah VAMC celebrating The Candyman Drug Cocktails? Yeah, just as ridiculous and believable.

  31. All these liars and thieves should be brought before a firing squad and shot!!! I will bet you NONE of them have ever served in any military combat capacity. They are all a bunch of cowards that should NEVER hold any kind of position within the VA in any state. They should all be called out to answer for what they have and are doing to our men and women who have served our country and paid a very high price for that service. SHAME. SHAME. SHAME.

  32. I just gave IAVA a piece of my mind, and told them to delete me from their mailing list. Glad I don’t belong to any others

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