VA Facility Closure

BREAKING: Secretary Of Veterans Affairs May Close Over 1,100 VA Facilities

VA Facility Closure

The Secretary of Veteran Affairs David Shulkin, MD, is seeking to close possibly more than 1,100 VA facilities nationwide in push to privatize VA medical care.

During a Congressional hearing today, Shulkin said he sought to close 430 vacant and 735 underutilized buildings to save the taxpayers $25 million per year. He told Congress VA may use the same process as the Pentagon for base closures, called Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC).

“Whether BRAC is a model that we should take a look, we’re beginning that discussion with members of Congress,” Shulkin told a House appropriations subcommittee. “We want to stop supporting our use of maintenance of buildings we don’t need, and we want to reinvest that in buildings we know have capital needs.”

The move comes on the heels of a recent announcement that President Donald Trump decided to dramatically reduce the fat from the federal government’s budget including removal of duplicative or useless service areas. While VA did receive a budget increase, the agency has decided to restrict hiring including not filling roughly 4,000 vacant positions.

While Congress welcomed the announcement, at least on Republican gave some advice to Shulkin about using the term BRAC to describe what VA is planning.

“Don’t ever use the term BRAC because it brings up a lot of bad memories,” Rep. Jeff Fortenberry (R-Neb) cautioned. “You automatically set yourself up for a lot of controversy.”

Base reduction through the BRAC model received a lot of negative press over the years. Communities that had grown dependent on military spending in their area vis a vis operations on a military base and spending from local military members is a known local stimulus, and closure of a base sometimes resulted in shutting down of entire towns as a result.

Some readers may recall another recent announcement that Shulkin did not intend to privatize VA healthcare while out of the other side of his mouth announcing that he planned to stop the agency from providing eye and hearing care.

Last week, Shulkin allegedly told a room full of VA healthcare facility directors that he planned to stop providing optometry or audiology services since there is a “LensCrafters on every corner.”

The move is aimed at reducing expenditures at local facilities to then allow those same facilities to use the extra funds to fix problems at the same facility. I will write more of this behind the scenes discussion later.

Source: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/shulkin-says-hes-considering-closing-1100-veterans-affairs-facilities/

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247 Comments

  1. Get rid of most ALL “PCP” doctors and replace them with qualified nurses since the doctors don’t do shit but read and copy the last doctors report and send you off to someone else to actually help you (if possible). I haven’t met a PCP in the last 15 years that did anything more than type. A waste of money as these screws make over $200K a year to do (almost) nothing everyday.

  2. Just a quick note. Muskogee RO has no union. And their VBA has so many employees embezzling its ridiculous. No wonder there’s a deficit. But everyone covers each other ass because it’s a small town and everyone is kin to one another. They should move that RO and hospital to a city to break up the inbreeding.

    1. VA in small towns are the worse, they are doing as you say. Hire their friend’s or distant cousins.

      This is very dangerous as you not only see them at the VA, but in the community and they have more friend’s and family members who are their eye’s and ears.

      If you should be out in public and say something about someone who work’s for the VA.

      They are informed about the conversation. The conversation will be reworded and taken out of context and you will be on their shit list and will and do retaliate against veteran’s.

      Problem is in small towns VA employees can retaliate and report the veterans as being disruptive and the main facility will take their word and will take actions against the veterans and are not required to present any evidence of anything.

      Again, veterans in small town’s you are at high risk of retaliation !

  3. @Ex va: Ex, time to say goodnight. God Bless you and your family. Sleep well. Will talk soon.

    1. @Never had that kind of money to buy a new car, not even today. Your right tho, I see teens in new cars, all the time. Okay Ex, I can’t sit in this chair any longer.

  4. @Ex va: Sorry to hear this about your dad. Sounds like he was a very hard worker.

    1. @-.- .—. He could make tools like your gardening tool. He had a talent of designing and manufacturing tools. Just a real bright guy tell you how to fix about anything. He worked tool and die and engineered parts for maytag washers, dryers, refrigerators, etc.

      1. @Ex va: Funny how just about everyone back then was handy with their hands. Today? not so much, many people have no clue how to use a damn screwdriver. “um, whats this thingy?” It’s a damn screwdriver, ya wing nut.

      2. @-.-. .—, people don’t know how to do things theirselves. The don’t know how to add oil in their cars or do anything. This generation only knows how to go to the store.

      3. @Ex va: LOL go to the store, to buy oil, they have no clue what to do with.

    1. @Ex va: Yes, much better. Always passes, just never know how long it will take. Or when it will strike.

  5. @-.-. .—, yes my tablet and weather not acting right. I guess satellite signal is messed up or weak.

    1. @-.-. .—, i hit the reply button and it just sits there. I think it is on my end this rain.

      1. -.-. .—, yes satellite is ok until you have weather problems or a lot of cloud coverage. I don’t know where all this rain is going to go. I hope it doesn’t get worse than it already is here. It is filling all the reservoirs, but it is washing away train tracks and flooding houses.

  6. @Ex va: I don’t really think these attacks are from my meds, I forgot to take them tonight, until this started, then I remembered, so the meds didn’t kik in yet. Something strange is going on, and they haven’t figure out what it is. I had a endoscopy done, and in the middle of it I woke up, just in time to hear someone say “OMG, what is that? a tumor? They said it was varicies on my stomach, they changed my lowpressor over to propranalol, and said they went away. Every single doctor I have talked to said that is impossible, they just don’t “go away”. I don’t have a clue what it is they think they saw.

    1. @Ex va: I haven’t had this issue with the tickling feet, since I started taking Morphine, I did read from the Mayo clinic website, that Morphine, “opiates” is a treatment for neuropothy. I took it for the first time for my back, it didn’t phase the back pain, but for the first time the tickling in my feet went away, so I have been taking it ever since.

      1. @-.-. .—, i didn’t know that opiates treats neuropathy. That makes sense since i am on that now. I get that tingling and real cold on arms and legs at times, then other times they feel like they are on fire. I hate that.

      2. @Ex va: Yes, I think your feeling the same thing. The burning on the skin. I don’t ming if it feel cold, cold takes away pain. Heat is terrible. On warm, and hot days, I can actually feel sick to my stomach, from all the heart meds. They control your heart rate, and blood pressure not allowing your body to cool properly.

    2. @-.-. .—, pain is a crazy thing it can radiate from one area to another area and hard to find. I had gall bladder attacks and thought it was heart attacks. Had it removed.

      They can’t just go away. It could be the stomach. I have that gerd and it feels like it burns all over. Throat, esophagus, hard to breathe, burns but not like lungs are on fire.

      1. @Ex va: That was a VA doc, that said they went away. All my private doctors say BS, can’t happen. But no answers. It is clearly in my lungs, and stomach whatever it is. A big mystery for now. I’ll get Perry Mason, and Columbo, on the case.

      2. @-.-. .—, ROFL!! A person has to have a medical degree just to understand all of it. I take so many pills i forget what the hell i am taking them for sometimes.

      3. @Ex va: Like OLDMARINE says, it is good to get off as many meds as possible. The ones left keep me alive, for now. It is a problem I think, for most people to remember if, or when, they took their meds. I have to set alarms, as a reminder, or I get withdrawals, very unpleasant.

      4. @-.-. .—, have you ever try a chiropractor? Or your back is too messed up? I went a few times, hurts like hell. Kept me mobile one year.

      5. @Ex va: Hahahaha, Chiropractors look at my MRI’s and point to the door, “get the hell out of here, I can’t touch you” “are you insane?” LOL

      6. @-.-. .—, i have one of those huge pill boxes i fill up. It is a pain, but that is the only way i can keep it straight. OLDMARINE is right. I have tried to get off some of my meds, some helped me getting off others i couldn’t do it, too much pain and problems.

      7. @Ex va: You just get down to the least amount you can, and that is all you can do. The rest are “needed” so it’s okay.

      8. @-.-. .—, so far i don’t take heart meds, i have had to go to er over heart pain, but most time the blood pressure is ok except when i am in pain then it is high. I use to have low blood pressure which was really weird.

      9. @Ex va: I don’t have blood pressure issues either, once you have a heart attack it is automatic, your put on meds to control blood pressure, and heart rate. They have my heart rate at 50bpm, bp is normal.

      10. @-.-. .—, my dad had two heart attacks and has a pacemaker, he is on all kinds of heart meds.

      11. @-.-. .—, he was a smoker and alcoholic, and a workaholic, he just liked the high stress.

      12. @Ex va: My dad was 85 when he passed away, lung cancer. I can’t remember how long ago it was. Maybe 10 years ago. My mother passed away maybe 15 years ago, my oldest brother, when he was 30, I was about 21,from leukemia, my older brother about 5 years ago lymphoma. So far I am the longest living male, of course I should have died when I was 48, damn doctor had to go “save” me.

      13. @-.-. .—, he is in a home, alcoholic dementia. He was very intelligent, but he messed up his life. I think retirement did not help him either.

      14. @-.-. .—, i am glad the damn doctor saved you and so is your wife and family. Lol! Sorry about your loss of your family. Where they in the military too? Or smoking related. That just sucks. Too sad. I hate damn cancer and diseases. So sorry about the loss of your family. You don’t smoke that decreases chances of getting those cancers.

      15. @Ex va: Father was wwll, oldest brother Vietnam. None died as a result of service. Dad was an auto mechanic, many years of asbestos in brake pads etc. Who knows what was in the chemicals they used to wash parts, hands? Different time back then, they didn’t know what they know now. About dangerous products.

      16. @-.-. .—. You don’t know what they put in gasoline or oil. Those oil well workers came down with all kinds of cancers and diseases. They don’t want to tell the public the truth.

      17. @Ex va: That is true too. Hell, even today, look at all the Iraq vets? Burning oil fields, and illnesses nobody can figure out. It’s a shame.

    1. @Ex va: Back. Not pleurisy, I have had that after a bout of pneumonia, that almost killed my one time. I don’t know what it is, I only know I hate when it happens, and they have not been able to figure out what’s going on.
      Tomorrow suppose to have high winds, I don’t recall if it was suppose to rain as well.
      I do not smoke. Maybe I will if I win the lottery lol.

      1. -.-. .—, sorry to hear this. Probably with the back. I get back spasms sometimes it is like Charlie horses in my back. Will cause my heart to beat fast and hard to breathe. Glad you don’t smoke.

        The burning sensation is weird, this time of year a lot of pollen. Damn, wish i could win the lottery. Lol!

      2. @Ex va: No no, I didn’t mean it was my back, I meant I was back..
        I remember the days I would get charlie horses in the back, you grab on to whatever is there when it happens, even your wife, scaring the hell out of them in the middle of the night.

      3. @-.-. .—, when i get that pain the dog wants to sit on me?? She thinks she is helping or something. Thank God she isn’t a Great Dane.

    2. @Ex va: I get these damn attacks almost every day, never this late though. Usually around 8pm. I don’t know it it’s from my meds, neuropathy, or emphysema. I do have a pulmonary appointment coming up soon.

      1. -.-. .—, it sounds like it is related to back. I have had pain so bad thought i was going to die. Everyday? Your a tough one. That’s awful. That just sucks. I don’t think people understand chronic pain until it happens to them.

      2. @-.-. .—, i don’t get those Charlie horses as much, i take vitamins and the magnesium and prescription pills that help. Yeah, i would end up in the floor just to try to stop the pain. Every night at a certain time? Strange that it does that.

      3. @Ex va: You go to sleep and your muscles relax, you move the slightest bit, and “bam” charlie horse. I use to scream out in the middle of the night, and grab onto the wife for dear life. She would jump out of her skin, lol. I never get those anymore. Use to get them about every couple of weeks or so, for many years.

      4. Ever have an EEG, CJ? Could be a partial seizure that is correctible. And make sure if you have one you stop any antidepressants or barbiturates for about 3 days before it is done. They can mask the tracings. And ask to come in at the time the attack usually happens.

      5. Also if you have an adverse reaction to a prescribed seizure med make sure the physician looks up the drug interactions with your other meds and make the decision on which is most important. Antidepressant can often be replaced by seizure meds. Personal experience.

      6. checking drug interactions with your other meds is a must that book is so close it ain’t funny . i had a reaction one time i took a extra prostate pill when when i was to only take one a day and one day it wasn’t doing any thing so i took a extra one i got up that night to take a leak and blacked out stone cold 3 times walking to the bathroom and hit my head on the floor hard. i kept getting up off the floor saying i got to quit doing this shit to myself..LOL come to find out latter acetaminophen screws with your prostate …now i take neither

      7. @Lem: TBI doc, also thinks I may be having mini seizures. This stuff with the lungs, skin, and facial pressure, they can’t figure out. I just figure when they finally do, it will be to late. I have a plan if it gets to be unbearable. I will not be suffering the same fate as my father and brothers. Problem now days, too many specialist. By the time you get around to the right one? Your terminal. Life is one big fuckery, at least I am in charge of my own exit door.

      8. Also have a TBI. And partial plus complex partial seizures. Wasn’t medicated for them for 48 years. Others notice by you don’t although some partial like a numbing of my left face I do notice. But, because I wasn’t conscious of the rest, I denied them.

        Being put on Keppra has made a great difference in my life. The sudden enervations (loss of energy to the point of being unable to move) absences, etc. are gone. Still have an occasional partial of the left face numbness just before I go to sleep. But like once a month or so instead of every night.

        When I was first verified as having partial and complex partial seizures I was put on carbamazepine while I was taking nortryptaline. Both have the same side effects and so I ultimately quit the carbamazepine instead of the nortryptaline. Probably a mistake and the neurologist wouldn’t give me anything else. I think because they were doing a study and I was the subject to exhibit all of the bad outcomes of the drug side effects. They probably wanted to know how bad it would get.

  7. @Ex VA: I will be right back, going to switch over to a tower computer. Trying to chat on this tablet is ridiculous.

  8. -.-. .—, that is bad with the lungs. I don’t know. Do you smoke? That sounds really bad.

  9. @Ex VA: You have to go to another doctor tomorrow for the same issue?

  10. Lungs feel like they are on fire. I know this weather brings you a lot of pain. Sux.

  11. @Ex VA: It’s hard to breathe, skin feels like it has pins, and burning. A terrible tickling in the feet, almost unbearable. No pain.

  12. @-.-. .—, it has been rough using joints, a lot of pain. Unstable weather really hurts.

    1. -.-. .—, that sucks, sounds like some kind of neuropathy. Restless leg? They ever do electric test? My anxiety will give me breathing problems.

  13. @Ex VA: Your here. Fuck I hate when things like this happen. How are you? Damn no rain here today.

    1. -.-. .—, back and joints are swelled up from the changes of weather and rain. Have to go back to another doctor tomorrow.

    1. @Ex va: Ex, sorry I missed you, I asked if you were here, then had some kind of physical attack. It lasted till just now. I will catch up with you tomorrow.

      1. @-.-. .—, damn sorry to hear this. You take care of yourself. I will praying for you. Talk later. Take care of yourself.

  14. @-.-. .—, we have had rain most of the day on and off??!!! Can’t believe it?

  15. They will save 25 million a year on medical and they will spend 30 million to a new agency that will be watching crooked doctors,,

  16. @Jo3n – – – Jo3n, whom are you referring too? I got caught off guard with the word; legal. Or, are you referring to our legal leaders that should somehow be vetted? I’m sure that there are limited powers with Presidential EO’s. I thing that I heard that the Congress put limited authority on POTUS about dropping nuclear bombs. Tells me that Congress Members don’t trust what POTUS may or may not do.

    Also, there were about 20 Repub Nay Sayers and all Dems were Nay Sayers against the new American Health Care Act that overrides ObamaCare. There is a large divide in Congress, like there was when ObamaCare was passed. I suspect that this will be true for other votes pertaining to other matters up for a vote in the near future. We’ll see.

  17. I can’t ever remember our church being political. I had to look up, “Republic “. If they’ve always been political, what’s with the Executive Order? Anyway, back to the Veterans. @ANutterVet, who does the vetting of these legal aliens?

    1. Jo3n,
      The executive order had to do with a rule/law that LBJ got passed because he did and the Democrats did not want the Heads of Churches , speaking in churches about who should and should not be elected to office. So if a Church did speak about political things, they would lose their tax free status. ( I think they should pay taxes regardless, just look how rich the Catholic church is,,, but I digress ) . Anyway all Trump’s executive order said, was that speaking out in a church would cost their tax exempt status.

      1. It was a ridiculous restriction anyway given that often only one party observed that rule.

        Al “this ain’t my suit” Sharpton and Jizzy Jackknife never had a problem ignoring it.

      2. @91Veteran- “Al “this ain’t my suit” Sharpton and Jizzy Jackknife never had a problem ignoring it.”–Two Pontificating Assholes. 🙂

  18. I just got a feeling, God may not want those who come to church, to be praising Donald. Wait for it…. How many churches that don’t praise Donald, or the next President, will keep their tax exemption? …. There must be a database with that information. Perhaps HealthNet, or DOE? @ANutterVet, I believe you are on to something. Best of luck, I wouldn’t know where to begin.

  19. Off Topic and To All – – – Since VA Licensed Medical Professionals are protected by the Federal Umbrella of the Union, and therefore not required to register in order to practice medicine in the State where their VA Medical Center or Clinic is located, are you aware of any secret database that contains a list of current VA Physicians, Surgeons, Chiropractors, Physician Assistants, Nurse Practitioners, Clinical Pharmacologists, Physical Therapists, and or Certified Nursing Assistants?

    Any help pertaining to locating a secret registrar for VA Medical Professionals, that normally would be required to be licensed in the State where they practice medicine is appreciated. Why is it that I keep thinking, then coming up with additional questions that relates to the VA? Am I out of my head, or just out of it? Or both? VA refuses to help me in finding myself.

    In all honesty, please submit your output to my needed input of a possible secret database of VA Medical Professionals. Please don’t be nice to me. Many people aren’t, and I wouldn’t feel like myself if I was finally treated like the animal that I am. I’m going to submit a request to the VA for an appendage change, that will add a tail to my backend. In this way, I hopefully will receive better medical care since I’ll be able to claim myself as a canine.

    I feel the love from you folks. Now all I need is to feel the love from the VA Medical Professionals. Thanks again, Nutter.

    1. @ANutterVet– Be careful what you wish for with the VA. They would manage to affix that tail onto your nose or even one of your toes, plus there’s no tail printed on the surface or the box of the game ‘Operation’ for the hacks to train on while on their camel on way to USA to work at the VA.

      Your reassignment surgery has been replaced entirely with female VA SES employee that wishes to become a bit more manly, but not to worry, you still will need to shave. 🙂

      1. @Namnibor – – – Mr. Namnibor, I thought I’d see a post from you. I was able to get a nice purrrty sized grant from the West LA LGBTQueerking Society. They not only paid for the full cost of attaching a tail on me, they will also will pay for the follow up operations. These extra monies were given because there are no guarantees that the VA Surgical Team Leader will understand written English or to follow procedures correctly. Plus, they can’t focus and concentrate on their work. I can’t wait to get this done.

  20. ANutterVet, they are meeting my needs. If I get to the VA, if the employees haven’t taken all the parking spots (they also have an employee parking lot), I get to park under the solor panels. And once I get inside, I can learn a forgiven language. What more could a Vet, want.

    1. @FedUp – – – You’ve got more . . . trust in those peeps than I do. Best to read bio-research material to make sure they’re not taking advantage of your naivety. No offense. I say this not to stir you up, but to show their audacity in pulling off-the-wall tactics on Veterans that have good personal character and says, “Yes Sir, yes ma’am.”

      Watch your six my fellow Veteran. To me, its ok to trust, but you do need to know in whom your trusting. It is obvious that you haven’t experienced something that should have been easy to take care of, but the VA took the long route or no route in providing simple treatment to take care of a simple condition. Maybe one day I’ll write a book, and have many that have a track record of posting on this blog, to reveal their horror stories on how the VA didn’t care for them properly. Keep posting.

  21. @FedUp – – – Sorry to hear about how the VA isn’t meeting your basic needs. I hate that.

  22. Someone PLEASE, tell the VA., that I could sure use an Ergonomic chair, since they screwed up my hip and back. Oh, I forgot, it was my fault for letting go of the rope, when the chopper went up as I was going down. How fucking stupid could I be. On second thought keep the chair for some ROTUND, employee.

  23. 05/04/2017

    Dear Benjamin Krause,

    Who gets the Machines, the medical equipment, the Art Work, the Executive Chairs and Desk, the Furniture, and all the other “items?”

    Just like in Brecksville, Ohio it will take a reporter 20 years from now to stumble in on cache of goods.

    Meanwhile the Taxpayer will be striped of the possible reimbursement of funds.

    These executives are too lazy to do their job at the VA and in Washington DC.

    Now since all eyes are on the VA—the exit program is being implemented to reduce risk of responsibility.

    I will not be surprise to see a few building burn.

    Sincerely,

    Don Karg

    1. @Don Karg, it goes up for auction. Usually it is 10 cent on the dollar of actual value or what it original cost.

  24. Lots o comments on this issue. The AGFE is a frequent target for blame and vitriol – and that is not without merit (someday I’ll share my recent visit to a pain VA clinic – fucking Mengele would have been proud). However, focusing on those dickheads isn’t really the issue. At issue is Pig Pharma and Pig Med popping loose six million more patients for themselves. The amount of money changing hands will make the AGFE driven waste look like chump change when those belt-way Wall Street cork-soakers get through with it (us). Give it five years – we’ll be paying premiums. Why anyone would let their kids serve this country is beyond my imagination.

  25. POTUS signed E.O., SO CHURCHES can be political. That’s my last safe place. What happened to separation of church and state? We are steadily losing our Constitutional rights while Corporations are getting everything they want. What good is freedom if we can’t breathe or drink our water. Hell, I guess it’s true, we no longer live in a Democracy. Fuck em all.

    1. @Jo3n – – – We’re a Republic, but are lacking to say the least.

    2. Jo3n,

      How is it you think the Constitution prevented Churches from speaking about political issues? Why from the beginning to time Churches had a say in the political arena, and they should. Factually, the Constitution only prevents the establishment of a state sponsored religion. The liberal left, are the ones reading into the Constitution to make it read what ever pleases them…..

      1. Rick B,
        Very well put! Our REPUBLIC was founded on such things as “religion combined with politics”!

        As a matter of fact,
        It was required of all “church, (no matter which religion), going males”, age 16 to 62 I believe, to “remain after services” and “…do military training exercises – with weapons!”
        I’m not sure when this practice ended, only – just maybe – it should have never ceased!

        ____________________

        Lastly, If there were “FREE firearms training” today —–
        We might not see individuals committing “accidental discharging of weapons” and hurting or killing other people! We might also see less people committing other egregious acts with firearms!
        That’s just my opinion on this part!

  26. Hate is a word I would not use regarding the VA. I believe once a Veterans ETS/Retire, they want to distance themselves from any sort of regimentation. However, as time progresses, the adage of “no pain, no gain”, catches up to our tired old bodies. It is then that we turn to the VA. Forgetting that anything Gov’t., moves at the pace of a snail, except if you owe the Gov’t., money. Then the speed of light is to slow. The worst thing about the VA., is that the employees, forget that they work for the Veterans, not us for them. They get hired and sit in there cubicle and that becomes their empire, and by God, no one, especially a Veteran, will get by their watch. We need to retrain the employees, especially at the lowest level, because we have to get by them first. I go to the West LA. VA. Some Depts, are great, some Depts, need to be blown up and started over. Yes hate is not a word I would use, but a “bunch of assholes”, would be a better term. Remember folks, utilizing the VA., is like taking a shit, your not done until the paperwork is finished.

  27. It seems like a huge number of Vets hate the VA. Desperately despise it. Particularly the younger ones. The vast majority of which did not get shot or otherwise hurt in combat. Give them Blue Cross cards if you must and save the much smaller VA for those truly wounded by war.

    1. What is the logic of only sending war wounded vets into the abysmal and abusive federal VA hospital, documented again and again and again to engage in quack medicine and malpractice, while at the same time excusing the non-combact wounded and sick from such a fate to obtain needed care?

      Isn’t this what the prime beef is precisely about??? No equal treatment (literally) under the law? A process seperate and apart from Due Process, and yet one more firewall for a combat veteran to breach in their struggle to return to society?

      Why would you doom these men and women thusly?

    2. @Eric Thompson – – – You’re uninformed. Many older Veterans absolutely feel the same way in not trusting the VA. That includes almost everyone that posts on this blog.

      And, I consider myself to be mostly conservative on many issues, and others, well I’m right there with them on the left. Now, I’d like to know if this New Healthcare Act is passed, will this then allow Veterans to obtain the healthcare where they can choose their own PCP’s according to their standards? Or, will Veterans be stuck with what the VA deems fit to be a Physician that treats Veterans? We’ll see.

      Once again, my trust factor is on the fence. My crotch is getting sore.

    3. One has to remember soilders are stationed all over the ? and get hurt and killed doing their jobs or by citizens of that country who does not like Americans.

      All of these soilders are at the ready to go into harm’s way. These soldiers should not receive care a bullet effects whom ever where ever they are serving.

      How about those that get in accidents during training. I don’t think we should pick and choose who gets care. If they served and get injuried.

      That’s VA employee thinking !

  28. Some of the VA buildings were built in WWII. I know some of the buildings in the August Ga, VA are listed on the historical register, that is how old they are. In 2006, a lot of them were falling apart due to lack of maintenance and not being used at all. Waco, Texas VA had a similar problem, when someone got the bright idea to use the facility strictly for mental health. So considering that so many buildings are old and unused they should sell the property or tear them down if they can. This is unlike BRAC however. where the Military bases that were closed were closed because of political reasons. Many of the base closures were regretted, because the base was actually needed. Now some of the bases that were closed under BRAC were turned over to contractors for up keep of the property instead of being sold, as they likely will never open again. Some bases, like Kelly AFB that was closed a while back has an abundance of family quarters they and other buildings were rented or Leased out for use by civilians. Fort Devens, Mass. is just sitting there, with the exception of the Commissary, and the building used by the National Guard, and Army reserve. Combining bases under Brac was also stupid, for instance, Fort Sam Houston, is also referred to as Joint Base San Antonio. Last I remember it had an Air Force Base Commander, but it was always and for the most part is still an Army Base. Many bases closed under BRAC were closed regardless of the necessity, but because of partisan politics. Look at all the base closures in Germany, Heidelberg is closed, Kasierslauter (K-Town) was closed , Bad Kreznach Rose Barracks was closed. Korea the same so many bases closed. Maybe we didn’t need the overseas bases anymore, but I didn’t see it that way…..

    1. Fort Lyon co vamc. Closed and sold to the state $1 one dollar. Had one of the biggest psychiatry hospital’s in the nation.

      Had a gym, outdoor swimming pool, horse barns, grow house and much more. Selling for$1.

      I forgot about thirty homes. Wonder why there is no money. They will probably sell each of these sites to someone for $ 1.

      Should have gotten at least $ 2.

  29. A lot of VA facilities are in former military bases. Long Beach now closed I believe. The military is in a continued downsizing and the wars that had millions of veterans per year instead of hundreds of thousands are long gone. Even us Vietnam veterans are dying off.

    And Medical training is not keeping up with the aging of America plus the increased use of Medical care. Those of you who are old enough know we didn’t run to the ER to get a 2 inch laceration stitched up 60 years ago. Nor did we go to the Dr. for measles, mumps and many other diseases including the flu.

    The demand for medical professional care is increasing exponentially and the training facilities plus the retraction of Federal sponsored training repaid by service in the military, VA and Public Health have been decreased due to bank lobbying when the guaranteed student loan programs started. Who wants to start life with a $500,000.00 dollar debt that can be collected from your social security when you retire leaving you nothing. No possible bankruptcy relief. Just love the GOP, Democrat’s caves, Reagan, Bush Clinton, Bush and Obama for this. The country has been sold down the tubes by Global Corporate Oligarcs.

    It is a different age.

    1. Those of you who are old enough know we didn’t run to the ER to get a 2 inch laceration stitched up 60 years ago. Nor did we go to the Dr. for measles, mumps and many other diseases including the flu…..YOUR RIGHT ABOUT THAT ONE LEM. BUT THAT SURE DOES SCREW US OVER WHEN YOU PUT IN A CLAIM

      1. Actually is screws those who have to pay premiums on Health Insurance and the tax payers who pay for Medicaid and Government provided insurance premium supplements. Both those who have insurance and those who do not add to premium costs.

        Dr. MOM is dead. Her replacement is PAs and NPs. And unfortunately those like the Dr. Moms of old often try to treat beyond their qualifications and get it wrong. Then, too often, someone dies.

      2. LEM……so your telling me doctors always get it right… I would rather die from doctor mom or DR.SELF..LOL

      3. I was a hospital corpsman for over 13 years. Dr. MOM to sailors. I served on independent duty in Vietnam with a hospital an hour away and a field ER 2 blocks from my tent or a half hour from our LARC furthest deployment, so I was all they had other than deciding the condition was out of my expertise or resources (first aid kit and limited medicinal supply) The only losses life I had was ARVN. And that was because of the facility I had for referral for them. (the Danang civilian hospital wasn’t much) Picked up a couple of floaters in Danang Bay but they weren’t from my unit.

        Yeh! I would have preferred to have a full MD looking over my shoulder when needed as was the case for 12 of those 13 years. A more intensive study background means less mistakes. And that is all I am really saying. It doesn’t mean no mistakes. And better more experienced MDs make fewer mistakes than younger less experienced or lower IQ MDs. The VA seems to be getting everyone else’s rejects.

        And depending upon the civilian clinic or hospital the range is on how greedy the stockholders and management is. That is our problem with the VA. The House wants to cut costs even at the expense of life and limb in the VA. Look at what they just did for the civilians and expect it in the VA as this article shows.

      4. @Lem – – – Lem, try smoking full flavored Sativa strains of MMJ [Cannabis]. These types of strains are for day-night treatments. The movement is on a roll. In this way, you won’t get probed in the wrong manner by the VA. I’m moving towards treating myself using the formula referred to as the “Rick Simpson Oil.”

        I get tired of hearing, “Up against the wall, . . . you m . . . er f . . ker, cha cha cha.” Now, with your deduction, do you think I purchased this vinyl album back in the day?

        Posts are for humor purposes only [you and I then start to argue with ourselves]. Not. Yes. Not. Yes. . . . May is Mental Health Awareness Month.

    2. Lem – – – Good call. That’s why it is hard for me to trust the VA. They should know better. The VA has 24 million Veteran health records that everyone else wants, especially the profit sector [wonder why? $$$]. Now the DOE has the dibs on them. Wow you’re right, its a different age, one in which the VA can’t and won’t be able to keep up with. There’re behind the eight ball in proper healthcare.

      I don’t trust our Politicians, Shulkin, or the VA Physician that expects me to understand a second language. Alavida [good bye in Indian, not American Indian, the other Indian that drinks, bathes, and washes their clothes in contaminated water]. Oh my, the ones that are related to Mohandas [Mahatma] Karamchand Gandhi. Geesh!

      And, the next time I have to sign any type of papers related to healthcare, I’m going to make the person wait until I finish reading all the print that explains why I need to sign. Excuse me for protecting myself, my rights, and being suspicious of the ones that are supposed to help me to obtain better health. Again, something is amiss. Its a greedy world out there, one in which we as Veterans need to protect ourselves from the ones in whom we [Veterans] put our lives on the line to protect them. Straaaaange.

  30. “During a Congressional hearing today, Shulkin said he sought to close 430 vacant and 735 underutilized buildings to save the taxpayers $25 million per year. He told Congress VA may use the same process as the Pentagon for base closures, called Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC).”

    Now, I am not Einstein but I have consumed hot chocolate several times in my life. Einstein is well known to have consumed hot chocolate too, so that put sus on fairly equal footing.

    My numbers and their numbers seem a bit…..skewed….

    430 + 735 = 1165.
    25 million dollars divided by 1165 is about $21,500.
    There are fifty states in the US and one DC. That means roughly 22 buildings per state if the distribution was equal.

    In the ENTIRE State Of Oregon I make an rough estimate based on shooting from the hip knowledge here – we have only about half that number of 22 places in Oregon dedicated to serving vets. Furthermore, In Oregon years ago a special property tax was considered for just parking spaces in heavily populated cities (where the VA works). The debate thankfully failed but before it did Oregonians were set to declare the value of each space at $25,000 per space for a busy city…

    So VA claims it is going to on average shut down 22 buildings per state which on an individual basis are valued at less than a parking space in downtown Portland….

    I guess at VA they drink a different brand of hot chocolate, but it seems to me that Shulkin misused the word “building”. He meant parking lots.

  31. @ANutterVet, you would have excelled as a physician. I am glad you have a good pt provider. Sounds like she try’s to encourage you. I know you have been thru the damn ringer on getting services through the va.

    Yeah, if we could have gone back in time i would have changed a lot of things in my past. Made better decisions and finished my degrees. Sometimes i wonder if i just miss being healthy. I have been sick for so long.

  32. @ANutterVet, i am going to sign off my eyes are burning and i hope i can get some sleep. Good talking to you again. Take care. God Bless you and yours.

    1. @Ex va – – – Roger that. The same for you too. Good night, have a painless, and restful night.

  33. @Ex va – – – It took a lot to get the PT to come to my home. The thing that irritates me, and I have to try to put this behind me, is that I brought this to the attention of my PCP over a year ago. Anyway, now that I have a halfway decent schedule, and I really like my PT Service Provider, things are getting into place. Also, my PT Provider has a Doctorate Degree in PT [DPT]. She’s a very nice woman, and we always rag each other. I test her with biology questions, and she rags on me because I’m twice her age. Dang nam, I should’ve been a physician. I’d make some changes, and if I treated individuals in which I knew they needed pain relief, I’d do a lot more than what the VA does.

  34. @ANutterVet, yes, my brain gets foggier over pain. I have to search for words or just to think is difficult. Anxiety goes up too with the pain. It seems linked all together.

    I like green tea brewed is the best. I use a little natural sweetener. I had to let the dog out, she doesn’t like this rain.

  35. @ANutterVet, sorry i hate the back pain that is the worse. My back has been aggravated by this weather. I have inflammation and it moves around when i do the pt. I hate that. It sounds like you are doing a lot i hope this pt works for you.

  36. @Ex va – – – That’s why I mentioned to you about cleansing your liver, kidneys, and gallbladder. If you can, drink home brewed green tea as well. The already brewed green tea in stores usually has a lot sugar, its weak, and costa more. I usually brew with 2 bags in cup, then make 2 brews out of it. I also use a natural sweetener, and the name slips my mind. Another brain fart again. Had plenty of them today. I find my mind gets foggier when I have increased pain. How about you?

    Its a good thing that its not winter time with this rain. We’d be hurting even more.

  37. @ANutterVet, you have a right to a quality of life. And you know what you need to do to achieve that. That issue makes me angry when they don’t want to address it. It is possible to get to a better place it takes work and i have been doing a little more. This rain has really got me down. People have it worse so i don’t need to complain.

    You are smart and have medical knowledge so i know you will get yourself to a better quality of life. I will go to medical marijuana if i end up in so much pain i can’t get under control.

  38. @Ex va – – – I had PT the other day, and worked out too strenuously, and now I’m really sore in my calve muscles, inner thighs, and lower back.

  39. @Ex va – – – No problems Ex, no pressure from me. Only wanted to make sure you knew the differences. As far as I’m concerned, the VA isn’t only improperly treating me, but I receive no return phone calls, and many generic meds don’t work. I shared this with them already. No secrets on my end. We all have the right to treat ourselves if we believe that were not getting proper healthcare. I’m tired of being left on the sidelines. Its downright a form of malpractice in the way I’ve been medically treated. I would most likely be up and moving around if they would’ve have me certain medications. But, that’s them = corrupted, and me = they think I’m their guinea pig.

  40. @ANutterVet, yes your post makes sense to me. Your posts always make sense.

  41. @ANutterVet, yes they had a place where you take a prescription and it is suppose to be legalized, but you have to buy their product.

  42. @ANutterVet, i take anti-anxiety medications as needed already. I don’t think i would be interested in medical marijuana. I keep thinking about the lungs and other issues i don’t need any more health issues. I hope you can get what you want and it helps you. You been thru enough. Can you believe it is raining here again? Damn, i think we have had enough. Messes up my satellite signal too at times. Does magnesium help any with your muscle spasms? I have been taking some, it doesn’t seem like it helps much.

  43. dash dot – – – Drive safely to and fro. Talk later. Good night and God bless you and yours.

    @Ex va – – – Does the previous post make sense about MMJ = Medical Marijuana? You can also search this phrase, “What are the Medical Marijuana Laws in ___add your state___”

    1. you need to check this sight out you can get a script even in shit states after you become a member “https://cannasense.com”

    2. How is This Legal?

      CannaSense was developed, tested, and refined over a 13 year period using existing law as an avenue for patient access to cannabis in all 50 states. The Compassionate Use Act of 1996 is a California Law that allows anyone to become members of a cannabis collective with the recommendation of a doctor. Article 4 Section 1 of the US Constitution says: “Full Faith and Credit shall be given in each State to the public Acts, Records, and judicial Proceedings of every other State. And the Congress may by general Laws prescribe the Manner in which such Acts, Records and Proceedings shall be proved, and the Effect thereof.” This means that Article IV, Section 1 ensures that states respect and honor the state laws and court orders of other states, even when their own laws are different. It is also known as the reciprocity clause.

      Under the Affordable Care Act, patients can see their doctors through telemedicine services from the privacy of their homes. Internet based video conference calls enable their doctors to write prescriptions and recommendations in a legal and accepted way, without leaving home. CannaSense partners with California-based telemedicine physician service ‘PrestoDoctor’ to provide easy access to patients for a teleconference appointment with a CA doctor who will give them a treatment plan, a physical medical cannabis card, and a signed recommendation for membership with Cannasense. Legally, under the provisions of the ACA, this is the same thing as the patient traveling to CA to see the doctor in person.

  44. @Ex va – – – Yeah, those juicers are fine. Watch sugar content. Sugar = Inflammation = Pain = Discomfort = Miserable = People Don’t Want To Be Around You. Vicious cycle.

    Medical Marijuana is prescribed via a licensed doctor for pain, PTSD, and many other issues. Basically, some doctors vary in what they believe MMJ treats. Regular Marijuana isn’t prescribed by doctors, street bought, illegal.

    The psycho active compound in both MMJ and street type is THC. The other compound is called CBD, cannabinoids. CBD compound is what treats pain. Then there are different types of strains of marijuana. Sativa, which has more of an up high feeling, energy, creative mind [what I prefer], compared to Indica which has a more drowsy type of feeling, and most likely put you horizontally flat on the couch, snoozing away, with eyes needing to be propped open with toothpicks.

    Search ‘what is the difference between THC and CBD,” and “what is the difference between Indica and Sativa strains of marijuana.” This should give you all the information to know the differences.

  45. @-.-. .—, Have a good appointment and have a good day. God Bless you and yours.

  46. @ANutterVet, they could change the operations in the va if they wanted. Some (few) va medical centers can perform well almost to a private sector standards. The majority do not and that is the problem. Washington does care enough to make them all follow standards and that is why it is dangerous to a Veterans life. If they made them perform well or else then it would be a different va. Shulkin and the administration all know the problems it shows up in the performance data. I blame them for the failures because they allow it. They may not know how to fix it because the directors and the rest of the managers continue to lie.

  47. @Ex va,@ANutterVet: Fellas, I have my TBI Doc appointment tomorrow, gotta say goodnight. Talk another time.
    God Bless, and goodnight.

  48. dash dot – – – I got the gist of your joke. I’ve seen much, much worse. Point was made, got me laughing, that’s all that counts.

    @Ex va – – – When you get time, search this phrase, “how to naturally detox liver, kidneys, and gallbladder.” Make sure that it is a credible site. Its not expensive. There is an extra virgin olive oil [as Racheal Ray would say, EVOO] flush.

  49. ANutterVet, i thought the medical marijuana takes out the bad stuff that can hurt the brain. I don’t know but that is my understanding.

  50. dash dot, @Ex va – – – POTUS has been getting slack from Vet Activists for not taking care of Veterans like he said that he would when he campaigned. Can’t blame them for saying something, its true. I had concerns about this from the beginning of Orange is the new hair color Trump Presidential Campaign. There were always stories on our local news station about some of his business dealings, not telling the truth, and the outcomes.

  51. @ANutterVet, yes, i do need something to clean liver. Kidneys are in great shape. Liver is starting to get elevated. My meds are giving me some side effects.

    1. @Ex va,@ANutterVet: Cranberry juice to clean out. Tart cherry juice for pain, due to Arthur Itis. Tart cherry juice you get from a heath food store, it isn’t the same as just cherry juice.

  52. dash dot – – – Its too late now, but they should’ve told that bartender to call them something else. How rude. LMAO Funny you.

    1. @ANutterVet,@Ex va: It’s late, I sure messed up that joke, but for the sake of saving space it still kinda works.

  53. These two VA directors jumped off the Sears tower, everyone rushed to were they hit the ground. The cop asked, “does anyone know these people?”. Two guys step forward and say “No, but we know they had two assholes. The cop says, “You don’t know their names, but you know they had two assholes?” “Have you seen them before?” The two guys say “oh yes we worked with them for two years” The cop scratching his head says “Wait a minute, you worked with these guys for two years, you know they had two assholes, but you didn’t know their names?” Then how the hell do you know they had two assholes?” The two guys explained ” well every Friday night after we got paid, we would all go to the bar and drink. Every time we walked through the door, the bartender would say “here comes those two guys with the two assholes” “.

  54. dash dot, @Ex va – – – Shulkin will stay away from areas with flooding. He’ll be shacked up in a nice Hotel in dry dock area.

    Medical Marijuana – Cost is a factor though. I know that someday the VA and Feds are going to be challenged on how people are medically treated. Wife is all for it as long as it gives me relief. My mind is a ghost already, no worries there. LOL

    @Ex va – – – If you’re getting med dosage increase, may want to think about routinely flushing liver, kidneys, and gallbladder. In a couple of weeks, this is what I’ll be doing. I take acetaminophen as well. Need to flush the residues out.

  55. @-.-. .—, what happened when the two va directors jumped off the sears tower??

  56. dash dot, @Ex va – – – I’ve been posting at the bottom of the page, not at the Reply Button after the comments. I’m doing this because email program is still to sticky. I don’t want to flood with responses to comments. Make sense?

  57. @ANutterVet, if it would improve your quality of life, i say go for it. Some Veterans say it helps them. Anxiety and pain goes together. I know it will help sometimes with the anxiety and may get that pain level down for you. I am getting some of medicines increased hopefully help with the pain. You know more about the medications more than i do. I don’t understand why they have messed with your medications so much. I have had basically the same medications for years. Just up and down with dosages.

    1. @Ex va,@ANutterVet? It is good to up and lower the doses, so you don’t become immune to them. I ever tell you the story of the two VA directors that jumped off the Sears tower?

  58. dash dot – – – RT has been showing documentary pertaining to Texas open carry gun laws.

  59. @Ex va – – – If the water was clear, it is a good time to spear fish since the fish are absent minded because they have no place to call home.

    dash dot – – – Shulkin is on his way. He’s bringing Fish, Chips, and murky creek water for drink.

    1. @ANutterVet: That fucking cheapskate, I was sure an old buddy like Shulkin would bring some of that special swapwater, for such a special visit. I’m crushed!!!!

  60. @-.-. .—, i would give shulkin specific route to take and don’t worry about getting swept away it is just a little deep. Lol!!! I haven’t seen this much water in some years.

    1. @Ex va, @ANuterVet: I know the mississippi floods bad about every 100 years, the last time was not that long ago……………boy time flies when your waiting on the VA.

      1. @-.-. .—, they haven’t made that comparison yet i hope they don’t i know it hasn’t peaked yet. Yeah, the va can finish a claim every 100 years. Lol!

  61. @Ex va – – – No rain here, only cooler temps, a little dampness. Been sore from PT. VA only prescribes antihistamines. No anti-depressants for me. Only need something for breakthrough pain. Used up all options with nutraceuticals. Checking out a new MD in town. Makes house calls for PTSD, treats with Medical Marijuana, only thing its cash in advance only, and costs $150 for first visit. $50 for follow-ups. I’m thinking about putting in a request to the VA, and see what they say. What do you think?

  62. @ANutterVet,@Ex va: I wrote Shulkin a letter, I told him I live on the river, drop in any time.

    1. That river is often unfortunately called ‘Denial’, when the VA is involved.

  63. @Ex va – – – I seen the flooded roads, didn’t catch the state though. Did you have much flooding?

    1. @ANutterVet, we had some streets and state highways flood out. They were handing out cleaning supplies from the Red Cross. They had to evacuate some from their homes in boats. The state highway was closed next to where i live. It is unusual all this water. Missouri got hit hard too.

    1. @Ex va,@ANutterVet: All good here, Good to see you back. Ex, most rivers are at or above flood stage throughout the state, much worse you way than up here. Hope you are far enough away from the river.

      1. @-.-. .—, We have rend lake which is really over flowing, which goes to big little muddy river which goes to the Mississippi or Missouri River. They are all over banks over roads. Washed a railroad track out next town over. These places are not on flood plains so all this rain and water is unusual. That rain was like a deluge.

  64. er Treatz? Oh, no I’m out of dry cereal tonight. Eating oatmeal for roughage. Been kinda jam up in the alimentary passage ways. How you?

  65. @.-.-. .—, yes, how are doing? This weather is something we had like a total of 13 inches of rain in a couple of days. Some of the state roads closed. Evacuated some from homes.

  66. Hope my meds kick in pretty soon, and all this will be a bad memory. But I have a feeling my country will hand me a stick to hold, but it will be the shitty end, as usual.

  67. Just wondering were is all this extra electricity going? I bet the VA, still has an electric bill (probably not as high as mine).

  68. The fired Shreveport VAMC director was making veteran patients go without enough bed sheets and lay on mattresses so old that you could feel the bed springs on your back. No soap and toiletries for patients. Not enough money left for those kinds of things. Instead, monies were used to construct elevated solar panels in the parking area that vets had to park their vehicles under. I was told that sometimes one of them catches on fire and the Fire Dept. has to be called to come put the fire out. The damn things were probably not constructed right. I could be just speculating about it but it may be that the building of those solar panels was to get in good graces with Obummer and DOE.

    1. Dennis, you can find the contract documents for each of these solar projects. I found the contract documents for the VA hospital I go to.

      This solar crap started some years ago when Oblahblah was giving billions to cronies for solar energy products. Oblahblah then mandated that many federal facilities install solar panels. Yeah he wanted it to look good for the tree hugging crowd, but in reality, he was trying to drum up business for his cronies to make it look like the federal money Oblahblah was shoveling at them was put to good use.

      The contract for my VA was almost 7 million. Two or 3 new parking structures were built, with solar panels all over the roof, and charging stations at various points in the structures for charging electric cars. I have never seen one used.

      Whenever I went up to the second floor for PT, I could see out the windows to the roof of the lower building…and every square inch was covered in solar panels…not just the parking structure.

      So, while veterans were being wait listed all over the country, the VA, with Oblahblahs blessing was spending many millions on putting in solar panels.

  69. I forgot to add…I cannot see any way the VA can get rid of buildings unless they are currently empty. If they are being used, I cannot see them closing down the facility and moving people elsewhere since every Congressman will be whining about the cost to whatever community they are in. It would not matter their record of malpractice, abuse of veterans or wait list fraud.

    The only way I can see them closing any facility currently in use is for Congress to do their usual routine. Appoint a Blue Ribbon commission made up of out of work politicians. Give them office space, a budget, per diem to travel the country investigating, and then they decide to close facilities. Congress can then point to the commission as being the ones who decided.

    The problem is, during the last round of actual military base closures under BRAC, politics finally won over, and there were serious political favors being handed out to keep certain bases open.

    I can also see the AFGE working with the VSO’s pushing a sad publicity campaign about how veterans will be so adversely affected and may die if hospital X is closed.

  70. Interesting. Given the millions wasted by the VA on so many frivolous things, I can’t see this as a budget savings idea dreamed up by anyone in VA. Regardless of who came up with it, I think its a good plan since the feral goobermint seems to collect buildings and property like a crazy lady collects cats.

    It also seems weird that an agency expected to get an increase in their budget would propose saving money elsewhere. I mean, this is the same bunch still building that palace in Aurora and who shuffles directors around the country every other year without a seconds thought to cost.

    It might also explain why every person I interacted with today at my VA appointment was so nice. If this plan trickled down through the ranks, I’m sure many will be on their best behavior trying to save their jobs. I was at X-ray at about 7:20 as I was supposed to be. The lady on duty today came walking down the hall just coming in to work just as I got there, and I expected to be told to wait in the waiting room until she settled in, but she told me to sign in before she even took her coat off. I did so, she checked me in and I went to the waiting room. About 10 minutes later the Xray tech came to get me. This wasn’t too surprising since the Xray department always seemed to be efficient.

    After that, I went to Ortho, and the check in area seemed to be even cleaner and more professional than the last time I was there. The clerk said she would check me in, but I knew I would have to wait until the appointment, which was fine. I asked whether I might get in early and said I might go down to the chow hall and get breakfast, but they don’t open until 8am. She told me they now open at 7:30, and I should just go and she will check me in when I get back…so I did.

    After eating, I checked in, and the intake nurse and questions were not done in the waiting room like they were before. I went right into a room after that, and even the doctor was early. What was shocking was the appointment lasting for about a half hour, easily 15 minutes more than they usually lasted. She explained everything, answered several questions, and even answered questions about kinds of supplements I could take for inflammation because I am allergic to so many other medicines.

    I won’t say the VA is reformed because there are a huge number of other things they need to do yet, but things have certainly changed for the better since the election.

  71. Hi my wounderful VETERAN BROTHERS AND SISTERS . Around four months ago first of 2017, I and my wife went to the Atlanta V A medical center aka hospital. I had finally after many years of turn downs been awarded a good and certain type of service connected disability rating from a injury that’s permanent and is worsening over the years. I had with me my VA card saying service connected disabled showing not the percentage of disability. It’s not a …100 PERCENT YET AND MAY NEVER BE .The reason I went there is that I was prescribed some different Meds by a non VA Doctor. One prescription there was NO GENERIC FOR IT . The Doctor said I must have it and he had no samples. My private insurance nor my Medicare would not pay anything, on that one time very very high dollar prescription. I needed help on that ONE PRESCRIPTION, the others I payed a very small copayment and insurance payed the rest. The VA would have furnished me those prescriptions as well because the VA will honor a civilian doctors prescription if the VET has been awarded a certain type service connected disability, but you must be seen by a doctor OR a licensed pharmacist which the VA allows a SENIOR pharmacist the powers to authorize without a VA doctors say so . But there’s a catch to this , I must had to first go and check in to the E R DEPARTMENT!!!! WE ALL know how that can be its like going to a amusement park isn’t it ? YEA RIGHT. Since I had been to a doctor and had in hand my prescription, only just the high dollar ONE,trying to be fair since I have insurance that would and did pay the others. I also had my State issued drivers license, my VA issued I D CARD ALL WITH MY GREAT BIG BEAUTIFUL FACE ON THEM AND MY WIFE TO SAY WHAT I AM , I MEAN WHO I AM .I almost let that long tail cat out of the bag . My wife walks into ER I follow in my old power wheelchair which my private insurance paid for, well a women nurse asked if she could help me we had not said one word yet. I than showed her my prescription, my credentials and started asking her in a nice way do I need to go straight on to the pharmacy with this since I’m service connected disabled or———-she would not let me finish my question . She the nurse just short of yelling barked out because that’s the way she turned on me , who do you think you are? you have to wait in line like everyone else you can’t just jump the line and expect to talk to me . Wife and I look at each other in disbelief, I than say back well lady you seen my wife and I as we came in those very outside doors and you ask if you could help me and I thought WOW THATS NICE it shocked me , that’s why I was speechless when you first asked me. I said if you weren’t going to help than why did you ask me in the first place . That lit the fuse than yelling get out of my way and get in line because your not special. I might have expected that from some old nurse in boot camp forty five years ago but this nurse was around twenty five and gorgeous. I get in line which moved pretty fast ,10 or 12 minutes later I’m back in front of this nurse and my wife is squeezing my hand with hers to remind me to remain CALM . I DID THANKS HONEY , rats!!! I SAY NOTHING nurse again can I help you. New approach!!! Yes mam you can, thank you that’s sweet, all I’m asking holding out all info for her to grasp and read, do I need to see the E R Doctor for him to appove this civil prescription or just go to pharmacy with it . BINGO …..nurses response. Your not so special and the VA police are standing over there .AND SHE SMILES !!!! Now we’re squeezing each other’s hand cutting off the blood flow and blood is about to start flowing from the holes in our mouths flappers. We literally back away and walk away before my pacemaker went wild and my defibrillator started going goofy. Which private insurance paid for. Stepping outside using cell phone we call the very place were at and THEY ANSWERD FAST I told the nice lady my problem she said please don’t hang up because I’m getting you some help. Very very shortly I was transferred to a dept the phone rang ONLY TWICE another lady answered saying Mr and my last name , only the mean nurse knew my name for I had not given it to anyone else. The lady I was talking to was the HEAD NURSE over all the nurses .After confirming to her that I was still there at ER she said please wait and told me where to wait at. Fifteen minutes later two people walk up wearing very nice business suits .After hearing OUR story theses two asked me for my prescription and VA I D card I handed it to them they said someone would be with me shortly and was told to go sit at a different place and pay close attention. They did not say to what. Well my wife and I were shown where to wait at. After about twenty minutes and still no answer to my question concerning my prescription. My wife goes to the lady’s ,well you know. Boo HOO while she’s in there there’s a different well dressed man and lady that approach this ER NURSE she’s handed and envelope than followed out of sight than no more than a minute later she’s followed back by the same people .The nurse is escorted out and the VA POLICE stand and watches as she walks out of sight which the police than got on there radios while watching the direction the disappeared in. Why were the police on there radios ? Probably unrelated reasons . I’m almost finished. My wife’s pulling her hair out because she missed seeing the fallen ax. I’m met by a senior pharmacist given my Meds and I D .Nothing else was said . I could not figure out how that head nurse knew my name and had knowledge of some of what had happened. I know that nurse didn’t rat on her self . Than the answer came to me while wrighting this . I remember a MAN standing behind me while I was in line in my power wheelchair he tapped me on my shoulder and said I believe this belongs to you. He handed me my VA card that I had dropped when it did not make it into my shirt pocket with my prescription and license did. He must had heard part of what happened if not all of it. If your reading this thanks my brother for having my back. I’ll never forget. I pray and hope this is accepted and people read it. The VA HAD MY BACK AS WELL . THANK YOU VA . I PRAY FOR THE NURSE and hope we’ll for her. Your brother R E L.

    1. Robert, very interesting. Sounds like that nurse got hers. I’me glad you received a
      positive outcome. You stood strong.
      I also see outside doctors and when he or she prescribes meds for me I speak
      to my primary care doctor at the va and she puts it in for me.
      Also my heart doctor on the outside communicates with my va heart doctor.
      So any heart med I need I get thru the vs. no prescription needed.
      Maybe I’me lucky but I have good doctors outside and at the va.
      I am I Medicare and Medicare advantage. (Aetna)

  72. One way to reduce maintenance and wasted space is to remove all AFGE personnel from our(Veterans) taxpayers funded buildings. Let AFGE pay their own employees instead of using taxpayers money that isn’t delegated to be spent on THEM. Maybe it’s more than that twenty-five million. You’re not draining nothing, you’re parting it out. Did I mention that we could use a few Doctors?

  73. Doesn’t any good news ever come out of the VA. The old adage, he’s lying, because his lips are moving, sure seems to apply here. Send our young people into harms way, and when they return, their told to stay off the grass. I hope Thrump, puts a boot up his ass.

    1. @Namnibor – – – Believe, believe . . . Good. How do you feel now? Better? “A lot better than earlier sir.” Good, good. Is this your first time? “Why yes it is sir.” Nice, nice. Here you go, fill out this contact card so that we can keep in touch. And, don’t forget to sign on the line so that you can be committed. “How much does this cost?” Oh its costless.”

      Provided by the Cannabiz Comedy Club of Coughing City, California, owned and operated by Chester ‘Chitty’ Couples, and affiliated with the Central Chrisna Cience Centers with the full convincing and creative Cush Cush of the Crips Chocolate Covered Convicted Crickets of the Criminal Correctional Centers of Conjugated County, Crompton Creek, California. All cash and currency is converted to correct change for additional charges for coming circumstances.

      I got carried away with the rambling. This post makes about as much sense as the current operations, medical services, and claims filing processes of the VA. Sorry, it seemed funny when I started to write out this chattering vernacular nonsense. I see differently now since I posted in brail.

  74. Maybe it is the buildings and their locations. Do we know anything about them? I don’t trust anything THEY ARE SAYING OR DOING.

  75. Crunching the Numbers – Something is amiss here. Red flags are at full mast. Why? The numbers don’t make sense. Let me briefly but simply explain as we follow the numbers;

    $25 Million / year
    ——————— = $21,459.23 year/facility divided by 12 months = $1,788.30 facility / month
    1165 Facilities

    I don’t know the sizes of these VA Facilities that Shulkin is referring too, but it seems like $1,788.30 a month is an extremely low cost per each facility per each month of operation. Besides the costs of facilities, you will have to add the wage cost per each VA employee that works in the 1165 VA Facilities.

    So for simple sake, the pay of only one employee [Janitorial Engineer or food worker], would more than likely eat up the above calculated one month facility cost of $1,788.30. Like I said, the numbers don’t add up. Others have commented as well to the basic number crunching.

    I get the feeling that the VA leadership [Shulkin], thinks that we Veterans can’t count or think due to most of us being older Veterans, and possibly our minds are filled with sticky beta-amyloid plaque. Does anyone else see the same thing with the numbers? How about the build-up of beta-amyloid plaque? Just sayin, because thankfully I’m still able to think, rationalize, and calculate.

    1. I may have a build-up of some sort of plaque but am pretty sure it’s an all-natural resin and my brain either way does not see the logic in the number’s Shulkin presented. Remember, language is indeed a virus with the VA so that $25 Million may be *really* referencing savings in VA Interior Decorating costs. Just saying, the VA redefines everything so what’s a few 100 Million here and there?

  76. The VA is broken and cannot be fixed because of the cynical, arrogant, corrupt bureaucracy.
    I have seen it time and time again and the recent publicity confirms it.
    Veterans need to be able to go to the best doctor, get care, and have the care paid for by the Government.
    There is no need for veterans to be treated by Nurse Practioners, Physician Assistants instead of REAAL DOCTORS OF THE VETERAN’S CHOICE OR TO BE TREATED BY SOME DOCTOR WHO CAN BARELY SPEAK ENGLISH.
    Psychiatrists and psychologists consistently attempt to sabotage veterans’ applications for compensation and these so called psychologists and psychiatrists are coached to defeat these veterans’ applications, they are arrogant, snotty, devious, and understand ABSOLUTELY NOTHING about what the veteran has gone through.
    There was a “doctor”, “doctor of education” who was in charge of all of the psychiatrists and psychologists at the Wash. D.C. VA, who bragged that he could not be fired, even though he had laughingly publicly described veterans who had suffered brain trauma as “FAKIRS”…..?????!!!
    One of these “fakirs” after being refused treatment by this “DOCTOR” of EDUCATION killed himself.
    Another allegedly killed his wife and then himself.
    Finally this “doctor” was removed by the Inspector General of the VA.
    However, he went on active duty in the Navy, (he was a member of a reserve unit) and then FOUR YEARS LATER CAME BACK WITH ALL OF HIS PROMOTIONS AND PAY RAISES HE WOULD HAVE GOTTEN AS IF HE HAD NEVER LEFT??!!
    These boobecrats can not be cured they must be discarded.
    The sabotage veterans’ claims for disability/compensation.
    There is no reason why an independent attorney cannot be given these applications and decided with the statute by which claims are supposed to be decided, “BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT”
    In the law, (as is practiced in the VA system), once your claim gets to the Board of Veterans Appeals it is an “appeal” and for the most part you can not add in any evidence of your disability which you may have inadvertently left out (as a non lawyer).
    Then your claim is opposed by at least FOUR GOVERNMENT LAWYERS, OPPOSED IN ANY TECHNICAL WAY,….why can’t you be assigned a lawyer when you start your claim??!! ARE YOU KIDDING ME??
    I was told by the head of a Regional Office, (off of the record) that these adjudicators throw away veterans’ claims, hide them, in fact I caught them hiding my claim record, believe it or not……
    Get rid of the VA buildings, the VA “doctors”, the whole frigging bureaucracy, let real objective professionals administer the medical care and the granting of compensation ………………………

    1. Agree what the VA has become, a real danger to veteran’s they have proven it over and over.

      Yes, VA employees would make fun of veterans with a disability, adjudicated or not.

      Suicide us a blessing for the VA one less veteran to deal with. Ok he’s dead grant him his disability.

      Really how many veteran’s have killed themselves because they denied their disability. Without an adjudicated claim they refuse treatment !

      I know I’m one of the thousands they done it to and after hiring an attorney finding out they lied about My military record’s.

      I did try to kill myself and when I finely got treatment, they used the past suicide attempts against me.

      If you tell them about getting into fist fights, defending yourself these use it against you.

      They try to get the veterans to say negative things about one’s childhood and they will try and use that against the veterans.

      All said and done, a veteran can not tell them anything, that will not be turned around to speak negatively about the veterans.

      I have learned not to say anything about My problems. How are you today ?

      Fine end of conversation ! Just renew my medication and I’m out of here.

      Silence is golden or they will use that against the veterans.

      1. If your silent, they will just say you’re being non-compliant.
        Silence IS a response.

  77. Why is it that they think closing facilities makes a big difference? $25 million dollars is chump change. They just don’t get it. I read reports that said the VA loses 2-4 billion a year in mismanagement and other stupid folly’s so why do we have to suffer because they think they know best. We have an outsider now at the head of the VA. He has never been a Soldier or ever served in any branch of the Military so who would have thought he would have done good for us? This is getting pathetic. I could fix the VA, but don’t know if I want to waste my time if they wouldn’t do what I said. There is a lot more wrong than some empty buildings and underutilzed facilities…get everything else fixed, then go after that, but seems like the do things assbackwards….

    1. Right-on, it’s not really the structures/facilities that are the problem with the VA, it’s the engorged AFGE purple teams in all of them.
      Nothing that a well-targeted tactical neutron bomb wouldn’t take care of and leave the structures intact and even kill the flesh-eating bacteria infecting the facilities. Win/Win. We Veterans can deal with radiation, just not engorged AFGE Purple Teams. Time to burn-off the fat! 🙂

  78. I support closing down any VA facility possible. If this is sincere — who would know? — it’s wonderful, but I question the sincerity of a piddling $25 million. That doesn’t even rise to the level of budget dust

    1. @ron nesler – It was that very paltry figure of $25 Million savings that was the huge red flag for my questioning the sincerity of their proposed actions, and reason I suggested it was merely a smokescreen for moving the deckchairs around again.
      I truly hope I am wrong, but I am thinking there’s at least one zero/decimal point missing on that $25 Million. Even $250 Million would be lower part of plausible. The VA is never great with numbers…wouldn’t that also imply and implore that the VA be appointed a fiduciary to ask to even buy toilet paper let alone some color changing furniture? 🙂

  79. I find it offensive that the VA and VA Sec. Shulkin would attempt to hijack a military term for closing installations as BRAC.
    Why?
    Each of the USAF Bases that were *closed* under BRAC under Clinton in 90’s I was stationed at were *never really closed* and in-fact, those exact same bases have now reopened after many years of environmental clean-ups or remained at very low hum supportive operations…then stirred to life again with recent last few years world terror events.
    This VA hijacking of BRAC is in my opinion nothing but a huge smokescreen that will lead right up to a an additional money grab, wait for it.

    Also, wait for this: My theory at least, is that the VA will indeed “close” a number of facilities but the CHOICE program will STILL use those closed locations to deny CHOICE to Vets.

    Also, with Shulkin stating “…there’s a Lenscrafters on every corner…”, well, that’s a HUGE ASSumption that Vets can even AFFORD lenscrafters or other private eye/audio specialists. Is the VA now going to allow CHOICE for eye/hearing or will it be dependent on a Veteran living more than 40 miles from a Lenscrafters now….seeing how Shulkin was very specific about how numerous the Lenscrafters are?
    Will the VA even take Lenscrafter’s word when the determine a Vet indeed has far worse problems that they cannot address and need to be referred to an expensive eye specialists? Lenscrafters does not even do a specialized test I need for a specific virus I am prone to with my eyes…how will this work or not?

    Rat Bastards will also probably receive bonuses for identifying to-be-closed buildings and the VA will likely relocate all the engorged VA employees affected to another watering hole…no savings in end and I predict this will actually cost the VA and taxpayers MORE in long run….because everything is bac-assward at the VA. 🙂

    1. Now that I think about it, does anyone else now wondering just how many VA SES’ers own stock in Lenscrafters? Wait for it…

    2. It WILL cost them more in the long run if they close facilities, and move employees elsewhere.

      You can bet the AFGE will demand relocation expenses for any employee relocated.

      As for eye doctors, I was referred to an eye doctor locally for glasses. The VA reimbursed for such a low amount, there was a single style of frames I could get based on the lenses I needed.

      I can’t imagine what they will do for more serious problems like yours, other than to claim the problem doesn’t exist, or it suddenly cured itself.

      1. Relocation can be hazardous ! Example: VA closed a VA Hospital. I believe that they closed it down because the VA was having to pay employee’s because management was retaliating against them and the VA having to pay out a lot of money. To the point that the facility was a hazard.

        Problem is those that did not retire, were disbursed to other facilities. CBOC’s. I guess the VA figured that would fix the problem. In my opinion, it did not solve the problem, all it did was spread the Bad employee’s to another facility.

        They are the very same employee’s that were doing the harm in the first place. So closing the facility did nothing to stop the abuse.

        Only one way to fix the problem ! Fire people that should not be there, the problem is that if they do not do a proper investigation and inform all VA employee’s when a investigation is being imitated into wrong doing’s and the employee’s do not answer truthfully, they will be found as part of the problem and appropriate action will been taken. Your Fired !

        Accountability is key. A no nonsense approach is required. Once employee’s see for them selves that they will be held accountable will things change. If employees see that if they blow the whistle and are protected, not only will employee’s feel better about their jobs, the Veterans would benefit, by Good employee’s being happier knowing they matter.

        The way it sounds is that we maybe going to enter WW 3 and the VA will not be able to handle all the Carnage caused by War and will have to use outside facilities to care for the wounded.

        The Draft will be used and then thousands or millions of Families will be effected and then we will hear a loud out cry from them. Problem is it maybe to late.

        America will be no more or we will be fighting each other for food and shelter.

        People in America better wake up and speak up. This is not a Game.

      2. America will be no more or we will be fighting each other for food and shelter…..your right. but you cant tell most older people that. they think the government wouldn’t do that to us, BS just like they wouldn’t deny your claim when you have all the proof in the world… its just a matter of time when when the great banking ponzi scheme comes tumbling down.. and yes they can get into your computer anytime they want…AND LEM. ME POSTING THINGS LINKING BACK TO A GOV. WEB SIGHT IS FAKE NEWS

    3. I have “eye problems” also. I’m on two specific meds for both eyes. Lens Crafters doesn’t do what I need!
      I might be having to have eye surgery in the future.
      All due to an explosion, 122 rocket, in Vietnam (1968)!
      If they close down all the eye clinics, will VA send me to a specialist that speaks English?
      There’s only one here in Central Florida I would trust!

      1. service connected for eyes & ears myself, wonder what type of aids we’ll get for eyes & ears when VA shuts down those units? veterans do get great hearing aids at most VA facilities, though they do push out the ones VA wants you to have when in truth they may have some better ones available. i.e., you know, clear the shelves of old stock on the unsuspecting veteran.

  80. @Dr.Shulkin Are you hearing us? Whomever wants to, can paste this comment up their ass. Use a used VA nurse’s glove. God, help the Veterans. The VA isn’t interested.

  81. Good!
    Roll it all into either Social Security or Medicare, and give us ID cards. Take their budget and give it to either of those groups. If they want to establish levels of care for services provided by services or disabilities, fine. Let us get care at the providers of our choice! My personal experiences prove to me I’ll never go to another VA Med Center. Terrible: filthy, poor quality of talent and care, long wait times, no one accountable. The private medical system works much, much better. If a Vet likes her/his care at a VA facility, fine let them go there also. But for the vast majority of us who have been through the grist mill on sooooooo many levels, don’t force us to only go to a VA facility. Why should we be forced to go to subpar practitioners? That’s not medical care!

  82. All saving will of course go to the regional directors that locate all these unused but still maintained BUILDINGS that the VA has as BONUSES net value to Taxpayers ZERO, Net Value to VETERAMS NEGITIVE

  83. @ANutterVet,@all: I just got off the phone with Disgruntled Veteran, his computer system was just hit with a vengeance, and will be back on line in few days. That is 3 computers so far, from 3 different blog members, in 3 different parts of the world. I don’t think this is coincidence. Like I posted earlier, HEED Seymores warning and DO NOT click on any links associated with YOUR handle, on sites where YOU DIDN’T leave a comment. Something is a foot, BEWARE.

    1. Another thing to be aware of is if you have a gmail account. Google was hit with a massive phishing campaign today. Emails received by Gmail users looked like they came from legitimate senders asking the recipient to click on a link for a Google Doc. That link went to a script that changed permissions on the users gmail account giving full permissions to the hacker.

      At one point, it took out at least two of Googles servers affecting many thousands of people all over the world.

      Do a search on “Google hit by phishing” for news articles on it.

      The real problem with this was that the web address for the link in the email was a real Google link. The hackers just used weaknesses in Googles applications to gain permissions from the user.

    2. Something is going on, Secretary Shulkin has an employee by the name of Stephanie, has been there awhile and she handled my case I sent to McDonalds office about a VA Manager who retaliated against me.

      This employee contacted me Via E-mail and told me twice that the employee in question NO longer worked for the VA. When I advised her that she was given the incorrect information about the employee not working for the VA or she was lying to me.

      Stephanie or someone Removed the E-mails from my computer and she cut off all communication. This is telling me they have access to do this. She sent the whole packet right back to the Denver for action. Denver’s response Case closed.

      I thought that was strange, can they or do they have the ability to do this ?

      1. I say we gather up some teams, but first get some of our mil analysts to gather names and pert. info…..

        MOVE OUT!!!!

  84. How many times have we heard this before! Every time the VA threatens to shut down VHA’s, they open another one!

    Although I agree some VERY SMALL VHA’s should be shutdown, the odds are in VA’s favor of keeping them open.

    On the other hand, a VERY SMALL VHA which employs say 10 to 20 people, will not have any impact on the surrounding businesses!
    Unlike a military base which employed hundreds of civilians and had a few thousand service members, as that Representative claimed!
    Big difference there between a very small VHA and a military base!

    I suggest “laying off” incompetent worthless healthcare providers.
    How about “laying off” those providers who DIDN’T graduate from American Medical Universities – like maybe Harvard or Yale!
    Or how about “laying off” those incompetent VHA employees who continue to “cook the books” on “wait times”!
    I do believe being “Laid off” is different than being “fired”! An employee just won’t know if he/she will be brought back!
    The, (AFGE), union can’t stop layoffs due to “money management”, because the members are not being fired. What “leg” will the union stand upon when VA starts laying off its employees!?

    I also see this “ploy” by “Shithead Shulkin” as a way to possibly allow VBA/VHA upper management employees to put additional taxpayers monies in their pockets! Why? Because they just received more taxpayers monies for this fiscal year, than in all the fiscal years prior!

    Basically, what I see is; a massive theft ring of degenerates! Like the director who was fired at the VHA in Louisiana recently! He was more worried about buying furniture, big flat screen TVs and other non-essential medical items than giving veterans quality healthcare!

    These are my opinions and thoughts, under my Rights determined by the Constitution and Bill of Rights!
    Lastly; “FUCK OFF VA!”

    1. Agree rural areas have maybe 10 employees. One nurse and one PA, Nurse practitioner and in my area. Just a nurse right now and all the rest are administrative. All of these administrative position can be done from the main facility.

      Go into the clinic and get frustrated and say anything about it, You become a threat. to their Job.

      Veterans in Rural areas should be able to use Choice and close the clinics down. Rural Areas are breeding grounds for Managers to pick Friends and distant family members. They will lie and cover up, because you do not Bite the hand that feeds you.

      Choice is the Answer, save millions. 8 Administrative employee’s and one or maybe two treating personnel and the Manager control their actions, by feeding lies about certain veterans. Its not good.

      1. I personally think that LUVMY4LEGGEDKIDZ has the most logical solution on this post.
        #ihaveur6also!

  85. VA airways needs more and more and more.

    Whole veteran’s get less and less and less.

    The VA needs to get rid of many employees due to their lack of accountability.

    They sit and pick their noses, tell the veterans tell someone who cares, next !

    We don’t need more nose pickers, we need people who really care.

    I know I’m being a smart ass, but how did we get to where we are at now ?, VA employees !

    Get rid of the dead wood and a new ? would grow healthy and strong. Who wants thousands of new employees learning bad habits from current employees.

    VA employees should be turning in employees who do not care. All they have to do is film them in action, old habits are hard to brake.

    Veteran’s must be respected not accused of disruptive behavior. It’s always about employees and veterans are left out in the cold. Why ?

    1. I’m a 19 year VA Employee and I know you ain’t talkin’ about me, Sir…me and my coworkers bust our ars’s every day to give the best care to my fellow Veterans…sorry your experience was negative, and those few Employees who disrespect Vets should be fired, but the whole VA is not made up of the few bad apples…

      1. FEW?? Get rid of the crack pipe…

        Between bonuses, manipulated programs such as Voc Rehab, and disrespectful and intellectually flawed employees as in the many, VA needs to go.

        SOLUTION: Get rid of and eternally destroy the VA as it is known today. This disables the union because a newly named federal veteran agency would have a new mission statement therefore reestablishing a new workforce after firing the tens of thousands.
        Next: hire veterans, in particular veterans with a compatible MOS or RATE within the medical career fiend as in nurses, personnel admin, combat medics and corpsman, supply NCO’s, and most importantly, DO NOT HIRE ANY O’GRADE FOR A SENIOR POSITION, INSTEAD EVERY SENIOR POSITION BE GIVEN TO SENIOR ENLISTED VETERANS. LOGIC AND PAST EXPERIENCE SHOWS O’ GRADES GOING INTO SENIOR POSITIONS TEND TO SCREW THINGS UP AS IN CURRENT VA AFFAIRS.
        NEXT: PAY FOR VA EMPLOYEES WOULD BE $10,000 ABOVE CURRENT MILITARY PAY SCALES AND SUBSEQUENT RAISES AND/OR EVALUATIONS EVERY 6 MONTHS…..
        FINALLY, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, ABSOLUTELY NO BONUSES FOR ANYBODY, PERIOD!!!!
        GET RID OF SHULKIN…..

      2. If you would read my posts I and others state that there are some good employees and there are a lot of Bad employees. If VA employee’s would do some research on their own, they could fine the Bad Apples. Can everyone be wrong in calling the VA the second worst place to work.

        Retaliation against each other for bring out wrong doings, Falsely accusing veterans of disruptive behavior, Playing hungry hippo games. Employees keeping secret wait list. VBA denying veterans claims just to clear out the back log.

        I have meet good and Bad and the good ones get Praise by me calling and expressing my thoughts. So yes we veterans want to be treated with respect, but many veterans get the opposite.

        Reputation was not made by me, it is made by the VA itself. If you see something wrong say something, don’t leave it to the other Guy. Thanks for caring.

  86. VA DEATHCARE AGIN ONE BIG BIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIG FEDERAL RICO CRIME RACKET GIVE ALL VETS VOUCHERS DEBIT CARED @ CONGRESS COWARDS CLOSE VA DEATHCARE ASAP VA BUDGET 2017 182 BILLION $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

  87. Hey VA, want to save money??? Throw AFGE and all of their worthless fucking minions out of taxpayer funded facilities. Also while you’re at it shitcan the so called Veterans advocates, the VSO’s.

      1. this is a major problem with VA employees, get the names of all involved and write a letter to the secretary on how your being treated. The patient rep’s were hired to help veterans when they have problems with the staff.

        Explain that you can not find resolution to you problem and how the Rep is treating you, have you been threatened. Have you been reported to the disruptive committee. If not that will probably be the next step.

        I believe that all veterans that are having problems should write the secretary and let him know how they are treating veterans when they seek help with a bad employee. Employees have all the protection and veterans None.

        If we stay quite he will never know what is going on and where. Also send a copy to the VA committee on veterans affairs the Senate committee. The VA is to report each year to them about employee’s that have done something wrong and the action taken or action not taken and why.

        Some times people think someone else will write and the problem maybe fixed. Lets not leave it to chance.

        Many employee’s still do not get the message that if they harm a veterans there is a price to pay. We have to whittle away at the problem. One employee at a time, the God syndrome must be addressed.

        You have more power than you think. In these cases the Pen is mightier than the sword. If they don’t know about the problems, they can not be addressed.

    1. CONGRESS COWARDS GIVE ALL VETS VOUCHERS DEBIT CARDS VETS ARE BIG BOYS VETS CAN FIND THEIR OWN HEALTHCARE ASAP SPENF ALL VA BUDGET 182 BILLION ON VETS HEALTH @ GET RIDE AFGE UNION CONTRACTS THAT REP 380,000 FEDERAL WOORKETS ?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

    2. AMEN ON THAT WARHORSE ! I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO USE THE DAV FOR 5 OR 6 YEARS , THEY NEVER DID SHIT FOR ME , I FINALLY DROP THEM !FOUND A RETIRED VETERAN ON SOUTH SIDE OF ATLANTA WHO WORKS FOR THE STATE OF GEORGIA FILING CLAIMS FOR VETERANS , HE IS THE GREATEST ! HE IS “NOT ” A VA EMPLOYEE !MOST OF THOSE BASTARDS WON’T HELP YOU AT ALL OR TELL YOU YOU CAN’T FILE A CLAIM ! “WORTHLESS EMPLOYEES ” ! FIND YOU A CLAIMS OFFICE WHO WORKS FOR YOUR STATE AND NOT THE VA !

  88. The VA may claim to be saving by not filling vacant positions, but they failed to mention that they’ve all of those positions by way of internal promotions. Millions of dollars in raises and training is being spent covertly. Not to mention, this may indirectly create a larger backlog due to the fact that all of those promotions have created more vacancies that won’t be filled. The Regional Office employees in Compensation & Pension will be swamped more than ever.

  89. Another Dr. Shulkin talking about buildings. We need Doctors and trained nurses. We need to get rid of backlogs. Veterans need an avenue to expose useless VA employees, and to hold them accountable. Any money the VA can save, we’ll never know where it went. We will know where it didn’t go. It’s not going to what we need so desperately. Tired of the lies and hidden agendas.

  90. It depends on what you believe. Many people believe thzt something HUGE is going to happen in not too long, and they are downsizing everything they can for the triple purpose of keeping patriots from using the facilities when national warfare breaks out, to save money, (although the mentioned 25 million dollars is a typo or huge underestimate) and to pave the way to cut ALLveterans benefits if their side wins!

    1. It is a real HUGE typo because at least ten workers being paid per year amounts to $25 million dollars, they make a lot of money doing what? Tell me exactly what one worker does to help a veteran besides a doctor or nurse?

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