VA Drug Theft

VA Drug Theft – Who Is Stealing Drugs Intended For Veterans?

VA Drug Theft

I will give you a hint. When it comes to finding out who is stealing drugs intended for veterans, her name may start with “doctor”.

Federal authorities are investigating rampant allegations of opioid and other prescription drug theft likely by VA employees inside the agency.

But what kind of employees are doing it? Is it the rank and file VA employee, senior executives, medical doctors, all of the above?

Presently, Associated Press uncovered data showing the federal government is investigating 36 different criminal cases opened since October. This brings the total amount of open investigations to 108 involving criminal theft or unauthorized drug use.

Generally, such investigations lead to criminal charges, but within the walls of any VA, almost anything is possible.

More VA Drug Theft Numbers

The present numbers reveal an increase over the same period the previous year despite VA’s “zero tolerance” pledge. Since 2009, doctors, nurses and pharmacy staff within 160 medical centers and 1,000 clinics are suspected of siphoning off drugs for unauthorized use or sale.

According to NY Times:

Drug thefts are a growing problem at private hospitals as well as the government-run VA as the illegal use of opioids has increased in the United States. But separate data from the Drug Enforcement Administration obtained by the AP under the Freedom of Information Act show the rate of reported missing drugs at VA health facilities was more than double that of the private sector. DEA investigators cited in part a larger quantity of drugs kept in stock at the bigger VA medical centers to treat a higher volume of patients, both outpatient and inpatient, and for distribution of prescriptions by mail.

Since 2009, drug loses at VA facilities increased from 237 to 2,397 this year. And, as one would suspect, of these instances, only 3 percent of the doctors, nurses and pharmacy staff disciplined.

Surprised by the lack of accountability for wronging?

If you are, you should not be. VA maintains a horrible track record of enforcing ethics and conduct standards, especially when senior leaders are involved.

Notably, VA is struggling in ridding itself of two of the most scandalous VA directors in recent history. The reason is not due to a lack of ability to terminate properly but instead VA management is failing to investigate and prosecute misconduct with any zeal, whatsoever.

Case in point is DeWayne Hamlin who was recently hired back to San Juan VA, located in Puerto Rico. Hamlin was implicated in fraud, whistleblower harassment, and apparently drug theft. Yet, when executives moved to terminate him, they failed to do so by checking all the bases.

RELATED: Notoriously Corrupt VA Director Hired Back

That seems to be the issue within VA. They promote bad leaders and, when those bad leaders make colossal mistakes like Sharon Helman, a felon who managed Phoenix VA during the wait list fraud, get locked into appeals for years to get their jobs back.

Despite recently becoming a felon, Helman is still appealing her case. VA prosecutors reportedly failed to prosecute her case to include implication in the wait list scandal, only pinning her with misrepresentation of financial disclosures and receiving improper gifts from a lobbyist, including Beyoncé tickets and tickets to Disney Land.

RELATED: Helman Case Reveals Secret Lobbyist Gifts

Is it any wonder this system keeps churning out corrupt losers for those of us in the press to continue writing about day in and day out?

Source: https://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2017/05/29/us/politics/ap-us-veterans-affairs-missing-drugs.html

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166 Comments

  1. @Ex va: Ex, I will have to catch you tomorrow night, I am exhausted, and have my TBI Dr’s appointment in the morning. Hope you sleep well and are not in too much pain. Talk soon. Goodnight.

  2. @Ex va,@James Clement: Guys, I need to get some sleep, really tired. I bid you farewell, and hope you all sleep well. God Bless you and your families.

    ∩ │◥███◣ ╱◥███◣
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    │╱◥█◣║∩∩∩ ║◥█▓ ▓█◣
    ││∩│ ▓ ║∩田│║▓ ▓ ▓∩ ║
    Goodnight Ben’s World

    1. @cj, goodnight and God Bless you and yours. God Bless the Veterans and their families.

  3. @Ex va,@James Clement: It is so disheartening what veterans are living through, just trying to live, while the hurters of veterans are payed more than we could ever dream of getting payed, all the while being looked down upon like we are some kind of leaches when it is they who are the real leaches. Geez, I should change my handle to “shake and bake” each new bit of bad news that effects the people we know is like another shake of the bag, until I finally get good and hot and fly off the handle………………………..again. Wilma……….get me blunderbuss, and fill it with all the scrap nails and anti government screw ups serum!!!! We have some target practice to get done.

    1. @cj, i hear you and understand completely. The va employees are leaches. I hate leaches. Bloodsuckers!!!

    1. @CJ – – – No time tonight. Homeless coming soon if cannot avoid. Sorry. Got to scramble with other stuff.Will keep in touch via e-mail. Anything I pass to you , you can pass to Ex.

      I do read all of your conversations. Ex, I do hope you are able to travel in that motorhome. What an enjoyable adventure that would be!

      Later.

      DV

      1. @James Clement, so sorry that you are going thru this right now. I will be praying for you and your family. Please keep in touch.

      2. @cj, you never know what someone else is going thru. So many pits in life that someone can fall into. I’ve fallen into a few. It just happens. Never see it coming sometimes.

      3. @Ex va: It’s true, so many people just one paycheck away from being homeless, and veterans hold a bigger share of that segment than should be. When that is the case, something is terribly wrong with this country.

        I thought we judges a country based on how it treats it’s poor, it’s veterans, it’s elderly, and it’s mentally ill. I guess the hoity toity, are too busy stealing all the wealth, and to hell with everyone else…..well done America, well done. Fucking high falootin asswipes. 100’s of millions of dollars of bonuses for oil exec’s that veterans have died fighting over that oil, where the fuck are all these filthy rich oil companies, and why are they not helping in the care of those veterans and their families? I can’t fucking wait for the revolution to begin. OH WHAT FUN WE’LL HAVE THAT DAY!!!!!! Better run and hide all you fucktwats, I will be coming for you when that day arrives. I am not reading back over this and I don’t give a shit if it makes sense or not, so piss off any trolls that wanna put your two cents in.

      4. @CJ – – – Those are things that a country SHOULD be judged on. Especially, one of the richest, most blessed countries the world has ever seen.

        I am happy to see Great Britain, France, Germany and other countries beginning to “push back” against the US and our policies. Having been to those countries, I can say that their priorities are a bit more civilized than ours.

      5. @James Clement: James, all I know is we are one messed up country, and our priorities have run amuk. Something has got to give, we can’t keep heading down this path. I see a reset on the horizon.

      6. @CJ – – – Precisely why I include this statement as part of my “FIX THE DAMN BROKEN VA” rant.

        “NO Combat Veteran should be surprised when the next McVeigh Incident occurs. Bound to happen. Just a matter of time . . . ”

        It will happen. Then all the politico’s and media will PRETEND to be shocked. Change the policies of our country NOW and you can change the FUTURE outcome for America as a nation.

        But our leaders are clueless and heartless.

      7. Your right I was watching Michael Moore who did a show who shall I envade.

        I was shocked to see how they treat other’s.

        Free health care, SOME places do not arrest people using any type of drug and less people are using.

        Jail is a retreat to clean them up, jail the inmates have their own room and key and no one has been beated up.

        They showed America on how we are treated, they made America look like crap.

        It made me sick to see the difference !

        These countries take care of each other, they seem to be happy.

        Come on America get with it.

      8. @James s Gallegos – – – Well said. And your observations are right on target.

      9. @cj, the trolls come out during working hours. So it seems. Using government resources for personal use.

        You are right people one paycheck away from being homeless. It is wrong the economics of our country. The wealthy just become more wealthier, the poor more poorer. The middle class just disappears. People are not being payed a liveable wage. Government is so indifferent to all of it.

      10. @Ex va: They said they abolished slavery? LMAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO, and I have the Boston bridge for sale. In the USA, they import slave labor, from every country you can think of. That is the root of the problem for Americans, that is why nobody can find a well paying job, in most sectors. All about the greed.

      11. The new slaves are prisoner’s mainly blacks, mainly in the south. They are free labor for many companies.

        Telemarketer, many other’s. Now we know why their are no jobs for Americans not in jail.

        Slavery is alive and well. The south made sure they arrested thousands of blacks and made it so once they are in or out they can not vote.

        For the people, by the people. ! What a joke !

        Think veterans are treated any different NOPE ! Deny deny die.

        Were no better than Russia or other oppressive country. What is going on in the middle east.

        Will happen here in America by real Americans, watch and see, people can only take so much.

        Many other countries the people have the power, here in America no so. Any more !

      12. @cj, the injustice of what happens to people is what really makes me furious. I have to back off a little. So angry. I hate to hear this is happening to DV.

      13. @cj, you think of it they had child labor in this country less than a hundred years ago. We haven’t came that far. The wealthy taking advantage of the misfortunes of the immigrants and poor has been going on FOREVER!!! In this country!!!

  4. @Ex va: With your immune system compromised, would it be safe for you to be traveling, like you want to do with a motor-home?

    1. @cj, i know it is more like a dream. I couldn’t be away for more than a month at a time. I have doctor appointments and prescription refills. I know being in a more heavily populated area you run the risk of more flus and illness. I want to go if i can just to see some places. Plus the expense, i would have to save. The warmer weather is suppose to be better for someone like me. Being in a desert is suppose to be healthier. Lol.

      1. @Ex va: Never stop dreaming Ex. You know Utah is desert country, and one of the most beautiful states in the country. The only state I know where you can go swimming in a pond in the morning, drive a couple hours north and go snow snowmobiling. You can pretty much pick your climate in that state, except tropical and rain forest.
        That is why you were looking at Arizona?

      2. @cj, Arizona, they have a lot of rv parks. Some at cheaper prices too. You are right there is some beautiful states in this country. New Mexico has a lot of state parks and rv parks. Problems with wi-fi runs in most rv parks. It needs to be a place where they don’t have a lot of barometric pressure ups and downs and dryer climate. Around here love the green and the land it just unstable weather don’t like, a lot of joint pain from it.

      3. @Ex va: Should be easy to do a search for places that are dry, and have a stable barometric pressure. Then out of those places you find, figure out witch one is the most cost efficient place to live with low crime and good hospitals. James Clement know of a calculator online, that compares different cities and cost’s of living.

      4. “www.numbeo.com”

        I am one of the 155 volunteers in Honolulu who input prices on a monthly basis.

  5. @Ex va: That is for real. I remember in 88 when my son was born, that was a horrible year, we didn’t have ac, or a damn shower. We just purchased this house, and if it sat on the market one more year it probably would have been condemned. In 88, we had 100 days in a row of extreme heat, can’t remember how many died throughout Chicago land. A very bad year. You have to check on older people you know when it is bad like that. You just can’t assume someone else will do it. Your right about that.

    1. @cj, the elderly can get free fans, then they get scared of having the windows open in town. It is a shame. They also can sign up for electric assistance. I volunteered once to help a blind man. He told me his workers would steal his food. I helped him lock it up. Pissed me off, they were young and didn’t have respect. Couldn’t believe people could be that low. He moved to be closer to his daughter. He would read these huge Braille books. He was well educated.

      1. @Ex va: Why afraid to leave the windows open? Are you that close to E. St Louis? Or do you have your own crime problems?

      2. @cj, no i am not close to east St. Louis. Biggest city is Carbondale and has a lot of crime. (SIU) Some of these small towns the elderly get preyed upon. The crime isn’t bad where i live it is farm country. In town they have some problems. No, i don’t have windows open because of my sinuses and pollen and mold. I have a/c and filters, i have to i get sick. My immune system is compromised.

      3. @Ex va: Carbondale, I remember going there on Holloween back in 82, I suppose it is nothing like that now. With all the garbage coming from all over the world, and none have any respect for our laws as it is.

    2. @cj, i remember that hot spell in the late 88. It was bad. People don’t know how good they have it at times. I feel i am blessed. Don’t have a lot, but blessed with what i do have. My physical health is not good but i know it could be worse. Thankful.

      1. @Ex va: Very true Ex, anytime you think you have it bad? Think about all the people that have it even worse, homeless living on the streets, or a carboard condo, under the overpass.

      2. @cj, the homeless Veterans, i wish they would take care of them. A lot of them fall thru the cracks of our society. This shouldn’t be happening. That has to be a very hard existence. People are living in their vehicles, tent cities and in wal-mart parking lots.

      3. @Ex va: After paying fake doctors 200g and the rest of the union thugs, and upper managemant and bonusses, there is nothing left for veterans. The VA has nothing to do with veterans, it is another government wealth distribution program, for people of underprivileged countries, and of course payback to the unions for keeping these useless politicians in office.

      4. @Ex va: Like I said before on the blog, if there were no veterans left, there would still be a VA, and it would be business as usual, only without veterans to get in the way.

      5. @cj, you are right, the va is like its own country with its own laws. They make them up as they need to. Or i should say they interpret how they want to interpret the law to benefit themselves. It is a huge corporation with no accountability to anyone. They need to be broken up like at&t with telecommunications. People need healthcare but should be able to choose who they want to do services with not required to use va services.

      1. @Ex va: Can’t complain, all is well here. Nice cooler and breezy day, I took the netting down from the sweet and pop corn, and got it all weeded, and then transplanted some doubles to areas that looked too sparse. Everything is looking good. I took a pass on that maintenance job, too much ladder work, my knees would never hold up to that.

      2. @cj, ladder work, they want you cleaning rain gutters or changing light bulbs? Don’t sound to good. Glad you didn’t take it. You could make yourself worse and don’t need that. Good your having nice weather. It is getting humid and hot already here. Don’t like the humidity. Like a sauna down here in august.

      3. @Ex va: I remember working down in your neck of the woods, around that time of year, I forget what year it was, but it was dreadful. The temp was over 110, and humid as can be. I think a lot of people died that year from the hight heat. I remember something about running out of space in the morgues so they started bringing in refer trucks.

      4. @cj, i think you will get your benefits from the va, it is just a matter of time. I know the waiting sucks. I believe it will be good news for you.

      5. @Ex va: There is no doubt in my mind I will win my case. You can’t hide from facts, and evidence. That will be my last battle with the VA. I could keep going, but once this case is over, I am done. I am sure others would say keep going and file for all service connected medical issues, but this will be enough.

      6. @cj, that is true, the elderly get afraid of their electric bills and can’t get cooled off. It can be awful at times, sometimes they will have cooling shelters for people go to. You have to have a/c or you can run into trouble.

      7. @cj, you do what is right for yourself.
        We have a lot of wildlife around here. That is what i like around here and there is some good people too. There is some beautiful places to hike too. I had a rabbit in the yard today. We have squirrels and chipmunks all over the place because of the trees. Some deers come up in the yard. I use spinners so they don’t eat my strawberries and dwarf peach tree. My neighbor looses his peaches to the deers. He doesn’t do anything to scare them off. We have dogs too they scare critters off sometimes.

      8. @Ex va: Sounds like a very peaceful setting. Nice to just sit out in the morning and have a cup of coffee, and take in the sounds.

  6. It just boggles your mind in how much monies that is being wasted by the VA, and it pisses me the fuck off in how many BENEFICIARY’s (Veterans) are in need of special services to survive. – – – And the “Wolf,” the guitar of Jerry Garcia, the Greatful Dead’s front man, auctioned off for a measly $1.9M. What say you? Now that’s something to shake you head about. – – – Nutter.

  7. All Government employee must be drug tested and fired if tested hot and can not provide a prescription for these drugs. Cameras must be all areas. Secretary Shulkin must hold VA employee’s accountable. The Secretary should be given 6 months to show the public that he is living up to his word !

    And fire bad employees or he quit or be fired ! I believe that his office is full of these bad employees. I sent him a packet on may 2 and have not heard from them. If Stephanie got a hold of my packet, I know she threw it away. I requested that she have no part of this inquiry.

    Veterans are being treated by Drug Addicts and Pushers. The drug problem is out of control. They call veterans drug addicts and drunks ! Talk about calling the Kettle Black. How many of these employee’s were stoned and reported a veteran as being disruptive.

    They must be drug tested monthly. Until Shulkin openly shows America that he will fire these people or resign.

    Better yet close the doors and give everyone pink slips. Start over and everyone drug tested and or Vetted ! This is a dirty shame.

    The VA states that I look at the world as though something Biblical is going to happen. This is one time I would like to be wrong, but the way things are going I believe our Lord has seen enough.

    Look at the World and look at the Bible, I pray that he show mercy to those that have trusted Him/her !

    Many people will say this is crazy ! I hope so ! But I will not bet everything on it being crazy.

    When God speaks he will make sure the Earth is cleansed, Humans that have been acting God like, will pay the highest price.

  8. see my answer below

    Dennis you said
    Dennis June 1, 2017 at 10:46 am
    Rich,

    Private hoapital in this context refers to a non-VA hospital.

    I fully understand that police are often present at any given hospital but the distinction is that they are not under the operational control of the hospital, or in the case of a private security force the private security force has no arresting authority granted them other than citizens arrest. A private security force almost NEVER comes armed with a gun.

    As far as profitability, I do respect your logic but I disagree a bit. It is simply illogical for me to believe that a hospital is not profitable. The profit may indeed be augmented by charity, but they must maintain profitablity because the electric company will shut off the juice if the bill is not paid every month. There MUST be cash in an account somewhere to meet expenses. Furthermore, in order to maintain charitable contributions generally strict accountability must be demonstrated on an ongoing basis.

    The VA has no need to be accountable because they have no need to,become profitable. I would argue further that a profitable VA would be outside the scope of their mission statement. The mission an dimllementation of VA is designed in a way that precludes efficient operation – proven in part by todays blog article.

    Want an example of hospital profitability? Go tour the parking structure at your local hospital. Count the number of Mercedes, Porsches, BMWs and compare that to the number of Toyota pickup trucks. Now, go to the board of directors meeting of the hospital and listen closely. Their whole function is to keep the financials afloat enough to pay the wages needed for the next wax job on all those German made cars. That can be a problematic issue when you pay folks with guns to wander the halls of healing.

    I Guess we will have to agree to disagree. Your logic is really flawed. Just because a hospital can pay its electric bill does not make it profitable. There are hundreds of non-profit hospitals, and this does not mean that they can’t pay their employees or pay the light bill. It means that they do not have a lot of money in the bank and that their goal is not to make money. So I guess you would say Shriner’s Hospitals, or St Jude Hospitals are for profit hospitals… really… the IRS doesn’t see it that way…

    What does having high dollar vehicles in the parking lot have to do with the profitability of the hospital. Factually, many middle class & even poor people drive expensive cars.

    1. You are arguing that VA is Not a for profit hospital?
      Then when why do they do all they can legally And illegally to make a profit from Vets and Everyone they have dealings with?
      Why would they have put that Corporate money maker in charge awhile back?

      Your argument…isnt based on facts. Or are you going with the term: alternate fact?
      Which, in my book, (wholly based in reality) means opinion and is only used in jest, or by folks without the sense to…well, I’ll keep it at that.

      1. get it off your chest, LP… ain’t nobody on here gonna report ya to the
        KGB…

  9. Most growth is in Asia with Agriculture. Wow, also, major financial leaders say to watch RT for financial news. Hmm, and many of our current Political Bureaucrats tell us that RT is not good to watch. I don’t believe that this issue has ever been discussed, about the positive or negative aspects of the effects of watching RT. I say, why don’t our Government want us to watch RT? I’d like to know. What say you about watching RT Television?

    1. Mornin, Nut.
      Go ahead and watch RT, especially their coverage of US veterans and their problems.
      Be sure to make careful note of how they exploit that news. According to some sources,
      VT (Veterans Today) is just as bad as RT (Rushia Today). Google the newish article on an
      American journalist who recently quit RT saying they’d rather have propagandists than
      honest journalists. Several have come to their senses and done that over the last several years.

      1. Probably every conflict is fought on at least two grounds: the battlefield and the minds of the people via propaganda. The “good guys” and the “bad guys” can often both be guilty of misleading their people with distortions, exaggerations, subjectivity, inaccuracy and even fabrications, in order to receive support and a sense of legitimacy.

  10. 91Veteran,
    How would a veteran know the pharmacy is still prescribing meds, opioids or other addictive medications, to veterans, even though the vet is no longer on them?
    Especially since the pharmacy won’t divulge any details!

  11. as [@MARGARET May 31, 2017 at 9:58 pm] wrote:

    “May I suggest an excellent place to start searching? The Medical Administrators who ignore Veteran’s real, major health concerns – such as cancer screening, and funnel them all into abusive, psychiatric labeling, and the fraudulent rubber stamping of “medical” records, where there is no testing, screening, or attempts in healing these “untreatable” Whistleblowers.”

    good points!! one thing of a few that will always ignite the trigger points in my head is the incessant use of the VA’s practice of “abusive, psychiatric labeling,” bestowed upon veterans. just thinking about it can ruin my day/night.

    we don’t hear MSM bringing these things up to public national news platforms, they stay on that darn wait list narrative. but congress has had letters and calls from veterans for decades about this practice and does nothing. Didn’t hear Shulkin mention many specifics the other day at rare national briefing regarding VA in “critical-condition”, but he touched a few:

    “”Currently, veterans can get “same-day” services at medical centers but are still waiting too long for new appointments — more than 60 days on average — at about 30 locations nationwide. Many primary care centers are understaffed or running out of space. Appeals of disability claims remain backed up for years. Inventory systems at several VA facilities are woefully out of date, and employee accountability is “clearly broken,” Shulkin said. “”

    Shulkin knows he can’t fix the VA without POTUS intervention and pulling a Reagan on the union.

    your turn new POTUS & your admin, start actually fixing the VA & its corruptness, or quit using veterans for your political talking points.

  12. >>Is it any wonder this system keeps churning out corrupt losers for those of us in the press to continue writing about day in and day out?

    not at all

    as with many ways of protocol in the VA dimension, those losses will mysteriously somehow get placed on the burdened backs of veterans requiring such meds. will there now be anther “new” up tick in forked-tongue-congress-memebers shouting in the halls for the press to hear, “stop the med epidemic”, while there will be zero accountability of those VA insiders? you know, like some how some way its the veteran that gets burdened?

    not far fetched when it comes to VA dimension.

  13. Interesting to see a lame excuse made for drug theft at the VA because they have a larger stock of pills rather than what is reality. Reality is that VA drug thefts are happening due to typical VA grab-ass oversight, if there is any at all.

    I’m curious if the VA offers their employees caught stealing drugs any kind of drug rehab program, as opposed to veterans who truly need the medication just being cut off cold turkey.

    Why is the VAIG investigating this rather than an outside entity? We all know how good the IG track record is…but maybe they will do these by the book because it looks like the DEA is watching.

    So the VA is conducting employee drug tests according to the linked article. That suggests they have a policy on drug testing which would make for an interesting FOIA request. Is the testing random? Only certain employees? Or do they exclude many providers because, gee golly, it’s really hard to hire good doctors. Or do they let employees know their random drug test will be every 3rd Tuesday of the month?

    But hey! The Mighty Shulkin is on it! He’s holding conference calls and planning to make plans!

    …and they are CONSIDERING to perform internal audits.

    Hmmm. 36 new cases in 8 months. Cases going from 237 in 2009 (when the free-for-all started under Obama) to 2844 in 2015. If my math is right, it’s actually about 3 and a half times more drug thefts than in the private sector.

    Yep! Conference calls and planning for plans should do it! It’s been working great so far!

    But those internal audits? Well, we’ll consider them. Once we figure out how to do them on the down low because we really don’t want to know just how bad the problem really is.

    Or, God forbid, actually get someone in trouble.

    Yet the VA has been quick to point fingers at veterans.

    1. To be precise the information provided says VAIG is investigating. It makes no mention I can see that says they are the exclusive agency doing this. Typically unless it becomes obvious anyway the fact that an investigation is even underway is a tightly kept secret. Within VA the way to spoil a secret is to tell OIG and rhen there is no secret anymore, but DEA correctly refrains from disclosing an investigation until the parties being investigated are under indictment.

      An announcement made by OIG or on behalf of OIG is propaganda and such an announcement serves only the purposes of public relations – it cannot POSSIBLY be done in an effort to discover the truth. The announcement is eye candy, perhaps even a smokescreen.

      1. I hear ya Dennis, but with the numbers being what they are, one would think an outside entity should take over.

        I picture the IG report as I do many of their reports. The claim could not be substantiated because their investigation was incompetent.

        Or, in the event the allegation of drug theft is so blatant they have to act on it, the IG refers the case to the DOJ for prosecution, and the DOJ declined to do anything about it.

      2. The problem for DOJ is like it or not public opinion can sway whether they investigate or not. The issue can be forced.

        Here is how to do that – convince America of the truth; it is/was VA that created the opiate/opiode problem. Then point out truthfully that the government responded by clamping down of opiate/opiode prescription to anyone. True dat.

        A WHOLE LOT OF PEOPLE have been shoved off of pain medications (needed or otherwise) because of the criminal actions of VA, and not just veterans either. Remind America of this in this way because it is a truthful reminder of the consequence of turning a blind eye to the plight of veterans. I suspect that framed this way and honestly presented that the pressure to fix it would be enough to force DOJ into action. Plus the enormous crowd of folks angrily chanting while lofting pitchforks vigorously in front of the giant bonfire outside of DOJ chanting “JUSTICE!!!” would be a factor too. Just a hunch…

      3. @Dennis- About that proposed bonfire outside of DOJ HQ; can we pretty please, have AFGE Pres. “little” Cox on a spit above that bonfire, fully prepared for roasting, VA style, which will mean relatively medium rare, but seared on outside, pink in middle?

      4. Nam, I still think that chicken was heated over a candle.

        Do they make skewers small enough to roast Tiny Cox? Maybe those little things used for eating corn on the cob.

  14. Here’s something of interest for y’all.
    Sometime in August a phone line will be up and running for veterans to make complaints! It has something to do with POTUS and “Shithead Shulkin!”
    I’m not sure where she got the information from.
    Y’all might want to try and Google it!
    Sorry about not being more helpful……

    1. I’m worried that on the other end of that phone line will be the three Big Piggy VSO’s to disseminate and urinate on any complaints. Wait for it….

    2. It is partially all ready up. Link: “https://americanmilitarynews.com/2017/06/the-white-houses-veterans-complaint-line-is-now-live/”

  15. Today I opened my electric bill and got a shock (full pun mode here) but true. It showed nothing owed this month owing to a credit of $326 shown on my account. This has never happened before.

    The board that regulates the utility is held strictly accountable in Oregon for every single dime they get paid. The utility is necessary currently for me to maintain a healthy lifestyle. They are mandated to validate charges and payments against the meter at my home and if a conflict shows up in payments then it is corrected.

    Contrast that to VA. Any one of their services could be held to the same standard as the standard of “necessary” as is applied in the case of a public utility. Yet, evidence that has accumulated over the course of generations shows clearly that those who provide these services are not held accountable.

    The question is, why? The answer is that a public utility board operates under the restrictions imposed by laws common to all locations in America and each board member making decisions for the many is encumbered by rule of law (and therfor our Constitution) while history shows clearly that VA is not so encumbered – the consequence of ignoring our Constitution for the sake of public convenience. VA had absolutely no busines becoming a cabinet level posting under Ronald Reagan’s guidance. It was a HUGE mistake and the evidence is the headline of todays blog.

    I am gonna go flips the lights on and off now for awhile.

    1. I think you are mostly right Dennis. But we all wanted the CAVA which we would have never gotten with out the VA becoming a Department of…

      Prior to the CAVA there were two volumes of Appeals Precedence in the “Law Books.” But not a single decision on Sec (4) d of the 14th Amendment. All VA compensation and other benefits precedence setting decisions have been made after the establishment of the CAVA in the early 1990s. 1991 I think.

      But you are absolutely right about the ability to ignore those decisions and make you got to court to get a decision under one of the precedence or get a new precedence. Boon for the Attorneys and the Bar Association. You get why there are lobbyists besides Health Net lobbyists and Tricare lobbyists (companies in the top 10 receiving the most billions in government contracts). Don’t you just love your “Choice” which isn’t much of a choice at all. And so goes privatization.

  16. In 1998 I was given two aspirin instead of my Tylenol 3 by an orderly. The Nurse should have never let him have his hands on my meds or the Nurse gave him the aspirin to insulate herself. Distinctly different taste between the two. Anyone who has let an aspirin sit on his tongue long enough to grab the water knows the difference.

  17. Here’s a question I’d liked answered!
    When the VA (doctors, physicians Assistant, pharmacists, nurses, etc) cut off pain meds, oxicodone, oxicotine, methodone, heroin, etc., etc.,etc., to veterans – How many of these reprobates kept the veteran on a “secret list”? So they could get the drugs (for themselves), even though the vet no longer had access, or priscriptions, to the meds?

    I believe I’m asking the question correctly! And, I believe y’all know what I’m driving at!!!!
    I also believe a “FOIA” should be done over this issue!
    Plus, on the “black market” those drugs are worth a lot of fuckin money!

    1. If you read between the lines in some of the news reports on this VA drug theft issue, exactly that is happening.

      In one of the reports I read, it mentions the veteran not getting the medicine, but records indicated the veteran was still prescribed it.

      So yes, a veteran receiving the medicine was stopped, but the prescription continued so a VA employee could steal it.

      1. 91Veteran,
        How would a veteran find out if the pharmacy is still prescribing meds to him/her when the veteran is no longer on it?
        Especially if the pharmacy won’t divulge any details!

      2. Crazy Elf, in one of the news reports, it mentioned something about veterans no longer receiving the prescription, yet the prescription was still being filled.

        The reporting was either lousy or deliberately vague, but I understood it to mean that while investigating drug theft, they had actually found where a veteran was cut off, but records showed the prescription continued.

        I suspect the investigators went to the veteran, and the veteran told them he/she had been cut off…that they were no longer being given the medicine.

        I wish I could recall where I read that article. I read several over the course of a couple days, and that information stood out to me.

      3. @91Veteran & Crazy elf-

        I recall reading somewhere in recent past as well where they did everything but outright state medications intended for Veterans where the veteran was not currently RX’d said meds. It insinuated strongly that secret books were being kept because I recall us talking on here about how the VA probably keeps deceased veterans on the books so some hack can continue receiving benefits. It got pretty dicey in speculation on here.
        I believe it was within one or two of the many links Crazy elf had posted many moons ago on here.

        Meanwhile…yet another barrage of adds with Ex- VA Directors and VSO’s on some ballot issue they want you to vote against that supposedly will vastly increase cost of RX’s for Veterans…they NEVER state or even show on screen what ballot issue this is BUT MANY VSO’s and EX VA Directors….different ones they dusted off for this, are hitting my airwaves with a vengeance which means $$$$$ for the VSO Piggys and Ex Directors, I am sure.
        It just pisses me off to see how many TV commercials are on about this ballot issue but surely it’s not just in Ohio, and it tells me VSO’s blatantly ignore problems at the VA and go wherever the $$$ is…and Veterans generally do not have much $$$$ but the $$$$$$ allocated FOR Veterans…a piggy watering hole and mud wrestling pigpen style in the swamp.

      4. “Drug Price Relief Act”, is the name of the proposed legislation a bunch of ex VA directors and VSO’s are on those commercials I spoke of here in Ohio.

  18. Here’s four articles out from: “Military.com/Daily News”
    y’all should read —–
    1.) Titled:
    “VA Drug Thefts Continue Despite New Efforts”
    29 May 2017
    Associated Press | by Hope Tennessee

    2.) Titled:
    “VA in ‘Critical Condition’ But Shows Signs of Improvement: Shulkin”

    31 May 2017
    Fox News and Associated Press

    This one is a “must read”. Especially the comments section!
    More bullshit from “Shithead Shulkin”!
    He says we are receiving “same day appointments” – bullshit!
    I was bit by a “Brown Recluse spider” almost two months ago. I called my clinic – their response was – “You won’t be seen, if you come in!”
    My wife was listening in on the conversation and was extremely pissed! We know who the asswipe, a fuckin scheduler at the front desk, was who denied me medical treatment!
    I had to take care of it myself. Good thing it didn’t get me close to a vein!

    3.) Titled;
    “The Veterans Choice Program”

    Too fuckin bad most physicians at VA don’t know about this! My PCP won’t allow me to use Choice – PEbeing!
    I’ll bet the majority of asswipes who get to use Choice are Vets who work for VA! Because most Vets I’ve run into say they can’t use it either!

    4.)Titled:

    “Poll: Did Your Tricare Dentist Dumpocraps You?”
    by: Amy Bushatz 31 May 2017

      1. On #4 The title should read:
        “Poll: Did Your Tricare Dentist Dump You?”

        Auto correct is screwing with me! And my hands are screwing up this morning! Neuropathy giving me hell today!

  19. Todays blog points out the fact that it is estimated that VA folks engage in twice as many drug thefts as civilian hospitals. The government definition of “twice as many” as it applies to government wrongdoing is, “Holy SHIT that’s a LOT of folks stealing! Let’s call it twice as many.”

    Post so far have focused on why this is at VA. However, let me illustrate just why civilian hospitals are just a fraction of this problem;

    1) Private hospitals do not maintain their own police force.
    2) Private hospitals must maintain profitablility and criminality is bad for the bottom line, not good.
    3) Private hospitals can pick and choose who they hire and who they retain which is the safety valve when a drug addict or felon is inadvertantly hired.
    4) Private hospitals pay taxes, not spend them.
    5) Private hospitals are non union.
    6) Private hospitals cannot make their own laws and do not engage in committees to determine patient guilt or innocence about anything.
    7) Private hospitals are not government.
    8) Private hospitals can be, and are, held accountable by pursuing a complaint in a court of law.

    Take away any or all of these from VA and we arrive at what?

    Privatized healthcare like the rest of America, with all the rights and Due Process we enjoy as free men and women. Leave it all in place and what does the future hold? Raw chicken and cockroaches for yet another 6 decades.

    1. That’s six decades worth of choked chickens at the VA. Wonder if the ‘crow union’ has any beefs with that?

    2. Dennis,

      Define – Private Hospital- does this mean a hospital in the Private sector, or privately owned?

      Most Hospitals are not privately owned. Most hospitals have security forces of some kind, or employ local Police, especially at or near the Emergency room.

      Many hospitals are owned by the city, or county, they do not actually pay taxes in the true sense, and many are not profitable because of laws that govern the inability to refuse service to the poor, especially county hospitals.

      1. Rich,

        Private hoapital in this context refers to a non-VA hospital.

        I fully understand that police are often present at any given hospital but the distinction is that they are not under the operational control of the hospital, or in the case of a private security force the private security force has no arresting authority granted them other than citizens arrest. A private security force almost NEVER comes armed with a gun.

        As far as profitability, I do respect your logic but I disagree a bit. It is simply illogical for me to believe that a hospital is not profitable. The profit may indeed be augmented by charity, but they must maintain profitablity because the electric company will shut off the juice if the bill is not paid every month. There MUST be cash in an account somewhere to meet expenses. Furthermore, in order to maintain charitable contributions generally strict accountability must be demonstrated on an ongoing basis.

        The VA has no need to be accountable because they have no need to,become profitable. I would argue further that a profitable VA would be outside the scope of their mission statement. The mission an dimllementation of VA is designed in a way that precludes efficient operation – proven in part by todays blog article.

        Want an example of hospital profitability? Go tour the parking structure at your local hospital. Count the number of Mercedes, Porsches, BMWs and compare that to the number of Toyota pickup trucks. Now, go to the board of directors meeting of the hospital and listen closely. Their whole function is to keep the financials afloat enough to pay the wages needed for the next wax job on all those German made cars. That can be a problematic issue when you pay folks with guns to wander the halls of healing.

    3. @Dennnis – – – Exactly what my 8 soon to be 9 step plan will accomplish. And you have just highlighted all the sound reasons it should be done.

  20. Looks like it’s gonna be US and them for a while. THEY do everything They can do against US, while highlighting parking improperly or even,.. spitting. IF someone can’t find a way to hold them accountable, it’s just possible they win.

  21. “At the VA Hospital, Patients Often Wind Up in Court ”
    By Rowan Moore Gerety • 18 hours ago

    Excerpt from the article:

    “There are patients accused of stealing their lunches from the cafeteria (“Willful destruction, damage or removal of Government property”) and of smoking cigarettes in their hospital beds (“Failure to comply with signs of a directive and restrictive nature”). Spitting carries a penalty of $25; bringing alcohol on the property, $125.

    On the day Pelegrino’s case was heard, 18 federal law enforcement officers filled the seats on one side of the courtroom. Many are veterans themselves, from the VA’s own police force. On the other side sat a handful of veterans and relatives, a VA nurse in scrubs, and people there for tickets issued at the Social Security Administration or the post office.”

    Considering the Employee drug problems I am sure I can think of more constructive ways for VA police officers to spend there time rather than sitting around in court over a minor ticket. Many of the tickets that should not have been issued in the first place.

    1. Link to the full article at: “https://wlrn.org/post/va-hospital-patients-often-wind-court”

  22. A bit off topic, but speaks to the corruption in the VA here in Austin.

    I spoke to another neurosurgeon today.
    This guy said he spent an hour or more reading my file, my MRI reports, and looking at MRI images. Then told me he didn’t see anything anywhere that said or showed disc degeneration, disc bulges, or Anything that could be causing my multitude of symptoms.
    I asked if he had read and looked at MY file. Then i said, because in Every one of the 13 MRI reports from done by the VA and outside hospitals, it clearly states degeneration of 11 discs. Tears and protrusions on multiple discs, and then on the last two MRIs it states SEVERE LOSS OF DISC SPACE, and SEVERE….he cut me off saying that I didn’t know what I was talking about. Then thanked me for coming to visit and left the room.

    I need a fucking lawyer. Know any?

    1. LP ……same shit happened to me before… I learned my lesson though , never give a outside doctor anything from the V.A let them start from scratch don’t even mention them….most of them get a bone tossed to them once in a while in the form of a C&P EXAM and they don’t want that to stop…I went to a so called outside C&P doctor the V.A sent me to and it had a very small waiting room with a bullet proof glass wall..wall to wall floor to ceiling you checked in on a phone you could not even see anyone inside..never seen anything like it before…of course he said not service conn-ected then i got a hold of the paper work the V.A gave him to make the decision, they left out the bone scan with the evidence…. I guess this stupid fuck wasn’t supposed to catch that…….BULLET PROOF GLASS WALL MAKES PERFECT SENSE TO ME NOW

      1. But that bullet proof glass if for YOUR protection! LMAO!

        This world is so screwed-up. Back 6 or 7 years ago I was admitted to local private hospital but it was it’s “sister hospital” on the side of city the new VAMC is on and a very, VERY shitty hood and ALL that comes with the hood, gunshots and helicopters and all.
        I had an RN that was NOT giving me the controlled RX’s I used to take, BUT she kept swearing she administered them. So one time when she left the computer screen with my chart on right in the hallway for all to see while she was out smoking, I noticed she indeed entered I had received all my meds each time.
        Ended-up calling my regular private Psych Dr. at time and told him exactly what was taking place and that I did not feel safe there.
        While waiting on a call back from my Dr. on my complaint, that early morning I heard outlandish screaming and there was a thug standing over patients and masturbating.
        What was really bad about this is it was not the first, second or third time this patient thug had been caught doing this when he was not getting caught riffling through other patient’s belongings when they went to get tests done, etc.

        I heard a loud page over the intercom that was MY DR. needing to talk to my RN STAT!!!!!
        I ended-up doing something I have never done before and I pulled-out my own IV’s and walked out of that unsafe zoo environment calling itself a hospital.
        I get a call to meet and talk with the head of nursing, and mind you, the hospital was less than a block away where I lived at that time.
        I go in only to find out this RN I had was on probation because of STEALING CONTROLLED RX’s FROM PATIENTS….on probation from PRIOR TIMES and SUPPOSEDLY RECOVERED…………..NOT.
        I am not a litigious person and did not push it as I was not physically harmed and dodged it by walking away but that’s the state of America these days and drugs…pharmaceutical drugs.
        Oh, on the chronic masturbator…full protection under the law by Obamites at the time. That thug was a KNOWN problem and they simply refused to do anything because it was so common behavior at that particular hospital…note to self: never EVER get yourself admitted to an inner-city gunshot clinic hospital in or near the hood.
        That RN was TRYING to say my PTSD was the problem, not HER taking my meds. HA! Had it been Memorial or Veteran’s Day, just maybe someone would have thought differently but my even happened between those dates when stagehand Veteran props are left to collect dust until the next election….
        Sorry so long but sparked a few synaptic memories of the not so pleasant types.

      2. namnibor ….LMAO on the jack off jones.. LOL….I was born and raised in Cleveland Ohio so I know about the hood ..lived in that state until i was 27 ..I still have two brothers up there and a lot of old friends I grew up with.. so i do go up often….. I like living here in the mountains, peaceful and i can be a hermit…LOL …AND THE HOOD KNOWS IF YOUR STREET SMART OR NOT…

      3. OLDMARINE
        It is simply Not true concerning outside doctors , C/P exams and most doctors getting bones throw at them. C/P examiners must be approved prior and are on a list of examiners, examinations are assigned from the Chief of C/P examinations… and they are assigned regardless of the specialty of the examiner with one exception being those with mental issues must be examined by a person in that specialty… No Private doctor gets bones thrown at them… Sometimes I wonder where people get this crap.

      4. Rich B….. C/P examiners must be approved prior and are on a list of examiners, examinations are assigned from the Chief of C/P examinations… and they are assigned regardless of the specialty of the ….NO SHIT SHERLOCK…P.BRENT KING DO AREA CODE 45101….now go check his office out and check out the beautiful glass…… No Private doctor gets bones thrown at them… HOW THE FUCK DO YOU KNOW HE’S NOT ON THE LIST….I DON’T BUT YOU DO…….I KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO ME ….I SUPPOSE LP IS FULL OF SHIT TO……YOU NEED TO BUY ANOTHER CRYSTAL BALL YOURS IS BROKE

    2. LP,

      What do you need a lawyer for? If its for claims legally can’t hire one until you are denied a claim by the regional office.

      If its for malpractice, doesn’t sound line anyone actually treated you, so what would you sue for ?

      Just trying to make sense out of your posting…

      1. LP get a lawyer and make it easier on your self……..Rich B.he’s another useless X VSO……Just trying to make sense out of your posting…thats right he doesn’t know shit about your case just flapping those gums… the only reason i go to one is so he can fax the shit in …and if the pile of evidence is to big he tell’s me he cant fax it so i go to the post office and mail it myself……after he was raving about pulling teeth to get a new fax machine ….
        useless FUCK and he’s a retired marine what a fucking disgrace

      2. The idea that a veteran cannot ‘hire’ a lawyer whenever he or she wants to is just that, an idea. It’s misinformation, disinformation, propaganda that has been propagated by… unfortunately, by some of you self-styled rocket scientists… take it from a VA-accredited attorney at law – you can hire me any ol’ time it suits ya.
        And fuck ’em if they can’t take a joke…

      3. Roger Taylor……is this you……………About me

        Private veterans’ benefits attorney, serving U.S. servicemembers, veterans and their families.

        VA-accredited to prepare and prosecute veterans’ claims before ALL Regional Offices of the U.S. Department of Veterans’ Affairs and the Board of Veterans’ Appeals in D.C since 2011.

        Admitted to practice before the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans’ Claims in D.C. since 2016.

        Looking forward to helping you get your hard-earned, rightful veterans’ benefits.

    3. LP ….i reread your situation and that doctor that couldn’t see anything isn’t worth a shit any way. FIND ANOTHER ONE my neighbor OLD ARMY VET over here had the same thing happen, by the third doctor he had seen said i don’t know what those other doctors were looking at but said heres you problem right here. he got surgery from him.. and he was good to go ……AND….. RICK B….IF YOU WANT HIS NUMBER FOR PROOF ABOUT MY REMARK I COULD PROBABLY WORK THAT OUT……..doctors are like anything else they are NOT all good ones

      1. I’d like your contact info. Web address, email, phone number, physical address of your practice…I’d need to check into your creds before anything would move forward. I’m sure you understand.

  23. I wish you were making it up. Another day in the life, or death, of the Veterans. Been a tough few days. God Bless the Veterans and their families. That art…. think I used to have the poster.

  24. I am not surprised. and frankly I don’t give a darn…. maybe if they take enough of this garbage, we won’t have to put up with them anymore…..

  25. I am sorry, I want to be clear, I went up and read part of the story Ben posted:

    “Presently, Associated Press uncovered data showing the federal government is investigating 36 different criminal cases opened since October. This brings the total amount of open investigations to 108 involving criminal theft or unauthorized drug use.”

    “Generally, such investigations lead to criminal charges, but within the walls of any VA, almost anything is possible.”

    The criminal charges part, is the staff gets caught and instead of playing ball, the staff tells VA prove it or I am going to fight it. So after VA management tries to talk the suspect staff into playing ball, and offering all kinds of incentives for them to quit, then they bring in VA OIG and it then becomes a criminal investigation. Thats why the numbers are so low.

    Usually by then the VA has sweetened the deal so much for them to just give up and leave by then, they take it. The smart ones and people who want to stay at VA because of a pension issue, fight it. And many times, if they do fight it, and it usually takes 18 months to two years, when they are sitting around surfing the internet (I had such a job for a year, while I was being investigated/punished a couple of years ago, I started a side business and worked on my college classes and got full pay and benefits) the VA person gets their job back with modified conditions.

    Modified conditions like, no direct patient care and no handling narcotics. They actually almost always get an easier and better (less stress, normal hours) job. I AM NOT MAKING ANY OF THIS UP!!!

  26. I am a current VA employee, in the nursing service. I am telling you drugs go missing and are being misappropriated left and right, all the time, on a near constant basis. This is the tip of the iceberg. I have reported this and other things (bugs in food, employee theft, staff to patient abuse) to the management, the VA OIG and to Congress, and they tell me, “we will look into it.” THEY DON’T DO SHIT!!! I AM FUCKING TIRED OF IT!!! THEN THE MANAGEMENT FUCKS WITH ME BECAUSE I REPORT IT AND ROCK THE BOAT!!!

    Unlike most hospitals, the VAs let the patients keep drugs they bring from home because the VA says its their right, its the patient’s property. They do this because when they come from home they are often on such high doses of pain pills, because the outpatient clinics are so badly staffed they can’t effectively deal with with Veteran’s medical problems, so they just keep them doped up, they keep them high, it keeps them happy. I am not making this up, I have seen this and I have had multiple clinic nurses tell me this is their strategy off the record. The doctors can’t keep up with demand so they throw pills at them.

    When they get admitted the doctors try to lower their doses to get them off of the drugs. They are not having any of that they are so addicted. The wife or kids usually bring it, their extras from home. The patients keep it near their beds, in their bedside tables. Nurses, nurses aides, housekeeping staff, other patients/their roommates, are helping themselves to it, a lot!

    The second most common way is nurses are short staffed. So they leave drugs by the bedside. The patient says they will take it later. When they fall asleep or go for a smoke, the staff (mainly nurses aides and housekeepers) or otter patients just comes on in and takes their meds, they never know the difference. The patient just goes asks the med nurse for more and they give it to them.

    So nurses/staff steal not only from the med carts, but from patients. When staff gets caught, THEY ARE NOT GETTING FIRED!!!! I have seen this over and over and over. Recently. FuCK the OIGs dumb ass joke report. THE VA OIG, and the VA Police, is a force of clowns and jokers. When the staff gets caught, they just go the AFGE Union rep. and they negotiate a settlement for them to quit. The don’t even lose their license, as per VA Directive, the VA is supposed to report them. But the VA does not wa’t a lawsuit so they don’t report it. Thats why in this stupid VA OIG report you only see what, like 180 they said? Its thousands and thousands per year!!! I gave up reading these things, they are almost a waste of time.

    Honestly, the only reason I am not giving my real name is that they told me, if I reveal to the public or the press what I know, I have seen and what I reported, I will lose my whistleblower protection. But I am almost at the point where they can go to HELL!

    The VA should just go away.

    1. @Nic Mach: Nic, your exactly the right kind of VA employee veterans need, I can’t thank you enough for NOT turning a blind eye. Veterans need more people like you having their backs. Your a good man Nic.

    2. My nurse on the last day I was in the hospital after knee replacement surgery was one of those stealing from patients. Over the period I was in, I was always given different medicines in different little cups, except with him. He claimed my pain pill was in the same cup as other medicine, which I know it was not. When it came time for another dose, he told me I was already discharged in the system, so I would have to wait for my prescription to be filled and take it then. This was a few hours before I left the hospital, with the help of my wife and another nurse…because my nurse disappeared about 4 hours before I left.

  27. They caught VA employee(s) selling opioid’s on the Psych. ward to patients in Milwaukee, I’m not sure about the exact date, but was over a year or so. I think it made the Milwaukee Journal because I was at an appt. and that’s all the Vets were talking about while I was in the waiting room, then I finally saw an article on it. Never did hear what the outcome was, I think someone got fired. Just had me thinking when they come in to give you a pain pill after surgery, how easy it would be to give you something else instead of what they were supposed to, if the person was doing something like that, then say he’s complaining about pain again to get a higher dosage (for themselves). Now what’s happening now in the article, it’s just going to be another scandal and they’ll try to sweep it under the carpet, and not let it get too high up on the chain of command. (If you would even call it that).

  28. Here we go again! More drugs “stolen” by a number of VA employees – it really doesn’t matter much of “Who’s” doing it. What matters is – “How” to stop it!
    We on here have known for a long time, VA employees (from top to bottom) have stated the following statement, quote; “I can’t be fired!”
    No matter the “what” or “Why” these reprobate asswipes do, whether a misdemeanor or felony, (FACT) no one hardly ever is held accountable!
    So,”Where” does that leave us?
    The only remedy I see is a _________ ________ ______ ___ (y’all fill in the blanks)!

    Throughout humankind there has always been a “crossroad” of what needs to be done! Usually it ends in a destruction, or an annihilation, of the people who are corrupt!
    Is this the path we are now on? Is this our future?

    Yea, in not too good of a mood tonight! Because this bullshit never seems to end. When it comes to the corruption within the Veterans Administration! There’s always something new everyday!

    1. T he VA meatgrinder’s ass keeps pumping-out ‘high’-grade shit every day. Benjamin does not have to do a thing…the corruption at the VA is self-replicating. Good or potentially good/great employees go into the VA to become yet part of the tainted hungry, hungry hippos crowd.

      I’m just waiting for Candy Man Houlihan to make another guest appearance on the Wheel of Misfortune.

  29. I am in posession of a VA police report detailing a substantial cache of other prescription drugs, including CSA sheduled drugs that was found and seized after I reported that psychiatric drugs were distributed to me by the suicide prevention coordinator outside on the street corner after hours. In the report the SPC at first of course lied about doing it, but they produced the envelope with the pills still in it and asked her if the writing was hers.

    She broke down in tears and lost control according to the report and then IMMEDIATELY asked for a union rep. That is right! NOT A LAWYER! She was given the opportunity for a lawyer says the report, yet asked instead for a union rep… and then at the reps insistance – confessed in writing to VA Police!!! No shit.

    You know what happened after they seized drugs and took a secure prescription drug pad (used for opiate prescription) from a psychiatrist working at the clinic (why would a psychiatrist need to be prescribing opiate)? Nothing. Nothing happened at all. I discovered via FOIA that the police report was burried by the Chief Of Staff. This is not theory – I have the documents. VA simply refused to pass this on for further investigation despite a clear confession. In hindsight the suicide prevention coordinator made a good call with the union rep.

    That is one savy union rep, right?…..

    1. @cj – – -Just spread Helman on my Graves Shit Sandwich, Now it’s all Rima’d up! Even Little Cox won’t eat it. What to do?

      1. @James Clement, I think when all the commenters get done building this VA sandwich, it will take on the form of a huge, brown submarine turd, ready for the poop howitzers.

      2. @cj – – – Hollow that turd out, and it WILL BE the Poop Howitzer!

        Disgruntled Veteran
        1973 – 1976 USMC
        1978 – 1993 USN

    2. LMAO good one! One problem she might already be spoiled, having been left out too long at the VA and give us vets more food posioning.

  30. This is a big “duh” moment for those of us who are intimate with opiod tolerance. Of course there is theft. At what time in history have opiate ever not been a target of theft? Addiction is BIG BIG BIG money. VA refuses to say they addicted me to opiods – the shrink corrected me when I lamented that I had become addicted to VA opiates by saying, “You are not addicted, your dependent.”

    I understand fully that those who thrive on gazelle tend to hang out at the watering hole, and those who are “dependent” upon opiods will ALWAYS be the ones nearest to the closest point of access. ALWAYS.

    Look back in your life to all the parties you might have gone to. My Dad ran a bar. Did you EVER meet an alcoholic that was more than minutes away from alcohol? If you did it means one thing; you got effectively lied to.

    There are three things within easy walking distance of any opiode or opiate drug in existance:
    1) a user
    2) a pusher
    3) money

    I recently posted an analogy in which a spy movie is best when you discover that all souls seen on the screen turn out to be spies. Even the damn janitor is packing a godamn oozie in the good ones. BRING IN IRS and audit every single on screen VA actor. I KNOW WHAT OPIOD dependence is and how twisted it can make you. God only knows how twisted you get when the pills you take are illegal and can get your ass tossed in jail? Follow the money and you will not have to follow it far.

    There are ALWAYS those three items listed above near each and every bit of opiate on the Earth. Men kill for it, and men die to use it. It has motivated wars, murder, theft, prostitution, and now it seems clear that in like kind: it has motivated VA employement. Sorry prostitutes to lump in with these other assholes, but I got to be honest here.

    No, VA is not addicted to opiate, money, or power – they are dependent on it. I feel suddenly hungry for a gazelle…

    1. Alligator and Croc tastes just like chicken. Not VA chicken, mind you. But chicken.

  31. 2 years ago when we helped a vet who’d been cut off cold turkey off of his pain meds,
    we asked the VAMC Director and a conference room full of crowd- and damage-control doctors
    whether their pharmacy was having any issues with prescription drug theft like the SLC facility…
    It appeared to be a rather sensitive subject with that crowd. They were very eager to get back to
    talking about how they were righting the past wrong of overprescription and saving lives that would
    otherwise be lost to addiction and overdose. This dog and pony was trotted out to a vet who’d managed to
    survive and thrive on a set, moderate dosage for over 20 years. Their ‘fix’ was to cut him off cold-turkey, put him back in a wheelchair and make him near-suicidal with pain… and then it still took a billboard and media attention for them to be compassionate to this good man. Unfortunately, it’s all just a big numbers game to the real decision-makers. Even to those not directly guilty of the illegal sale of medication meant for our heroes. Maybe it’s time for a little ‘aggregated action’ at the CAVC…

  32. Benjamin, nice ‘Bad VA Art’. It brought to memory of a bizarre movie based upon book of same name, “Naked Lunch”, except they were snorting centipede and cockroach powder. How that ties-in is the VA probably replaced intended RX’s for Veterans with facility roach powder and reason there’s an uptick in things other than ticks that craw in VA kitchens.

    I am also betting a magical number of Veteran’s mailed-out RX’s that were “lost” would fall into the scheming of the druggies at the VA.

    If they are stealing RX’s, just think about how many pieces of expensive medical equipment must come-up missing at taxpayers expense and to Veteran’s chagrin?!!

    The inmates are not only running the asylum but they are high as a kite or a flying monkey. I’m betting they see flying monkeys from time to time while hallucinating while performing eye surgery.

    Reset. FIRE ALL VA LEADERSHIP. If the lower ratty rats do not get with the program, well maybe it’s time to poke the angry “little” Cox AFGE in the ass over and over, make him angry, and attempt to strike then just maybe…”You’re Fired”….but I’m almost out of hope.

    The inmates are running the asylum. If the VA asks or demands a piss test, refuse and ask everyone of them to do the same. (They probably will just piss all over you anyway)

    In a mood.

    1. You know nam, that whole “lost in transit” excuse it just bullshit.

      The VA mails millions of prescriptions. What are the statistics for pain killers of any flavor being “lost in transit” to say a prescription for stool softener?

      If pain killers are being lost in the mail at a much higher rate than other non pain killer prescriptions, then there is an insider either stealing them, or tipping someone off to steal them.

      If they are being stolen by some outsider, how does that outsider know the package contains Percocet rather than Ex Lax?

  33. Amazing
    The Va is leading the charge for taking veterans off narcotics that they dispensed without concern or discernment of the consequences. So to the veteran with chronic pain, 5 failed spine surgeries , steel plates and Rods in his back you are to stop taking these meds, because instead of a common sense approach to this problem that they created they employ a blanket heartless solution so they can spin how great they are at decreasing the use of narcotics.

    But have they addressed the heroin being sold at the back door to those cut off at the knees.

    And oh by the way don’t worry about those medical professionals that are pointing the finger at you and stealing medication.
    Disgusting

    1. @C Smith – – – Yes. They have addressed the heroin being sold at the back door. They have addressed it to Little Cox, SucVA Shulkin, Some of the Dinosaur VSO HMFIC’s, and of course – – – they must keep a wee bit “on hand” in order to get through the arduous workday seeing so many Dangerous and Disruptive Veterans. . . .

      Disgruntled Veteran
      1973 – 1976 USMC
      1978 – 1993 USN

      1. May I suggest an excellent place to start searching? The Medical Administrators who ignore Veteran’s real, major health concerns – such as cancer screening, and funnel them all into abusive, psychiatric labeling, and the fraudulent rubber stamping of “medical” records, where there is no testing, screening, or attempts in healing these “untreatable” Whistleblowers.

      2. @MARGARET – – – That also would be a fine place to start. Just the good folks I had in mind when I mentioned they “must keep a wee bit “on hand” in order to get through the arduous workday seeing so many Dangerous and Disruptive Veterans. . . .”

        Because as most of us know through PERSONAL experience – – -most Veterans DO NOT have “real, major health concerns” – – – at least according to the VA. Sure, Wilbur . . .

        Totally agree with your take regarding the Rubber Stamper Head Shrinks!

        Disgruntled Veteran
        1973 – 1976 USMC
        1978 – 1993 USN

  34. Not surprised the system is broke. Greed… If it ran the way it is suppose to,they would save the money they needed to help who it was intended for. Is there hope that it can get fixed? Maybe hope is all there is. Can one have faith it will be fixed? With that in mind,who can we all count on to lead the way to honesty,pride, and the dignity this V.A. needs to show to the people that make everyone so protected to live in freedom.

    1. That’s it: what happened to this country can ONLY be summated in one word as just that: GREED…
      The only way out of this tailspin would be to insist that a man like, oh, say, Ben Krause,
      be appointed VA Secretary or VA OIG. THEN, as Doc Brown would say, you’re gonna see some serious sh*t…

  35. Ben, you should FOIA the DEA numbers on prescriptions that were returned to VA, as well as DEA numbers of Physicians issuing narcs. The numbers should correspond to a waste log, otherwise, VA is selling them to other entities.

    1. To add to your FOIA, request the numbers and disposition of every case they investigated. No names are needed, just employee positions and what the final outcome was.

      How many faced any serious discipline? How many had their licenses to prescribe scheduled drugs revoked? Suspended? Nothing at all?

      How many were prosecuted and fired?

      How many were referred for action to other authorities?

      The numbers rising from 237 to 2844 in 6 years tells me those stealing the drugs know there is little consequences to their getting caught.

  36. Case Studies in Leadership: Sharon Helman, RimaAnn Nelson, DeWayne Hamlin. Great leadership provided by all. Fuck over veterans. Get caught. Lawyer up. Cry. Whine. Threaten. Then get shuffled elsewhere, get promoted, or . . .

    ANYTHING but receive the punishment they have so richly earned. Fucking Disgusting. Should I live long enough to hear of the death of any of these three – – – I shall REJOICE madly.

    FIX THE DAMN BROKEN VA:

    1. Recognize the problems inherent in the VA are SYSTEM-WIDE, not just limited to a few locations.

    2. Fire all the Lazy No Good Workers. Fire EVERY single AFGE/SES Employee.

    3. Sell off all the VA facilities. Alternatively, they may be converted into housing for homeless veterans.

    4. Issue all veterans a card that allows them to choose their own doctors within their community that they can TRUST.

    5. The United States Government will PAY those doctors promptly (Within 45 days) for the care they provide veterans.

    6. ELIMINATE the “Federal Protection” Umbrella for incompetent QUACKS that the VA sends to other states to practice other than their own. Going to practice in Hawaii? You need to be LICENSED in Hawaii. Same applies to all other states.

    7. Any claim a veteran submits that requires more than 90 days to adjudicate, is automatically found to be in favor of the veteran. If a claim filed by a veteran is found to be a false one designed to scam the system, the VA will have to prove in civil court that a false claim was intentionally submitted.

    8. All veterans will be allowed to seek/retain the services of a Veterans Rights Attorney from their first initial contact with the VA.

    POTUS Reagan broke up PATCO in the ’80’s. POTUS Trump and our current Congress Critters do NOT have Veterans Interests at heart. Perhaps their replacements will. VOTE OUT all these WORTHLESS INCUMBENTS. Give their replacement’s one term to take care of the Veterans. If they cannot muster the stones to do it properly – – – vote their worthless asses out as well.

    Party should NOT MATTER. What SHOULD MATTER is their voting records on VETERANS ISSUES.

    NO Combat Veteran should be surprised when the next McVeigh Incident occurs. Bound to happen. Just a matter of time . . .

    Disgruntled Veteran
    1973 – 1976 USMC
    1978 – 1993 USN

    1. May I add # 9- Forbid and BAN the AFGE or ANY Union in Federal Workplaces. The union is essentially one large sucking lamprey to the VA’s budget and resources. It MUST GO.

      There was a time when unions were definitely more applicable and served a very good purpose. The one thing I did learn working at UPS/Teamsters for a few years unloading semi’s is the Union is ALSO there to ENSURE a SAFE WORK Environment. A medical workplace of ALL PLACES should be SAFE and competent. The VA and AFGE even fail at safety in the workplace…yeah, I’m talking about the safety of we Veterans.

      The AFGE must be sent back to hell.

      1. @Namnibor – – – Taken for Action. Will formalize, then add in. Good Call. Always open for new constructive ideas on how to fix this COVFEFE.

        Stenosis bad today. Got to take some pills and hit the rack for an hour or so. How you (besides the mood) doing lately?

        Disgruntled Veteran
        1973 – 1976 USMC
        1978 – 1993 USN

      2. I’m silly as an old rerun of “H.R. Puff and Stuff”. The VA is my ‘Witchy Poo”. 🙂

      3. @Nam – – – Silly as Puff & Stuff? Then I know you are going to be alright.

        As for me, ever get my benefits – – – got to get riding again. Wish I would have kept my old BMW boxer twin, but figure I can buy a Ural Gear Up with a sidecar. The dream that keeps me slogging on through this mess . . .

        Disgruntled Veteran
        1973 – 1976 USMC
        1978 – 1993 USN

  37. Maybe that’s why They had Me on 5 different Pain Medications
    in 6 month’s or less – Simple they provide a Vet with a medication
    an once it’s on list It’s available .. to them for as many Month as given. And changed Pain meds so many times in such a short time as They wanted to get Access to them All r had a preference to a certain .. 1.

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