Secretary Shulkin Europe

Sec VA, Wife Plan ‘Little Mermaid’ Visit On Taxpayer Funded Trip To Europe

Secretary Shulkin Europe

On the back of VA almost running out of money for Veterans Choice, VA press secretary Curt Cashour says the agency “ethics” team approved payment of Secretary Shulkin’s wife’s trip to Europe.

Talk about bad timing. Senator John McCain just called on VA to provide an explanation of all its Veterans Choice Program misspending over the past years since the agency cannot present a functional budget it can stick to. And apparently, while VA was misspending health care funds, it was also paying for Secretary Shulkin’s wife’s trip.

Fantastic.

The 10-day trip to Europe included paying a reimbursement stipend for meals, a canal tour and a trip to see the Little Mermaid statue in Copenhagen.

While the trip was not entirely a vacation, the vacation portions include watching tennis at Wimbledon, a tour of Westminster Abbey and a cruise on the Thames. Half of the trip was spent discussing veterans’ health issues with Danish and British officials. And the other half, well, you know.

Secretary David Shulkin’s wife, Merle Bari, received per-diem reimbursement for her meals and other expenses. The agency also paid for her airfare. VA says Bari traveled on “approved invitational orders” and had “temporary duty” travel expenses, whatever that means.

Shulkin traveled in a six-person travel party that included his acting undersecretary of health and her husband.

Ironically, the trip came less than two weeks after Shulkin signed a memo telling his top executives to make sure organizational travel is “essential.”

VA press secretary Curt Cashour said the trip and those on it “were reviewed and approved by ethics counsel.”

Cashour stumbled in his justification by asserting the trip was “with our allies” and that traveling to Europe in person was required to “discuss best practices” for veteran care.

Has no one heard of email or conference calls? Skype is a pretty common tool these days, and free.

Seriously though, we all know trips like this may be important for a variety of reasons. Still, bringing one’s spouse while using taxpayer dollars to fund her trip seems like a horrifically foolish idea in this political climate.

Why did the Secretary do it? After all, the guy is a wealthy by all accounts?

According to the Washington Post:

Shulkin was invited to attend a July 19 conference in London to discuss veterans’ mental health issues with representatives of Britain, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. In past years, the VA secretary has attended the conference.

He also arranged to attend meetings in Denmark from July 12 to 14. Officials in Denmark said VA officials approached them about the meetings.

The bookend events left Shulkin with four days in between, according to his itinerary. He attended a ceremony one of those nights at which a British veteran of the war in Afghanistan was honored, and a meeting the next night at the British prime minister’s residence.

Over the course of the trip, Shulkin and his entourage visited four palaces — Copenhagen’s Christiansborg and Amalienborg and London’s Buckingham and Kensington — and included times for walks, self-guided tours and photo stops. 

On one calendar item, a canal tour of Copenhagen, the itinerary specifically noted the group “Will See Little Mermaid Statue,” one of the city’s most iconic public artworks. During the London visit, Shulkin and his wife shared a meal at a restaurant overlooking a tennis court with Victoria Gosling, a British leader of the Invictus Games, a sports tournament for wounded veterans. Gosling posted a photo of the gathering on Twitter. 

“Great honour and a pleasure to host US Secretary of the VA and his lovely family,” Gosling wrote.

The Wimbledon event was one of the prized moments of the tennis year: In the women’s final, American Venus Williams would lose her chance at a sixth title to Spain’s Garbiñe Muguruza.

I sent in a FOIA for the information VA provided Washington Post, for the supposed “ethics” decision Cashour mentions, and related documentation.

While this is not the first trip to Europe by a VA secretary, it seems peculiar he would bring his wife and pay for her travel with taxpayer money.

Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/va-chief-took-in-wimbledon-river-cruise-on-european-work-trip/2017/09/29/c1f17046-a458-11e7-8c37-e1d99ad6aa22_story.html?utm_term=.576ed6e53aa1

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102 Comments

  1. I believe this was done on purpose by the VA ethics committee to set the Secretary up, by knowing this is not ethical and now the Secretary can not fire anyone for abusing travel funds.

    Now VA employees can do as they please concerning travel and can not be fired. Diana Rubins and Graves used this Logic when they tried to take displinary action against them, they said they could not hold tem accountable because they did not hold the one who authorized the payment.

    So unless the Secretary is held Accountable, the VA did their job, in setting him up. what a scam. Its his fault too, he’s a bright man and his Gut should have told him, this was wrong and he shrugged his shoulders and said well ok, as long as you say its ok.

    If they do not hold the secretary accountable and hold the Ethics committee accountable Millions more will be syphoned off and the Secretary will become null and void.

  2. If they would just leave me alone I’d use Medicare and pay deductible myself. They just fuck me someway or another. So fuck him, hope he get rug burns from cornholing his wife. Personality is changing and getting mean again, won’t be fun

  3. Used to be the norm, no more. How much fucking money do you need before stop looking for freebies

  4. You are right about teleconference calls, according to Secretary Shulkin It’s ok for veterans to get health care…

    But not good enough for him to use to gather information from someone else…

    Would have cost time and they would have missed out on an expensive vacation.

    This is not the only thing he has done, now He and his buddies want the government to let VA employees to collect on pay for college money.

    Where VA employees can use veterans as cash cow’s, where they can be paid for referring veterans to for profit school’s or they will claim all doctor’s, nurse’s and higher management are now instructors, as they are a training facility.

    They stopped this year’s ago because veterans were being fleeced and the VA now thinks just because, they can change the law.

    Secretary Shulkin should be taking care of business and he knew that this sort of traveling around the world may not be ethical, he does have a degree and supposed to be pretty smart. !

    Ethics committee said it was ok! VA with ethics , if you buy that I have some property to sell you.

    Secretary Shulkin just fell for the oldest trick in the book and now that he misused federal money, other employees doing this can not be fired.

    Remember the $400 thousand dollar’s given to Diana rubins and graves, they could not be fired because they did not fire the one’s who oked the money.

    Secretary Shulkin just joined the club and is now null and void and will now only be able to attend medal ceremonies and shake hands…

    The VA set him up and he fell for it. ! Now I know why he or his office has ignored my letters, to busy traveling and making friend’s, who just stabbed him in his back.

    Education is not everything, common sense and gut feeling will do one better served..

    Unless Shulkin is fired, no one else can be fired since he joined the Gang. !!!!!

  5. I am outraged with this kind of spending when I try to get dental implants for my few teeth I have left (5-6)on bottom and they tell me because of the loss of teeth my jaw bone has deteriorated that implants won’t work. For I am 100% disabled with deminished mental capability because of brain damage due to service related and non service related conditions and then have seuzures, panic attacks etc when stressed what is a guy to do? For dentures pose a chocking hazard with seizures and I have now to chew iver 100 times to be able to swallow meat or any hard food.
    And then I hear of this kind of pending I get so angry . It is a good thing I am on many meds to try to take all of this in. For many vets have the training to do something stupid. But I try to use humor to cope and expect things to go wrong so I am not disappointed when they do! But it is hard to hold it together at times but I am going through a good counselor that helps me cope! I hope others do the same

    1. RAND Corp. recommends Vets placing all meals in a blender if in need of extreme dental care and do not wish to risk Hep A/B/C/HIV from the VA dental hacks, then roll the dice. Until then, I choose the blender and food processor.

  6. “Former VA peer counselor sentenced to probation for sex with patients”
    CHRIS HUBBUCH la Crosse Tribune, Sep 28, 2017

    “A former VA mental health worker was sentenced to probation Thursday after admitting to sexual abuse of two patients at the troubled “Tomah” VA Medical Center in 2015.

    Charles W. Davis of Tomah pleaded no contest in Monroe County Circuit Court to one count of sexual exploitation by a therapist, a felony, and misdemeanor charges of fourth degree sexual assault and lewd and lascivious behavior.

    According to a criminal complaint, Davis, a peer support specialist, made repeated sexual advances to two patients, including a 26-year-old veteran receiving treatment for past “military sexual trauma” who told VA police that Davis called her into his office and exposed himself. A 32-year-old patient said Davis sent her sexually explicit pictures of himself and that she gave him oral sex in his office.”

    “https://lacrossetribune.com/news/local/former-va-peer-counselor-sentenced-to-probation-for-sex-with/article_0b530c5f-35bf-5038-b283-7a2f873654e6.html”

  7. Ben,

    If you get the chance, download this VA Presentation immediately. Invitational travel is covered on slide 15.

    “https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=8&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwj40I63ytPWAhXp24MKHVxEA1gQFghNMAc&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.va.gov%2Ffinance%2Fdocs%2FtrainingVhaFinanceConferenceTravelPolicy201108.pptx&usg=AOvVaw2zcfzBkoraoeXz9RboAu_U”

    You should be able to download it by copying the URL above. If you cannot get it, let me know and I can email it to you.

    1. The above slide presentation has as a bottom title, “Serving Veterans through FINANCIAL STEWARDSHIP”.

  8. Off topic. I mentioned last week that I had gotten a bill for a referral to a local provider through Choice. Choice decided not to pay the bill for last year, or the bill from this year.

    I called the local Choice Champion who referred me to another Choice person assigned specifically to handle billing problems with Choice.

    I then called the VA hotline for Choice billing problems and was given a referral number to follow up if I needed.

    I then called the White House hotline for veterans, and had zero confidence anything would happen as a result of that call.

    Today, I got a call from the billing manager at VA. I explained what happened since she said she was calling as a result of my call to the WH hotline. I had to explain because the WH hotline operator completely screwed up the reason for my call.

    I bet I still get turned over to collections.

  9. According to the WaPo article, his wife could have been reimbursed $3600 under federal guidelines. The article says 6 people traveled, in addition to a 6 member security detail. If they all were allowed $3600, that comes to $43,200 just for per diem.

    Today’s ticket prices for a flight from DC to Paris range from $524 flying something called WOW air with some connections to $6284 on Finnair, the most direct. So the cost of 12 people flying range from $6288 to $75408. I doubt Shulkin was flying Turkish airlines connecting through Istanbul.

    None of the above include hotel costs for them, or other transportation while there.

    Given his undersecretary paid the expenses for her spouse, it’s clear Cashour is claiming Shulkin’s wife was allowed travel expenses because of the “invitational orders”. Again, how convenient for her invitation to come when Shulkin had a meeting scheduled.

    Also, given the Danish officials stating how the trip was during a Danish holiday period, it looks even more like Shulkin forced himself on them.

    I say good on whatever whistle blower provided the heads-up to WaPo.

  10. Ah. I see the scam now. The VA said she was on “approved invitational orders”, so Shulkin will simply claim the Brits, Dutch or someone else invited his wife to give a presentation in helping veterans with Botox injections…since she’s a dermatologist.

    Convenient for them both that the invitation coincided with his trip there. Was there any quid pro quo for that invitation? Also convenient that VA officials approached Dutch or British officials to self-invite Shulkin to meet with them…a few days after the first meeting ended. They then were able to claim the whole trip as official since it would not have been economical for Shulkin to travel back there to meet them 4 days later.

    With a nice break in the fast pace of exchanging “best practices” for a little sight seeing.

  11. As for Cashour stumbling about best practices, was Shulkin presenting on what best practices the US uses? If so, what best practices in mental health care did he provide for keeping the veteran suicide rate at 22 per day?

    If it were the Dutch and Brits providing Shulkin best practices, can Shulkin explain how he is going to communicate those to all VA medical providers for improvement?

    Or were the best practices simply how to piss away millions from a budget provided to a government run health care system? I can somewhat see the Brits providing those, but the Dutch have mandatory insurance requirements for common medical care. How do those equate to VA best practices?

    In addition to the travel info FOIA Ben, you should ask for copies of any materials used in these presentations. Surely there must have been some “best practices” discussed.

  12. I defy Shulkin, his bullshit ethics office or Cashour to provide the exact line in the Federal Travel Regulations that allows a spouse to be put on official TDY with a traveling federal employee.

    Let me save you the time. The only mention of a spouse being given TDY status is if the head of the agency authorizes it because of illness, injury or personal emergency.

    “https://www.gsa.gov/directive/temporary-duty-tdy-travel-policy”

    If there is a policy allowing this, then Cashour should have no problem providing it immediately when requested under FOIA. They should also have no problem providing the exact number of days Shulkin traveled, how many days he claimed as official travel, what those lodging or meal expenses were, and they should closely match the days he claims as official. I call bullshit on his wife being able to travel in a TDY status, and even having any meals or other expenses paid. He can claim all those expenses allowed for himself, but any other expenses for her comes out of his pocket.

    In addition to providing the policy, and Shulkins vouchered expenses, he should be able to provide documentation showing Shulkin took official leave during the times he was sight seeing all over the fucking place.

    Do a search on Federal Travel Regulations. Go to the GSA web site, then do a search on TDY allowances.

    Now is that to say a spouse cannot go along? No. She can stay in his hotel room for free, but transportation, meals, etc. are all on the spouse and not paid for by the taxpayers.

    I know this link is essentially a blog for military spouses discussing TDY, but it makes pretty clear any expenses of the spouse are theirs alone.

    “https://wifeinthewildblueyonder.com/defining-tdy-temporary-duty-assignment/”

    If Shulkin is claiming his wife was on TDY as some kind of official duty and that some of her meals were supposed to be paid, then he should be willing to provide the authority that allows that. He should then be willing to explain how he thinks this is reasonable when a veteran is denied travel pay to get to an appointment, or why his VAMC directors refuse to pay travel for veterans to get to another VAMC.

  13. Having the Eyes to See the Whole World Deceived 😮
    “https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xinU9_0ZRo”

    1. “https://www.thelibertybeacon.com/us-govt-just-legalized-operation-mockingbird-fbi-can-now-impersonate-media/”

      We live in a “Matrix” and the world has been deceived about damn near everything. However I personally am not falling for the “flat Earth” propaganda. There are too many other issues to deal with or do serious research on, and I finished that topic many years ago. It’s just another well designed, college backed distraction like sports, shopping, the various mainstream religions of mankind, some official narrative on any chosen topic or Hollywood is. It’s just like most of the public thinking we vets get good care and any and all communities, the media, are all out to take care of any of us, or, to, believing everything local or national news may report on. False flag attacks. It’s all just BS and we have had plenty of examples, being totally ignored, or attacked, to show some reality. But not many care or can “see.” Plus we have far too many agents, activist, evil/negative agendas, propagandist, agent provocateurs, foreigners, phonies, etc., to deal with.

      Surely if enough people cared or our representatives cared, the people reading this forum, would give good cause for some serious investigations and questioning but it’s not happening while our “leaders” suck up more money, corruption deepens, more censorship, more attacks, and they take vacations or worry about our so-called allies instead of Americans. Like, how dare a vet say or dare mention… Veterans before illegals! Or, Veterans before animals. Then watch the hate and excuses fly.

      I had to call a local hospital’s administration to try to put an end to ‘some’ of my harassing phone calls, phony telemarketing schemes, and threats. Some, like with actual physical interludes out in public I have dealt with some strangers or idiot on the phone mentioning certain issues or my health care or asking about ‘how is that -fill in the blank- issue going on with you. WTF! Those issues can only come from the VA, local hospital and associated clinic staff who have access to my medical records. Which all of this crap is supposed to be a felony on many levels but totally ignored. The only thing the officials or politicians want or demand is open, never ending access to our files and personal life… but need our permission legally to investigate anything. (!)

      I got the phone numbers and locations from speaking with them or from my answering machine. Many coming from the local hospital and new clinic I picked to carry on with my care after the VA crap. Bad choice, but there aren’t many choices to be found locally. The ones that aren’t blocked or just say “out of area,” or “blocked caller’s number” but with some foreign sounding, and not having very good English at all. Odd I had issues with a PCP at the VA and she was some kind of Pakistani, then get tons of calls from those with the same accent or linage.

      There is a very common theme from those activist, VA staff, the civilians, and “professionals” we may have to deal with. One being no man can or should dare question some female about their wrong doing or what they do as “highly trained by the VA” or how dare we question any of them, it’s not politically correct. This crap goes far beyond mere “feminism” or equality issues.

      I also found out what the meaning of being called a “Polar Bear” or told by big city vets and citizens that some “clean up crew” would be dealing with me. Meaning the cops and fire, I reckon now and told, part of some “knock out whitey game” in larger cities. How nice. At a VA hospital over questioning other staff about some quack or malpractice from or over some VA doctor??? It’s issue over issue, activist crap over some other activist crap. But we are supposed to just eat it all and carry on. Oh but lets not discuss these and many other issues.

      The other commonly linked issues are the:
      Ever dealing with new staff, nurses, fill in staff, or the loss of our files or any info about some previous appointments and future plans made. Total loss.

      Dealing with other veterans not having such issues or problems or are bait and switch activist at heart, and could care less about us individuals, or not on their bandwagons of activism.

      Six hour long waits in the only local clinic for pain meds plus all the side contracts we have to sign to be seen. Our signature is needed for a MD to sue us in case of opioid abuse????

      The never ending stories about some clinic or MD’s office not accepting new patients, told to go back to the VA, or MDs here refuse to deal with people with chronic pain issues or someone who has been ruined by some surgeon or those at the VA.

      Dealing with the friends, family, spouses, mafias, networks, activist groups, of those we are having problems or issues with.

      Life support contracts for local energy company’s use to supposedly put us high on the list for repair in case of storm damages, etc. IF we use CPAP or oxygen, etc. Again we are supposed to sign away our privacy and health records for life. No ending dates or specifics noted on the forms, and don’t dare ask questions about that issue either.

      I could go on with certain events and such but it would do no good. Some seems like it came from left field and straight out of some damn Hollyweird movie like “Fried Green Tomatoes” and the parking lot scene dealing with the youth or some activist.

      Ya all try to have a nice day. My eye sight/other issues is shot/ruined for the day.

      1. I’ll blurrily, if that’s a word, add this. I guess and it’s been exampled time and time again here that the threats from VA staff at their new pain clinic back in 2015 was correct. Along with their unions and cliques, activist. If we talked negatively about the Indiana VA, or left, or refused to sign some special contract that many others never heard of or had to deal with, we would never find health care in Indiana again. Since they and the colleges to Homeland Security run it all and control everything. How dare we expect some integrity, honor, respect, or decency from anything in government, media, or from all those “professionals” out there. Sad.

        Guess that is what we get for being good accomodating guiena pigs and clean for over twenty five years with not a speck of disrespect or onryness on our part. And it all goes down hill because of mere questioins or discussing issues with some big city creep or some Femi-Nazi control freak.

      2. Off topic stuff, not so much off topic stuff:

        That should be spread far and wide. Doubt the silicon valley cliques will allow that video and others to last long. Websites and videos speaking some truth are being flushed.

        I tell people it’s useless to attend any town hall meetings and such. That I refuse to discuss anything with some rascal unless I record it or on video. Now I guess it’s going to be illegal here to record anything in our local court house, judges, attorneys, behind closed doors, etc. My FOIA didn’t work locally with the VA nor the city and those claiming these fascist police state activities will continue, supposed to be open to public for discussion, information/comments too, but isn’t.

        Not many people seem to care about veteran’s issues or concerns. Seems the vast amounts of corruption is deep seated and allowed on many levels from the VA, the state, locally, to the feds and on to the myriad of activist groups. Then on to the traditional sacred cows we are expected to bow to, with all coming to the point new hate crime laws will finish us off due to whatever ‘they’ demand we not speak about or dare question. Locally they just love Rahm Emmanuel, Chertoff, Adelson, Hillary, Obummer, and the like here and others like him with dual citizenship. Illegals, corruption, anti-American agendas, everything before Americans, truth, and veterans. This country is lost.

      3. Pretty wild stuff. Seen some familiar names there too having read about them before. Have to bookmark that for a later read when focus is better. Plus having so much crap to deal with here locally, then being stifled by internet providers and trash like Google and the fascist libtards in the net world. OH, and a town full of them here. Totally pathetic when I have to call a hospital’s admin office to try and get their staff stopped from constantly calling with harassing calls and such plus a global village out to protect the VA and the rest who do their dirty deeds and can get by with whatever they desire.

        So much for Indiana. Had my fill and going to try the White House number but doubt it will do any good. Not in this state where Trump has picked so many of his staff from, including liar phony Pence who knows all about the censoring and VA issues and did nothing. Nor did the state agencies under him.

        1984 coming in strong.

        Hmmm. That said, is anyone else being blocked by Youtube and just getting blank pages? Back on Aug 8 Google/Youtube stated they would be censoring, blocking all videos they did not agree with or ‘they’ considered to be about hate or what they felt should be shut down. Guess it happened so the fascist, like here in town, are getting their agendas met.

      4. T..People never stop amazing me of how controlled indoctrinated and just plain out lazy they are to the truth.
        Nothing but crooks running the whole show

      5. T…Center for Food Safety

        Nanotechnology in food

        “https://salsa3.salsalabs.com/o/1881/p/salsa/web/common/public/content?content_item_KEY=14112+#showJoin”

      1. “Indifferent” effectively cancels out meaning of word “CARE”. The VA is an oxymoron.

  14. Fricken mickey mouse commenting software screen out my comments again saying my comments are being sent to moderation.

  15. Hey Elf,

    You know the book and movie 1984 where the main actor was controlled by his television screen. Also the television was always on and monitoring everything he did.

    Looks like Shulkin is well on his way to setting up that kind of monitoring of Veterans receiving VA Health Care.

    Not only are they proposing legislation that would circumvent any and all state laws about qualifications of health care providers through telemedicine. They are proposing changes in the law that let them set up the 1984 vision of monitoring Veterans right in their own homes.

    So it is not like you go to a VA clinic or hospital and see a doctor, Nurse or pharmacist in another state Via telemedicine. They are proposing setting the telemedicine monitor being set up right in the Veterans home. Regardless of any state laws against it.

    How fricken 1984 is that.

    1. “VA issues proposed rule for home-based telehealth for vets“
      By Joseph Goedert October 02 2017, 7:36am EDT

      “A new proposed rule from the Veterans Administration would enable VA providers offering telemedicine services to more easily administer care across state lines by waiving state licensure requirements to enhance veterans’ access to treatment.”

      By providing healthcare services by telehealth from one state to a beneficiary located in another state or within the same state, whether that beneficiary is located at a VA medical facility or in his or her own home, VA can use its limited healthcare resources most efficiently,” the rule states.

      This means that veterans in their home can use a mobile app, called VA Video Connect, to access a platform to conduct a home videoconferencing session with a VA provider, says Catherine Pugh, senior director of government affairs at Health IT Now, a coalition of patient, provider, employer and insurer stakeholders.”

      “VA leaders decided to move forward through regulatory processes rather than wait on a new law, but the proposed rule is squarely in line with the goals of the VETS Act of 2017, Pugh believes.

      Further, the rule would authorize the VA Secretary to waive the imposition or collection of copayments for telehealth visits.

      The proposed rule would not expand the scope of practice for VA providers beyond what is defined in the laws and practice acts of the provider’s state of licensure.”

      “https://www.healthdatamanagement.com/news/va-issues-proposed-rule-for-home-based-telehealth-for-vets”

      1. Yeah, as if the VA cares about licensing, or that last line about expanding the scope of practice.

        Who else believes the VA will not have paper pushing clerks conducting these visits?

        Imagine Choice operators being hired for these telemedicine exams.

  16. I am not surprised, perks of the office don’t ya know. “temporary duty” travel expenses 90 pgs @ “https://www.doi.gov/sites/doi.gov/files/migrated/pfm/fmm/upload/DOI-TDY-Travel-Policy.pdf”

    1. NiteWish,

      From the link you provided the section on who is eligibility show that she should not have received TDY.

      1.1.2 Understanding Eligibility for TDY Allowances The following individuals are eligible for reimbursement of authorized travel expenses when in TDY travel status:

      •DOI employee traveling on official business in one of the following ways:
      o Individual who is directly employed by DOI, regardless of status or rank;
      o Expert or consultant who is paid on a daily (when-actually-employed) basis; or
      o Invitational traveler who is serving with pay at $1 a year.

      • Invitational traveler serving without pay, e.g., conference speakers, committee
      members, etc.

      • Employees completing emergency travel because of an interruption of official travel for an incapacitating illness or injury or a personal emergency. See Section 3.2 for guidance on emergency travel.

      • Law enforcement or investigative employees and members of their families traveling as a result of a threat directly associated with their official duties. See Section 3.3 for additional information about this type of travel.

      • Interviewees performing pre-employment interview travel.

      1. Yeah, I’m a little slow. I search on “VA policy on TDY” and came up with:

        “https://www.va.gov/finance/docs/va-financialpolicyvolumexivchapter01.pdf”

        Nowhere is spouse mentioned, but invitational is mentioned once.

        You can look at other VA Travel policies at:

        “https://www.va.gov/finance/policy/travel.asp”

        I wonder if Shulkin or his flunkies tried putting the squeeze on the Danes or the Brits for gifted travel for his wife.

        Their policy in International travel at:

        “https://www.va.gov/finance/docs/VA-FinancialPolicyVolumeXIVChapter06.pdf”

        also does not mention spouse. This section of that chapter covers “invitational” travel, and according to the policy, Cashour should be able to provide the invitation on whatever government invited them.

        “060619 Invitation. An official invitation to visit a country for some purpose. Normally, the company or person you are visiting in the foreign country makes the request for you to visit the country. The formal invitation could be in the form of a Government letter,
        Chamber of Commerce letter, or other type document as outlined by the regulations of the country you plan to visit.”

        Another interesting section from that chapter…makes me wonder why the VA cut and pasted from the DOD travel policy:

        “No-Fee Regular (Tourist): A no-fee regular passport (blue) is normally issued to military dependents traveling at Government expense containing an endorsement indicating the dependent status of the bearer. This endorsement reads: “This passport is valid only for use in connection with the bearer’s residence abroad as a dependent of a member of the American military or naval forces on active duty outside the United
        States.” When issued to non-appropriated fund employees, civilian court-martial witnesses, or to individuals on invitational-type orders, the passport will contain the appropriate endorsement. It is valid for the duration of status for which the passport was issued, not to exceed 5 years. All no-fee passports are issued from Passport Services, DoS, Washington, D C.”

        You think she stiffed the taxpayers for the cost of her passport too?

    2. @NiteWish- THAT reminds me of when I was in USAF in all of 80’s there were fare share of fat cat NCO’s padding their pockets by playing the TDY watering holes. Esp. back when we used to have those long-term “Peacekeeping Missions”…and those same greedy pigs either work now at the VA or are high-up on the VSO Piggy Mismanagement.

  17. This from:
    “Military.com/daily news”
    via “Stars and Stripes” | by Nikki Wentling
    Dated; 30 Sept 2017
    Titled;
    “Stage Set in Congress for Debate on Choice Program Reform”

    Shulkin is claiming the money is NOT going to run out by December.
    Good article in Military.com!

  18. LV, NV Coward Shooter – – – Brother said no military background, and their family are dumbfounded. Press hounding on them big time. “Just a guy who lives in Mesquite that loves burritos,” stated Eric Paddock. Brother acknowledged that they weren’t close.

    Nevada has only one (1) Level One Trauma Center. NV needs more, even before shooting. – – – Nutter.

    1. ISIS Claims Responsibility For Mass Shooting/Suspect Converted Months Before!
      ISIS claims responsibility for Las Vegas terror attack
      Infowars.com – October 2, 2017

      “https://www.infowars.com/live-now-mass-shooter-converted-to-islam-months-before-attack/”

      More attacks expected.

      1. “Las Vegas shooting: Isis claims responsibility for deadliest gun massacre in modern US history”
        “https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/las-vegas-isis-shooting-claims-stephen-paddock-responsibility-latest-a7978941.html”

        “FBI says no connection with international terror group yet found in ongoing investigation”

      2. How does one get over 26 high-powered riffles and other crap in a 32 high visibility hotel on Vegas strip unnoticed? The 64 year old going a-hunting for wabbit from window? WTF? I say there’s MUCH more to this because my bullshit alarm keeps going off.

      3. A statement published by the group’s Amaq propaganda agency [aka/cia]..claimed the attacker was a “soldier of the Islamic State”.
        Now I know It’s bullshit
        Them damn party poopers…LOL
        And nsa give me the groups phone # so I can verify it my self or do I have to ask cnn they found ben laden when no one could and he had a unlisted # in his cave

  19. LV, NV Shooting – – – What a coward. My heart goes out to the family’s, and other love ones. LM- Lives Matter. – – – Nutter.

      1. A “play” is always done in “ACTS”.

        Usually an “ACT 1″…., “ACT 2″…, and “ACT 3”.

        You see…, there is a reason for this.

        Nothing can “happen” upon the “stage” without someone willing to do the “acting”.

        THAT IS WHY THEY ARE CALLED: ACTORS

        They are the ones walking around on the stage while doing the “actions”.

        Furthermore….

        When a film director wants his “Actors” to begin moving around…, he yells: ACTION!!

        (In other words…, “Begin to move around and DO STUFF you bought and paid for

        ACTION = DOING THINGS

        Whether “on the stage” or “in the world”…, if you wish to achieve something…, you TAKE ACTION
        [ yea I want your guns ]

        Some of the greatest “actors” have made the comment that:

        ALL OF THE WORLD IS A STAGE

        Hmmm……

        If this is true…, then…, the ONLY way that things could actually “happen” on the WORLD STAGE is for people who are ON the world stage to take ACTION.

        Hmmm….

        Can you imagine going to a PLAY…, and then sitting in the theater while watching a whole bunch of people on the stage sitting in the corner and doing NOTHING?

        Don’t you suppose you’d yell out eventually:

        WHERE’S THE ACTION?

        Perhaps you’d get up…, walk out of the theater, and demand that you get your money back…, because the “actors” in the play did NOT ACT.

        Is it lost on you that everything that happens here in our world is called an ACT ?

        Did you know that here in America…, each time a new “law” is passed…, it is called an ACT?

        Did you know that?

        Since “congress” is the “body” that creates new laws…, such an achievement is called:

        AN “ACT” OF CONGRESS…, or A CONGRESSIONAL ACT

        Surely you’ve heard of this?

        So then…, all laws passed in America are really called: ACTS…

        They are formally called: ACTS OF LAW

        Not that this means anything really since…, those who are making these laws are just “actors” on the “stage”.

      2. Even old uncle Joe gets on stage
        Joe Biden

        @JoeBiden

        How long do we let gun violence tear families apart? Enough. Congress & the WH should act now to save lives. There’s no excuse for inaction.

        My bullshit meter is pegged out on that one uncle Joe u need to tone it down a bit…How about a G flat

      3. And what would you propose they do to save lives?

        There is no pattern to the mass shootings. Ban the guns and then only criminals will have guns?

        I really hate the anti-gun hysteria that follows all these shootings, because it only hurts law abiding citizens; no one else.

  20. VA Awards $188 Million in Grant Funding to Help Homeless Veterans…..To 2 agencies they had links 2 but I couldn’t pull up
    I read this awhile ago then looked up what they estimate how many vets are homeless, and It’s around 182,000…A hell of a profit for someone.
    What a ripoff

    VA Awards $188 Million in Grant Funding to Help Homeless Veterans
    VA News Release | Posted September 11, 2017

    1. +OLDMARINE,
      We on here, and other “vetcentric sites”, have more than suspected VA’s upper echelon of pilfering taxpayers monies for their personal use.
      Today’s article by Ben, which was also in “military.com/daily news”, more likely than NOT proves these factors to be TRUE!
      The only problem is, HOW to screw the asswipes getting away with screwing taxpayers and veterans?!
      Our DOJ has gone political on many issues. Which, btw, is illegal! DOJ Sessions has basically turned into a wimpy democrat. Where he will NOT convene a Grand Jury to see if warrants could be issued on those who are breaking laws.
      Until our Republic is restored, don’t expect anyone in government to be held accountable for crimes against taxpayers and veterans! There’s a double standard of culpability for those in Washington D.C.! We the People are hung out to dry, while those in high government services are given better appointments!

      1. CE,

        The best way to screw those who have screwed The People is to look to ancient Rome….how did they screw people found guilty of corruption?

        Well, they started with the hands. One screw in each. Then one big screw for both feet. They used oak as a rule to support the corrupt politician which they had screwed to he oak and then lifted the poitician high up in the air so he could gaze upon his victims for days on end.

        And his victims got to gaze upon him too…

        This is the old school way of screwing the corrupt public servants. We could ask congress for funding to begin the process immediately?

  21. Diana Rubens director of Philly RO is laughing at this amateur. At least she got a house out of the money she allegedly embezzled from our Veterans and her HR management got hundreds of their idiot family members and idiot friends jobs with the hundreds of millions they allegedly defrauded.

    1. Listen up Veterans call your Senators and Representative contact the Veteran Affairs Committee passed a New Veteran Disabled Veteran Benefit Law which is if a Disabled Veteran who is collecting 100 percent service connected definitely need to get G4 implants from a Cosmetic Dentistry Dentist because their is absolutely not one works at a Veteran Medical Center plus they haven’t even one has a contract with Veteran Affairs Admistation but their is Private Clinics knows how to put G4 implants but unfortunate they want all the money up front my firm belief as a Concerned Veteran it’s time for the money should come from the Federal Government so the Disabled Veterans collecting 100 percent service connected definitely need to get G4 implants the G4implants for free.

      1. Seymour Klearly are you saying spamming Veterans i am into improving Disabled Veterans Benefits who is collecting 100 percent service connected.

      2. Bullshit you are spamming to negatively affect the webpage rankings and that is all that you are doing.

      3. @Leatherneck – – – More than one copy of the same message sent to others. Totally would fit the definition of Spam if sent indiscriminately to others, and with commercial contents. Plus, in a triage type of defining, more Veterans should benefit from a VA action instead of a select amount. IMO (In My Opinion) – – – Nutter.

      4. ANutter and Seymore I bet you just chat on here among yourself how to improve but you take no action to the Senators and Representative of your State action speak louder than words.

      5. @Leatherneck – – – You have no idea of what I’m doing on my end. Bro, your post is the same message. If you believe that many Veterans or visitors that visit Ben’s are forgetful, or need to be motivated per the issue of Dental Implants, then post your same comment daily, or on alternate days. That’s the whole point of the spam matter.

        My comment per Triage, is that there’re many other issues, as a whole, that DIRECTLY affect more Veterans than Dental Implant matters (Claim backlogs, Other Than Honorable [OTH] Discharges, . . .).

        Hey, no need to argue. We’re divided enough, and this is exactly what the VA wants. They observe us being divided, then sit back and mock us. Geez dude, wake the fuck up. – – – Nutter.

      6. @Leatherneck – – – You actually trust the VA with Dental Implants? You may not able to eat after the VA performs the surgery. I’m an Investigative Research Biologist, and I find it very hard to trust the VA, even with their cheap generic meds that they try to shovel (prescribe) down the throats of Veterans.

        Until the VA changes its behavior, and stops screwing over Veterans, I don’t trust the damn toilet paper that they use in the stalls of the VA bathrooms. – – – Nutter.

      7. ANutterVet,

        featherneck posts the same comment on numerous websites in the comment section. His comments are recognized as spam by Google and other search engines.

        When the Google news search engine sees his spammy post on a webpage it lowers the score of the webpage because it contains spam content. The lower the score of the webpage the further down in the search engines listings that the page is listed.

        That is why featherneck is here with his spam. Just trying to bury Ben’s article and our comments.

        He doesn’t give a rats ass about any Veteran or any implants. He is only here trying to bury the article.

      8. @Seymore Klearly – – – I didn’t know that is what’s happening. Thanks for updating. – – – Nutter.

      9. Wrong featherneck, also we do not sit around and spam disabled Veterans post like you continually do.

      10. One thing to see about search rankings is that when you search on “Shulkin Europe” there are MANY major media sources reporting on his little vacation.

        Ben’s link to this post is on page two of the search results. Total results are 245,000.

        I see that as a good thing since when Charles Ingram burned himself to death outside a VA clinic, for days Ben’s article topped the search results. Then a few regional news media and a couple major ones after that. Searching on “charles ingram iii va death” shows only 5 pages of results.

        Sad in some respects that a veteran can burn himself alive outside a VA clinic, but the media covers extensively Shulkin going to Europe.

  22. Off-Topic: Waking-up to all this yet another domestic shooter BS in Las Vegas drove my PTSD levels immediately through roof. Let’s all pray the shooter was NOT a Veteran and that no Vets got shot.

    1. Staged Government BS….It’s all about con-trol NAM.
      The so called mainstream news is just a holly-wood
      production…Can I please have your pistol I will keep u safe…LOL..Nothing but fear mongering

      1. Oldmarine read any about the “Purple Revolution” to cause dissident in [140 cities] designed to produce a civil war . Whats real whats not I really don’t know anymore.

      2. NiteWish…..Sounds like a George Soros production …..Gun grabbing series……Divide and conquer with a nice spin of fake news…LOL
        Are u getting better at the butter churning…?.

      3. In the hours after the Las Vegas shooting at Mandalay Bay, many took to Twitter to begin spinning the tragedy to their agenda, both liberal and conservative. Those advocating for gun control were especially callous, pushing a talking point as families mourn the dead.

        Never one to let a good crisis go to waste, former Secretary of State and failed Democratic Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton has been tweeting about the tragedy with her usual grandstanding.

        “https://silenceisconsent.net/hillary-clinton-democrats-celebrities-politicize-las-vegas-shooting-twitter”

        Hillary Clinton‏Verified account
        Our grief isn’t enough. We can and must put politics aside, stand up to the NRA, and work together to try to stop this from happening again…….seeeeee she’s not talking about bubble yum bubble gum…LOL

      4. A sobering reminder of Veteran Suicides in that the as of today’s tally in dead on Vegas massacre is 58. That is a tad less than 3 full days of Veteran Suicides on any regular day in the US of A. Not trying to minimize the 58 dead, just keeping perspective.

      5. She’s rousing her supporters. Like the teacher who prayed for all the dead to be Trump supporters.

    2. @namnibor,
      Wait for the “Looney Liberal Left Democratic Asswipes” to start yelling about “More Gun Control Legislation” and/or “Legislation to take away our 2nd Amendment Rights through Confiscation!”
      It’s situations like these where “gun free zones” are allowing radical idiots to kill people.
      According to the reports, he was 65+ years old, had an “…ISIS flag and MORE weapons in his car!”
      There are some conflicting reports: ie; He was shot down by police vs. He committed suicide before police broke in! Either way, the guy is dead!
      I too hope he wasn’t a veteran! Yet, there’s that possibility due to his age of being a Vietnam Veteran! I sure hope NOT!

      1. Yeah, those “gun-free zones” in metro Chicago and Detroit area are only making it as if the people going to work or living there are like gazelles approaching a watering hole infested with crocodiles.

      2. Yeah, Rahm Emanuel, democrat, has already come out with his diatribe against this!
        Then, of course, there will be others.
        I hear Hillary has been spouting off about how the democrats need to fight the NRA, or some such nonsense!

    3. I wish I could relate to that nam. I feel zero empathy. My PTSD allows nothing else. Wait for the next level of federal gun grabs, especially from this mostly noble and honorable crowd. If 58 dead and over 500 wounded at last count if this doesn’t break the 2nd amendment then I doubt anything will. Me, I’m a felon and I’m crazy so that’s 2 slaps on the wrist already. No guns for me. Still this will either be labeled as a crazy psycho white guy who just finally couldn’t take it anymore. Or, it will be labeled a terrorist attack since it apparently has already been claimed by ISIS with very little or non-existent proof of that I’m leaning towards the former, until things develop.

  23. Shulkin was just bringing to Europe in his wife’s purse, some “Little VSO Mermaid Turds” to seed the VA’s Euro-Swamp locations. One turd leads to another…

    1. It would be interesting to get a list of all those who traveled with Shulkin.

      How many VSO’s were considered “security” for his little trip?

  24. “While the trip was not entirely a vacation…” With respect, bullshit.

    Can ANYONE tell me what ANY other location on planet fucking Earth that can unfuck VA in a way that The People cannot? Did they just run out of citizens in our nation of 200,000,000 people that has any ideas left? Can Shulkin not just walk out onto ANY sidewalk and look around and find a few vets digging the dumpsters for food? ?has he spoken with this elite group of experts on VA services and care?

    How about we “ok” a trip down to the corner of 8th and Lincoln in Eugene just outside the methadone clinic for Mrs. Shulkin. It is a GREAT cultural icon and in fact many US vets are available at that location to discuss URGENT healthcare matters. We can set up a photo shoot not with a mermaid made from rock, but an American war veteran in their native homeless setting. Great photo op. Smile big now, say “Cheese….”

    Just remember Mrs. Shulkin, those homeless vets you see wandering he streets of America, sick from incompetant and ruthless VA healthcare overseen by your honey-muffins are not there entitely homeless just for vacation – it is real work climbing in and out of dumpsters… Maybe some of their culture will rub off?

    On second thought….maybe we should ship that whole crew to Europe.

    1. For VA purposes, a veteran climbing in and out of dumpsters “is not entirely homeless but on vacation using dumpsters instead of fancy rock walls for exercise and if said Vets rec’v disability comp., the dumpster diving negates that. RAND approves…

    2. “Did they just run out of citizens in our nation of 200,000,000 people that has any ideas left?”
      No, at least 1 person in our nation knows his way around ideas, and could probably clear up the VA claims backlog, blindfolded with 1 hand tied behind his back: Kenneth Feinberg, the guy who cut through all the red tape for the languishing claimants of 9/11, Gulf Oil Spill, Boston Marathon Bombing, VW Diesel Emissions Coverup, etc., etc.

  25. Secretary Shulkin really does get around.

    On August 4, 2017, he was at MAN VAMC to deal with the fallout from 12, or so, medical staff turned whistleblowers.

    When the good doctor alighted from his car, I stayed back, but held up a sign that read,

    “Secretary Shulkin, SOS (!)”

    He laughed, asked me my name (I gave it), and if I wanted to give him something.
    I told him I did, that I’d essentially been waiting 14 years for such an opportunity.
    I handed him 2 summaries of my case, 1 @ 1 page (see below), and 1 @ 10 pages.
    Neither the good doctor nor his staff ever got back to me.
    On May 31, 2017, the Secretary held a press briefing, at which he announced, “VA will be soft-launching the White House Veterans Complaint Hotline tomorrow, on June 1st. This is something the President had talked about. We’re going to be testing that system, starting tomorrow, and fine-tuning it over the next several months, with the goal of it being fully operational by August 15th. The soft launch of this, which is being worked out tomorrow, will be active — the phone number is (855)948-2311 — and the full launch of that, as I said, will be August 15th.”
    On June 1, 2017, I called the Hotline @ 0800 sharp, and gave about a 40-minute account of my case. The agent said someone would get back to me “within 14 days.” No one ever did.
    On August 25, 2017, I called again. A different agent couldn’t figure out the notes from my 1st call. I spent 1:08 going over everything again. She told me someone would get back to me “within 14 business days.”
    No one did, but on September 7, 2017, I received the following email:

    “Mr. [Redacted],

    “Your call to the White House Veterans Hotline has been received and forwarded to the Department of Veterans Affairs for assessment. While we understand that you were told that you would be engaged within 14 business days of your call, an administrative error has occurred which may slightly delay our response time. We apologize for this, but you should be engaged by the appropriate party by approximately September 21, 2017.

    “Thank you,

    “Department of veterans Affairs”

    9/29/2017, still not having been “engaged” by “the appropriate party” (or any other party), I called the Hotline again.
    Turned out they had done something, and had made a decision.
    What they did, was reach out to the entity within VA that I had complained about, and asked them to evaluate my complaint.
    That entity, or so the agent told me, said (paraphrased):
    Mr. [Redacted] keeps bringing us his case, and we keep telling him he doesn’t have a case.”

    So, folks, put yourself in VA’s shoes:

    You have a guy who’s been complaining that his VAMC spent 13 months figuring out i.e., diagnosing, that the lump on his thigh was cancer; that his VAMC surgeons resected it without margins; that they then referred him to a non-VA medical center for corrective surgery (a wide resection to achieve tumor-free margins), & for radiation therapy; told him to pay for all this himself; told him he was not eligible for VA disability benefits; failed to inform him of any adverse events in his treatment; that his PCP went on the record(!) that he had not discussed his case with him out of concern he might take legal action; that none of his providers followed the dictates of VHA Handbook 1050.1, and referred him to 38 US.C. section 1151/F.T.C.A.; that the guy, as a direct result of all the above, eventually ended up bankrupt, homeless, jobless, carless; that he belatedly learned of 1050.1 & 38 U.S.C. 503(a)(b), equitable relief, and, invoking the voluminous record, petitioned for it.

    In those shoes, to get to the bottom of the guy’s complaints, what would YOU do, ask the folks who created the problems in the first place if they had created any problems, or would you decide after reading the guy’s 150 pages, or so, of documents from the record?

    Handed to Secretary Shulkin:

    Secretary Shulkin: SOS(!).
    • 13-Month delayed diagnosis(!).
    • VAMC > Veteran:
    • “You have cancer (“myxofibrosarcoma)(!).”
    • “You need: corrective surgery & radiation therapy(!).”
    • “VAMC will cover: nothing(!).”
    • “Go to Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center(!).”
    • “You pay(!).”
    • “You’re not eligible for VA disability benefits(!).”
    • Result: pain, depression, joblessness, eviction, bankruptcy, homelessness, and more(!).
    • But, VAMC had erred; Veteran actually was eligible for VA 1151 disability benefits.
    • Veteran learned of/petitioned for, “equitable relief.”
    • VA, flouting its own rules, repeatedly blocked Veteran’s petitions(!).
    • VA personages who blocked Veteran include: VHA’s Marc Levenson, Michael Mayo-Smith, Virginia Cummings, Ganga Hematillake; OMI’s John Pierce; OGC’s Will Gunn, Richard Hipolit; et al.

    1. You’ve got a serious battle on your hands Frank, because to admit anything means they have to admit their negligence.

      1. Thanks, 91. The SOL for medical malpractice having run, they’re off the hook for that. However, there’s no SOL on petitioning for equitable relief, under 38 USC 503(a)(b). Elephants never forget. I won’t either, what it was like to be sick with worry, go bankrupt, lose everything, fall homeless. I’ll be chasing them to my last breath. [Of note: 38 USC 503(a)(b) basically says if you suffered a loss because VA failed to do something it should have, or gave you a bum steer, and you believed them, you can petition for what you lost. But 503 doesn’t stop at (b), there’s a (c), which puts it on the Secretary to tell Congress annually, how mych he handed out, and why. Guven how many times every year VA fails to do something it should, and how many times every year it gives veterans bum steers that cost them, you’d think the number of grants of equitable relief would be commensurate, right? Wrong! VA is only handing out equitable relief on the order of about 10-30 times/year. Now THAT’S a subject for an exposé!!!

      2. Good luck with your battle Frank. The SOL may be expired on malpractice, but I would be curious about what an attorney would say about any steps the VA may have taken to run out the clock on the SOL, or whether they changed records to help them run out the clock.

        I read an article recently about the VA intentionally taking steps to avoid paying out malpractice claims by running out the clock. It appeared that the VA took steps to keep information from the veteran that allowed the clock to run out.

        I would think an attorney could argue that the steps the VA took constituted conspiracy, and a veteran could sue based on that, regardless of the statute of limitations.

  26. Catherine Austin Fitts: The United States is a Criminal Enterprise; Documented- $42 trillion Stolen from Inside

    1. Listen up Veterans call your Senators and Representative try to convince to contact the Veteran Affairs Committee passed a New Veteran Disabled Benefit Law which is if a Veteran Disabled who is collecting 100 percent service connected definitely need to get G4 implants from a Cosmetic Dentistry Dentist because isn’t absolutely not one works at a Veteran Medical Center plus they haven’t even one has a contract with Veteran Affairs Admistation but as a Concerned Veteran it’s time the money should come from the Federal Government so the Disabled Veterans collecting 100 percent service connected get the G4 implants for free because three quarters of Disabled Veterans who is collecting 100 percent service connected can’t even afford to pay for a Loan get the G4 implants because if a Disabled Veterans collecting 100 percent service connected don’t get the G4 implants it would cause other Health Problems Issues …Remember I can’t do it alone. ..Semper Fi ?.

  27. This seems to be a recurring theme in our government. There was a government official who just resigned over crap like this. I believe it was the guy in charge of HUD! (Although I’m not sure IF it was that agency, specifically!) I do know the “situation” of his (forced) retirement was similar!
    In this case Shulkin should be FIRED!

    I’m not sure who said, (paraphrasing): “Shulkin’s buying his time as Secretary, before he goes to work at some medical place!”
    I agree! I think he’s going to get as much of the taxpayers monies, and spend it foolishly, as he can BEFORE he retires! He doesn’t give a rats ass about veterans, or our healthcare. All he cares about is “…enriching his pockets with taxpayers monies!”

    1. P.S.
      And NOW he has his family, and other high profile VA officials families, involved in this “Rico scheme” against America’s veterans and taxpayers!

  28. What else can anyone expect from a morally and ethically challenged piece of waste like Shulkin that thinks so little of Veterans that he brought in nurses to act as primary care physicians. Depriving Veterans of qualified medical care.

    Not to forget his current goals of making it legal for VA employees to profit from for profit colleges and weakening all standards of Veterans medical care through Telemedicine by passing all state laws and standards.

    1. “VA Proposes Employees Can Profit From For-Profit Colleges”
      By Benjamin Krause – September 15, 2017

      “The Department of Veterans Affairs has proposed a waiver to 50-year-old anti-corruption law that prevents certain VA employees from also profiting from for-profit colleges.”

      “https://www.disabledveterans.org/2017/09/15/va-proposes-employees-can-profit-profit-colleges/”

    2. “VA looks to ease telehealth regulations”
      By Rachel Z. Arndt | September 29, 2017

      “The Veterans Affairs Department proposed a rule Friday that would allow VA providers anywhere in the country to conduct telehealth visits with VA patients across state borders, regardless of state licensing.”

      “https://www.modernhealthcare.com/article/20170929/NEWS/170929864”

      1. Therefore, VA trying its best to completely remove VA Medical Malpractice Laws. – – – Nutter.

  29. Shulkin knew that paying for his and his Wife’s vacation with Veterans Administration funds was totally wrong, immoral and unethical. Although it is being down played as minor breaking of the rules. The truth is that with the added security team that was required Shulkin’s and Wife’s vacation cost US taxpayers well over $200,000 for his vacation.

    All out of funds meant for the Veterans Administration.

    This corrupt piece of Chit needs to be fired!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    1. Oh and the added security team is not included in the 5 additional guess that accompanied Shulkin and his Wife. Realistically it is likely the Veteran’s Administration well over $1 million for Shulkin’s Vacation.

    2. After waiting forty year’s and finely obtaining my deserved disability, the VA paid $150 thousand…

      After the VA lied about my official military records being distroyed! And me having to suffer from ptsd and traumatic brain injury.

      Secretary Shulkin’s trip cost more than what I received. If a veteran wrongly claimed travel pay, they would have been arrested for what maybe $25.00.

      Shut down the VA or crime syndicate.

      1. Here’s a true story about VA travel pay to veterans: I drove to a C & P examination, went to the travel pay window when the PA had finished with me, filled out paperwork, handed over receipts, got some $, counted it, realized it was short, and why. I told the clerk she hadn’t paid me for the tolls on my way home. She didn’t hesitate a second, and said: “How do we know you’ll go home the same way?” (On the bright side, I’m grateful that she only cheated me out of the retun tolls, didn’t hand me back $0.00, because, “How do we know you’re even goining to GO home?”)

    3. Next time Shulkin’s wife wants to see the little boy statue’s pee in Copenhagen, tell her to stay home and look at Trump’s Russian pee pee tapes.

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