VA Accountability: Agency To Release All Major Adverse Employee Actions
As part of the new accountability program, VA has decided to release all major adverse employee actions and settlements over $5,000.
In the not too recent past, VA was allowed to resolve disputes, including payoffs of whistleblowers and bad senior employees, under the radar. It also did the same with employee adverse actions. There were limited transparency and limited accountability.
Now, under the authority of the VA Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act, VA will now let the public know what VA is doing to increase accountability. While the agency decided to withhold names, it does list out enough information to understand what may be going on behind the scenes.
According to a press release issued today:
VA Expands Transparency, Accountability Efforts
Becomes First Agency to Post Information on Adverse Employee Actions, Requires Senior Official Sign-off on All Settlement Actions Above $5,000
WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs David J. Shulkin announced that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is taking a further step on transparency and accountability as a follow-on to the VA Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act signed by the president less than two weeks ago.
Beginning today, the department is making public a list of adverse employee actions taken since Jan. 20. This information is posted at https://www.va.gov/accountability, and will be updated weekly.
Secretary Shulkin pointed to the move as another step in long-sought transparency and accountability actions at VA, and noted that VA is the first federal agency to make such data public. “Under this administration, VA is committed to becoming the most transparent organization in government,” Shulkin said. “Together with the Accountability bill the president signed into law recently, this additional step will continue to shine a light on the actions we’re taking to reform the culture at VA.
“Veterans and taxpayers have a right to know what we’re doing to hold our employees accountable and make our personnel actions transparent,” he continued. “Posting this information online for all to see, and updating it weekly, will do just that.”
For privacy reasons, the adverse action list will not include employee names, but will give information on the position, VA region or administration and type of adverse or disciplinary action taken.
The list includes terminations, demotions and suspensions over 14 days since the new administration came into office Jan. 20. Additional categories of accountability actions will be included in upcoming releases.
In addition to posting the adverse action information, Secretary Shulkin announced that he is requiring approval by a senior official of any monetary settlement with an employee over the amount of $5,000. Any settlement above this amount will require the personal approval of the Under Secretary, Assistant Secretary or equivalent senior-level official within the organization in which the dispute occurs.
“Taxpayers need to know that we will engage in good faith settlement negotiations, where required by third parties, but will look to settle with employees only when they clearly have been wronged or when settlement is otherwise in Veterans’ and taxpayers’ best interests, and not as a matter of ordinary business,” Secretary Shulkin said. “We’re changing to a culture of accountability at VA, and this is an important step in that direction.”
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How do you feel steps like this will improve accountability? Without public disclosure of the identities of bad employees, are efforts like this merely an attempt to create the appearance of accountability?
OFF TOPIC
NIST Whistleblower Exposes US-NIST as an Institution Covering up 9/11 – Governmental Services Corporation Watch
“https://govbanknotes.wordpress.com/2017/07/10/nist-whistleblower-exposes-us-nist-as-an-institution-covering-up-911”
This just proves I haven’t been crazy all these years…LOL
One thing about this article, Shulkin said, something like focussing on bad senior employees under the radar. How about starting with the bad employees that have graced this blog? How will we know the employees Shulkin finds under the radar are bad? I don’t think I like Dr Shulkin, he’s really out of touch with Veterans. @SeymoreKlearly, good sleuthing.
They may have been all the good employees fired, we do not know.
Need name’s and where they worked and why they were fired.
You folks keep me on the right path. !
They say if it sounds to good, something is probably wrong.
Sorry, I see it’s been spoken about earlier.
I always wanted to learn the Tango. Everything is just wrong.
Off Topic but FYI sad story
The va stops a vets disibility payments. He dies in bank standoff shot by police.
Google: Brian Easley Marietta,ga.
I hope it’s not a glimpse of things to come. President Trump are you listening?
I hope you keep your promises. Don let us down.
Statistics 2014 approximately 20 vets Commit suicide each day.
Why we don’t have more current statistics? I don’t know. The va knows everything else about us.
Sad. Rip military veteran Brian Easley✝️??
Agree Jim nose, rest in peace, Veteran Brian Easley.
Burn in hell VA rat bastards.
I truly wish “lil” Cox, and Shithead Shill-kin develop inoperable brain tumors, and die very slow, agonizingly painful, deaths, without the benefit of opiates.
RIP, the va can’t hurt you anymore. Someone at the va pushed him over the edge.
They gave him hopelessness. !
Probably told him who gives a shit about your problems.
What happen to social worker’s helping, I forgot they act as psychologists and don’t help veterans in need.
This guy died for nothing. ! Some day soon the va will have every veteran so afraid to go to the VA, they will not seek treatment or kill themselves.
Thanks VA for helping that veteran.
For Minnesota Veterans.
PTSD was recently added to conditions eligible for medical cannabis program in Minnesota.
Minnesota runs one of the most tightly regulated medical cannabis programs in the nation. State law limits who can buy, sell and grow the drug, and in what form it can be dispensed. PTSD is the 11th condition added to the program, along with cancer, seizure disorders and intractable pain.
At this time I believe only pills and oils are available.
For more information on the program
“Minnesota’s medical marijuana clinics open doors to PTSD patients”
Tribune Content Agency Published 3:53 p.m. CT July 9, 2017
“https://www.sctimes.com/story/news/local/2017/07/09/minnesotas-medical-marijuana-clinics-open-doors-ptsd-patients/462995001/”
Thanks, on the news on the net. CG veteran afraid to get treated after being flagged by VA !!!
Arizona dispatch, VA employees defending the va and a veteran employee.
You can post a comment on the story. Sick !
Posted today
Ok all you Twinkle Toes warriors, get out your ballet slippers. More of Shulkin’s spending on useless research using VA Bucks.
“Dancing toward better physical rehabilitation”
July 9, 2017 7.56pm EDT
“https://theconversation.com/dancing-toward-better-physical-rehabilitation-79539”
The, “Claimed”, ultimate goal of the ballet research, is to help better design and prescribe rehabilitation to those with reduced mobility, as well as to develop robots that can physically interact with people to help with both motor assistance and motor learning.
The funding to build this dancing robot is coming from the Department of Veterans Affairs, the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation. It is being paid to Madeleine Eve Hackney who is affiliated with the Atlanta VA Center for Visual and Neurocognitive Rehabilitation and the Emory School of Medicine, Department of Medicine.
She is a full time researcher at the Atlanta VA Med Center her most recent published research is:
“Community-based Adapted Tango Dancing for Individuals with Parkinson’s Disease and Older Adults
Article · December 2014”
Although she is employed full time by the VA all her work is at Emory university. Where she is also a full-time Assistant Professor of Medicine, Emory University.
One of the so called training aids that is connected to her research is show in this video.
“Lead me by the Hand: A Direct Physical Interface”, “https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1rex1l5YUI”
Note the vid was posted in 2010 so I am sure they have spent millions in upgrades for it teaching it how to dance.
I watched a tv show tonight, national geographic tv. I’ll just say, it appeared to be politically motivated. Guess maybe I just can’t shake political influences. Darn. Seemed to show animals’ habitats that are endangered.
Here’s LOTS MORE information on “Illinois’ 32% income tax increase”. By “Breitbart” dated, 6 July 2017, titled:
“Bankrupt Illinois Slams Citizens With 32% Income Tax Hike, More To Come”
by: Warner Todd Huston
Springfield, Illinois
Looks like the democrats and ten (10) republicans are hell bent on destroying their state. And their spending habits are put of control!
Seems like many are pulling out and finding livelihood in other towns and cities across the country! Can’t blame them for wanting something better!
I see that Chirqa is going to get 40 new police cars this coming Thursday. Mayor Rahm Emanuel Borrowed $25 million back in October of last year to help pay for the new Interceptor SUVs. Although the loan was to pay for 600 new Interceptors the number has now been reduced to 500 with further expected cuts in the total number due to expectations of additional costs.
They are hopeful that they may receive the other new units by some time in 2018.
“New Police Cars To Be Built At South Side Ford Plant” : “https://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20161006/downtown/new-police-cars-be-built-at-south-side-ford-plant”
“Chicago Police Rolling Out New Cars Made In The City” : “https://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20170706/downtown/chicago-police-rolling-out-new-suvs-made-city”
I wonder how much they are paying in parts and Maintenance on the current 10 year old fleet of Police cars. Not equipped with computers.
@Semore Klearly,@Crazy elf: Any crap you dig up on Chiraq, is all true, I can’t wait to move from here.
An old joke that no longer holds true, since Emanuel hung them out to dry.
How many Chicago cops does it take, to shove a prisoner down the stairs?
None, he fell !!
This out today from:
“The Daily Caller/World News”
Titled:
“Veteran Blinded By Omar Khadr Says Trudeau Guilty of TREASON”
by: David Krauder
dated: 07/09/2017
Well worth the read on how Canada treats OUR veterans, who were wounded and killed by a Muslim Radical!
Correction:
The authors name is “David Krayden”!
Hey, namnibor,
Have you heard or seen the video where “Pocahontas” (Please forgive the slur against Native Americans) Elizabeth Warren wants “single payer healthcare”!
Yep, that’s true. When I saw her in the video, I reacted with the following comment:
“Y’all want single payer healthcare!” Visit your friendly neighborhood veterans hospital or clinic! See how they’re treated. Then ask yourself again about “single payer healthcare!”
That’s my opinion!
Regarding the death of Lance Corporal Brian Easley, USMC at the Wells-Fargo Bank:
“The VA said in a statement: ‘VA is deeply saddened by the news in Cobb County earlier today.
‘VA worked closely with law enforcement to try to resolve the situation peacefully, but unfortunately it ended in tragedy. Our sincere condolences go out to everyone affected.”
The statement above requires some editing in order to have it convey the TRUTH. It properly should read:
“VA is thrilled beyond belief that we have saved the taxpayer’s from having to pay this young mans justly earned disability. We plan on wasting that money frivolously. VA did EVERYTHING they possibly could to ENCOURAGE law enforcement that this man was a DANGER TO PUBLIC SAFETY. The only tragedy is that we cannot legally take out 500 veterans daily.”
Now it conveys truth.
I am deeply saddened this young man had such mental and emotional torment at the hands of the VA. I do understand his reasoning for wanting to end his pain. He did it the right way. Denied a firearm which he most likely would have used only on himself – – – he adapted, improvised, overcame. And caused No undue casualties to accomplish his mission.
And lived up to the Corps most sacrosanct unspoken tenet.
I am saddened for surviving members of his family, who in all likelihood – – – had only a small idea of what this young man was really going through.
I hope he now has the peace he deserves . . .
Related: Federal Healthcare on Native American Reservations is killing people just like the VA. I actually knew a fresh out of med school Dr. back in my days living in Black Hills, S.D., that he boasted his performance was lackluster and his only real options were to get into the Federal Program where a Dr. agrees to work on a Federal Native American Reservation for so long and have ALL college loans forgiven…he was boasting also that he would jump right over and work for the VA…the man was dumber than half a box of rocks.
So here’s current story today from same Federal Reservation Hospital in Black Hills…many similarities to VA Deathcare. And we want the gov’t anywhere healthcare because…?
“‘People Are Dying Here’: Federal Hospitals Fail Native Americans ”
“https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/people-are-dying-here-federal-hospitals-fail-native-americans/ar-BBDXNUO?li=BBnb7Kz&ocid=AARDHP”
“Ranks of homeless veterans keep swelling in Los Angeles”
“https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/ranks-of-homeless-veterans-keep-swelling-in-los-angeles/ar-BBDeBHD?li=BBmkt5R&ocid=ientp”
namnibor, isn’t it an outrage over the “388 acres out there in West Los Angeles” was deeded to homeless veterans, and yet NOT one is being allowed to use it! As a matter of fact, one veteran has been arrested 28 times over the past decade, all because he puts small America flags on the fence.
What’s actually happening is, the rich basturds of that area want it for themselves. And it looks like “Judicial Watch” is closing in on the theiving asswipes.
Maybe “Judicial Watch” can bring this out into the open. And help homeless veterans as well!
I’ve been with you on this. It’s also those same “liberals” that would rather turn such places into “community centers” where it quickly becomes rife with urban gang activity and such…but those same asswipe liberals absolutely do NOT want those same “disenfranchised youth/sements of society” anywhere NEAR their gated neighborhoods…or ivory towers called condos.
You know, why don’t those ‘Rolling Thunder Million+ Bikers” help ALL Veterans march a massive march and protest on D.C.?? Motorcycles can be much louder than words, then mix-in the mob-rules pitchforks and torches, well, we may just have a chance.
We could even have a running ticker like the National Budget Deficit ‘ticker” and have that counting as each of the 22+ Veteran Suicides take place each day in America….while the affluent are more concerned about their view.
In a mood. Have had this summer cold for one entire week, even had an Infectious Disease Spec. appointment last week, just has to run it’s course but it’s made me a tad cranky. Have not had a flu/cold to speak of for 2 years and I HAD to get one start of July…WTF? (yeah, got flu shot last year) At one point it felt bronchitis like, so am on heavy-duty antibiotics as well.
Oh…MY CHICKEN SOUP has a fully COOKED chicken in it, rat bastards!
Rant OUT!
@Crazy elf – – – I have been following this for a few years. I certainly hope JW.org gets this FULLY out into the open. The VA harassing an American Veteran for placing his flag on a fence. Despicable!
So much hate directed towards employees (most of which have also served) of an agency who’s primary mission focus is Serving This Nation’s Veteran’s! Human factor is totally ignored by reading some of these comments, the fact of the matter is this posted list serves no matter or is accomplishing anything being many of these employees on this “smokescreen” list may have been Whistleblowers seeking transparency and were victimized by the very corruption which started the whole thing in the first place! Thousands perhaps millions of Veterans lives have been saved by VA, employees in many of these facilities and even on their off time have dedicated their lives for the Veterans Cause! Can’t blame an entire system because of a statistical minority!
Keep sucking the VA’s teat & blowing unicorn farts….or are you just a “statistical minority”? ~~Gurgle~~
Alpha7bravo: Nobody hear is condemning good VA employees, we have said time and again that we THANK all the good employees, and whistlleblowers, these are not the people our anger is directed at, You and your fellow, good employees, and most certainly fellow whistleblowers, are more then welcome to post here, and you will find you are welcomed with open arms.
With that being said, those employees that turn a blind eye to the corruption and wrongdoings at any VA, and those who mistreat or neglect Veterans, or murder them, and the list goes on, should step in front of the nearest speeding short bus.
There are many Ex employees, and many Ex employees Veterans, indeed I consider one such to be an extremely good friend. So you see we don’t wish ill on ALL VA employees, just the ones who deserve it. Know what I mean?
“Most of which have also served” is an outright lie, we know the statistics. Most of which are AFGE/SES members, is a more accurate statement. With that, scap my above remark and I now am in total agreement with namnibor.
+Alpha7Bravo,
“cj” said the truth about this site and how VA employees are treated on here. The biggest problem we have is when someone, like you, come on and defend VA. Even though you are aware of the many egregious acts against veterans by some at VA!
That’s said, we also become more angry at VA employees who say they know or saw egregious acts and said NOTHING! These are the ones which are just as guilty as the ones committing the crimes!
Think about it. For example, IF you know of, or have witnessed, a criminal activities against veterans, and didn’t NOTHING, would you want anyone to praise your actions? I think NOT!
You should think about that the next time you post a comment praising VA!
@Alpha7Bravo – – – What fuckin’ planet were you raised on DIMWAD? Hope you were able to PROPERLY stand at attention, because you certainly have not been paying it. TROLL !!!
Can’t blame an entire system because of a statistical minority.
Yet that same system will blame the entire veteran population if one veteran abuses their pain medicine.
That same system will treat the entire veteran population as thieving liars when it comes to benefits, disability compensation or travel pay If one veteran lies about their disability. Have you ever been in a VA to see the travel fraud warning posters that are on the walls all over the hospital?
If you sniveling VA employees did a better job at holding your own accountable, you wouldn’t have veterans commenting “so much hate” on a web site.
How much hate does it take to refuse veterans care when needed, so the veteran commits suicide in the parking lot?
If there is hate anywhere in the VA, it was brought in by employees and exposed by veterans trying to get the care they have earned.
@91Veteran – – – Bravo Zulu. 72 hour Special Liberty for you.
Complaints against the VA and most employees are veterans caring for veterans !
If most employees are veterans and killing other veterans for ?, time to bring out the firing squad and show them what happens to traidors.
This person maybe a veteran, who is blind and should be ashamed to say veterans are hurting veterans.
Don’t care who is a veteran or non veteran caring for veterans. Bottom line. !
Veterans are dying and va employees are lying to themselves, the public and the veterans. !
These employees that post on here, have not done any research, if they would have they would not be defending, murders, thieves and liers.
Worst place to work per the people of the United state’s, they are trying to make a purse out of a pigs ear. !
It can be done, but the end result is a piece of shit and worthless.
Hey Alpha7bravo,
Up your Fucking ass coming on here trolling you puke.
Take your shit somewhere else.
95% of us posting here have been through the VA mill. Take you shit somewhere else.
Right now on “Matter of Fact” with Soledad Obrian.
The whole show is about veterans and PTSD and traumatic brain injury!
If y’all can find it, watch “Shithead Shulkin” make a fool outta himself!
Yesterday, while at Wall-Mart, (we do not by meat, poultry or other such products there), we talked to two individuals from the “American Legion”.
After a few informative questions to them, we realized these two members were sorely misinformed and had absolutely NO idea what was occurring within the VA!
They didn’t know what was happening to employees who were “Whistle-Blower’s”!
Or, the incident “Shithead Shulkin” is pulling against veterans which receive “IU” and Social Security.
Or, how the VA is wasting taxpayers monies on “IT”!
Or, how they didn’t understand how the VA is hiring individuals on the “J1 Visa” to save money. (ref: Disney has hired people on the “H1B Visa”. Then turned around and forced their employees to teach the new hires! Then laid off the old employees just to “save money”!) Seymore gave us lots of information on how that’s working out for veterans!
So, if y’all run across any VSO’s out there, setting up tables to collect donations, confront them to see just how much they DON’T KNOW!
@Crazy Elf- I would rather kick-over their fundraising card tables much in the way Christ was told to have done to the money-changers and merchants in the Temple. Those piggies need to go weeeeeeee weeeeeeee all the way home.
GOOGLE PROJECT LOON, THEY CONTROL THE BALLOON POSITION BY WIND CURRENT…straight from the horses mouth
“https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOndhtfIXSY”……..4 min.
Project Loon: Scaling Up
Project Loon
If you’re submitting budget proposals for a law enforcement agency, for an intelligence agency, you’re not going to submit the proposal that ‘We won the war on terror and everything’s great,’ cause the first thing that’s gonna happen is your budget’s gonna be cut in half,” states Fuentes. “You know, it’s my opposite of Jesse Jackson’s ‘Keep Hope Alive’—it’s ‘Keep Fear Alive.’ Keep it alive.”…….SOUNDS LIKE THE VA $$$$$$$$$$$
“https://yournewswire.com/fbi-muslim-mass-shooting/”
OFF TOPIC…1:39 min…Satellite crashes in Brazil – attached to a balloon – Nasa lies,
“https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WAiq6Pggfy4″……..the who song comes to mind namnibor..LOL
everything is a scam
OFF TOPIC…But doctor recommended,,,.For you people that eat meat and by the shit at walmart and think your eating something good you need to watch this…WARNING YOU MIGHT GET GROSSED OUT
“https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rj62YMrSi9o”
I absolutely loathe Wally World and am proud to say I have not stepped-foot in one for solid 7 years and growing.
The last time I was in WalMart I witnessed out of control human cattle…literally. I was witness to a fight between two shezillas and got the hell out of store when the canned-hams started flying. Then there’s the most unsafe place to leave your vehicle day or night on the planet…unless there’s also a Walmart parking lot in Syria….Walmart effectively allows their parkinglots to act as “Sanctuary Lots” and for every shopper parking vehicle, you can BET there’s at least 4 thugs/thuglets/shezillas waiting to pounce on you or your vehicle and if you are fortunate they will not slice your tires if they find nothing.
THAT’s the snapshot of Wally World in Midwest, Ohio. Oh, there’s also more abandoned and freshly given birth babies in Walmart bathrooms on a regular basis…very Third World.
Yeah, I hate Walmart…then there’s the entire killing of small mom and pop business wherever the WalMart spaceship docks.
The only thing worse than Walmart to my nerves is the VA and if the VA were to have Walmarts on VAMC properties, it would be a match made in heaven by both thieving parties.
Rant Out.
@namnibor: Talk about your bad VA art………….the picture you just painted would be a MASTERPIECE!!!
The day is wasting, Later Gators -!ii!-
Namnibor,
I see from the list that Ohio Vision 10 had the most adverse listings. They had 72 reported adverse actions.
I ran across a video yesterday about how Illinois voted on raising its “Personal Income tax by 32%” on its citizens.
Can y’all imagine how veterans, and the average taxpayer, are going to react to that?!
Sorry, I don’t have a link for it!
@Crazy elf:This is how this Illinoisan reacts……………..Madigan needs a fucking bullet between his eyes. For those that do not know, Michael Madigan D-Chicago House leader, has been running/ruining this state forever, not any Governor. All problems in this state were arose from the hands of this same piece of shit, not the voters,, not the Governor, not anyone else but HIM. YOU ASSHOLES IN CHICAGO THAT KEEP ELECTING THIS ASSHOLE YEAR AFTER YEAR, thank for the junk bond status, the lottery being taken out of Illinois, the toughest gun laws, the most west nile deaths, the state that is losing the most citizens to other states, the used car tax, the bottled water tax, yes democrats never met a tax they didn’t like…….fuck I need to finish this house and get the fuck out of Dodge!!!!!!!!!!!
Oh, and good morning to you all as well lol.
And thank you Rahm “dead fish” Emanuel, for completely fucking up the Chicago PD, and for the resulting record breaking 4th of July holiday shooting and killing spree, It was the guns fault right? Stupid bastard, I hope he rots in, wherever it is politicians go to rot.
Hell of course, if it exists, is too damn good for politicians.
In other thoughts.
That poor damn Veteran should have received the help he desperately was seeking, and denied, by the AFGE.
Get the damn AFGE out of the VA now. The 22 a day is now 50 a day, get them out nowwwwwwwwwwwwww!!!!!!! Don’t shoot a Vet shoot a Government Union worker, and shithead, shitforbrains, shyster, shill-kin, and for an even harder target “lil” cox.
Yes I am condoning violence, make no mistake about it. They want to declare war against Veterans? Let the games begin!!!!!
It’s easy to head the VA, here watch I can do just as good:
Blah blah blah blah, bubu blah blah blah. BLAH blah blah blah bubablah blah blah.
Now where is MY damn bonus?
Never use a firearm, to commit criminal acts. Use a mini sledge, and go all “hammer of Thor” on those who would harm you, or, you could simply snap some neck , up close n personal like.
Obligatory disclaimer:
In no way should you ever stoop so low as our government officials or AFGE/SES employees. All talk of violence on this blog is in the form of blowing off steam. No actual violence is advocated.
Yes, I know, even a damn box of pop tarts, has warnings and instructions.
Idiocracy has arrived!!!!
It’s a big club but I can’t find out whose in it…LOL……… Even with a disciplinary record, many doctors continue to practice, some even changing states to do so. Although hospitals have access to a federal database to look up the disciplinary histories of doctors in every state, the public cannot access it……..
every one should be able to see it, the protected turd club…….
How To Investigate Doctors ProPublica
ProPublica
OFF-TOPIC BUT ON-TOPIC: Snipets of Veteran in Marietta/Wells/Fargo Hostage event…he claimed the VA owed him $$$ and refused healthcare…absolutely does not justify his actions but the VA is already painting this as if the VA did **all they could**. Rat Bastards!
“[Pictured: The homeless veteran, 33, who barricaded himself in a bank with two hostages claiming he had a bomb during a three-hour standoff with SWAT team
Police rescued two hostages from inside a bank in Marietta, Georgia, on Friday
Brian Easley, 33, a homeless veteran, claimed he had a bomb inside the bank
SWAT smashed through the bank’s wall with a truck after three hours of negotiations
Easley was found dead inside bank and police are calling it an ‘officer-related shooting’
A member of the tactical team could be responsible for his death, police say
Easley called an Atlanta TV station and talked for longer than 30 minutes
He told the station he had a bomb powerful enough to ‘take out the room…He gave detailed demands and talked about his life, including that he was homeless, had served two tours in Iraq and that he was kicked out of the VA Hospital on Monday…After searching his home, police did not find explosives in his house either.
The VA said in a statement: ‘VA is deeply saddened by the news in Cobb County earlier today.
‘VA worked closely with law enforcement to try to resolve the situation peacefully, but unfortunately it ended in tragedy. Our sincere condolences go out to everyone affected.’
A statement from Wells Fargo said: ‘We are deeply grateful to local law enforcement for their actions to secure the release of our team members today at our Windy Hill branch.
‘We are also saddened that the events today ended in the death of the suspect. We are cooperating fully with the authorities in their investigation, and are referring all questions to the Cobb County Police Department in order to preserve the integrity of that work….’]”
“https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4675634/Police-surround-Georgia-bank-reports-man-bomb.html#ixzz4mI24wtJf”
WHO GAVE THE FUCKING KILL SHOT ORDER????? (The VA??)
“This is something I had said over and over would be happening. They send troops to fight these Bankers Wars and then come back home all jacked up the Veterans Administration only ignores their pleas for help. So in summary: Veteran – Help me, help me, please help me Veterans Administration – No, not our problem Veteran – Screw it. I give up. Kill me I strongly believe this is a veteran that is pushing for “Death by cop” That is why he is pushing for media attention. This is a desperate cry for help. Watch in the future. More of these will occur. We had one right here in Tulsa where the Veteran called the police, informed he was armed and was going to rob a place. He was shot dead and it turned out to be a scenario of “Death by cop” where the veteran did not want to hurt anyone, but he wanted the police to terminate him.”
@Namnibor – – – Agreed. Hence:
“NO Combat Veteran should be surprised when the next McVeigh or Congressional Baseball Team Incident occurs. Bound to happen. Just a matter of time . . .
We have now reached the next accelerative phase of our country falling apart. Country before Party. Principles before Personalities. Always.”
The VA will continue to DEMONIZE veterans in the media as often as they can. The media will pay a little bit of attention – – – NEVER looking deep enough into the issue to understand what is at the problem’s root.
From the signs I see – – – my prediction is that another McVeigh incident is less than ten years away. When it happens – – – the media WILL pay attention to it – – – and react as they normally do. Yet, our country STILL will NOT solve the problem in the proper way . . .
Oh, and namnibor, IF you remember correctly, it was Wells Fargo which was caught nationwide in the largest banking scandal in decades over the scam they committed against it’s customers. Remember how its employees were scamming customers by taking out loans, credit etc, and NOT one of its management was held accountable to law enforcement!
Here’s a quick 2 minute youtube news link interview of the local news station investigator/reporter the now-deceased Disabled Veteran was speaking with…he called that station. The VA apparently or allegedly owed the Veteran sum of $$$, was also seeking care for PTSD and turned-away.
IN A FUCKING MOOD!!!!!!
^^ I forgot that damn link: “https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLELOXYtWCw”
That shit pisses me off so bad, I have nothing more to say
Veteran in Marietta/Wells/Fargo Hostage… that’s what I was referring to with the above comment
Unfortunately, the VA hanging up on me upon checking up on the status of my claim is a drop in the bucket as to what some veterans are having to deal with:
“https://www.11alive.com/news/local/marietta/police-bank-robber-claims-he-has-bomb-at-wells-fargo/454917103”
The “bank robber” in this story is unfortunately a veteran. Allegedly, he had PTSD and the VA was dragging its fee on his claim.
Let’s see what the VA had to say about this:
…In a statement, the VA said, “VA is deeply saddened by the news in Cobb County earlier today. VA worked closely with law enforcement to try to resolve the situation peacefully, but unfortunately it ended in tragedy. Our sincere condolences go out to everyone affected.”…
Awwww, how nice of the VA to be deeply saddened – NOT!!!!
I DON’T KNOW how these criminals at the VA sleep at night. I whistleblew at the Atlanta VA on the processing system set up for benefits. I reported this to the Office of Special Counsel (OSC), congressmen, senators, representatives and guess what? I was pushed out of the door on fabricated, coerced, and false allegations of misconduct.
The VA has not, does not, and will not care. I’m so upset that I’m at a loss for words.
The problems at the VA isn’t just the hospitals – it also is in the benefits processing. This sad story of a veteran pushed to the edge of desperation is a result of the VA, union, and piggy VSOs desperately needing to be dismantled and sent home (preferably jail).
Off Topic – I thought I’d share this link to those that receive Pain Medications from the VA. After the article, many Veterans have posted a response, so please read them to get a feel what others are going through when dealing with the VA.
“https://www.usmedicine.com/agencies/department-of-defense-dod/legislators-call-on-va-to-stop-over-prescription-of-powerful-painkillers/”
One commenter got it right, “treat each Veteran on an INDIVIDUAL BASIS.” I’ve been saying this very same thing. This is where Evidence / Experienced-Based Medicine has short comings.
I know of individuals that can’t take Opiates for pain due to having severe sleep problems and nightmares. How come I don’t get nightmares from these medications? Answer: Individuality. Pain medications may work differently depending on the person.
I believe that one of the reasons that the VA is prescribing Anti-Depressants for pain, is that the VA wants to use Veterans as guinea pigs. With the Opioid Epidemic in full throttle, think about how much this information will be of value.
Sue-wee, here piggy, piggy, we stay waiting for your butt. Why yes, come on in. First, we want to tell you, “Thank You for Serving.” Sound familiar? BITCHES !
Here’s a “feel good” video from “Patriotic Viral News” out today. The video within the article is 3:45 minutes long. Well worth it!
Titled:
“Budweiser Releases Extremely Emotional Veterans Video with Ex-Military Celeb!”
On a side note. Isn’t it amazing and sad some/few companies and corporations will do more for veterans than our own VA and VSO’s!
Not a single upper level management position is listed. In fact, all positions fired are those typically involved in whistleblowing. Looks like Shulkin/Trump made it easier for corrupt EEO officers, HR chiefs, chiefs of staff, pentad members, etc. to exact revenge through whistleblower retaliation by firing those people. VISN 7 is probably the worst in this regard and yet they had few firings. The VA needs to be shut down and covered to Medicare.
From the list. Which includes Directors, Chief of Staffs and other upper level management.
06/02/2017 Senior Leader VHA VISN: 5 Removal
06/27/2017 Senior Leader VHA VISN: 5 Removal
04/21/2017 Senior Leader VHA VISN: 8 Demotion
02/17/2017 Senior Leader VHA VISN: 10 Suspension > 14 Days
05/30/2017 Senior Leader VHA VISN: 10 Suspension > 14 Days
06/21/2017 Senior Leader VHA VISN: 12 Removal
03/17/2017 Senior Leader VHA VISN: 12 Removal
04/14/2017 Senior Leader VHA VISN: 15 Removal
04/13/2017 Senior Leader VHA VISN: 16 Removal
04/06/2017 Senior Leader VHA VISN: 17 Removal
02/17/2017 Senior Leader VHA VISN: 19 Removal
04/06/2017 Senior Leader VHA VISN: 20 Demotion
03/05/2017 Senior Leader VHA VISN: 20 Demotion
01/30/2017 Senior Leader VHA VISN: 22 Removal
04/28/2017 Senior Leader VHA VISN: 22 Removal
05/06/2017 Senior Leader VHA VISN: 22 Removal
06/19/2017 Senior Leader VHA VISN: 23 Demotion
04/16/2017 Senior Leader VHA / CO Removal
Although I do agree with the rest of your comment “Looks like Shulkin/Trump made it easier for corrupt EEO officers, HR chiefs, chiefs of staff, pentad members, etc. to exact revenge through whistleblower retaliation by firing those people. VISN 7 is probably the worst in this regard and yet they had few firings. The VA needs to be shut down and covered to Medicare.”
Another Action that is missing from the list.
“Memphis VA whistleblower fired a day before Trump signed bill protecting whistleblowers”
Jake Lowary, USA TODAY NETWORK – Tennessee
Published 2:45 p.m. CT June 26, 2017
“https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/politics/2017/06/26/memphis-va-whistleblower-fired-day-before-trump-signed-bill-protecting-whistleblowers/428820001/”
“Just a day before President Donald Trump signed into law protections for whistleblowers at Veterans Affairs facilities around the country, the whistleblower at the Memphis VA facility was handed a termination letter.
The June 22 letter says Sean Higgins had showed “disruptive behavior” and used profanity in the workplace. Higgins said the move is the product of retaliation from upper-level administrators whom he had accused of unethical behavior.”
“Higgins’ time at the VA has been a roller coaster ride that has seen him already fired twice and his position reinstated after appealing those decisions. In May, he filed a complaint with the Office of Special Counsel alleging reprisal for whistleblowing.
Higgins has filed more than 30 “disclosures” in the past alleging a range of problems at the facility, including failing to clean dialysis equipment, leaving paralyzed patients unattended and purchasing fraud schemes.
“The timing of the termination came just a day before Trump signed the VA Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act, a legislative measure that won wide support in Congress from both Republicans and Democrats.
But Higgins fears the legislation doesn’t go far enough and actually makes it easier to fire employees like him. The law does allow VA leaders to remove employees more easily, previously having to go through weeks of waiting and other hurdles to remove some workers.
“Whistleblowers around the nation are concerned that this legislation will make it easier to fire them while the real culprits – management – will continue their reign of terror on them,” Higgins said.
In pushing the legislation, VA Secretary David Shulkin more than once used the case of an employee at the Memphis facility as an example of why the bill was necessary. Brittney Lowe, an interior decorator employed at the Memphis VA, returned to work after serving a 60-day jail sentence for a third DUI conviction”
“According to Higgins, Lowe still works at the Memphis hospital.
The office of Special Counsel…. I’m quite certain this office just wants to wait, and wait, until ?? Any VA office that has one lawyer or more, can only be against Veterans. Otherwise, why do they need sooo many lawyers. Also, I do believe that twenty-five million dollar propaganda machine sucks up more than what they say. At least fifty million. Any reason they come up with, they will find their money. Office of Special interest, no, Counsel.
An excerpt from a great song by ‘The Who’, to support the VA’s smokescreen ass-belch:
“[…I’ll tip my hat to the new constitution
Take a bow for the new revolution
Smile and grin at the change all around
Pick up my guitar and play
Just like yesterday
Then I’ll get on my knees and pray
We don’t get fooled again
Don’t get fooled again, no no
Yeaaah!
Meet the new boss
Same as the old boss]” –“Won’t Get Fooled Again”, The Who
For the BEST INTEREST of Veterans? No, the BEST INTEREST of the VA. Don’t believe the VA’s bullshit.
Also, I am finding that there are individual that had been reportedly fired but there is no recorded action showing that they were actually fired. For example, the case of former San Juan VA Director DeWayne Hamlin. It was reported that he was fired on Presidents Trumps first day in Office. Didn’t happen the listing show that he was only Demoted to a new position within the VA on 04/21/2017.
Not on list
01/20/2017 (Senior Leader, DeWayne Hamlin) VHA VISN: 8
“You’re Fired – San Juan VA Director DeWayne Hamlin Terminated”
By Benjamin Krause – January 24, 2017
“https://www.disabledveterans.org/2017/01/24/youre-fired-san-juan-va-director-dewayne-hamlin-terminated/”
From the Hamlin case, it seems clear that the VA finds the actions of firing a Whistle Blower and then attempting to bribe the Whistle Blower with $300,000 of the VA Health care Budget is not a firing offense.
Hats off to Shulkin and his latest scam to do an end run around VA Accountability. At a boy Shulkin keep up the corruption. Shulkin is truly the leader of the most corrupt government agency with the deadliest Health Care System in America. Clearly, he is working hard to keep it that way.
Oh and Shulkin’s promise to keep bribes under $5,000 with out Senior leadership approval. Lets get real a bribe is a bribe and they are illegal with taxpayers money and VA Health Care Budget.
The New VA. Same as the old VA only more corrupt and even Deadlier.
@Seymore Klearly – – – Now the VA is redefining the definition of the word bribe.
And also redefining the very word “poo” to “Oopsies”….everything is redefined by the VA Meat Grinder then effectively turned into volatile swamp gas with a *hint* of mint for the general public when it exits the VA’s anus from the Public Affairs Office.
VA Public Affairs is effectively the VA Meatgrinder’s sphincter control of flow of oopsies!
In a mood. But…the mint smells SO fresh! (do not be fooled again)
@Namnibor – – – Get your new word here!
Oopsies – Seispoo = seis-poo = poo at sea, cesspool, the L is silent
Seymore, I’m trying to remember the details of Hamlin.
I recall the VA claiming he was fired, but then he got his job back because he went to the MSPB…and the VA botched the case.
I suspect this listing is only for disciplinary actions that have been upheld and are final.
That makes me wonder how many cases of firing, demotion or suspension have not been upheld because the VA screwed up the case, and those actions never made the list.
It also makes me wonder if Burch being fired is the “General Attorney” fired from the OGC office. There is only one listing for attorney, and Burch is the only attorney fired that I am aware of.
If that listing was for Burch, it’s kind of interesting he is listed as “General Attorney” given his reported job duties.
“VA executive running ‘shameless’ charity to retire with full benefits”
By Drew Griffin and David Fitzpatrick, CNN
Updated 10:29 PM ET, Mon November 14, 2016
”
(CNN) — A US Department of Veterans Affairs executive who ran a “shameless” veterans’ charity will be allowed to retire with full government benefits.
Thomas Burch, a career lawyer for the Department of Veterans Affairs will retire November 30 with a full pension and lifetime health care, a congressional source told CNN.
Burch was in the process of being fired by the VA after an internal investigation and an investigation by the New York attorney general’s office found Burch personally benefiting from donations made to the National Vietnam Veterans Foundation.”
“https://www.cnn.com/2016/11/14/politics/va-lifetime-benefits-thomas-burch/”
I forgot to add to my comment on Hamlin…
I recall reading somewhere that the VA essentially gave up on trying to fire Hamlin using the MSPB as an excuse.
He truly is an example of a “senior leader” in the VA who has no problem thinking he can just pay a $300k bribe and get away with it.
I suspect he was not prosecuted for that simply because the bribe was refused.
Here is a little more info I posted on Hamlin earlier. Then ended up letting him stay because a VA Attorney said he did nothing wrong in offering the Bribe.
“Notoriously Corrupt VA Director Gets Hired Back At Veterans Affairs”
By Benjamin Krause –
May 30, 2017
“https://www.disabledveterans.org/2017/05/30/notoriously-corrupt-va-director-gets-job-back-veterans-affairs/”
“$305k – Agency Tries To Pay VA Whistleblower Who Won’t Quit”
By Benjamin Krause –
August 31, 2016
“https://www.disabledveterans.org/2016/08/31/305k-agency-tries-pay-va-whistleblower-wont-quit/”
“David Shulkin: ‘I would have fought’ move to rehire corrupt VA employee”
by Pete Kasperowicz | May 31, 2017, 12:40 PM
“https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/david-shulkin-i-would-have-fought-move-to-rehire-corrupt-va-employee/article/2624561”
“When VA Employees Say The Boss Is Corrupt, Same Boss Can Authorize Funds To Pay Them Off”
Luke Rosiak
Investigative Reporter The Daily Caller
9:30 PM 09/14/2016
“https://dailycaller.com/2016/09/14/when-va-employees-say-the-boss-is-corrupt-same-boss-can-authorize-funds-to-pay-them-off/”
“The Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) top lawyer claimed Wednesday that a boss’s offer of $305,000 in U.S. funds to get an employee to quit after she refused to help cover up that boss’s arrest did not constitute using taxpayer money to “stifle” a whistleblower.”
“The assertion was a slap in the face to Rosayma Lopez, a meek Puerto Rican woman who documents show raised the ire of her boss, hospital director Dewayne Hamlin, for refusing to lie for him. Hamlin asked her to write a report that could be used to fire Joseph Colon because Colon called attention to an intoxicated Hamlin being arrested at 3am with painkillers, the diversion of which is a major problem for VA hospitals.
When Lopez’s analysis of facts and rules concluded Colon shouldn’t be fired, Hamlin tried to fire Lopez for insubordination, and when that was blocked by ethics officials, he offered her $305,000 from the hospital’s budget for her to quit and agree not to re-apply.
VA general counsel Leigh Bradley would not give any evidence for why it was appropriate to purge Lopez from the workforce, claiming the Privacy Act prevented her from discussing it, even though a representative of the Office of Special Counsel (OSC), a federal agency that advocates for whistleblowers, and others at the hearing did not seem to think it prevented them from discussing cases in some detail.
She could not explain, even in the abstract, why such an employee would be compensated with one-third of a million dollars while the agency simultaneously contended that no one had wronged her and also that she was a bad employee.”
“Trump Fired A Corrupt VA Official. Then The VA Stepped In And Said Not So Fast”
Luke Rosiak
Investigative Reporter at The Daily Caller
8:37 AM 05/29/2017
“Hamlin was returned to work at the VA despite the attempted firing of whistleblower Joseph Colon, who alerted officials that Hamlin was arrested for intoxicated driving and found with painkiller pills for which he didn’t have a prescription. Diversion of opiates from the VA system for recreational purposes is a major problem at the VA.
Worse, when a subordinate enraged him by refusing to carry out the wrongful firing, that subordinate, Rosayma Lopez, was offered $300,000 in taxpayer money to quit–which would have been the largest settlement in recent department history. Lopez refused to take the cash.
The incidents were just one of many serious problems at the Puerto Rico veterans hospital Hamlin led, including chronic absenteeism.”
“The Office of Special Counsel, a federal agency that is separate from the VA, has taken multiple years to determine whether Hamlin’s actions constitute whistleblower retaliation.
They have still not ruled, and it is possible that the VA intends to fire Hamlin again once they can cite an outside agency as evidence. But it is unclear why the agency has brought him back rather than fighting the existing MSPB battle as aggressively as possible.
VA managers have frequently seemed inclined to fold when faced with the prospect of unwieldy litigation brought by fired employees–who sometimes use a loophole to bill their personal lawyers to taxpayers.
Former Deputy Secretary Sloan Gibson agreed to pay Japhet Rivera, a former Hamlin deputy, $85,000 to quit after he contested being fired by an Illinois hospital for rarely showing up to work, taunting an intern with the fact that he had sex with her mother–who was also an employee–and threatening to fire an employee who told on him. Thanks to the fact that the VA agreed to a settlement rather than fighting for a firing, Rivera is now undersecretary of the Puerto Rico Department of Health.”
“https://dailycaller.com/2017/05/29/trump-fired-a-corrupt-va-official-then-the-va-stepped-in-and-said-not-so-fast/”
Has anybody else noticed the total deception and fraud committed by the New Office of Accountability and Whistleblower Protection. Their listing of adverse actions titled “Adverse Actions Report July 3, 2017, Current as of July 3, 2017”. The listing contains multiple adverse actions for the same individual. They list the same adverse action 2 to 3 times for the same person.
I can see why they didn’t include the names so they can pump up the appearance of disciplinary actions for garbage employees.
For example, the following is compiled from the list. It shows all the actions listed against Senior Leaders.
06/02/2017 Senior Leader VHA VISN: 5 Removal
06/27/2017 Senior Leader VHA VISN: 5 Removal
04/21/2017 Senior Leader VHA VISN: 8 Demotion
02/17/2017 Senior Leader VHA VISN: 10 Suspension > 14 Days
05/30/2017 Senior Leader VHA VISN: 10 Suspension > 14 Days
06/21/2017 Senior Leader VHA VISN: 12 Removal
03/17/2017 Senior Leader VHA VISN: 12 Removal
04/14/2017 Senior Leader VHA VISN: 15 Removal
04/13/2017 Senior Leader VHA VISN: 16 Removal
04/06/2017 Senior Leader VHA VISN: 17 Removal
02/17/2017 Senior Leader VHA VISN: 19 Removal
04/06/2017 Senior Leader VHA VISN: 20 Demotion
03/05/2017 Senior Leader VHA VISN: 20 Demotion
01/30/2017 Senior Leader VHA VISN: 22 Removal
04/28/2017 Senior Leader VHA VISN: 22 Removal
05/06/2017 Senior Leader VHA VISN: 22 Removal
06/19/2017 Senior Leader VHA VISN: 23 Demotion
04/16/2017 Senior Leader VHA / CO Removal
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Analysis of the new compiled list above shows the following entries are multiple entries for the same person.
Same Person
06/02/2017 Senior Leader VHA VISN: 5 Removal
06/27/2017 Senior Leader VHA VISN: 5 Removal
Same Person
02/17/2017 Senior Leader VHA VISN: 10 Suspension > 14 Days
05/30/2017 Senior Leader VHA VISN: 10 Suspension > 14 Days
Same Person
01/30/2017 Senior Leader VHA VISN: 22 Removal
04/28/2017 Senior Leader VHA VISN: 22 Removal
05/06/2017 Senior Leader VHA VISN: 22 Removal
Same Person
04/06/2017 Senior Leader VHA VISN: 20 Demotion
03/05/2017 Senior Leader VHA VISN: 20 Demotion
Same Person
06/21/2017 Senior Leader VHA VISN: 12 Removal
03/17/2017 Senior Leader VHA VISN: 12 Removal
Seymore, I noticed that when I was looking at the list.
It does not stand out much when just looking at generic positions, but when you look at Senior Leader, you get what you found…either multiple senior leaders in a VISN that were fired all around similar time frames, OR, 1 senior leader fired for multiple infractions, with the VA listing each infraction in a way to suggest multiple people were fired.
I thought it would be odd that more than one senior leader in a VISN would be fired around the same time as another. If multiple senior leaders were in fact fired, that might suggest a more serious problem in that VISN.
You can get the sense that the same thing was done for the Physician position, and for certain nurses.
I don’t recall what position it was, Supervisory something or other, but there were two fired on the same day in one VISN?
Were they both banging each other in a broom closet and got caught?
Or did the VA just list action taken against 1 person more than once to make their list look good?
To assist the VA in there dismal attempt at openness.
06/02/2017 Senior Leader VHA VISN: 5 Removal Daniel J. Bochicchio–Chief of Staff–VAMC Martinsburg
06/27/2017 Senior Leader VHA VISN: 5 Removal
“https://www.journal-news.net/news/local-news/2017/06/physician-at-va-center-charged-with-illegally-acquiring-drugs/”
“Physician at VA center charged with illegally acquiring drugs”
The Journal
Jun 21, 2017
“According to Acting United States Attorney Betsy Steinfeld Jividen, Daniel J. Bochicchio, 59, of Monkton, Maryland was indicted on 15 counts of acquiring fentanyl by misrepresentation, fraud, deception and subterfuge.
Jividen said Bochicchio allegedly acquired fentanyl by fraudulently entering patient information at the VA Medical Center from January to March 2017.
Mike McAleer, public affairs officer at the Martinsburg VA center, said Bochicchio was the *chief of staff at the Martinsburg VA from October 2016 until he was fired on June 2*.
From the new Listing of VA Accountability Actions Current as of July 3, 2017.
*VHA VISN: 5 Senior Leader Removal 06/02/2017*
To assist the VA in there dismal attempt at openness.
04/13/2017 Senior Leader VHA VISN: 16 Removal Toby Mathew–Director–VAMC Shreveport VA
EXCLUSIVE: Shreveport VA Director Fired From Position Over Misconduct
Jonah Bennett National Security/Politics Reporter for the Daily Caller
3:45 PM 04/29/2017
“https://dailycaller.com/2017/04/29/exclusive-shreveport-va-director-fired-from-position-over-misconduct/”
“The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has fired Toby Mathew from the position of Shreveport VA medical center director after transferring him to another facility in a non-supervisory role.
Aaron Robison, an attorney at the VA’s Office of General Counsel, stated that Mathew was removed from his position on April 13 “based on charges related to general misconduct, and failure to follow policy and provide effective oversight of the Center’s credentialing and privileging program,” in a legal memo obtained by The Daily Caller News Foundation.”
~~~
“Troubled VA center’s director gets new post while under investigation”
Donovan Slack USA TODAY
Published 6:08 a.m. ET Feb. 3, 2017
“https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2017/02/03/veterans-affairs-medical-center-director-investigation-transfer/97422616/”
This article was out on 7 July 2017 by “Townhall.com”, written by Matt Vespa.
Titled:
“Your Fired: Trump Administration Axed Over 500 ‘Misbehaving’ Veterans Affairs Workers Since January”
I do believe this is an old article. Yet, still no names are released. The VA, like other government agencies, will use the old adage of “Privacy Policies” to protect themselves from the news outlets or taxpayers or veterans.
Also, the VA will do anything to cover-up their mishandling of firing bad VA employees. And, in my opinion, that $25 million dollar a year “public relations office” will do everything and anything to keep “Bad Publicity” from reaching the taxpaying public!
Until there is true accountability within VA, things will continue as before!
——————————-
To namnibor,
I think it was last year, or the year before, where a number of veterans were illegally “classified as DEAD” by the Veterans Administration. Thereby cutting off all benefits to them and their spouses. It was only when Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fl.) decided to “fix the problem” did the VA correct it. At the same time, Nelson also had to correct the VA over many spouses not receiving their support payments, because the VA had entered into their records (illegally) false data saying the spouses had remarried!
There were a lot of veterans and spouses seriously pissed off during that time frame!
This made the local news, NOT the national news. Only because a “Sitting Senator” got involved down here in Florida!
Well, the VA is obviously doing it still again because apparently, this local Vet has had his life turned completely upside down and for the news investigative team to get involved, that usually means the VA was continuing to be an ass.
The program is due to air at 11 p.m. on Monday so will likely post story on site Tues. morning at latest and will send same to Ben as well.
OFF TOPIC……According to Richard Huisken, #music tuned to #432Hz is softer and brighter, giving greater clarity and is easier on the ears. Many people experience more meditative and relaxing states of body and mind when listening to such music. The natural musical pitch of the universe gives a more harmonic and pleasant sound than 440 Hz.
432 Hz music seems to work at the heart chakra, “the feeling”, and therefore could have a good influence on the spiritual development of the listener. Some people who are not able to distinguish the 8hz difference claim they can feel the music warmer due to the longer wavelength.
Listen to #432Hz and enjoy living in balance
I prefer to resonate at 420Hz whenever feasible for relieving my tensions.
417 Hz | Wipes out all the Negative Energy……I figured you were in tune
Doctor recommended 5 min Divided States of Zombieland | Are You a Zombie? – YouTube
“https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_urOCJ78Sg4”
Is there a congressman, a senator, a lawyer, a VA employee, a vso, advocate, or anyone that can give an official answer? If someone knows just one, please post contact info. Like, how does one know what the hell y’all thinking when your mouth says you hear us but your actions are self served. How many lives have you saved, Dr. Shulkin? God Bless the Veterans and their families.
I don’t give a rats ass about this list… it proves nothing… put the names out there and let the public see who is screwing the veteran. We have the right to know who is milking the system at our expense. So either you get a 14 day suspension or you get removed. So a lot of these losers got removed, what does that really mean> Does it mean they were removed from their current position, or does it mean they were fired? As far as I can see this list means nothing….. because it cannot be verified! And it is doubtful they would ever disclose the names for fear of suit after suit.. and how many will be reinstated before even going to a court? I think most of them are already back at work… Again this list means nothing!
What, no warm fuzzy feeling from this story Rickey?
LOL…LOL…LOL…
Bingo !
Today I called the 1-800-827-1000 VA number to get information. The woman was wrong, and when I had to beg her to check again, she ultimately provided me with the information she should have from the get go.
So, I asked her what could be done to escalate the issue because months have gone by due to them having the wrong information and she hung up on me.
The day the VA fires that woman – and everyone who is mishandling my claim – I’ll be sold on this “accountability” trick and pony show.
I don’t need a list of who got disciplined, I need the VA to hold people accountable. The woman who hung up on me today? She’s proof that none of the bad actors in the VA are shaking in their knees. They continue to be rude, inefficient, and IDGAF because they know they will never be held accountable.
Start with Ohio VA(Dayton, Cincinnati) they are experts at hiding stuff, they both should be called VA Medical Malpractice Centers. GET THE DRIFT!
@AnutterVet
My point was that the EEO process does impact veteran care. Most, if not all medical centers run budget deficits which negatively impact financial resources needed to care for veterans. Each settled EEO case comes directly out of the operating budget. So long as va supervisors aren’t held accountable for illegal employment practices it will continue to have an adverse effect on veteran benefits. The real question is how much this impacts medical care and benefits processing. I’d like to know both as a vet and taxpayer
Requiring senior level approval for settlements in excess of $5k is a step in the right direction for the taxpayers. Right now, ADR is bilking taxpayers lots of $ earmarked for hospital operations. It’s a scam! For example, Yolanda files an EEO complaint against her boss, medical records manager Chief Whitey. Yolanda gets the opportunity to participate in ADR before her complaint goes formal. The director gives Chief Whitey settlement authority for “x” amount without the need for higher level approval.
Next, EEO Manager Malik (who reports to the director) schedules an ADR session with Chief Whitey, Yolanda, and AFGE. They reach a settlement and charges are dropped. I’ve heard that these settlements can be sizable. The director and AFGE pat each other’s backs in the “spirit of cooperation and negotiation” real statement used at some medical centers. Chief Whitey thinks he’s off the hook but Yolanda tells her coworkers that Chief Whitey is scared of EEO complaints and he pays fat checks so it creates a snowball effect and he is still labeled a racist, sexist, fascist etc. Joe and Jill the taxpayer are none the wiser while being milked who knows much $ annually where this $ could have gone to Choice or hiring additional medical staff.
$5k is a start. I say senior level approval for all settlements. That way they are engaged with operations and can’t claim they didn’t know that this settlement fraud is happening
Veterans first. We’ve waited long enough. VA doesn’t serve taxpayers, they serve us. Keep the taxpayers happy first, be concerned about our lives latter. Hmm . . .
Using Nam’s ~~~ Gurgle ~~~
@Under water basket weaver specialist – – – Agree with your idea BUT we will combine this from my first post on this subject today: “Crooks and Bad Employees at the VA who are harming veterans – – – SHOULD NOT BE afforded the veil of “privacy” to hide behind.
If we are EVER to change this nation for the better, we must not only weed out these types of folks – – – but must ensure that do not simply go elsewhere, and inflict their behaviors/incompetence on unsuspecting others. If that means they lose their “rights” to privacy in much the same way that sex offender data is published online – – – then so be it.”
So. Full Disclosure. Once we have that – – – then we can rally the Public through Social Media.
I will bet that if enough folks SAW in Dollars and Cents what was really happening, a few Congress Critters would lose their seats rather quickly.
I would also bet that AMERICA would want this fixed PROPERLY PRONTO, so that this subject would not require revisiting every few years.
FULL DISCLOSURE !!!
Agreed 100%. i filed a hipaa complaint for medical records violations. The va redacted the offending employee’s name out of concern for his privacy. Ironic that he had the expectation of privacy but I didn’t as a patient. Go figure.
@Under water basket weaver specialist – – – I hear you. Not the first time that has happened, certainly will not be the last. These clowns that serve as senior management within the VA are people who mostly have big certificates hanging on their walls – – – but very little practical management experience. They have big dreams and visions – – – and are overly-compensated for such. But they demonstrate almost zero leadership.
This causes major problems, as every veteran on this blog has seen over the years. And explains why the VA is in such a sorry state today.
@James Clement – – – Thanks. I’ve been dealing with a lot of uncomfortable pain. Plus, VA is forcing Veterans to taper down, then off onto SSRI’s. I don’t want to give the VA anything, and enough of the benefit of the doubt. Those BITCHES don’t deserve such. Not budging.
22 Veterans die everyday!
@ANutterVet – – – Yeah, Brother. VA really on an SSRI kick right now. Gotta be careful with that. Got a hangover? Take an SSRI. Little woman got morning sickness? Take an SSRI. Indigestion and diarrhea? Take two SSRI’s and call me in the morning.
Jeez! If you did not know better – – – you would think SSRI’s are the new “miracle drug”. Got to be REAL careful taking those. Five years from now, veterans will be going through the “SSRI Crisis” with the VA. Much as they are going through the “Opiate Crisis” now. I try to avoid them as much as possible.
I suspect the real veteran suicide number is over 30 a day.
JAMES …Instead of fixing the problem, The VA just throws pill’s at it…See your fixed ..You might as well say they all work for PIG PHARMA…They want every one, on those mind altering pills, ……….To be good little servants…LOL…Most of those doctor’s they hire, are a bunch of rejects
@OLDMARINE – – – In a manner of speaking, that is exactly who they work for – – – PIG PHARMA. Veterans make great test subjects (voluntary or involuntary) for long-term studies. Never mind what the legal paperwork says – – – the VA will never follow anything legal unless they can use it to deny a veteran their just compensation.
When I first began having seizures in 1992 while still on active-duty – – – the military doctors prescribed dilantin to control the seizures. I took it. In 1994, after I had gotten my first Pentium-60 and a home Internet connection – – – this is what I found out about Dilantin:
“Phenytoin, sold under the brand name Dilantin among others, is an anti-seizure medication. It is useful for the prevention of tonic-clonic seizures, partial seizures, but not absence seizures. The intravenous form is used for status epilepticus that does not improve with benzodiazepines. It may also be used for certain heart arrhythmias or neuropathic pain. It can be taken intravenously or by mouth. The intravenous form generally begins working within 30 minutes and is effective for 24 hours. Blood levels can be measured to determine the proper dose.
Common side effects include nausea, stomach pain, loss of appetite, poor coordination, increased hair growth, and enlargement of the gums. Potentially serious side effects include sleepiness, self harm, liver problems, bone marrow suppression, low blood pressure, and toxic epidermal necrolysis. There is evidence that use during pregnancy results in abnormalities in the baby. It appears to be safe to use when breastfeeding. Alcohol may interfere with the medication’s effects.
Phenytoin was first made in 1908 by the German chemist Heinrich Biltz and found useful for seizures in 1936. It is on the World Health Organization’s List of Essential Medicines, the most effective and safe medicines needed in a health system
Phenytoin is believed to protect against seizures by causing voltage-dependent block of voltage gated sodium channels. This blocks sustained high frequency repetitive firing of action potentials. This is accomplished by reducing the amplitude of sodium-dependent action potentials through enhancing steady state inactivation. Sodium channels exist in three main conformations: the resting state, the open state, and the inactive state.
Phenytoin binds preferentially to the inactive form of the sodium channel. Because it takes time for the bound drug to dissociate from the inactive channel, there is a time dependent block of the channel. Since the fraction of inactive channels is increased by membrane depolarization as well as by repetitive firing, the binding to the inactive state by phenytoin sodium can produce voltage-dependent, use-dependent and time-dependent block of sodium-dependent action potentials.
The primary site of action appears to be the motor cortex where spread of seizure activity is inhibited.
Possibly by promoting sodium efflux from neurons, phenytoin tends to stabilize the threshold against hyperexcitability caused by excessive stimulation or environmental changes capable of reducing membrane sodium gradient. This includes the reduction of post-tetanic potentiation at synapses which prevents cortical seizure foci from detonating adjacent cortical areas. Phenytoin reduces the maximal activity of brain stem centers responsible for the tonic phase of generalized tonic-clonic seizures.
Bottom Line? After over 70 years of prescribing it to millions of patients – – – an honest Neuro or Pharm will tell yo that they still TRULY do not understand specifically HOW IT WORKS. They BELIEVE but do not KNOW.
I ended up having all the common side-effects plus about 66% of the major ones within a short period of time. So, I weaned myself off of it. VA did not know I had stopped taking it for over a year after I quit, because they were not doing the required blood monitoring.
Some medical care!
WORST drug they are prescribing today? Gabapentin. The Brand Name they use is Neurontin. Best avoid that crap like the PLAGUE . . .
JAMES…..Phenytoin is believed to protect against seizures by causing voltage-dependent block of voltage….
Your body runs on spikes of voltage so you take that shit and it shorts you out great idea….NOT
They have all those ZOMBIE movies out, well the junk they give out nowadays is going to turn this society into a real life movie…The only benefit I see is, if your bald and desperate for hair, which I am not…LOL
And I know all about that garbage-pentin
If the VA isn’t working on the wrong issues, then they’re out there creating false issues. Somehow, there’s always hidden agenda, and/or hidden motives for their agenda. Everything Dr. Shulkin seems to be into, doesn’t seem to addressing Veterans issues in any manner other than superfluously. He’s offering flu vaccine, while Veterans are dying. I have a lawyer who directs me to the VA for my questions. I’m so screwed.
@Jo3n – – – Seems like you got the VA down pretty good. About the screwed part, only if you let them or give up. From what I have been reading the last few days – – – YOU have taken some big positive steps.
Keep after them! We are all in this together.
Hey all! If you look at Ben’s “Bad VA Art” for this article turned upside-down, you can see the V.A. Titanic resting on the iceberg of accountability, which is now of course, upside down.
Bravo, Ben! Bravo!
@Namnibor – – – Precisely. Krafty Buggah Dat Beeg Ben. Took me a good while to figure it out. The ship was easy – – – but the Berg was a puzzle. Gave the old noggin a good workout!
Gets me all teary eyed and flag-wavy ‘n shit. The fact that Congress – an equally large puddle of slime – realized they needed to write and pass an accountability act speaks to an entrenched culture of obfuscation and deceit. A PR machine puking up feel-good stories won’t reveal actual efficacy of a true accountability program. Only the finest lies for our devoted cannon fodder.
They say they can not release name’s of employees. They are not employees any more.
You folks make a lot of sense, I like many others, I believe, think ok now they are doing something. !
But you folks bring up some very good points.
Thanks, for keeping me on the right path. !
Off-Topic but come Monday will be something I hope to post link to from right here in Columbus, OH VAMC. My local station is doing an investigative segment on an older Veteran here that the VA declared him DEAD, sent letters stating his disability comp. would cease AND his military pension was to cease…ALL WITHOUT THE VA USING A DEATH CERTIFICATE!!!
Yep, all the teaser states thus far is the VA claims they DO NOT REQUIRE A DEATH CERTIFICATE to declare a Veteran DEAD!! WTF??
No story link on their website until after it airs on Monday but here’s the station link for reference: “https://abc6onyourside.com/news/local/more”
They just said that story about that Veteran will air at 11 p.m. on Monday.
There’s a ton of loopholes that’s attached to this so called Accountability act that they won’t mention because this is how things work for the Veterans Administration…
All this is too vague. What in the heck are THEY doing? I’m fairly sure the laws are in place to make many of our lives more tolerable. Yet, Dr. Shulkin wants a, ” good boy, ” for going potty in the toilet but he flushed the toilet and nobody knows for sure. Plus, looks like he stepped in poo poo. @Cj, no anger….no anger…
Very interesting. Is this accountability? Not at all with the little information provided.
Although 26 pages with roughly 29 positions per page equals 754 employee disciplinary actions in 6 months, so I guess the appearance of accountability is there for anyone not wanting to dig deeper.
OGC General Attorney Removal 3/5/17.
What does that tell me? Nothing other than the VA is claiming they removed an attorney from the OGC’s office. Or did they? Did they remove him/her from the office and move them somewhere else? Did they remove him/her by allowing them to retire? After he got his picture taken with McDonald?
VHA:VISN 5 Registered Nurse Removal 3/31/17
Hmmm. Another removal. A registered nurse suggests patient care. Again, was he/she removed? Or moved somewhere else. Did he/she harm a patient? If so, did the VA inform the patient? Or are they denying any responsibility? If they actually fired the nurse, did they also inform appropriate licensing authorities?
Why not list the infractions causing the action to be taken? With no names, why not list what they did? Is it easier to put together a bullshit list without any specifics? Is it easier to cover up not taking further action? Is it easier to hide a larger problem when a scapegoat is made?
How many of these were removals for serious crime such as drug theft or negligence resulting in death, but the VA took no further action against the individual like referring them to authorities for prosecution?
How many were removed for drug abuse or drug theft while ignoring several others also involved with the person removed?
VA VISN’s range from VISN 1 through VISN 23, but skipping 3, 11, 13, 14, and 18 for a total of 18 actual VISN’s.
Out of 18 VISN’s, they took action against 23 Physicians during this period. What does that say about the VA credentialing process? They also took action against 13 working for the VA Police, including 2 of their Chiefs. Hmmm. Action was taken against 76 nurses. How serious do they have to screw up to get fired when there are nurses at my VA with infractions against their license, but still working?
Much of that gives the appearance of holding people accountable, but then you see the entries for”Senior Leader”. I don’t know what the hell position that is, but I highly doubt you can find a job listing on USA Jobs for “Senior leader”. Whatever it is, the VA claims they took action against 18 of them during this period.
Were those “Senior leaders” directors? If so, were those removed just removed to another hospital?
Unless the VA provides more detail in these reports, they are just so much window-dressing. Publish more detail. Oh, and as long as the VA insists on still paying bonuses to any employee that shows up able to fog a mirror, accountability would be reducing their bonuses by twice the amount the VA pays out in malpractice and other adverse actions.
Or just eliminating them altogether.
The backside of The VA Accountability Act is a bit like the old MAD Magazines where it folds into the VA Whack-A-Mole Game. VAOIG Game Pieces Sold Separately.
In looking into some of the titles on the list that were fired at the Veterans Benefits Office there is a listing for Veterans Service Representative.
The Website GlassDoor dot com shows that the VA pays people in this positions around an average of $58,616 which includes average Bonuses of $11,319 and payment for profit sharing at $3,159.
Profit Sharing????????????????????????????????????
What the Fuck.
“Veterans Benefits Administration Veteran Service Representative Salaries”
“https://www.glassdoor.com/Salary/Veterans-Benefits-Administration-Veteran-Service-Representative-Salaries-E41434_D_KO33,63.htm”
I can appreciate that this is a start. That said, the nature of the offense(s) – or in the case of probationary employees “failure to qualify” – ought to be included.
Tough to detect trends when you don’t know what prompted he actions.
Your right. ! Thanks
@Jack Flanagan – – – Good idea. Agree.
@SeymoreKlearly, the paragraph in post that begins with, we want taxpayers to know…. is a bit misleading. Does this mean they will only investigate when we get a lawyer? I get they have afge. The$5,000.00 thing is only a protective layer for them. If I get $4,999.00 illegally from, let’s say travel pay, they will come after me. The entire thing sounds good, but, how many times????? Good to see you back Dennis.
Not really sure on this one Jo3n but I do believe it may have to do with paying employees to not fight their termination. Remember the former Director who tried to bribe an employee into quitting by offering her around $300,000 down in Porto Rico.
“Notoriously Corrupt VA Director Gets Hired Back At Veterans Affairs”
By Benjamin Krause –
May 30, 2017
“https://www.disabledveterans.org/2017/05/30/notoriously-corrupt-va-director-gets-job-back-veterans-affairs/”
“$305k – Agency Tries To Pay VA Whistleblower Who Won’t Quit”
By Benjamin Krause –
August 31, 2016
“https://www.disabledveterans.org/2016/08/31/305k-agency-tries-pay-va-whistleblower-wont-quit/”
“David Shulkin: ‘I would have fought’ move to rehire corrupt VA employee”
by Pete Kasperowicz | May 31, 2017, 12:40 PM
“https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/david-shulkin-i-would-have-fought-move-to-rehire-corrupt-va-employee/article/2624561”
“When VA Employees Say The Boss Is Corrupt, Same Boss Can Authorize Funds To Pay Them Off”
Luke Rosiak
Investigative Reporter The Daily Caller
9:30 PM 09/14/2016
“https://dailycaller.com/2016/09/14/when-va-employees-say-the-boss-is-corrupt-same-boss-can-authorize-funds-to-pay-them-off/”
“The Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) top lawyer claimed Wednesday that a boss’s offer of $305,000 in U.S. funds to get an employee to quit after she refused to help cover up that boss’s arrest did not constitute using taxpayer money to “stifle” a whistleblower.”
“The assertion was a slap in the face to Rosayma Lopez, a meek Puerto Rican woman who documents show raised the ire of her boss, hospital director Dewayne Hamlin, for refusing to lie for him. Hamlin asked her to write a report that could be used to fire Joseph Colon because Colon called attention to an intoxicated Hamlin being arrested at 3am with painkillers, the diversion of which is a major problem for VA hospitals.
When Lopez’s analysis of facts and rules concluded Colon shouldn’t be fired, Hamlin tried to fire Lopez for insubordination, and when that was blocked by ethics officials, he offered her $305,000 from the hospital’s budget for her to quit and agree not to re-apply.
VA general counsel Leigh Bradley would not give any evidence for why it was appropriate to purge Lopez from the workforce, claiming the Privacy Act prevented her from discussing it, even though a representative of the Office of Special Counsel (OSC), a federal agency that advocates for whistleblowers, and others at the hearing did not seem to think it prevented them from discussing cases in some detail.
She could not explain, even in the abstract, why such an employee would be compensated with one-third of a million dollars while the agency simultaneously contended that no one had wronged her and also that she was a bad employee.”
“Trump Fired A Corrupt VA Official. Then The VA Stepped In And Said Not So Fast”
Luke Rosiak
Investigative Reporter at The Daily Caller
8:37 AM 05/29/2017
“Hamlin was returned to work at the VA despite the attempted firing of whistleblower Joseph Colon, who alerted officials that Hamlin was arrested for intoxicated driving and found with painkiller pills for which he didn’t have a prescription. Diversion of opiates from the VA system for recreational purposes is a major problem at the VA.
Worse, when a subordinate enraged him by refusing to carry out the wrongful firing, that subordinate, Rosayma Lopez, was offered $300,000 in taxpayer money to quit–which would have been the largest settlement in recent department history. Lopez refused to take the cash.
The incidents were just one of many serious problems at the Puerto Rico veterans hospital Hamlin led, including chronic absenteeism.”
“The Office of Special Counsel, a federal agency that is separate from the VA, has taken multiple years to determine whether Hamlin’s actions constitute whistleblower retaliation.
They have still not ruled, and it is possible that the VA intends to fire Hamlin again once they can cite an outside agency as evidence. But it is unclear why the agency has brought him back rather than fighting the existing MSPB battle as aggressively as possible.
VA managers have frequently seemed inclined to fold when faced with the prospect of unwieldy litigation brought by fired employees–who sometimes use a loophole to bill their personal lawyers to taxpayers.
Former Deputy Secretary Sloan Gibson agreed to pay Japhet Rivera, a former Hamlin deputy, $85,000 to quit after he contested being fired by an Illinois hospital for rarely showing up to work, taunting an intern with the fact that he had sex with her mother–who was also an employee–and threatening to fire an employee who told on him. Thanks to the fact that the VA agreed to a settlement rather than fighting for a firing, Rivera is now undersecretary of the Puerto Rico Department of Health.”
“https://dailycaller.com/2017/05/29/trump-fired-a-corrupt-va-official-then-the-va-stepped-in-and-said-not-so-fast/”
You know what list would just piss people off something fierce?
Post a list by facility of each and every job position that received a bonus and list the reasons.
When the general public (many of whom struggle with making rent) realizes that every single VA employee is so organically and outrageously incredible at what they do that they each get extra money for doing it then the fields of ridicule would indeed be fertile and the smell of organic fertilizer would fill the four winds that blow across our fruited plains. It would smell like VA.
It is one thing for the general public to ignore stinking, filthy, and dangerous veterans who whine about federal corruption, and a whole other thing to ignore bloated, incapable, and arrogant servants of The People who seem to get paid well just for converting oxygen on VA property. It could foretell the coming of the poop cannon (PC) and though the VA may be stalwart and secure in their complete inability to achieve success, this same rugged determination will be of no use once the slurry of truth spews forth from the PC nozzles and fills the halls of the servants with a new direction for VA.
I think it is a made up list. There is no accountability in this list. I can make one up and it would look the same and boast that it is going to make things more accountable. How is that going to happen? I do not believe them at all. It is most likely a fake list to make it look as if they are doing something, which they are, spreading more crap for us to believe.
Also on the payout. I see them making the payout total payout broken down into “packets” of $4999. Get $19996 in a settlement simply divide by $4999 and that is how many of the “packets” one will receive. No one will ever know.
f8f
f8f …I was thinking the same thing..I don’t believe none of the BS anymore
Shithead “Shumbody” Shulkin, how is this supposed to gain my trust in VA, and YOU? I’ll answer, “It doesn’t. Not even close. Let me take away from you or put onto you, what the VA has done to me. Then we can talk about trust.”
Please my Brothers and Sisters, don’t buy this shit. This is what is referred to as chum for trust. Post the full details to STOP the repeat offending. And Shulky, you know that you can do better than this. I believe in forgiveness, but don’t take advantage of my, or any other Veteran for that matter. – – – Nutter.
“Wink, Wink, Nudge, Nudge”- Monty Python
Benjamin!!! I must say that today’s “Bad VA Art” is really cool. You managed to make the word ‘accountability’ appear in the abstract as a ship, the V.A. Titanic floating on the corrupt swamp. Well, my interpretation in the abstract anyway.
I really think you could fundraise with some “VA Bad Art” with choice champions….well, not actual choice champions, but maybe printed on something with ‘Champion’ brand logo. 🙂
@Namnibor – – – I think a collection of Big Ben’s Bad VA Art” would make an excellent book. He could sell it on the Website in .pdf format for $20 or so a pop.
Would save me some time – – – as ever since I figured out what you all were talking about when you continually mentioned the subject – – – I have been going back and saving them – – – then cataloging them.
Even being “Bad VA Art” they are better artwork than we have hanging in the Spark Matsunaga Clinic. Plus, Taxpayer’s money was not wasted on them.
They would also make excellent calendars and of course, something to take to the target range or tacked to a tree. 🙂
James,
Ben could also have his “Bad VA Art” made into calenders!
@Crazy Elf – – – That would be cool. Or . . . . .
Since we all access this forum electronically, how about some screensavers tied into the current article? Then, when Big Ben posts a new one – – – those of us (admit it, ya’ crazy bastids – – – I’m not the only one GUILTY AS CHARGED – – – LOL) who leave our computers on while we sleep 15 minutes here and there, would know just by a glance when Big Ben has published a new article.
Just a thought.
This list doesn’t look like anything over what is considered normal operations in a VISN with terminations and suspensions. VA employees have always been subject to terminations and suspensions. What is reported and not acted on by the vaoig is what i see as a severe problem.
I still don’t understand this office of accountability and what kind of legal jurisdiction they hold. If known crime continues because of manipulation of the system and the vaoig refuses to take action whom are you to notify? The vaoig claims they have the jurisdiction to pursue criminal matters and we know this by many articles written here and their vaoig website. And we know that vaoig is just a little more than a monitor of criminal acts. What about accountability within the vaoig? What about the crimes reported and covered up by the manipulation of senior va staff?
I do not see the office of accountability prosecuting any crimes or cover ups. They are just reporting normal operations and making a little information public.
I was wondering that when I was looking at the report.
Are these numbers higher, lower or the same as they would be for a normal year?
I thought I read the VA has around 300,000 employees. I get the sense these numbers are low.
The one thing I would like to add is that while it is this new listing is to show that the VA is working on dealing with employees who do not do their jobs. It would be a much more effective deterrent to other employees if they included the names and all criminal charges that associated with the firing.
Correct me if I am wrong, but when someone is charged with a crime there are no rights to protect that persons privacy because it becomes a matter with a public record. For the Veterans Administration to with hold the names of employees fired who are on this list demonstrates their clear willingness to protect criminals working at the VA.
Time and again we have seen where VA employees have been fired only to see them reinstated and, or, rehired by the VA at a new location.
@Seymore Klearly, you are right on about this.
@Seymore Klearly – – – B-U-L-L-S-E-Y-E !!!!!
@James Clement: James, Mr. Peck has retired.
If you ever read this Mr. Peck, thank you for all the hard work, and relentless vigilance, you provided, to every single Veteran, who has ever asked for your help. Having you on their side, they had the best. I wish you a prosperous, and peaceful retirement. They don’t make em like you anymore sir. It was an honor to have known you!! An honor! God Bless.
I will CERTAINLY second that. I wish Mike Peck all the best, and send a BIG Mahalo Nui Loa (Formal Hawaiian Thank You) to him for reaching out to me from the middle of the mainland – – – when he (strictly speaking) did not have to.
He was able to accomplish for me in a few short days – – – what those in VISN 21 could not in twenty plus years.
Should I ever have the honor of meeting that Gent F2F – – – Dinner and Drinks would be on me.
If the VA continually employed many more people of that caliber, the Agency would improve so quickly that many veterans would be left with their heads spinning in a good way.
Seems like everyone has covered this issue pretty good. Not much more to add!
I also would like to see the names and places of employment added to the list. Just ain’t gonna happen though! VA has to keep some secrecy, I guess! They’re good at that!
Here’s a new video from “Judicial Watch”, dated: 7 July 2017 (24:10 min. long)
Titled;
“Tom Fitton discusses the Mueller Investigation, Obamacare Exemption, New VA & Deep State Lawsuits”
All the articles are worth viewing. The “New VA” part starts at the 11:15 minute mark! It concerns the property at the “West Los Angeles VHA”!
Well Worth watching!
@Crazy Elf – – – Watched part 2 and 3. Will watch the Mueller Investigation later. Thanks for sharing the 411. It was worth the time.
Will help.
You guys have covered all the bases, I have nothing further to add, except I always get an “Adverse” effect when entering a VA facility, don’t we all?
Need to pick up a can of “namnibor’s AntiVA” disinfectant spray, they keep it between the flea and tick repellent, and large size rat bastard traps.
Welcome back Dennis.
I applaud this move, yes names and where they worked would be helpful.
This so far has shown that VA are being held accountable, VBA hit pretty good and they must continue to hold them accountable.
A good mix of folks doing the wrong thing. ! I am happy and sad that so many veterans had been harmed and could not see this. !
The VA employees now know how veterans felt, when those employees thought they were God’s and untouchable. !
The VA is required to give name’s, position and where they worked to the Senate, congress and the senate committee on veterans affairs.
Veterans know the name’s of employees that have harmed them and it would be nice to have name’s. So the veterans could know if that employee was held accountable and the veterans could feel some relieve. !
Veterans probably would return to the va for treatment if they know the ? actor’s were gone.
I believe, we veterans know who is doing what and we must be listened too. !
I say cut out the middleman and go right to the top, with our concerns. Write the Secretary. !
I think about 6 were from visn 19, don’t know if the employee, I reported was one of them.
I will have to have someone else, call to see of that employee was held accountable.
Even with this news and until I know if that employee was held accountable, I do not want to check myself or that employee could claim, that I called and became disruptive. !
Thanks for the information Ben, made my day to see that something is being done.
I hope they were not whistle blowers.
“[..How do you feel steps like this will improve accountability?…]”
I hate to sound like the negative forbearer of news but what this NOW means is…the VA will ENSURE ALL PAYOUTS ARE…under…$5000. MORE $$ for employee bonuses and color-changing furniture and walls if they keep those pesky settlements below $5000.
WHY NOT DISCLOSE **EVERY** PAYOUT? Nope, do not trust these assholes.
VA Sec. Shulkin @ Johnny Isaacson’s Stairmaster: Now, Congress Critters, see what we SES’ers at the VA have done? Now, hats out and fill them with more cash please?! A little more please. Now fill and stuff the pockets. Choice? What Choice?
Again, I hope to be wrong but again….wait for it.
@Namnibor – – – I certainly hope the BOTH YOU AND I are wrong. However, with what I have experienced from the VA for over twenty years – – – I would NOT bet against your comment.
I am in no way saying I could never trust the VA. Hell, I would like to be able to do just that. But they have broken faith with me at both the local and national level. If I am ever to trust the VA, they will have to EARN it.
For them, it will be a HARD and LONG road.
CORRECTION: That NOT the. Browser acting weird this morning, along with my fingers.
…and as long as the “payouts” are $4999. and under, no need to disclose. We will be back here same time and station next year or so when it’s revealed the VA simply gave each payee about 50 different aliases and paid each $4999. in order to keep the poo from oozing to public accountability.
Remember, we again, are forced to rely on the VA policing itself.
Farts in the wind, nothing but farts in the wind. Smokescreens exuded from VA Meat Grinder Pubic Service. Pfffft-t 🙂
After reading your comment Nam, my question is why would any VA director pay attention to Shulkin wanting a senior flunky to sign off on any pay-out over $5G’s?
If you have a director ballsy enough to offer $300,000+ as a bribe, why would they care if they paid out $6000, but never got someone higher to sign off?
What would the penalty be if some director ignored this new requirement?
What has been the penalty been for many VA employees ignoring whistle blower protection laws, or laws against retaliating?
This is exactly what has happened to my benefits. Each letter that I have received has a different number associated with my claim number.
On one of my letters was an all different social security number than my deceased husband’s. Makes me wonder if that Surviving Spouse ever received her money.
The VA is going into our e-Benefits accounts and disabling our account numbers so our money can go back to the VA and into another account other than the true beneficiary.
The VA has stolen 124 Trillion Dollars from deceased Veterans by keeping them alive on paper by granting these deceased veterans compensation and Pension.
Instead of the money going to their Surviving Spouses and family members the money is being rerouted into the employees at the VA.
There will be at least 10,000 employees at the VA who will be arrested and sent to prison this year. We finally figured out how these people have been running a ponzi scheme at the VA.
Quancidine Hinson-Gribble
#veteransriseup
any proof, where did u get this information. I hope if this is the case then many should be fired publicly.
Something has to be happening, way to many denial letters.
@james gallegos: Lots of proof James, this has been taken all the way to the supreme Court. Our politicians, know all about it, but just don’t give a shit. They have been taking denied claim numbers, assigning fake names to them, then depositing the compensation checks into bank accounts under those fake names. To the tune of 500 million + per month, per VARO.
Big surprise, some of those funds make it directly into politicians campaign funds. Wonder why they don’t give a shit? Wonder why there is no accountability? Wonder why there never will be? The epicenter of corruption is DC. There should be nothing left to wonder about.
Later Gators -!¡¡!-
I have always wondered if my claim back in 1974 was denied for this purpose.
Va telling me my official military records were distorted in the saint Louis fire in may of 1973 and I was not discharged until Oct 1973.
6 months before I was discharged. ! Told this each time I applied and had to go without treatment.
Traumatic brain injury that I did not know I had. Tried to kill myself, was lost, could not understand what was happening to me.
Hired an attorney and found out the va had my official military records all along. !
Became 100% p&t unemployable. !
Given back pay from when the lawyer won my case. Drop in the bucket.
Called regional office and when I asked about my back pay from 1974. !
The person started laughing out loud. !
Stating ya, you would have received all of your back pay, but you did not keep fighting and let your claim lapse.
Yes, I believe this was done to me and thousands of veterans.
Many are dead because of this tatic, from lack of treatment.
Oh well, things are not getting better, we will be at war and millions will be killed, time to start preparing.
One way or another the va will be shut down.
American against American, this country will not be the United state’s.
Thanks to our elected officials and the VA we are broke and the only job’s will be killing Americans.
Vietnam vets (not me) who had p. falciparum malaria have a summary of hospitalization that is minimized in their health record and does not at all represent their hospitalization record. Why? Because it is a record of their 10 to 30 day rehabilitation camp record. It shows minimal lab record of RBC in their urine and no ameba.
Purpose, to deny anyone who developed seizures or other symptoms after the got out (adjustment disorder) from having it connected to their brain damage.
I’ve got it in black and white.
THIS IS SUPER FANTASTIC!!!!
I wonder how many peoples names are on this list that I have filed complaints against with the FBI, GAO and the VA OIG.
Quancidine Hinson-Gribble
#VeteransRiseUP
I thought the same thing. About time ! But my fellow veterans set me straight.
You, I and the rest of the citizens will never know who was fired or disciplined without name’s and where they worked.
How can a criminal have privacy rights. When they are no longer employees. !
Look at all our government officials who’s name’s are provided every day. There is no excuse why they can not tell the public who did what.
The VA has a disruptive committee to punish veterans for complaining. ! Why. !
When they have criminals harming veterans and let them off the hook and just let them go, and no charges.
Something is Ass backwards. !
A testing of the list.
“Physician at VA center charged with illegally acquiring drugs”
The Journal
Jun 21, 2017
“According to Acting United States Attorney Betsy Steinfeld Jividen, Daniel J. Bochicchio, 59, of Monkton, Maryland was indicted on 15 counts of acquiring fentanyl by misrepresentation, fraud, deception and subterfuge.
Jividen said Bochicchio allegedly acquired fentanyl by fraudulently entering patient information at the VA Medical Center from January to March 2017.
Mike McAleer, public affairs officer at the Martinsburg VA center, said Bochicchio was the *chief of staff at the Martinsburg VA from October 2016 until he was fired on June 2*.
From the new Listing of VA Accountability Actions Current as of July 3, 2017.
*VHA VISN: 5 Senior Leader Removal 06/02/2017*
Certainly seems to have recorded his firing properly in this case.
Good catch, but only because enough information was available elsewhere to connect the dots like you did.
What about the other 17 “senior leaders”? How many were involved in harming patients?
In what you provided, it certainly seems clear they use “senior leader” to muddy the water.
That sounds Jim Dandy. A list of excuses followed by an uplifting explanation of why… I am sure we can trust them to do this….
Now how about a list of all the compensation cases still pending, and why?
How about a list of all fatalites of patients while in a VA facility, and why?
How about a list of all vets requiring police escort on VA property, and why?
How about a list of all emergency room visits VA declined to pay for, and why?
How about a list of all external police “safety checks” that VA sends to private homes, and why?
How about a list of all “official time” spent away from VA duties, and why?
Dr. Shulkin, how about a list from your office, published daily, that lists every dollar you divert from one legislated use to another use of your own choosing, and why?
How about a list of every medical provider employed by VA whose citizenship requirements do not meet federal standards but have been waived to work at VA, and why?
AND FINALLY THE REAL LIST; This is the list the America honestly needs to understand what VA has become; how about a list of every union negotiated term that our federal government has agreed to offer AFGE, and why?
Dennis,
There is one more list you may want to consider adding to your list of lists.
A listing of the date the terminated employees were rehired at their new post within the VA System.
Good listing Dennis. I have no doubt the VA already has all the data on everything you mentioned.
@91Veteran – – – Agreed. And I have NO DOUBT they will do anything/everything necessary to prevent that data from ever seeing the light of day WRT to the general populace, and particularly veterans on this blog.
DENNIS DREAM ON THE VA DC HQ IS ONE BIG BIG FEDERAL RICO CRIME RACKET FROM SANANIC HELL THE BUDGET FOR 2018 IS 186 BILLION $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ VA DC HQ ARE DOGS IN HEAT FOR THAT $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ BUT VETS CAN EAT SHIT @ DIE FOR ALL CARE VA DC HQ GIVES TO VETS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Without publishing names – – – I see it as nothing but a smokescreen. Crooks and Bad Employees at the VA who are harming veterans – – – SHOULD NOT BE afforded the veil of “privacy” to hide behind.
If we are EVER to change this nation for the better, we must not only weed out these types of folks – – – but must ensure that do not simply go elsewhere, and inflict their behaviors/incompetence on unsuspecting others. If that means they lose their “rights” to privacy in much the same way that sex offender data is published online – – – then so be it.
High time to 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 to the VBA that requires more than 90 days to adjudicate, is automatically found to be in favor of the veteran. If a VBA 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.
9. No AFGE, nor any other Labor Union business will be allowed to take place in any Federal Workplace. Conducting Union Business during working hours will be STRICTLY PROHIBITED, and will be STRICTLY ENFORCED. Should any government employee be found violating this provision, it will result in IMMEDIATE LIFETIME DISMISSAL FROM ANY/ALL GOVERNMENTAL EMPLOYMENT.
10. Attorneys for appeal will be retained at the former employee’s PERSONAL expense. U. S. Taxpayer’s will not be subject to payment of legal bills for incompetent or dishonest personnel with regards to Governmental Employment.
You have my contact information Mr. Secretary. Call me anytime. I have a lot of ideas to help you improve the services provided to my fellow veterans. And I will not hesitate to speak up at all.
For my fellow veterans who have been ill-served by this CLUSTERFUCK of a train wreck called the VA over the years:
Our battles overseas were far less stressful than our war here at home. Never Cruel or cowardly. Never Give Up. Never Give In. We are on the Righteous path.
POTUS Reagan broke up PATCO in the ’80’s. Time for POTUS Trump to break up the AFGE. Most of 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 Veterans who put aside their own personal lives to answer this nation’s call when she needed them.
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 or Congressional Baseball Team Incident occurs. Bound to happen. Just a matter of time . . .
We have now reached the next accelerative phase of our country falling apart. Country before Party. Principles before Personalities. Always.
Want to REALLY fix the VA? The next SecVA needs to be a former Enlisted Man with a few serious axes to grind against the VA and the AFGE. Apparently, West Point graduates and Shithead Civvies can’t cut the mustard . . .
Maybe a SINCERELY MOTIVATED Gunnery Sergeant or Chief Petty Officer CAN.
Disgruntled Veteran
1973 – 1976 USMC
1978 – 1993 USN
Wounded Warrior
Honolulu, Hawaii
CORRECTION: In this Para – – – “If we are EVER to change this nation for the better, we must not only weed out these types of folks – – – but must ensure that do not simply go elsewhere, and inflict their behaviors/incompetence on unsuspecting others. If that means they lose their “rights” to privacy in much the same way that sex offender data is published online – – – then so be it.”
Insert the word “they” between “that” and “do”.
They need to loose their job, and any license they hold. MD, RN, LPN and so on.