Day Off

Day Off – Presenting On Burn Pits Today

Day Off

I’m not able to write much today since I am presenting on the topic of Gulf War Illness and burn pits during an annual CVSO training here in Minnesota.

The research I pulled in over the past week was rather convincing of two things. First, veterans will never get a fair shake after being polluted by the negligent act of generals or government contractors. Second, we really need to rethink the Feres Doctrine to attach liability to the DOD to protect servicemembers exposed to things like burn pits.

Anyway, that is my brief 1 and 2 for today. Given the hurricane and everything else in the world going on, I figured I’d take the time to get ready for the presentation.

But… rest assured I will be back tomorrow.

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61 Comments

  1. VFW Post commander busted as a fake Vietnam veteran, arrested for fraud
    By Michele Katz
    “https://popularmilitary.com/vfw-post-commander-busted-fake-vietnam-veteran-arrested-fraud/”

    “A man from Holley, NY – who’s been passing himself off as a Vietnam veteran- has been charged with scheme to defraud and grand larceny.

    Officials with the Orleans County Sheriffs Dept. say 69-year-old Earl Skellen used his position of power, as commander of VFW Post 202, to receive discounted rates on expensive items.

    According to 13wham, Skellen was able to purchase a John Deere lawn mower for $500, when the product sold for more than $2,000.

    After someone at the VFW post expressed concern about Skellen, an investigation was launched and it was determined that he’d never served in the military before.

    Skellen is now being held at the local jail on $1000 bond.”

    1. Rise and Shine Veterans call your Senators and Representative try to convince the Senators and Representative contact the Veteran Affairs Committee in Washington, DC passed a New Veteran Disabled Benefit Law which is if a Disabled Veterans collecting 100 percent service connected definitely need to get G4 implants from a Cosmetic Dentistry Dentist because isn’t absolutely not one works at a Veteran Medical Center plus they haven’t even one has a contract with Veteran Affairs Admistation but their is Private Clinics knows how to put in G4 implants but unfortunate they want all the money up front my firm belief as a Concerned Veteran the money should come from the Federal Government so the Disabled Veterans collecting 100 percent service connected get the G4 implants for free because three quarters of Disabled Veterans who is collecting 100 percent service connected can’t even afford to get a loan to get G4 implants plus if a Disabled Veterans don’t get the G4 implants it would cause other Health Problems Issues remember without Veterans we would not be call United States plus who will Defend United States. ..plus Spread the word …Semper Fi ?.

  2. Sunrise, Florida, VA Community Outpatient Clinic Nurse Arrested for Drug Diversion

    A Sunrise, FL, VA community outpatient clinic nurse was indicted and arrested for obtaining possession of a controlled substance by misrepresentation, fraud, forgery, deception, or subterfuge. An OIG investigation resulted in charges after the defendant tested positive for drugs, recorded inaccurate patient vital signs, generated fictitious patients, and diverted Fentanyl during gastrointestinal procedures. The defendant admitted to the drug diversion.

  3. Fresno, California, VAMC Nurse Arrested for Drug Diversion

    An OIG investigation resulted in charges that allege that a VAMC nurse diverted Fentanyl from a veteran in hospice care.

  4. Seattle, Washington, VAMC Employee Sentenced for Weapon Possession A Seattle, WA, VAMC employee was sentenced to 42 months’ incarceration after pleading guilty to weapon possession charges.

    An OIG, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and VA Police Service investigation revealed that the defendant, a previously convicted felon, threatened VA coworkers, possessed methamphetamine and a loaded firearm on VA premises, and possessed a sawed-off shotgun and controlled substances at his residence. Evidence in the case was developed during an undercover operation and from the execution of search warrants conducted of the defendant’s vehicle and residence.

  5. Youngstown, Ohio, VA Community Based Outpatient Clinic Employee Pleads Guilty to Intent to Engage in Illicit Sexual Conduct with a Minor

    A Youngstown, OH, VA Community Based Out patient Clinic employee pled guilty to transportation of minors, travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct. An OIG, Ohio Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and Homeland Security Investigations investigation revealed that the defendant used electronic devices with internet connectivity, including his VA-issued computer, to entice an underage female to engage in sexual activity, and then traveled interstate to engage in illicit sexual activity with a 15-year-old girl.

  6. (OFF-TOPIC) – – – Our military may NOT be able to provide for adequate homeland defense, if required. This SITREP e-mail pretty accurately describes the current state of our naval forces.

    Over stated, but I agree with the message. The Navy (military as a whole) has been cut to the point of ineffectiveness. Add social engineering to the equation and we have a total disaster!!

    Get it together navy and return to tried and true methods!! Become a fighting force, not a social experiment!!

    From: USNA-AT-LARGE-owner @ yahoo groups dot com
    To: USNA-AT-LARGE @ yahoo groups dot com
    Sent: 9/8/2017 7:49:05 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time
    Subj: [USNA-AT-LARGE] The Navy – It’s Not a Job, It’s a Total Cluster

    08 September 2017 0721
    USNA-At-Large: Whose FITREP does this list end up on?

    Doesn’t look so good when it’s all written down in one place for the whole world to see.

    The Navy – It’s Not a Job, It’s a Total Cluster

    The US Navy, the mighty and heroic service that beat the tar out of America’s enemies for 240 years; the force that won brilliant victories at Midway, Manila Bay, Leyte Gulf, Lake Erie and a thousand other places is no more.

    The US Navy that refused to surrender and ‘had not begun to fight’ under the leadership of John Paul Jones, is now too incompetent to fight anyone; and every American should be seriously concerned.

    To paraphrase Oliver Perry, “We have met the enemy and it is cultural Marxism and social engineering.”

    The latest debacle to engulf the Navy was reported yesterday in a myriad of media outlets, including US Defense Watch.

    According to Fox News:

    The majority of ships operating in the U.S. Navy’s Seventh Fleet, where two destroyers have been involved in fatal collisions since June, weren’t certified to conduct basic operations at sea related to war-fighting, according to U.S. Navy records.

    As of late June, eight of the 11 cruisers and destroyers in the Seventh Fleet, and their crew members, weren’t certified by the U.S. Navy to conduct “mobility seamanship,” or basic steering of the ship, according to U.S. Navy records provided to two House Armed Services subcommittees.

    The Navy also said that seven of those ships had expired training certification in the areas of cruise missile defense and surface warfare, which test a crew’s ability to defend a ship or to conduct attacks.

    Don’t worry about basic seamanship; who needs that in the Navy? As for basic ship steering, why would anyone need to know how to steer a ship at sea? Don’t they just float on their own? There’s like currents out there…

    Good God…

    This latest revelation comes after the Navy’s year of collisions at sea. The USS Fitzgerald collided with a Philippine-flagged vessel on June 17, killing seven crew members. The USS John McCain collided with a Liberian-flagged vessel Aug. 21, killing 10 sailors. Neither the Fitzgerald nor the McCain were certified for the majority of the mission operation requirements that the Navy periodically evaluates.

    It first was thought that somehow the diabolical Kim Jong-un had somehow found a way to hack into ship navigational systems, thereby causing the collisions.

    It’s not Kim, it’s not China, it’s not Putin and it’s not Dr. No. It’s a lack of training, a lack of focus on what is important and it’s a complete abandonment of the Navy’s and the military’s mission which is to train for war and to win those wars when called upon to do so.

    The Navy repeatedly has said that increased demand on the Seventh Fleet has resulted in cutbacks on training and certifications. That pressure has only increased in recent months with each North Korean missile or weapons test, as the fleet conducts more exercises and patrols with the same number of ships.

    Wouldn’t continual time at sea actually hone skills rather than erode or eradicate them? Wouldn’t continual time at sea be a place to conduct training and ensure that certifications are carried out? After all, you can’t practice seamanship sitting in a building in San Diego.

    One wonders what the Navy is doing with their training time instead of learning skills sailors have had since the Carthaginians defeated the fleet of Pyrrhus of Epirus in 276 B.C.

    I don’t buy the excuse that deployments are making shoddy sailors. The Navy is making shoddy sailors by focusing on issues that have nothing to do with war fighting.

    The Navy’s problems also don’t lie with just the 7th Fleet.

    In January 2016, two US Navy high speed Riverine boats from the 5th Fleet were apparently underway from Bahrain to Kuwait when they strayed into Iranian waters, while attempting to contact a vessel to refuel. The Pentagon first said that they had engine trouble. Yet, if that was the case, why didn’t the other boat tow the boat with mechanical problems to international waters and safety?

    Then, the Pentagon said that they had navigational issues.

    How was this possible in 2016, with each boat having an array of GPS and radar equipment? Even if one boat’s systems completely shut down, couldn’t they rely on the other boat’s GPS or radar?

    Lieutenant David Nartker, commanding officer of the two US Navy Riverine boats, surrendered his men and his craft with superior firepower to a half dozen Iranian thugs in bass boats that looked like they belonged on Bill Dance’s fishing show.

    Nartker surrendered without firing so much as a flare. After boarding the Navy boats, Nartker and his men were ordered down on their knees while the Iranians trained machine guns and cameras on them.

    Nartker doubled,tripled, and quadrupled down on his disgraceful conduct by apologizing to the Iranians for a worldwide TV audience.

    “It was a mistake. That was our fault and we apologize for our mistake,” Nartker said in the video. “It was a misunderstanding. We did not mean to go into Iranian territorial water. The Iranian behavior was fantastic while we were here. We thank you very much for your hospitality and your assistance.”

    To add insult to injury, one of his men felt it was an opportune time to start bawling his head off like he was a guest on Oprah, letting the Iranians and everyone on the planet know that US Navy sailors of 2016 were not made from the same mold as the guys who won the Battle of Midway.

    Last September, a baby was born on the aircraft carrier, the USS Dwight David Eisenhower, which is part of the 5th Fleet.

    According to the Navy, “As the baby was born at sea aboard an operational unit, the main focus for the U.S. Navy, the ship and its crew is the safety and well being of the baby and the mother,” Cmdr. Bill Urban, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command spokesman, told The Virginian-Pilot. Urban continued – “While it would have been preferred to send her to her home port earlier, per policy, we are now focused on caring for the health and welfare of our Sailor and the newest member of our Navy family,” Urban said.

    Absolutely, Commander Urban, the main priority of a Navy ship of war is post natal care. I mean why not, the Navy can’t do anything else right, why not just become a floating maternity ward?

    Apparently an incubator, diapers and formula were flown out to the carrier following the baby’s birth.

    If collisions at sea, babies on board warships, crying sailors and gutless leaders aren’t enough, there’s the Fat Leonard scandal.

    The Washington Post called the Fat Leonard scandal, “perhaps the worst national-security breach of its kind to hit the Navy since the end of the Cold War.”

    At the heart of the scandal was Glenn Defense Marine Asia, a firm run by Leonard Glenn Francis, a Malaysian national known as “Fat Leonard” for his 350-pound weight.

    Francis provided thousands of dollars in cash, travel expenses, luxury items, and prostitutes to a large number of U.S. uniformed officers, who in turn gave him classified material about the movements of U.S. ships and submarines, confidential contracting information, and information about active law enforcement investigations into Glenn Defense Marine Asia.

    Francis then “exploited the intelligence for illicit profit, brazenly ordering his moles to redirect aircraft carriers to ports he controlled in Southeast Asia so he could more easily bilk the Navy for fuel, tugboats, barges, food, water and sewage removal.

    The US Navy is being eaten alive by corruption, by gutless admirals, by politically correct officers, by social engineering and cultural Marxism which have just about deep-sixed it forever.

    In actuality, the Navy has been sliding down the drain for 26 years, ever since the feminist slaughter house called the Tailhook Affair, when hundreds of US Navy and Marine Corps officers, including Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Frank Kelso, were keel-hauled by the Navy for drinking, carousing, indecent conduct and drummed up charges of sexual assault.

    Imagine that, aviators who drink and get laid; can’t have that in the military.

    Tailhook became a catalyst for the left and for feminists to destroy the military through social engineering.

    As James Webb remarked, “When the Tailhook investigation began, and certain political elements used the incident to bring discredit on naval aviation as a whole, and then on the Navy writ large, one is entitled to ask… Who fought this? Who condemned it? When a whole generation of officers is asked to accept … the destruction of the careers of some of the finest aviators in the Navy based on hearsay, unsubstantiated allegations, in some cases after a full repudiation of anonymous charges that resemble the worst elements of McCarthyism … what admiral has had the courage to risk his own career by putting his stars on the table, and defending the integrity of the process and of its people?”

    Since September of 1991, the Navy has slowly castrated itself with a pen knife, transforming the once proud service into the ill-functioning eunuch of today.

    We now have a Navy that can’t fight, can’t navigate, and is largely without basic seamanship skills.

    One must ask what the PC revolution has done to help the US Navy fight and win wars?

    It’s done nothing except to put people’s lives in danger and to get people killed.

    Expect more incompetence, more babies born on ships, more PC lunacy and more general misconduct. The US Navy is a total cluster.

    1. I dare say the recent repeated “accidents” by our Navy may have been from idiots texting or social media or playing video games on navigation screens…only my hypothesis…but we indeed have a candy-assed mix of crybabies and entitlement social screwheads of engineering adding an even more dastardly dose of chaos.
      Now, get off my lawn! 🙂

      1. Does anyone who reads this call your Representative and your Senators tell them how to improve Veterans Health Care no excuses like they don’t care.

  7. No Audit + No Accountability + Big Bonuses + Self Regulating = Poor Services + Loss of Veterans Lives + Financial Disaster + Loss Monies + Immoral and Corrupt Management on Many Levels (sick) – – – Nutter

  8. To Seymore and 91Veteran,
    Thanks for your help. I finally broke through and found out what happened!
    This month Delta Dental changed the way they withdraw monies from those who are enrolled.
    It used to be “DDIP” (acronym for Delta Dental Program) to what it is now “VADIP”!
    The phone number, for Delta Dental, has also changed.
    Since the withdrawal was taken out under my wife’s name. She called and straightened out everything!
    The cost went up also. From about $18/month to $20/month. This is another reason why I was confused.
    What pissed me and my wife off was – “WHY” -weren’t we contacted by anyone!!!!!! They just changed everything without a so much of a by your leave!

    1. It’s a good thing to be keeping an eye out for any unauthorized charges and such anyway, but especially in-light of the massive Experian/Equifax data breach…50% of all Americans are affected and can only imagine the VA adding an extra twist to this when the dust settles, someway, somehow…

  9. Here’s a new article out from;
    “Military.com/Daily News”
    Dated: 13 Sept 2017
    Titled;

    “Lawmakers: “Unreliable” VA Mail Data a Symtom Of Larger Issues”

    Stars and Stripes | by Nikki Wentling

    Seems like VA doesn’t want to give the American People the true amount of taxpayers monies they spend on mail each year!
    Good article!

    1. I note the article is based on bogus info supplied by the VA.

      To quote the article: “Part of the problem was caused a few years ago when the VA began mailing prescriptions to veterans, leading to a surge in the amount of mail going out, Oswalt said.”

      Now I have not used VA health Care since August of 2000. Back then I was receiving my prescriptions via mail. In 1999 I was also receiving my prescriptions Via Mail. So they are totally deceptive when they claim that only with in the last few years they started mailing prescriptions.

      If they are going to lie about some like that then the rest of what the VA said must also be bullshit.

      1. Agreed. Hell I was getting prescriptions mailed in the 90s. If they are blaming increased mailing on prescriptions, then maybe they should look at why their pharmacies are so fucked up they can’t get vets prescriptions ready in a timely manner while waiting.

  10. To ALL,
    HELP!
    Yesterday, something strange occurred in my checking account.
    It was a “ACH withdrawal of $20” for “VADIP”!
    I just got off with my bank. They explained it was “a withdrawal” for “dependent dental”!

    There was some discussion on here about VA and dental. Yet, no real explanation of it.
    Can anyone explain what this is all about!? Is this a “monthly expenditure”? What is it for?

    1. Elf here is a summation of the current Federal Register listing for the program. Note that it is administered by a contractor in your area. If you did not sign up for it you need to start screaming very loudly.

      “https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2017/04/04/2017-06579/va-dental-insurance-program”

      1. Seymore,
        Not only did I NOT sign up for it, I didn’t even know the VA was going to take monies from my account! Nor, did I know about this “alleged VA dentistry program!”

        A very deceptive practice to steal my fuckin money! I wonder how many other veterans were scammed out of their monies?

      2. What surprises me is that the bank let them take the money without first getting authorization from You! That has to be illegal.

      3. Crazy Elf, it would be interesting to hear how long they have been taking money from you.

        This bullshit reminds me of the old long distance telephone slamming scam.

      4. Seymore,
        Wanted to let you know, we have Delta Dental already for my wife. It comes out every month for her!
        Is this some kind of special program designed for dependants or me?
        I’ve contacted Rep. DeSantis’ office asking WHY VA would take monies from my account. When we already have dental insurance through Humana AND Delta Dental!
        His office is supposed to get back in touch with me!!!!!

      5. Crazy Elf, if you search on VADIP and go to the VA web site describing it, you can find that Delta and MetLife are the two insurance companies involved in that program.

        I see no reason why you would have to have 2 insurance plans for dental…both Humana and Delta.

        I also see no reason why they would just now be taking money from you for a voluntary pilot program that ended 8 months ago unless you volunteered to continue it.
        91V

      6. Conversely, an about to end pilot program, and *what if* some wise-ass thought nobody would notice when each and every Veteran with a dependent enrolled in CHAMPVA is dinged with a $20. ACH withdrawal. Multiply that by 100’s, you have a nice nonperformance bonus scammed *almost* under the radar…until Crazy elf saves the day and whistleblows their asses.
        Again, what if? This is the VA.

    2. Crazy Elf, I would contact your VA, or go in so you don’t get passed around like a hot potato and crawl up someone’s ass over that bill.

      If you search on VADIP, you can find the VA web site describing it. It’s described as a pilot program where veterans or those enrolled in CHAMPVA can purchase dental at reduced cost.

      That pilot program ended last January, but if you enrolled, you had the option of continuing coverage for another 12 months.

      I have no idea why they would be taking it now if you had not been covered before. Their page says participation is voluntary.

  11. I can’t believe Congress will ever revisit the Feres Doctrine and do what is right by veterans. To do so would cut into whatever stock profits or bribes they collect after sending us to war.

    If you honestly looked at environmental exposures, you would see the lunacy of that doctrine. If you are a civilian and the military has a burn pit on a US Army base and that civilian were exposed to toxins from the pit, the civilian could sue. If you lived with that civilian but wore a uniform during that exposure, the soldier could not sue.

    If you were a civilian working at Aberdeen Proving Ground testing DU munitions, not only would OSHA have something to say about safety, but the Nuclear Regulatory Commission demands reams of safety plans for its handling as a part of the licensing process. Once that munition goes over seas, those plans go out the window.

    I understand the exigencies of battle, but what urgent threat is there preventing proper disposal of trash? What urgent threat is there preventing the military from lessening exposure to DU to the extent possible after the battle? Same with any other exposure?

    An argument could be made that deliberate negligence is vastly different from injuries during battle, yet both injuries are treated the same as if they occurred in battle.

    In fact, 3 cases cited at Wiki for the Feres Doctrine show 2 for medical negligence. Allowing suits for that alone would cost some poor bastard congressman millions in stock profits or bribes. And a lot of incompetent VA doctors to become burger flippers.

  12. The VA has only half behavioral expressions compared to Judge “Scary Mary.” You may not like your first impression of this Magistrate. But when you first appear in front of Judge Scary Mary because “you caught a charge,” she most likely will handle your with rehabilitative care.

    Judge Scary Mary should give you pause to think, well what does the name Scary mean? Well, after SM thoroughly reviews your case, her main objective is to perform the law, and to get the lawbreaker and perpetrator back into society, if possible.

    After evaluating your rap sheet, Judge SM is going to question you. She will usually probe you with many pertinent questions. From the answers of the intro questions, a workable plan about your legal obligation(s) would be developed, and drawn out so that all parties would understand what is happening. And, that everyone not only agrees, but everyone also understands any consequences.

    You see, hopefully one day, Judge Scary Mary may have her consulting bid accepted, so that the Legal Beagle herself can teach the VA how to treat Veteran patients on an individual basis.

    Remove Shithead “Shitty” Shulkin, replace with Judge Scary Mary

    With No VA Audit + Ongoing Unaccountability = Corruption, Theft, Death

    – – – – – Presented by the movement of Nutter (message developed with the help of prebiotics, probiotics, supportive supplements, and a fantastic splendid meal of a variety of soluble and insoluble fibers)

    What about that Equifax big data theft? And the way their using the collateral damage PR war machine. Sucking people in to be fooled. Then later again, the second batch gets fooled. Hey, some of the leadership sold a lot of their Wall Street before this became public. Equifax even held back from releasing any information about the theft for many days. Watch, Equifax will receive more protection than it’s customers.

    I’m kind of in a weird move. Someone accused me of not being a Veteran. They think that they really know me, but because I’m known for shifting, it throws them off strategically with their manipulative tactics, sprinkled with narcissism. It would be too bad if the humanoid didn’t live in the ville. Yeah, I’m dealing with it. Thanks for asking though.

    Then in my mind I think, “Right, they care for me. Just a data miner, racking up information on people. What the fuck, those assholes. Modern blanket party is required.”

    I’m done sharing. Have a nice day. And I’ll try too. – – – – – Nutter.

    1. Don’t forget to allow for a “Judge Scary Larry” as well as your “Scary Mary”. Both also look an awful lot like ‘Large Marge’ trucker from hell in Pee Wee Herman’s ‘Adventure’.
      “Scary Mary and Scary Larry” may also be married scarries. 🙂

      1. Sorry Sirs (addressing all of the personalities, local, those in the grandstands, characters who’re always hesitant to pay, and the ranting moody ones) – – – Results came verifying that our family members on me Pop’s side are negative, but me mums side inconclusive. We’ll keep you updated. – – – Nutter still moody (form of puppy, baby, monkey)

  13. VA Terminates Another Whistle-Blower
    Michael Volpe

    “The Department of Veterans Affairs has terminated another whistle-blower.

    The John J. Pershing VA Medical Center in Poplar Bluff, Missouri (PBVAMC) sent a termination notice to Dr. Dale Klein on last Tuesday.”

    “https://dailycaller.com/2017/08/29/va-terminates-another-whistle-blower/”

      1. Although they will still fire Whistle Blowers they will not fire thieves connected to the AFGE.

        •In Texas, Clementine T. Ray, former President of American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Local 2109, was sentenced to three years of probation and was ordered to pay $4,067 in restitution. On May 31, 2017, Ray pled guilty to false writings.
        “https://laborpains.org/2017/08/04/labor-racket-weekly-cooked-books-and-union-crooks/”

        Clementine T. Ray, former president of the AFGE chapter at the Temple Veteran’s Administration hospital, was indicted on Feb.14 for executing “a scheme to defraud (AFGE) Local 2109 and to obtain money and property … by means of false or fraudulent pretenses, negotiations, promises and the concealment of material facts,” the indictment says.
        “https://www.kwtx.com/content/news/Former-local-VA-union-president-accused-of-wire-fraud-418385793.html”

      2. Again AFGE thief promoted out to head a contracting department at the Veterans Administration.

        Currently Stephanie Hicks
        Contracting Officer of Major Programs (Activations) at Dept. of Veterans Affairs, San Francisco Bay AreaGovernment Administration

        Prior former union president at the Birmingham, Ala., Veterans Affairs hospital Indicted and convicted for bank fraud, forgery and aggravated identity theft charges, for a total of 19 counts. Hicks, who served as AFGE Local 2207 president from 2007 to 2013, used her position to embezzle money from the union’s bank accounts for her personal benefit
        “https://www.govexec.com/management/2015/03/former-va-union-president-arrested-alleged-embezzlement/107739/”

      3. The former president of an employees union at Birmingham’s Veterans Affairs Hospital has been sentenced to six months in prison, plus six months home detention, for embezzling more than $92,000 from the local union chapter, federal authorities announced.

        “https://www.al.com/news/birmingham/index.ssf/2015/11/former_birmingham_va_hospital.html”

        So after prison rehired by the VA to a leadership position in what is no doubt a very lucrative position for her and her skill set working in a Major Veterans Administrations Contracting Department.

      4. A couple of current Veterans Administration AFGE leaders that are currently going to court.

        “Two Wilkes-Barre AFGE union officers charged with stealing $50K
        Local, News”

        By Joe Dolinsky – timesleader.com

        “According to court papers, Evans served as vice president of the union and Uggiano was treasurer. The pair allegedly withdrew the funds from the union’s account at Vantage Trust First Credit Union in Wilkes-Barre.”

        “https://timesleader.com/news/669932/two-wilkes-barre-afge-union-officers-charged-with-stealing-50k”

      5. Go figure, nothing in our local tv news about Wilkes-Barre VA. Got a theory here, remember in the recent past, Ben did a piece about a Wilkes-Barre VA, drunken operating room nurse who was at a casino, that was called into work for an emergency procedure and got caught? My theory is the 3 fucktards were all at the casino which is a stones throw from the VA hospital playing the slots with the stolen funds.
        FUCK VA, FUCK AFGE.

      6. Department of Justice – U.S. Attorney’s Office – Middle District of Pennsylvania

        “Two Wilkes-Barre Men Charged With Stealing Union Funds”

        “https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdpa/pr/two-wilkes-barre-men-charged-stealing-union-funds”

        Notice how they try to hide their involvement with the VA Hospital that was paying their salaries the whole time they were stealing the Union Dues.

      7. No doubt they, at most, will get a six month sentence and have to file for paid administrative leave at the VA while they do their prison sentences before returning to the VA with a promotion.

      8. You know Seymore, after posting all these articles about union thugs stealing from their own unions, I can’t help but wonder how much they also stole from veterans or the VA.

        Was the VA just too lazy or incompetent to investigate and prosecute? Or did they screw up the cases like they have done with so many?

      9. I know what you mean 91Veteran.

        Most if not all of them hold jobs at the VA in the Contracting Departments of the VAMCs they are connected to. Certainly says a lot about the overall corruption in those departments.

      10. Another Union Crook still working at the VA.

        “Former president of local union faces criminal charges after money goes missing”

        “The former president of a local union is facing a federal charge after money came up missing.

        It’s part of an investigation into the union at the Saginaw Veterans Administration Medical Center.”

        “https://www.abc12.com/news/headlines/Former-president-of-local-union-faces-criminal-charges-after-money-goes-missing–305894791.html”

      11. More from the article on Saginaw VAMC

        “Police say the money was missing from the American Federation of Government Employees Local Union 2274 at the Aleda Lutz Veterans Administration Medical Center in Saginaw.

        Pritchard says at first, three union leaders were accused of mishandling money.

        “When the Department of Labor started investigating, it seemed like a significant amount of money,” Pritchard said.

        The Department of Labor investigation resulted in only one person being criminally charged.”

      12. @Seymore Klearly – Holy crap! It’s as if the VA corruption gestated into a full litter of thieving sewer rats and they are all trying to escape UNDER THE COVER of…hurricanes and disaster. Another pattern….never allow a good catastrophe or two ever go to waste when it can be utilized as an excellent smokescreen…and a VERY easy time for pallets of $$$$ to go **POOF* missing. Wait for it…

      13. Seymore,
        What can one expect from AFGE union bosses. Especially after the top asswipe, “Little Cox” uses union monies for his own personal use; ie: Vacations to the Virgin Islands and who knows what else!
        Cox is nothing but a scammer and blood sucker! One day he’ll be standing in front of St.Peter. Then he’ll be given a direct one-way ticket to hell!

    1. Seymore,
      I believe the VA is in the process of firing lots of whistleblowers!
      That new law was/is a fucking joke! Every whistleblower better go ahead and contact as many attorneys as possible!!!!!

      1. Your right Elf,

        Everyone who went to the press has been fired. The new office of whistleblower protection only works if the information is not leaked to the press.

  14. Whistleblower: Mismanagement Continues at Manchester VA

    By Peter Biello

    “https://nhpr.org/post/whistleblower-mismanagement-continues-manchester-va#stream/0”

  15. Research Says VA Hospital Is Obstructing Research into Marijuana’s Effects on PTSD

    By Joseph Misulonas |

    “A major study about marijuana’s effects on treating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) began last February, but so far it’s been difficult to make any conclusions. And the reason is obstruction from Veterans Affairs’ hospitals.”

    “https://www.civilized.life/articles/veterans-affairs-obstructing-ptsd-marijuana-research/”

    1. I AM SCARED to say anything on this page because they’ll take what help I’M getting away if they read my post !!!! I would love to share some experiences. I trust the va to fuck me every time they get a chance, so for a change I’m gona keep my mouth /fingers shut. weed does wonders

  16. GAO: Veterans Affairs Insurance Enrollment Standards Lacking

    The Department of Veterans Affairs failed to meet insurance enrollment standards including timeliness and outreach tasks.

    Excerpt from article:

    “Specifically we found that for 22 (71 percent) of the 31 unresolved applications there was no evidence that VAMC enrollment staff had attempted to contact the veterans to obtain missing military service or financial information, and that 18 of these 22 applications had been in a pending status for 3 months or longer at the time of our review,” GAO said.”

    “https://healthpayerintelligence.com/news/gao-veterans-affairs-insurance-enrollment-standards-lacking”

  17. “VA Official Accused Of Taking Bribes In Exchange For Contract Information”
    By Stan Bush CBS News 4 Denver, September 7, 2017

    “DENVER (CBS4)– Newly released court documents have revealed an elaborate scheme with a Veterans Affairs insider, who was accepting bribes for lucrative government contracts.

    According to court filings, in the summer of 2015 the FBI staged an undercover operation to catch Dwane Nevins, director of the Rocky Mountain VA’s Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization.”

    “https://denver.cbslocal.com/2017/09/07/veterans-affairs-bribes-va-contract/”

      1. What is also interesting about this case is that they first started investigating it back in 2015. That is while he was working with some of the Black Hole in Aurora CO contracts.

        Remember how the department of justice gave everyone connected to that a free pass.

  18. “VA denies Army veteran local heart transplant as he fights for his life”
    KENS 5 San Antonio TX

    “SEGUIN – A veteran is fighting for his life after being told by the VA that he can’t get a heart transplant locally. Doctors say he’s living on borrowed time.

    Veterans Affairs has a policy that states that transplant services must take place at a VA approved transplant program. There is a handful across the country, but there are no heart transplant locations in Texas.”

    “https://www.kens5.com/news/local/va-denies-seguin-army-veteran-local-heart-transplant-as-he-fights-for-his-life/472179572”

  19. “Federal Manager’s Daily Report”

    Record-keeping on Telework at VA Faulted

    Published: September 11, 2017
    More in: Federal Manager’s Daily Report

    “The Veterans Benefits Administration “does not yet have key controls in place to ensure that employees’ telework hours are recorded accurately in the time and attendance system,” GAO has reported, saying that VBA data “were unreliable, incomplete, and therefore, insufficient for us to determine the extent to which employees telework across VBA.””

    “https://www.fedweek.com/federal-managers-daily-report/record-keeping-telework-va-faulted/”

    1. Federal New Radio, By Eric White
      “https://federalnewsradio.com/federal-newscast/2017/09/former-commerce-manager-gets-4-years-in-jail-for-taking-bribes/”

      • “There’s no clear sense of how many employees with the Veterans Affairs Department are teleworking. The Government Accountability Office said much of the data in VA’s time and attendance system on telework is unreliable. VA now requires all employees to record their telework hours for each pay period. But it’s not ensuring employees record them properly. Some officials in the Veterans Benefits Administration said they didn’t know about the policy. (Government Accountability Office)”

      1. US GAO Report on Federal Telework:

        Improved Guidance and Communication on Recording Telework Hours Needed at Veterans Benefits Administration

        GAO-17-621R: Published: Aug 7, 2017. Publicly Released: Sep 6, 2017

        “https://www.gao.gov/assets/690/686423.pdf”

      2. I spent over dozen years working from home before I hung out my own shingle. The systemic corporate suspicion that I was whackin the mole in my pjs all day was brutal, and ultimately cost me. In reality, due to the time zone differences within the company(s), I was in earlier and stayed later than anyone else in management. I never had water cooler distractions and long lunch meetings.

        That said, I didn’t have a government dick job either. I have no doubt there are some serious slackers. But I can also see some people being far more productive than if they are tethered to an office.

        My gut feel is that the work at home thing is subject to more abuse as the institution grows larger. Smaller dynamic organizations squeeze more out of their people, and are unaware of the extra commitments.

      3. VA employees are now recording their work hours? WTF Over!
        Damn, How many here see MASSIVE fraud, waste and abuse getting ready to occur?!
        (This last sentence is more of a statement than a question!)

  20. “veterans will never get a fair shake after being polluted by the negligent act of generals or government contractors. Second, we really need to rethink the Feres Doctrine to attach liability to the DOD to protect servicemembers exposed to things like burn pits.”

    I definitely agree!

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