For Profit College Regulations

VA Proposes Employees Can Profit From For-Profit Colleges

For Profit College Regulations

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

The proposal allows certain employees to receive “wages, salary, dividends, profits, gratuities” and services. VA employees could own stock in these colleges, and “the Secretary [of Veterans Affairs] has determined that no detriment will result to the United States, veterans or eligible persons from such activities.”

According to VA’s explanation at the Federal Register:

In current practice, however, that statute has illogical and unintended consequences, in that it requires the removal of any VA employee who has any connection to a for-profit educational institution that students attend under a VA education benefits program. As an example, a literal reading of the statute would require the removal of a VA lab technician who takes a class, on her own time and using her own money, at a for-profit educational institution that is also attended by students using VA education benefits. It would also require the removal of a VA physician who teaches an introductory biology class at such a school. The statute applies retroactively, in that it requires VA to remove employees who have no current connection to a for-profit institution but took or taught a class at one at any time during their VA employment. Applying this statute to VA employees who have not engaged in any real conflict of interest would be unjust and detrimental to VA’s ability to serve veterans.

Certain veterans’ advocates were reportedly blindsided by the proposal:

News of the proposed rule blindsided veterans’ advocates who have battled for years against predatory colleges, many of which have used aggressive marketing techniques to become leading recipients of GI Bill money.

“Bizarre and very likely illegal,” said Carrie Wofford, president of Veterans Education Success, a nonprofit group that has bailed out veterans who found themselves unemployed and deep in debt after attending for-profit schools.

“There are federal laws – including federal criminal laws – that prohibit federal employees from engaging in this exact behavior,” she said.

What do you think of the proposed change? Is this good for veterans or good for VA employees? Or, is this a workaround engineered by the for-profit industry to allow a greater foothold into the agency?

Source: https://www.revealnews.org/blog/trump-administration-seeks-to-legalize-payoffs-to-va-officials-by-for-profit-schools/

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64 Comments

  1. Oh…GREAT….these doctors and providers will receive pay for teaching interns whilst visiting Veterans and being paid for being their so called provider of healthcare. Talk about double dipping. Dr. Shulkin probably been doing this already at his hospital… who knows?????? He got to get this legislation in so he can continue….how does this improve care for the Veterans?????

  2. Correction; first hypothetical equation based off of personal experience, VA related articles, conversations with those who just didn’t know anything about the inside operational workings of the VA, to those that knew so much about the VA you’d think they wrote the book, and these same damn fucking narcissistic now-it-alls, will even tell you that they know how to solve the VA’s current problems. Yeah right, where you been, Hector John (Juan) Pippy Tonowas.

    Sorry Bub (Hector), all the suggestions offered on Ben’s Blog is a far cry. Why? I came to believe that the VA’s current operational platform of distributing the VA’s combined services, and managing such services, including the health care of Veterans, and the claims side that the Veterans file for compensation, has been nothing but slappy patched botched up programs.

    To prove this, I’m taking this opportunity to tweak my previous equation. Here’s my original hypothetical equation;

    ORIGINAL EQUATION- Applies to the VA as a Whole
    No Auditing
    + No Accountability
    + Poor Leadership
    + Lack of Valid Government Feedback-Controls
    ————————————————————————
    Criminal Activity

    UPDATED Version 1.50
    No Auditing
    + No Accountability
    + Poor Leadership, Inadequate Employee Training, Inferior Feedback-Controls
    + Lack of Valid Government Feedback-Controls = the sum of; No Auditing, No Accountability, Poor Leadership, Inadequate Employee Training, Inferior Feedback-Controls.
    ————————————————————————
    Criminal Activity = sum of all above

    Now stay with me on this one. What I’m saying is that since the VA is TOTALLY MESSED UP, what type of condition do you think the leadership is (the Gubmint), that oversees and gives monies to the VA for its yearly operating budget? Answer; Qur US Federal Gubmint is in the same shape as the VA, but larger (or worse, depending on how you’d like to look at it).

    So if the Federal Government doesn’t change to better fit the people that it serves, then the same principal applies to the VA. But, what can we make out of this information. I’ve said it multiple times on Ben’s Blog.

    In my opinion, all these VA SUPER DUPER BRAND NEW EXTRA EYE POPPING OUT PROGRAMS are a bunch of bullshit. The original VA system is broke. It needs to be replaced. Throwing extra monies for programs under the original VA system is short lived. Just think, there has been many things that has changed in the life’s of Americans in the past 80 years.

    I’m not an economist, production line or time study person, engineer, lawyer, or a doctor. I’m an investigative research biologist who likes to think in simple equations. In this manner, it seems that I can measure the things that occurs in life better.

    Damn, and just think, fall is right around the corner. Should I be pissed that the VA wasted my spring and summer of 2017? May not be a good idea since cooler weather keeps people indoors more. The days get shorter. Gloomy clouds appear filled with water particles. I don’t know about you, but I’m not looking forward to winter. No way.

    I think I’ll shutter on down now. Good night Ben’s World of Psychocolateers. It’s been a nice weekend, compared to the one last year. – – – Nutter. September 17, 2017

  3. OFF-TOPIC: Tonight on PBS the new documentary on Vietnam War by Kenneth Burns & Lynn Novick premiers tonight at 8 p.m….if you recall, Ken Burns has been historically on veteran’s side of things. This should be a really great series.
    Peace.

  4. The later, about Shulkin I thought he would do more for veterans. Some of you folks warned me about Secretary Shulkin and I have to say you were right.

    I sent him a letter with evidence of a disgruntled va employee falsely acussing me of disruptive behavior and they did so when they can not even place me at my local clinic.

    In fact I wrote twice and no reply period. The Denver VA was in the news again, where employees testified that upper management has retaliated against another VA employee and testified the Denver VA is filthy and employees just don’t care!

  5. No Auditing
    + No Accountability
    + Poor Leadership
    + Lack of Valid Government Oversight
    ——————————————–
    Criminal Activity

    Any questions?

  6. I don’t why, but it’s easier for me to understand things when in the form of an equation. And, I realize that there are so much cheating and corruption going on around upper floors, and the lower hallways of the Veterans Administration.

    Folks, this Federal Agency, the VA, is too far complex to solidly figure out. The whole concept of why and how come the VA exists, has been distorted and disfigured for not just the benefit for Veterans. This is where and why the problem with the VA exist.

    Now, not to brag, have a big head, or being smug, I know that in my particular situation, that I’ve the VA by their balls, and I’m squeezing them as much as possible in order to create a possible, “Ouch from the VA.”

    The VA has violated the rights for me to live a healthy life, while under the VA’s care and services. Knowing that the VA is fully aware of my concerns, expressed by me many times, but yet, are still using the technique of swaying a carrot into my eyes of a donkey. Let me share with you in a condensed context.

    These are two (2) areas of my life, that the VA has personally fucked me over.

    (1) The manipulation of providing me a medication, that has been documented that this medication gives the Veteran relief from his severe muscle spasms, tension migraine-like headaches, and minor relief of the anxiety that the Veteran experiences.

    After Trail and Error Tests, to see if this was the best medication to use for my symptoms, the VA then prescribed the medication to the Veteran only one time, and then wouldn’t refill it. Pure manipulation.

    (2) After over a year of yelling for help, VA finally agreed to provide In-Home Services to help me gain my health back as much as I could. VA never monitored the services, didn’t ask for my input during the whole time of treatment.

    The VA created no plan to be integrated with the knowledge of biology in both the Veteran (BA Biology), and the In-Home Personal (PhD Physical Therapy).

    Veteran was discharged based on knowing all the exercises, instead of performance, or results. A total waste of health, time, and money. Services were poorly implemented that effected the outcome.

    (3) Yes, there is a third one that I won’t list on purpose. And, this one really has the VA up against the wall, even though the VA doesn’t seem to want to accept or agree to the matter. We’ll have to wait and see, and when it is appropriate, I will keep you updated.

    I don’t like to count my eggs, until they are safely in my basket. Oh, I almost forgot, here’s the equation that I was talking about earlier. – – – Nutter

    No Auditing + No Accountability + Poor Leadership = Temptations for Corruption

  7. “In current practice, however, that statute has illogical and unintended consequences …” is the explained reason for this desire change the law.

    hmmmmm. Let me smoke some hippy queer tye-dyed colored Oregon marijuanna extract and see what the green opaque ball tells me when I peer deeply into it….

    There was a guy once a long time ago that got reborn from humanhood into a mythical creature known by the name of “Mr. President”. He decided to make life better for every soldier who served our nation and had thusly preserved the nation for all. He decided that helping soldiers was logical and should be done always so as any godlike president would do, he reached up into the heavens and pulled down a “statute” like Zues grabbing a lightning bolt – and it all seemedlogical, right, and had the intended consequences of making the lives of each and every soldier who had served this country better than it was before. The hurt soldier, all applauded, would be made comfortable and would be cared for. Nobody gets left behind….not in America…

    Pausing now for a second trip to my vaporizer. The opaque ball lost some shine. brb….

    Fast forwarding now because when I am stoned my sense of time passage and organization of memories by time is non-existant (it’s good shit). Does it not seem that the staute creating the VA itself has had illogical and unintended consequences? Is it logical to create a seperate quasi-government complete with its own jurisprudance, its own governance, and its own mandate seperate and apart from the mandate of The People as expressed in our Constitutional Replublic.

    Is it logical to rehire folks fired for stealing? Is it logical to trust people caught repeatedly lieing? Is it logical to trust the care of veterans to a group that cannot even get all the dead bodies burried before they zombie pop all over the inside of the body bags?

    Is VA as we now know it the “intended” consequence of the well intentioned statute that created this monstrocity? I don’t think so based solely on the fact that it would be impossible to creatively imagine this sort of shit in America back when Mr. President decided to help his veterans. How could he intend somehong beyond imagining at the time? Did Mr. President “intend” that America turned a blind eye to the right sof veterans?

    SO…..vaping one more time now….why don’t we apply their own logic to a larger scope than the VA requests? Yep. EXPAND on the idea which frankly will ENCOURAGE folks to seek work at institutes of higher learning that serve vets (plus any other job that can be found)! Let’s remove ALL the offensive statutes that have had unintended and illogical consequences. This would seem a more thorough treatment of the topic to me. Remove the statute that authorized VA. Then we have no concerns about government folks working at a school. Problem solved.

    Mr. President, are you reading this? Good. Can you please take me off the Disruptive Behavior list now? Please? Your cops are nice guys but taking a shit is just too giggly when being gaurded that way. Thanks.

    Dennis

    1. “[…Mr. President, are you reading this? Good. Can you please take me off the Disruptive Behavior list now? Please? Your cops are nice guys but taking a shit is just too giggly when being gaurded that way. Thanks.]”

      RAND Corp. recommends throwing feces like an angry flying monkey at the storm troopers next time and eat accordingly for flammability and thixotropic properties.

      1. To whom it may concern can someone tell me why Veteran Medical Doctor can call thee Senators and Representative how to improve Veterans Healthcare. .please.

      2. @Leatherneck – – – I’m responding to possibly give a so-called part or half answer to your question. There are others that know a lot more about your concern.

        Senators and Congressmen (Congressional Critters), could be that there are certain groups of both. Ones that have relationships with Pharmaceutical Companies (Big / Pig Pharma), those that have relationships with the VA, and those that have relationships with both PIG Pharma and the VA.

        Now, due to the needs of the VA for PIG Pharma’s products, think about how much MONEY is involved with the VA doing business with PIG Pharma? LONGTIME. That’s a lot of Moolah ($$$).

        Bottom line, if you ever have asked yourself this question before, “well, that’s so damn obvious, why aren’t they doing something about it?” It’s because of the Moolah. If the situation is fixed, that means that most likely less money will be spent IN THE FUTURE. It means less for everyone that is involved either directly or indirectly with the operational functions of the VA.

        Agreements; Money (Moolah) is made during ONE TIME DEALS, and it is also made with RESIDUAL TRANSACTIONS. That’s all that I can write about this matter.

        If you’d like detailed information, I suggest that you do some Google searches on this matter, and you may be surprise in what you come up with. You might even find something that others didn’t know. Good luck. – – – Nutter

  8. **BREAKING UPDATE**
    “VA Proposes Employees Can Profit From Investing In Body Bags”, the research and development will have clear goal of producing an explosive-proof body bag that will also facilitate the liquefied remains of nonhuman test subjects.

    1. Sorta like the chemical agent wipes? Break the capsule inside before opening? In this case, break the capsule and the liquifying begins?

      I suspect they would opt for the Rotisserie model so some AFGE thugs could be employed to rotate the bag every couple hours.

      1. That Rotisserie Model has been repurposed for annual AFGE pig roasts since the VA also opted for the titanium roast racks.

  9. So…rather than waiving the entire law, why not ask Congress to re-write it in order to avoid the situations the VA is claiming?

    Hell, the VA cannot remove known felons, child molesters, thieves, thugs, dope dealers or corrupt, incompetent hacks, but they claim they are removing a lab tech for taking a class at a for profit school years prior?

    I call bullshit on their excuses. If this truly were the case, the VA would have offered all kinds of examples or statistics on how this was happening.

    The VA spokeshack, Cashour offers the usual “VA is committed” BS about protecting veterans FROM predatory behavior of for profit schools, but doesn’t say a word about predatory VA hacks pushing veterans to go to certain schools they just happen to have a financial interest in.

    Cashour admits the law COULD apply to some lab tech, but dismisses any possibility that a VA official COULD accept payment from a crooked school. If could works in one instance, why cannot it not work in another? Who in the VA would oversee VA employees recusing themselves from any conflict? Would they be the same damn fools doing such a bang-up job overseeing wait times?

    Why do I get the sense some corrupt hack in upper VA management has been burning about this for a long time, and finally found a way to get the Trump administration to go along. Are there piggy VSO’s with certain educational investments? Is this a VA only deal? If not, who specifically is pushing for this?

  10. Seymore, did you know;
    On this date, September 15, 1970, “…350,000+ GM auto workers went on a 67 day strike!” In essence, shutting down all the auto giants plants! It also caused the GM “…workers and the union to dominate…” the news medias. UAW wanted an increase on wages.
    Although there was other strikes occurring that year, GM’s strike caused the most financial hardships for Americans!
    What followed? Both settled, the union won (?) with a 13% hourly increase raise. Instead of the 32% hourly rate increase they wanted!

    Maybe the VA employees could strike and all of them lose their jobs. The unions could be dismantled and thrown out with the bathwater!
    Just like what happened with the air traffic controllers!

    1. OOOOOO Noooooo …. Purty soon those cookie jars are going to be empty, then the f$$kers will be getting it out of our pockets, but are going to dig deep into mine to find any….The only thing they are competent at is stealing money….DEN OF THIEVES .. LOL

    1. Anuttervet, it IS an interesting read. I read it when her article first came out. Her article is clear on how good a job the VA has been doing about bullshitting the public into thinking the VA is providing good care to veterans.

      If you click on her name above the article, you can find a list of other articles she has written. Along with her email address, which I know she does respond to.

      Send her an email.

      Another good article of hers is at: “https://nypost.com/2017/08/23/its-far-too-early-for-trump-to-declare-victory-on-the-va/”

      1. @91Veteran – – – I really appreciate Ms. Callahan’s style of investigative research on the VA. And for me, after my short, but tallying the battling dances with the VA, my conclusion is still the same. To even think about fixing the VA, the VA system, as a whole, needs to be changed.

        The current system isn’t working, does not include many means to monitor, investigate, or even to control the VA functions, and operations of this second largest funded Federal Agency. Plus, the current VA system is dysfunctional to be able to properly serve the new generation(s) of Veterans. Audit first, apply new VA system of functions and operations.

        And, whomever is speaking into POTUS’s ear, they’re telling him a bunch of crap, BIG TIME. As a Veteran, I know that the VA has failed me miserably. And, if I can retain an attorney, then I will have a path to draw out my ordeal with the VA.

        As a matter of fact, I believe that Veterans should read articles about how the VA functions. If Veterans keep up to date with what is going on in the VA, they won’t be surprised when something happens.

        But, here is what blows my above statement apart, its like a Freshmen in College. Your new, don’t know much, and since you picked the school (military branch), you basically put your trust into this school’s (military’s) functions and organization. Fresh New Veterans most likely trust the VA. Until . . . they get screwed over.

        I listed two articles by Maureen Callahan below. They’re a good read. And, I saved them my favorites – – – Nutter.

        (1) Reference- “https://nypost.com/2017/08/23/its-far-too-early-for-trump-to-declare-victory-on-the-va/” Maureen Callahan- NY Post

        (2) Reference- “https://nypost.com/2017/08/15/the-va-is-deeply-thoroughly-broken/” Maureen Callahan- NY Post

  11. Hey – if congress can profit from insider trading – heck – what’s wrong with those little folk at the VA getting in on some action? Loves me some free markets, liberty, democracy, false-flag-wavin. yessiree. Amerka – finest cuntry on earth.

    1. Right on windguy. With using Insider Trader Information, Congress Critters are able to boost up their portfolio so that they’re able to retire nicely. And now, a possible means for the Mid to Upper Management of the VA to become wealthy almost without effort.

      VA from me to you; fuck you, you sorry ass mother fuckers. You’ve not consistently focused on my health care for over 2 years. In your eyes I’m fine. Yet, I can’t stabilize myself, to securely walk more than 30ft without getting extremely exhausted, losing my balance, and running into walls. As a Biologist, if I were a damn Physician (one with a valid Medical license), and since the Veteran can’t get out their front door, I’d ask to visit that Veteran with a small team to investigate and evaluate them.

      And, the in-home Physical Therapy that you provided for me, wasn’t based on performance. I didn’t gain any muscle mass. You’re not welcome to touch my body. I stand firm in not respecting you. Now, for my VA PCP, and the fucking Treatment Team, you can go fuck yourself. The evil and wicked things about my health care, you’ve fucked it up, BIG TIME. And, in one or more ways using Social Media (as I learn them), I’ll use my voice to hopefully penetrate and stimulate the frigging hair cells of someone’s inner ear, so that they will hear my cry for help. And, I will continue to encourage other Veterans, and to look for ways to put you VA, in the spotlight, in order to bitch slap you in public.

      At first, I was a willing patient. Now, you’ve totally lost me to the point where I have to in fucking reality, to protect myself from you and your negligent medical care.

      Warning. If you come to my door, and try to violate my rights, I will consider this behavior to be an Act of War directly against my family, myself, and K9. Don’t tempt me, because I promise to hurt you. At least I’ll grab one of you, and I’m ready for you to walk through my doors threshold. I wouldn’t push me on this one. – – – Nutter

  12. After reviewing the proposed changes and the applicable laws that are affected. It is clear that the changes are being made solely to benefit Veterans Administration’s employees, for-profit medical schools and State regulators connected to those schools.

    Not only will this increase the cost of medical care but it will also insure a reduction in the quality of health care nationally.

    If this change is allowed to happen not only will the quality of Veteran Health care severely decline but the cost of providing Veterans Health care will certainly double.

    1. VA National Education for Employees Program (VANEEP)

      VANEEP provides scholarships to employees pursuing degrees or training in health care disciplines for which recruitment and retention of qualified personnel is difficult. VANEEP provides scholarship and replacement salary funding to VA facilities to allow certain scholarship participants who are enrolled full-time in an approved education program to accelerate their degree completion by attending school full time. VANEEP participants agree to work at their VA facility during academic breaks and, in return, receive full salary and payment for education costs, including tuition, books, and certain fees.
      (Note: VANEEP is a policy-derived program that stems from the legislative authority of EISP.)

      “https://www.vacareers.va.gov/assets/common/print/VANEEP_VA_Careers_Page.pdf”

      1. EMPLOYEE INCENTIVE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM
        1. REASON FOR ISSUE: This Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Directive is issued to implement the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Employee Incentive Scholarship Program (EISP) as authorized in Title 38 United States Code (U.S.C). §§7631 to 7636 and 7671 to 7675.

        “https://www.va.gov/vhapublications/ViewPublication.asp?pub_ID=2241”

      2. In 38 U.S.C. 3034(a)(1), 3241(a)(1), and 3323(a)(1), Congress generally has made the provisions of chapter 36, including section 3683, applicable also to VA education benefits under chapters 30, 32, and 33 or title 38, United States Code. Accordingly, the requirements of section 3683 apply to for-profit institutions in which an eligible person or veteran was pursuing a program of education or course under chapter 30, 32, 33, 34, 35, or 36 of title 38. The waiver discussed in this notice would apply in circumstances in which the eligible person(s) or veteran(s) were receiving benefits under any of those chapters.
        “https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2017-19480/p-12”

    2. The VA National Education for Employees Program (VANEEP) is funded under authorization of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Employee Incentive Scholarship Program (EISP) as authorized in Title 38 United States Code. The proposed changes would allow the VA to use for Profit Colleges for these programs.

      The wordage on the proposed changes includes “which the eligible person(s) or veteran(s) were receiving benefits under any of those chapters.”

      The key words being “eligible person(s)”.

      1. IF I read you correctly, Seymore.
        This could be a push to a more stringent “Single Payer [Socialist] Healthcare System”! The kind implemented in Venezuela a few years back!

      2. This hold only be a program for vets to benefit by hen they are hired as VA employees

      3. Not sure of your meaning Flotmorton.

        But in an effort to be clearer on what I am stating. The proposal is to circumvent provisions of 38 U.S.C. 3683 Regarding Conflicting interests.

        Currently the provisions of 38 U.S.C. 3683 prevents the Veterans Administration for paying for any Veteran or Veteran Administration Employee’s education at any For-Profit-School under the following conditions.

      4. §3683. Conflicting interests

        (a) Every officer or employee of the Department of Veterans Affairs who has, while such an officer or employee, owned any interest in, or received any wages, salary, dividends, profits, gratuities, or services from, any educational institution operated for profit in which an eligible person or veteran was pursuing a program of education or course under this chapter or chapter 34 or 35 of this title shall be immediately dismissed from such officer’s or employee’s office or employment.

      5. (b) If the Secretary finds that any person who is an officer or employee of a State approving agency has, while such person was such an officer or employee, owned any interest in, or received any wages, salary, dividends, profits, gratuities, or services from, an educational institution operated for profit in which an eligible person or veteran was pursuing a program of education or course under this chapter or chapter 34 or 35 of this title, the Secretary shall discontinue making payments under section 3674 of this title to such State approving agency unless such agency shall, without delay, take such steps as may be necessary to terminate the employment of such person and such payments shall not be resumed while such person is an officer or employee of the State approving agency, or State department of veterans’ affairs or State department of education.

      6. (c) A State approving agency shall not approve any course offered by an educational institution operated for profit, and, if any such course has been approved, shall disapprove each such course, if it finds that any officer or employee of the Department of Veterans Affairs or the State approving agency owns an interest in, or receives any wages, salary, dividends, profits, gratuities, or services from, such institution.

      7. (d) The Secretary may, after reasonable notice and public hearings, waive in writing the application of this section in the case of any officer or employee of the Department of Veterans Affairs or of a State approving agency, if the Secretary finds that no detriment will result to the United States or to eligible persons or veterans by reasons of such interest or connection of such officer or employee.

      8. Seymore, that language right there means there is zero need for this rule change based on the bullshit the VA is pushing. If the VA secretary can waive it, then why would they go through the work of removing a lab tech who attended a class years before?

        I think this is an instance of the VA pushing this rule change, without knowing what the existing rule says.

        Ben, I think this would be an excellent FOIA request. Request how many VA employees have been removed under this section over the past 10 years, and how many waivers have been signed by the VA secretary under this section over the same time period.

        Surely for such a serious rule change, the VA must have documentation to back up what they are claiming.

    3. …and within a few years, there will be certain people going before Congress asking for GI Bill benefits to be increased.

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

    and in other breaking news…. VA has been accused of corruption, 1921, 1937, 1949, 1951-1953, 1964-1967, 1973, 1978, 1988-1989, 1990(all of it), 2001-present. Now back to you Jane, you ignorant slut.

    1. DENNIS:
      Again BRILLIANT, as well as well thought out and funny, but not really funny because it refers to so many vets who have been killed after suffering battlefield wounds only to come home and be killed by the very persons vets fought to protect…….
      Prosecute them and them take them for one last tour of the real swamp. (Remember the movie wherein the National Guard was up against the good ole boys in the Cajun swamp???
      Keep hammering them, brother!

  14. With ALL the other crap “Shithead Shulkin” has gotten away with, this is just one more slap in the face towards veterans AND TAXPAYERS,
    (Especially the taxpayers)!

    1. @Crazy elf — I actually think it’s much worse than another slap in face, it’s more like taking a nail gun to Veteran’s balls. Predatory Lending is done by those that are indeed Predators, and these for-profit, war-profiteering G.I. Bill stealing questionable accreditation colleges…and a HUGE amount of them are in Insane McCain’s State of AZ…am thinking the congress critters will also benefit from this predatory lending…and Dept. of Ed. and our Congressional Critter Veteran’s Committees and Piggy VSO’s should be screaming all the way to D.C. instead of the bank.
      Rant Out. Nail Gun to the balls. Doesn’t get much more painful.

      1. Your assessment is correct, namnibor.
        I’ll bet, if this was investigated, one would find MANY “Congress Critters” benefiting substantially from these “for-profit colleges”!
        Plus, now that “Shithead Shulkin” is claiming VA employees are allowed to financially benefit from these “Scam Institutions”, frauds and abuses will more likely than NOT triple.
        Just another day at the VA’s MASSIVE fraud, waste and abuse counter!

      2. VA is likely wanting to “partner” with these predatory colleges so they can also invite the AFGE into their lair…you have to invite a vampire in and once in, well, better have garlic handy with that uncooked chicken.

      3. What better way to invite the AFGE in than to encourage them to become teachers in these schools? I could even see them double-dipping by getting paid full time by the VA while getting paid full time to teach during their normal duty hours.

      4. Meaning, the AFGE are ‘Borg’-like, in needing to continually absorb, grow, like a blobby amoeba of dues-paying engorged purple teams. 🙂

      5. I believe your assessment to be quite correct. Just another to further spread AFGE corruption across the “government of the people, by the people, for the people” thereby further “globalizing our glorious cuntry.

        Ever receive my just benefits – – – I’ll become an expat on the double. Don’t even recognize the country I grew up in anymore.

  15. “[…Or, is this a workaround engineered by the for-profit industry to allow a greater foothold into the agency?…]”
    Sounds like the for-profit-colleges are wanting some of that gov’t. employee welfare works program $$$$ and the engorged VA SES’ers desire to rake-in more blood money. Fuck Off, VA.

    1. Let me add, VA VOC REHAB guidance counselors will be *only* approving plans involving Univ. of Phoenix and the likes….if it’s a brick and mortar and the VA Upper Management Investors cannot glean some more blood $$$, not approved…wait for it…rat bastards!

  16. If VA officials and colleges hadn’t screwed the pooch to begin with, there would have been no need for the law. After WWII you could have gone to any college you were accepted to and the VA would have paid the tuition. But colleges created “ghost students” and getting reimbursed. Same old swamp creature stuff. I don’t think your lowly VA employees are going to be scamming the system. That crap is for the higher pay scales.

    1. VA SESers might be doing the scamming, but if that is the case, they will certainly push lower employees to do whatever is needed to maximize the scam.

      I can see VA SESers pushing certain employees to recommend certain schools.

      Why would this be any different than the wait time bonus fraud? You can damn well bet that many VA directors put unwritten policies in place that caused lower level employees to work around written policies to game the wait time numbers for larger bonuses. This would be no different.

      And since VA SESers have supposedly not been paid bonuses since the wait time scandal exploded, this would be a perfect way to replace that bonus money.

  17. Good Grief!

    As if all the other illegal scams such as stealing veteran’s pain-killers, falsifying wait lists, denying veterans due benefits for years on valid claims, etc. were not enough, now we will have VA employees investing in these for profit “educational institutions” in order to make more money . . .

    As Donald Avant pointed out – – – pure conflict of interest. Any guesses as to which schools will be forced upon veterans for Chapter 31 Rehab in a few years? I can just see it now . . .

    One more BIG reason that it is high time for some real leadership at the VA.

    Leadership that speaks truth publicly about how bad things have really gotten.

    Leadership that develops solutions to take better care of ALL our nations warriors.

    Leadership that recognizes that when they are doing a good job – – – it will be veterans singing their praises, rather than the VA needing a PR Agency to put out “Fluff Pieces” to mislead America.

    Current VA leadership has their Brain Housing Group the size of mice and their Hearts no bigger. It is about FIFTEEN YEARS PAST 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 reasonable ideas to help you improve the services provided to my fellow veterans. 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. It is now 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. Many of those Veterans suffer the remainder of their lives for doing what most of their countrymen had not the courage to do.

    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.

    Rhetoric is cheap. Congressional Voting Records speak louder than words.

    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, Former Flag Officers and SES appointed Civilians 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

    1. Semper fi, my brother:
      Your ideas, for the most part are the same as the rest of us veterans have in mind.
      There are existing laws, (Federal Statutes), which prevent such conflict of interest situations wherein persons who have an interest can be PROSECUTED.
      POOP OR GET OFF THE POT, MR. SECRETARY OR WE REMOVE YOU FROM THE TOILET SEAT.
      Get rid of the bureaucracy, (properly named the “BOOBACRACY”) AND GIVE VETS THE SAME PRIVATE STANDARD OF MEDICAL CARE WHICH INSANE McCAIN RECEIVES, (If you don’t know whom I am referring to it is “SONGBIRD McCAIN” WHO BETRAYED SO MANY VETS SUPPOSEDLY RECEIVING CARE AT THE PHOENIX VA).
      Like the FBI and the IRS, only a few bad boys and girls need to be prosecuted for the rest to toe the line and obey the laws. PROSECUTE, PROSECUTE, PROSECUTE, CONFLICT OF INTEREST, CONFLICT OF INTEREST, what i so difficult about enforcing the existing laws?

  18. It’s illegal for a reason…It’s a CONFLICT OF INTEREST.

    Changing the legality isn’t going to make it any less of a CONFLICT OF INTEREST.

    Any VA employee that works for a for-profit should be charged with Conspiracy to Defraud…

    1. Why is this any different than a VA doctor using veterans as test subjects, then profiting off the sale of some new drug?

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