The Hill: Veterans Affairs Pushes Foreign Special Interests Over Disabled Vets

29 Comments

1. “Let’s stop pretending”, “special interests”, “dubiously defends…..its needs”, the article mirrors the symptoms of the West Los Angeles land-grab situation point for point.
   WLA now has a crater size excavation ditch that the private interest, Brentwood School, will fill with long-term structures on a 10 year lease. Go figure.
   Where is the uproar about the dishonest manipulation of land-use policy that Ann Brown is forcing as “needed” here?
   Again, you’ve got the audience, doesn’t “square deal” mean the same as keeping the promise of “permanently maintained” as in the Deeds of the HOME for DISABLED VETERANS or is the manipulation so entrenched that the most visible advocates are included?

2. 01/19/2017

   Dear Benjamin Krause,

   Your Nation is first, your defenders, then the citizenry in that order, and the VA has it Backwards. This is not by accident.

   Sincerely,

   Don Karg

3. Off topic: The Daily Caller has an article about a veteran dying at the Bedford VA because the fat ass nurse was playing video games on her computer.

   The nasty cow announced his death to her supervisor by sliding her finger across her throat.

   She did not know he died until she discovered it the next day.

   For once the US Attorney and FBI are investigating, but it happened over a year ago.

   Shulkin just found out about it in September.

   Once again, Senators from the state are outraged while Isakson and Poe sleep.

   “https://dailycaller.com/2017/10/19/veteran-died-while-nurse-aide-played-video-games/”

   1. Formidably Fat Ass Nurse was playing ‘Candy Crush’, no less, and literally. 🙂

      1. Fat Rat Bastards!

4. Sounds like VA using “pay for play” schemes. A foreign entity mysteriously gets a contract for big USA Gov’t money in return for paying a VA Exec $1 million in speaking fees.

5. This is off subject, yet noteworthy for everyone.

   From:
   “Fox News” (1 day ago)
   Titled;
   “Federal court rules World War 1 memorial cross must be torn down”

   By Todd Starnes, Fox News
   Quote from the article: “The American Legion could appeal directly to the Supreme Court.”
   My question, which needs to be answered, is; “Will they?”
   And IF they don’t, can that be the new mindset of the NEW American Legion? We already know they don’t have veterans healthcare at the top of their priorities! Let’s see how this plays out!

   1. @Crazy elf- Be careful down there in your State today and this weekend in particular. George Soros recently just gave 80% of all his wealth to Butthurt Snowflake Foundation of Hildabest Sympathizers…so they could protest such events as that controversial speaker in FL today. Be careful out there!!

      1. Thanks namnibor,
         Don’t plan on going out today or tonight!
         I gotta little surprise for anyone coming up my driveway (1/4 mile long)!
         By the way, because of what Soros and his minions are planning down here, quote from a recent news article: “…Gov. Scott has declared a state of emergency…” for ALL of Florida! The article said these left leaning liberal snowflakes have already started coming here!
         Which means, he’s called out the National Guard and all the Law Enforcement agencies to handle any situation!

         Too bad your Govenor can’t get his head out of his ass long enough to see what these reprobates are causing!

      2. P.S.
         Do you know who that “Controversial Speaker” is namnibor?

   2. Will they? No. If they are like they are locally nothing will be done. It’s politically correct. Locally all churches are totally silent too. Well, on about every issue basically. Just like about seemingly everyone is afraid to voice opinions or take some stands. Guess I’m alone in a county of around a hundred thousand, city of sixty thousands plus thousands of far left college kiddies and three major universities that just give lip service on TV, but attack and hate from every other quarter including health care shenanigans

      That said. Question. I seen some posts in the past that gave numbers for the White House for us to call. Were they for veterans only or the usual contact info we get online about the White House contacts? I don’t see anything special numbers and such for veterans to use on their website.

      I am fed up with the censoring and banning by internet companies, the locals, scum like Youtube, Google, etc. For no good reason other than watching and sharing alternative news info, trying to expose local corruption and VA issues, medical community supporting and covering up for VA crap, personal attacks, etc.

      Eye sight is failing and can’t spend much time fooling around on the pc. But having to spend the time I can use on fixing my pc over those idiots and claiming to stopping “fake news” and playing internet games due to the many activist and attack dogs.

      PS. I was told by a local reporter that the news story you just posted was “fake news.” I’d like to know what the hell they think real is or if the sky is purple.

      Thanks anyone for any help with that contact info. Back to reinstalling everything and getting passwords sorted out.

6. Thanks for all your feedback. If you haven’t yet, it would be great if you posted on The Hill article… As a readership, you are way more articulate and informed than most and I always encourage veterans to show the non-veteran community in DC how engaged we actually are. They think we are all drinking beers at VFW sill, and while I do not discourage beer drinking, we are much more than that.

   PLEASE COMMENT ON THE HILL TO LET DC KNOW WE ARE WATCHING>>>

   I was limited to 1000 words for the op ed, but what I’d like to also point out is how VA commonly mythologizes its roll in research and development of patents. In the article, I highlight how Shulkin was wrong when claiming credit for Medtronic’s MiniMed 670G, at least according to Medtronic.

   Now, in Shulkin’s op-ed, VA also takes credit for development of the implantable cardiac pacemaker and highlights use of canine research in that process.

   The real story behind the pacemaker is it was in development by private entities from 1930’s to 1950’s.

   Only in 1959, after an accidental invention by William Greatbatch, did VA try to implant the device in a dog. Greatbatch, a non-VA employee used the wrong resistor in a circuit, which led to the invention of a better battery for the implantable pacemaker. Greatbatch teamed up with VA doctors William Chardack and Andrew Gage and then decided to experiment on an elderly veteran in 1960. The trio was called “The Bow Tie Team”.

   See: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3232561/

   Here is the rub.

   In 1960, following the implantation into a veteran, Team Bow Tie then ran a study on 15 others at Buffalo VA. Once the trial was deemed a success, Greatbatch and Chardack sold their rights to the patents created that were ultimately acquired by Medtronic.

   https://pulse.embs.org/july-2017/cardiac-pacemakers/

   When taken in context, how many billions do you think the medical device industry earns each year on the backs of VA research that should still be the rightful property of VA since its VA employees used VA research facilities to create the patents in the first place?

   So while we, as taxpayers, consider budget cuts to veterans benefits, let’s not forget the parts of VA likely immune to budgetary restrictions, VA Research & Development…

   1. @Benjamin Krause – – – Due to tension migraines, I may have missed something. Usually with research, especially medical, there are agreements signed that gives the parties the majority of rights to any findings that are useful for $$$. Does the VA do this? Monies from such, should be put into a special fund that benefits Veterans. Did I say benefits Veterans? Sorry. NOT.

      I’m familiar with such agreements, per directed Genetic research from my undergraduate days. Please respond. – – – Nutter.

   2. Already commented Ben. Good detail on the pacemaker.

      You are right. VA R&D will never suffer from low budgets since it is their job and career development program.

7. Very good points made in your article Ben. Each point made can be easily proven or disprove by any other entity that wished to look into this waste and corruption.

   If they cared enough to look.

   Do a search on “VA research portfolio” and you will find their HSRD web site for research. Look through some of the menu items, and ask yourself why this VA jobs program appears to be run much better than the Voc Rehab program for veterans.

   Look at the minimal information provided at their “For veterans” link.

   As an example, you can look at research projects completed for Gulf War veterans. Since 2004, there are just 4 projects shown as completed. Some years ago I requested through FOIA the VA research portfolio of everything done to date for Gulf War veterans and received a huge book listing of all the research completed. I requested it because the VA kept bragging about it. The list showed a huge majority were mental health or stress related, many by the same researchers. By that time Congress was also looking at how much money the VA had wasted without producing anything, and they found the VA and DOD spent roughly $200 million on bullshit research.

   Look for any research on Burn Pits. There are NONE LISTED.

   Do a search on “VA burn pit research”, and you find a link showing the VA highlighting a National Academy report, and an IOM report.

   The only other research or study the VA is conducting is a long term study where they follow the health of veterans over decades to determine the impact.

   Oh, and they are following other studies. And reviewing the health records of military working dogs.

   If the VA can benefit financially, the research is well funded and completed quickly. If research might benefit veterans, VA practice is to drag their feet by looking at the National Academy of Sciences, Institute of Medicine reports or pitch research to them, or conduct long term studies so by the time they admit finding anything, most vets are dead and it won’t cost them much.

   Finally, look around at their research web site. If this research using dogs is so important, why it it not listed there? Or is it buried among some slick wording in the research?

   1. I personally believe the VA only uses the word canine/dog when the $$$ flows accordingly but in real application in the experimental labs, it’s not Labradors getting hacked upon, it’s nonhuman test subjects. Just replace animal/dog/nonhuman test subject with Veteran for what’s really going on. It’s all a ruse for more $$ and possible canine color-changing water/food bowl research.

      1. Well, nam, your point is proven by how well the VA works in providing a service dog for vets if they need one.

         Unless the VA can profit, maybe by being a dog breeder, they drag their feet.

      2. @91Veteran – – – VA didn’t want to sign a paper stating that I’d benefit from a PTSD Service Dog, even though I didn’t request the VA to help with obtaining a dog (I pick my own), and the training. Creepy Rat Basturds. – – – Nutter.

      3. ANutterVet, maybe the VA wanted you to offer the dog for research every other weekend.

         Rodents of unknown parentage.

8. NIH has released 3 studies in the last 3 years that didn’t make the new “rating schedule”. Organic brain residuals of, p. falciparum malaria, incoming blast proximity, outgoing blast from heavy artillery or being close to a bombing run.

   Gonna step up, Ben, and file a case at the CAFC to get it corrected. Time is running out on the Statue of Limitations.

9. Seems like the only ones who benefit, ($$$), from these “researchES” are the “researchERS”!

   As far as Shulkin is concerned, how many times has he been caught lying? Too many to count, so far! Every time veterans listen to him, we are betrayed! And yet, he keeps saying crap that doesn’t make any sense!
   Not only are veterans being mislead, the taxpayers are being screwed! Great Article Ben! Hopefully, this “op-ed” will be the first in a series! Showing the massive corruption, waste, fraud and abuse that IS VA!

   1. Hoards of narcissist zombies hunched over their smart phones is a whole new level of rubbish we live with as most Americans just do not give a shit. BUT unplug their internet connection and you will indeed see dancing monkeys but still no attention on the American Veteran…unless there’s an Air Show…or parade…

10. “VA canine research has resulted in the first FDA approval of an artificial pancreas.
    I wonder who holds that Patent and is making a nice profit just like the Hep-c drug

    1. Chris Leach | October 2nd 2013

       We’ve been trained to believe that when it comes to technology, small companies innovate and big companies commercialize. But rules are made to be broken, and Medtronic’s recent launch of the MiniMed 530g first-generation “artificial pancreas” smart pump shows that this particular large company can innovate, too. The new device and system, which also is designed to stop insulin deliveries automatically when blood sugar levels get too low, just received FDA approval.

       Although there are more than 20 artificial pancreas projects underway around the world, and Medtronic’s work has received relatively little fanfare, the MiniMed isn’t a bolt out of the blue. Though Medtronic has been quiet in the unique way publicly-traded companies choose to be quiet about new projects, the Threshold Suspend technology at the heart of the MiniMed device has been available in Europe for almost 3 years (See Insulin Nation’s (“Artificial Pancreas Update: The Leader Checks In”). However, the FDA doesn’t often take patient experiences in other countries into account, so Medtronic needed to make a whole new case to get approval.

       1. There is a reason the FDA doesn’t accept overseas medical testing into account when approving drugs or procedures here. Its because standards and controls are much less overseas than here.

          That’s not to say medical resesrchers won’t use overseas data though as a basis to start research here.

          Its kinda interesting though the FDA has that position given the grab-ass way they handled the Anthrax vaccine.

11. Philly VA Director Rubens wants Shulkin to plead for more moving expense money and her HR director Giampa wants to hire hundreds more more relatives. Plenty of Veteran’s money to go round. Right?????

12. This nonhuman test subject believes points could be gleaned from the Puritans and Salem Witch Trials when a pesky AFGE problem is hard to eradicate and all other methods have failed. These include dunking in water to determine if really human or not and of course, fire. Burning of a steak-holder at the stake by a stakeholder is very underrated and effective. So is being pulled apart by a pack of pissed-off canines.

13. Sort of puts the Secretary’s VA funded family vacation/post VA career networking tour in perspective.

14. Great piece Ben! Thank you and congratulations.

    Just another shining example of big pharmaceutical and big medicals influence in the swamp. Hey Shulkin, “ Lil” Cox, and “Agent orange” Murphy, grow a fucking pair and stand in for these canines. You deserve to feel the pain and agony.

    As always , Fuck VA, Fuck AFGE.

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