DAV Thomas Murphy Agent Orange Denier

Tone-Deaf DAV Recognizes Thomas Murphy For ‘Outstanding’ Veterans Advocacy

Thomas Murphy, the longtime acting chief of Veterans Benefits Administration, recently received the Outstanding Federal Executive of the Year award from DAV for his veterans advocacy.

“The recipients of this year’s advocacy awards have demonstrated what it means to keep the promise to the men and women who served,” said DAV National Commander Delphine Metcalf-Foster. “They each possess an unmatched dedication to fighting for the best interests of veterans and their families. It is a great honor to present these awards that recognize their critical contributions in the areas of veterans’ health care, benefits, policy and legislation.”

Thomas Murphy now joins the ranks of previous Outstanding Federal Executive of the Year awardees including Secretary David Shulkin, MD, and executive in charge of Veterans Health Administration Carolyn Clancy, MD.

I’d like to take a second to highlight a few things here.

For its upcoming awards ceremony, DAV (Disabled American Veterans) selected “dedicated veterans’ advocates” from the public sector who are known to fight “for the best interests of veterans and their families.” This year, nine recipients received the advocacy awards after demonstrating “what it means to keep the promise to the men and women who served.

Thomas Murphy, a known Agent Orange denier, won the award “for his exemplary leadership and service to ill and injured veterans while serving as executive in charge…” of Veterans Benefits Administration.

What? DAV, an agency employing and training thousands of veterans advocates considers Murphy an “outstanding” veterans advocate warranting receipt of the same award given Secretary Shulkin last year? Did DAV forget what an advocate does?

Generally, a veterans advocate is a person who fights for the rights of veterans, not a person who uses their position of authority to restrict the rights of veterans.

Nonetheless, Thomas Murphy’s selection for the award, to be presented February 25th, came just days before the White House announced its nomination of Murphy’s potential replacement, Paul R. Lawrence, PhD, a longtime economist and consultant specializing in public sector leadership. And not a second too soon, I might add.

Now, how can a person deny the toxic effects of chemicals in Agency Orange and related herbicides that disabled many thousands of Vietnam Veterans and still display “unmatched dedication” as a veterans advocate “fighting” for – – not against – –  veterans?

How can they also be responsible for legislation that curtails certain veterans’ rights including due process guarantees and the duty to assist after appeal?

Great questions.

Questions Presented To DAV

I asked some questions of DAV directly, as a lifetime member of the organization, but the organization did not respond prior to publication:

  1. I see your organization selected Thomas Murphy and referenced him as an “outstanding” veterans advocate who fights to advance veterans issues. Would you please describe the process of selecting nominees?
  2. Murphy is considered an Agent Orange denier. Is DAV concerned that its members might see his award as pandering for organizational access rather than advancing the interests of members?
  3. New rules pushed by Murphy to reduce the rights of veterans seeking appeals to reduce the appeals backlog his policies created seems self-serving in that he created the most recent backlog and now is receiving an award from DAV for the solution he created that revokes certain rights. How does DAV reconcile his actions with those of true veterans advocates pushing to advance veterans rights?
  4. The selections this year make DAV appear tone deaf. Has DAV filed a disability claim for the organization’s apparent hearing loss?

While DAV may not have an answer for us, veterans previously worked together on Change.org in an attempt to oust Murphy from his role in VA. The petition garnered 1,574 signatures. No one, including DAV, seemed to notice.

RELATED: Veterans Petition To Oust Agent Orange Denier

In 2016, real veterans advocates uncovered a covert 2012 policy decision where Thomas Murphy covertly blocked experts addressing the harmful effects of TCDD, a toxin in Agent Orange known to cause cancer and other diseases, and denied the toxic impact of the toxin, “In conclusion, there is no conclusive evidence that TCDD exposure causes any adverse health effects.”

The denial’s language was intended to block benefits for hundreds of veterans exposed to herbicides aboard C-123’s. VA acknowledges the impact of TCDD, but Murphy chose to dismiss that position when covertly denying that group of veterans their benefits.

Other Awardees

The list of selectees for awards this year included Senators Johnny Isakson (R-Ga) and Tammy Baldwin (D-Wi).

At this point, I am sure many readers here have made a double take, not only at Thomas Murphy receiving an award for being an “outstanding” advocate, but also the selection of Baldwin following her roll in failing to timely clean up the opioid scandal at Tomah VA despite being in possession of an IG report acknowledging the scope of the scandal that led to veterans’ deaths.

RELATED: Veterans Group Targets Baldwin Over Marine’s Opioid Death

What did Baldwin do to receive her award as an “outstanding” veterans’ advocate? Was DAV trying to be ironic?

DAV Gives Sen. Tammy Baldwin Award For Fighting Opioid Addiction

Sen. Baldwin received her award for her role in “combatting the opioid epidemic” despite allowing it to fester at Tomah VA Medical Center.

Her selection and the reasoning for her selection could not be more tone deaf, and it is an example of why more and more disabled veterans find DAV less and less relevant. Many veterans today believe the organization’s leadership is run by sellouts functioning as an extension of VA.

RELATED: Baldwin Quietly Leaves Committee Investigating VA Opioid Scandal

As previously noted, Sen. Baldwin failed to act on an IG report that sat on her desk for years while veterans died from negligent and illegal prescriptive practices of opioids at the facility.

The matter sparked a national opioid scandal within VA for negligent prescriptive practices that led to many thousands of veterans being addicted to opioids and later heroine addictions once the agency negligently pulled veterans off the drugs without following standards of care for such drastic changes in prescriptive practices.

Needless to say, the award itself for all selectees carries with it a certain odor of irony, almost of satire, we would see from the spoof fake news source The Onion. DAV’s selection of Baldwin was in poor taste, and almost as outrageous as the selection of Thomas Murphy, who singlehandedly is responsible for eroding veterans’ rights as the acting head of Veterans Benefits Administration.

Murphy, Baldwin Create Problems, Receive Awards For Fixing Them Later

The unifying theme between both Thomas Murphy and Tammy Baldwin is their role in creating the crisis that DAV is now awarding them for fixing.

From 2011 to 2015, Murphy played a pivotal role in exacerbating the disability compensation backlog with poor policymaking decisions. Murphy promised outsourcing of adjudication systems and “going paperless” would be a magic bullet to fix that backlog, circa 2012.

By 2014, that backlog later became the appeals backlog when Murphy encourages adjudicators to quickly process claims without much concern over the accuracy of any decision. What resulted was a new backlog of appeals sitting at the Board of Veterans Appeals where VA employees in the field failed to correct veteran’s contentions.

To fix the problem he created, between 2015-17, Murphy then proposed a regulatory framework that effectively reduces the rights of veterans but speeds up the process of adjudicating appeals. The regulatory changes eventually passed, but those same rules included revocation of certain due process rights including restriction of the duty to assist.

How convenient?

There is no telling how many DAV members will be adversely impacted by the policy bumble much less those same members who have fought against Murphy’s backroom decisionmaking to deny benefits for those suffering from illness and disease from Agent Orange exposure.

Does DAV Need A Hearing Aid For Being Tone-Deaf?

All this aside, the Thomas Murphy award did not come without healthy skepticism making some thinking Americans wonder why Disabled American Veterans selected the federal executive for the award to begin with.

One need not look further than Rob Reynolds, the former National Commander for DAV, who is presently serving as the Deputy Under Secretary for Benefits and the longtime right-hand man of Murphy. He was recently promoted into the role after Murphy’s team allegedly forced Curtis Coy out of the agency via false allegations of wrongdoing before Christmas.

Perhaps as a “thanks” for the promotion, Reynolds tapped his organization for a quid pro quo to his boss?

Thomas Murphy Award Skepticism

Numerous veterans advocates expressed concern over the selections for awards this year by DAV. One commented that the selections were clear-cut political pandering “under the guise of advocating for its members.”

Military-Veterans Advocacy Founder

John Wells, head of Military-Veterans Advocacy, an organization specializing in helping Vietnam Veterans win disability claims for exposure to toxic herbicide levels in Agent Orange, expressed deep concern and reservation about DAV’s selection of Thomas Murphy for the award.

“No other VA staffer has done more to resist the expansion of benefits to veterans,” Wells stated. “From the Blue Water Navy to Guam to burn pits, Murphy has argued vociferously against providing benefits.”

Murphy is a known close associate of Alvin Young, PhD, the hired gun Murphy pulled back into VA over the past decade to help the agency fight against veterans seeking benefits for Agent Orange exposure.

Wells asserted Murphy “was always ready with a disingenuous argument based on cherry-picked facts to prevent veterans from obtaining their earned benefits.”

Wells’ team has repeatedly gone up against Murphy and his staff concerning the rights and violations of those rights in seeking benefits for Agency Orange exposure while on Navy ships.

Wells was not the only person befuddled by DAV’s selection.

Former VA Official

A former VA official familiar with Thomas Murphy, speaking under condition of anonymity, was disappointed to see DAV pander to officials like Murphy “under the guise of advocating for their members.”

“Murphy is an Agent Orange denier, overtly resentful of Shulkin and the White House for passing him over for the job of USB, and he rarely hides his disdain of the Secretary or his appointed staff.”

The former VA official continued, “DAV is woefully out of touch with the reality on the ground and apparently very willing to skip over the bodies who are casualties of his ‘leadership’.”

VA Is Lying Founder

Ron Nesler, a lifetime member of DAV and Founder of VA is Lying could not believe the words he was reading when assessing the merits of the award, “DAV calls Thomas Murphy an outstanding advocate for vets? Not so fast.”

He continued, “Mr. Murphy is an open Agent Orange denier. He is on the record saying he does not believe A/O is harmful. He is no friend of Vietnam vets or our families.”

In 2013, Nesler sought a refund of his membership dues after learning certain DAV leaders received over $300,000 in total compensation in 2011. That report was first published here on DisabledVeterans.org.

RELATED: DAV Executive Pay Shocker – Veterans Outraged

Nesler believed the high salaries despite numerous years of failing to resolve scandals within VA including the disability compensation backlog were signs the agency was not using its membership dues appropriately.

When he asked for a refund, DAV refused. Instead, the organization asserted it lacked a mechanism for refunding dues… such as apparently writing a check with the term “refund” on the memo line like any other company or nonprofit.

Nesler was not the only veteran dismayed by DAV’s high salaries.

DAV Kicks Out Member For Investigating Exec Pay

Former DAV member and New Jersey commander Dave Gahary, a 70 percent disabled veteran, was kicked out of the organization after it became known he was investigating the high salaries of the organization’s top executives.

“They sent me a letter saying I was suspended pending an investigation,” Gahary said. At the next national convention, Gahary was kicked out of the organization.

DAV is now reportedly paying its Executive Director over $500,000 all the while veterans were dying from waitlist fraud, delays in health care, and going without timely adjudicated benefits claims.

The Gahary matter is not the only instance of the cash-flush organization displaying thin skin.

DAV Is Thin Skinned, Evades Accountability And Oversight By Own Members

Last May, I wrote about their lack of quick response to calls from the Trump Administration to cut benefits going to elderly, severely disabled veterans. The article received over 500 comments and was circulated far and wide in the blogosphere.

RELATED: DAV, Other VSOs Silent As Elderly Veterans Thrown Under Bus

As support for the article, I took a scene shot of the DAV Twitter feed proving they failed to timely respond on behalf of their members.

DAV Disabled Elderly Veterans

How did DAV respond to my allegations – – as a DAV lifetime member?

Like petulant children evading the watchful eye of their parents from SnapChat, DAV blocked me from seeing their tweets on Twitter. LMFAO.

Again, rather than encourage review of their policy and pay decisions, DAV went the route of blocking oversight rather than encouraging it.

Take Action Against DAV Tone-deafness

At this point, it seems like DAV is suffering from its own tinnitus and hearing loss. Perhaps they should file for a disability? Hope they don’t mind waiting a few years.

Members of DAV upset about the selection of Thomas Murphy for the award should contact organization’s leadership about the matter.

SEE: DAV Contact Page

Tell them your candid thoughts about the selection and how their decision reflects on the organization you paid to join. If you ask for a refund of your membership, report back to us with their answer.

DAV did not respond to a request for comment prior to publication.

Source: https://www.dav.org/learn-more/news/2018/dav-recognizes-outstanding-veterans-advocates-washington-2/

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56 Comments

  1. 02/26/2018

    Dear Benjamin Krause,

    Good Work! I was wondering about the AmVets, DAV, etc…who stated that the VA Secretary should not be removed from office after his latest stunt in Europe.

    Most employees would have been hauled off to jail.

    No doubt these organizations have skin in the game and all should be re-evaluated from the top down.

    Sincerely,

    Don Karg

  2. Hey Elf,

    Following the School shooter incident in Florida, with all the horse hockey about arming teachers and putting cops in the schools to prevent it from happening again.

    Turns out they did have an armed Deputy Resource Officer at the school while the shooting was going on. He hide outside the school and did not go after the shooter. He took the easy way out today and retired from his position.

    Deputy Who Arrived At Shooting ‘Never Went In’ School
    Justin Caruso, Media Reporter, Daily Caller, 6:14 PM 02/22/2018

    Full Article At: https://dailycaller.com/2018/02/22/deputy-never-went-in-school/

    _____________

    1. He wouldn’t even make a good VA Barney DBC cop.

      He’s now officially, “The Broward County Coward”. Tattoo his ass with same and place in a FL prison but not as a guard…let him try to guard his ass for rest of his living years now while playing an eternal audio loop of all the 911 calls from that horrific school shooting 24/7.

      1. Hey namnibor,

        He should be in prison for dereliction of duty with a minimum sentence, not parole-able, of 20 years. It must be considered a felonious act. cops are heroes ….. my ass.

  3. The SS Shulkin, is taking on water, and is being called up for review by the Senate. As ranking member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee file for copies of all documentation connected to Shulkin’s trip wanting a full accounting of expenses not obtained by the VAOIG.

    Dems knock Shulkin’s ‘overly defensive’ response to report on Europe trip
    By Rebecca Kheel, the Hill – 02/22/18

    ““We have read the inspector general’s (IG) report related to your international trip in the summer of 2017 and want to be clear about our disappointment in what was clearly a considerable lack of judgment,” they wrote. “Further, we are troubled by the overly defensive response from you and Deputy Secretary [Thomas] Bowman as published in the report, which indicated a lack of understanding or appreciation for the high standard to which you are held as a Cabinet official.”

    “In their letter, which a spokeswoman for Veterans’ Affairs Committee Democrats said was written after the senators “fully reviewed” the report, the senators asked Shulkin for the total amount he has repaid for the trip.

    They also urge a “full and complete” audit of all expense, authorization and documents associated with the trip.”

    “The senators also asked Shulkin to task Bowman with a broad, top-to-bottom review of the department’s travel policies.

    “If these policies are found to be lacking, we expect that clarifying guidance will be issued and updated training will be provided,” they wrote. “If, however, there were appropriate policies in place that were not followed, we expect that administrative action be considered against any and all levels of employees who did not comply with guidelines or who may have pressured others not to comply.””

    Full Article At: https://thehill.com/policy/defense/375167-dems-knock-shulkins-overly-defensive-response-to-report-on-europe-trip

    1. I think Shulkin is going to find out some of the politicians he was so friendly with might not be friendly anymore since he is now part of Trumps administration.

    1. Damn Nam, I’m all the way over here, and there’s no wind and I smell that sulfured bombastic thick patch of slow moving gas here. Put a fucking lid on it, what the fuck is wrong with you DAV, and your fucking trolling liberty bell-turds.

  4. Like other like minded orgs, the DAV has repeatedly shown that it cares more about themselves then they do of the vets they port to serve….

  5. None of these veterans organizations serve veterans right as far as I’m concerned. I quit donating to them. You ought to see what the VSO’s are like who work for the state veteran’s dept. where I reside. Those guys don’t do anything! They take their orders from the state headquarters and they won’t go outside those guidelines. I’ve had to take my NVLSP NEXIS veterans benefits manual there and show to them what the Title 38 rules are on several things and they still won’t go outside of their guidelines. That isn’t worth a damn! Hell I don’t know maybe they’re working for Thomas Murphy instead. Hey! Isn’t Murphy a Viet-Nam vet?!

  6. I won’t go into a lot of detail. The DAV VSO was screwing up my appeal badly. I fired them and instead of telling the VA I fired them, they told the VA I withdrew my NOD. I contacted their home office and was given a figurative hand job talking to the morons. I told them, I wanted a refund of my membership and they told me, they don’t refund membership dues. To make a long story short, after several letters to the Chairmen, open letters on social media, (which I mailed them) and a phone call every week for 8 weeks asking if my refund check was mailed, I got it. Screw the DAV – they are in bed with the VA and are no advocates of veterans – they also think VA healthcare is second to none. Yea, right.

    P.S. I handled the NOD myself and was awarded 100% P&T.

    1. To you Ben, specifically Thanks ASSHOLE, yes you Ben, for throwing me under the bus, even before you even don’t know the full story, So ASSHOLE – Ben FUCK YOU

      1. If you are pissed at Ben, why are you replying to me? And, where were you mentioned in the article? Where was this bus?

      2. I tried to make that nexus as well to no avail. So only can imagine it’s a forthcoming article/case Ben has yet to share on here, or the VSO’s are coming out from under the bridges they haunt to steal toll money from Vets in wheelchairs wishing to cross ‘Billy Goat Gruff’s’ bridge.

      3. Hey Glenn hear that bus coming?

        Have you found any DAV cash laying around lately?

        ______________________________________________

        Tenn. man arrested for stealing from Disabled American Veterans fund
        by WZTV|
        Thursday, January 7th 2016

        “COOKEVILLE, Tenn. (WZTV) – A Byrdstown man was arrested Wednesday and charged by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) with theft from a Disabled American Veterans (DAV) fund.

        A report of missing funds was investigated from the Honor Guard financial account of the Hull-York chapter of the Disabled American Veterans in Byrdstown, the TBI reports. The bureau concluded former DAV Cmdr. “Glenn Williams”, 65, was responsible.
        The TBI says the theft occurred over the course of multiple years, beginning in December 2013. Williams has since resigned.”

        Full Article At: https://wjla.com/news/nation-world/tenn-man-arrested-for-stealing-from-disabled-american-veterans-fund

      4. TBI: Commander stole from disabled vets
        The Jackson Sun Published 3:57 p.m. CT Jan. 6, 2016

        “According to a news release, an investigation by special agents with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has resulted in the indictment and arrest of a Byrdstown man charged with theft from a Disabled American Veterans fund.

        On Aug. 11, TBI special agents began investigating a report of missing funds from the Honor Guard financial account of the Hull-York chapter of the Disabled American Veterans in Byrdstown, the release said.

        During the course of the investigation, special agents determined that former DAV Commander Glenn Williams was the person responsible for the theft from the account, which occurred beginning in December 2013.

        Williams has since resigned from his position.

        On Monday, the Pickett County grand jury returned an indictment charging Williams, 65, with one count of theft over $60,000.”

        Full Article At: https://www.jacksonsun.com/story/news/crime/2016/01/06/tbi-commander-stole-from-disabled-veterans/78375952/

      5. FORMER D.A.V. COMMANDER IN PICKETT COUNTY SENTENCED FOR THEFT
        98.9 The Wolf
        Scott Humphrey
        19 Jan 2018

        “A former commander of the Hull York Chapter of the Disabled American Veterans in Pickett County will serve five years in prison for stealing from the organization. Court officials say 66-year-old Glen Williams entered a plea of guilty to theft over $10,000. Williams will also serve 15-years probation and must pay $45,000 in restitution to the honor guard. A grand jury indicted Williams two years ago after an internal investigation found missing funds from the chapter’s honor guard financial account. Officers say the theft happened over the course of several years dating back to December 2013.”

        At: https://989thewolf.net/2018/01/19/former-d-a-v-commander-in-pickett-county-sentenced-for-theft/

        _____________

        Looks like someone might of missed their bus ride to the prison and failed to report.

        Glenn, personally, if I were Ben, I would consider forwarding your IP address to the proper authorities that could assist you with getting that bus ride you have earned.

      6. @G.Wiliams- A ‘Nelson’ “HA!!! HA!!!”, from “The Simpsons” for you!

        RAND recommends rat traps placed at bottoms of cookie jars to clip the hooves of the stealing piggies!!!

    2. Dan F

      When I first came into the ‘corrupt system of crooks’ called the veterans administration after retiring with over 20 years of faithful service to my country during 3 wars, several skirmishes and 2 deployments to hostile zones starting with the VietNam war I tried to get help from the d.a.v. (small letters on purpose) (dysfunctional and vile) by going to their tiny office next to benefits and the lady was very rude and required me to pay a membership due before she would help me. I told her to …. I’ll keep it nice….go fly a kite. She behaved exactly like a whore…..pay me first before I give you…….

      They are not worth the money paid. Most of the people working for the d.a.v. think they own you. VERY SICK PEOPLE. They remind me of the shitheads we HAD to put up with in the military….same goes for the shitheads working inside the v.a. hospitals.

      Don’t get me wrong, some of the people working at my local are very good people but there is always someone watching them a telling the others how stupid and evil the honest ones make them look. They probably work to get rid of them quickly.

      I know of a few who would not do the vile things the leadership wanted them to do to the Veterans and flew the coop. Good for them.

  7. I went to my local ‘benefits office’ to get a change of direct deposit form 24-0296 and they had a ton dated NOV 2009. I took it home to complete and had to call the 1-877 number to ask a question and the lady who answered the phone was polite and knew what she was doing (really?) and was having a difficult time helping me so she asked me for the form # and date and after giving her that information she stated, “You have the wrong form.” What! She said it was obsolete and that I needed to go to VA Forms on-line and download and print the new one that replaces it. I did and lo and behold, they are giving out the wrong form because the new one states at the bottom: “VA FORM MAY 2016 24-0296” and right next to that at the bottom center it states, “SUPERSEDES VA FORM 24-0296, NOV 2009, WHICH WILL NOT BE USED.” I went in to tell them that they were using the wrong form and how I discovered that after calling the number and the guy gave me a hard time and stated that they are not having an issue with them and that they will continue to use the old form (probably because they had made so many copies to save monies). I told him that Veterans may be having difficulties with getting their money where they want it and he didn’t give a damn and repeated what he said earlier only more condescending this time. I went in the next day to complain about that guy more so about the abusiveness to the chief of police because I have to be escorted and the escort officer heard the whole thing and the Captain of police called in the head of that section and the head guy was more apologetic and assured me that he was going to correct it. I doubt it. This took place at the Cheyenne VA in Wyoming. The worst of them all based on the size of it. So, based off what I just said, the asshloe who won this award does not deserve it.

  8. The DAV is fucking horrible, I too am a lifetime member, for what I don’t know. I have enough stories to write a book, here’s one just because on my mind. Went to visit the DAV while doing something at the VA regional office in CT. So I sign in and take a seat. Can’t stand it there because the receptionist is out of her mind, she thinks she just won Miss USA contest. She probably was a decent looking woman 30yrs ago, but as soon as she opens her mouth she has no hope.

    So I sit down and she stands up and shouts out my name and full social security number. In disbelief that she’s shouting out my private information, I ignore her. So she does two more times and I don’t answer. She then walks over to me in a huff and asks why I am not answering back, proving she knows exactly who I am. Now I’m pretty messed up in my head and have horrible anxiety that worsens as soon as I leave the house and stay to myself because I don’t know when it gets to the point that I must leave returning home that takes over an hour. So she has her hand on her hip dumbfounded why I’m not worshiping her and I politely ask her to please leave me alone. Of course she doesn’t and starts telling me exactly what a piece of shit I am, I again ask her to please leave me alone. She says, now putting on a show for the whole office, how I expect to get help if I don’t speak? I calmly tell her that when the highly intelligent, professional VSO with an IQ of 96 calls my name I will have our meeting together.

    In total disbelief again, she calls her buddy on the phone and starts telling her what a POS I am entertaining the entire office. So I get called after the “receptionist “ has a meeting with her in private (now in private because yelling my social security number several times is fine) and I go in. I immediately complain about yelling out my private information is not professional along with he other bullshit and they should know that a lot of people coming in for help have serious mental health problems. So the the woman gives me a dog and pony show telling me something is wrong with computers and must come back. She says will be notified by mail about next appointment and leave, now in a peachy mood.

    So I come back, sign in and sit down. This time no yelling personal information, just the whispers around the water fountain. So get called in by this guy who still thinks he’s a DI forgetting he’s been out 40yrs. We sit and asks if I know why I’m there? I look at him as if he has two heads and say about my case? Wrong! The women in the office are frightened by me and filed a complaint. In disbelief I tell him the story and even IF I was out of line they should know that people have problems and it’s not a guessing game they have all my information including ratings for mental health.

    So he tells me how he knows how women are all fucking stupid and only good for one thing! Now I have no clue how he continues his rambling and can’t see my eyes open 20x larger than normal with my mouth hitting the desk because this idiot is from a world I’ve only read about. The only good thing was my anxiety was gone because I could only see him acting like an asshole. So now after he gives me all the reasons why women are worthless and stupid, he tells me to not say anything because he must start yelling at me that my conduct, MY CONDUCT, was not acceptable and while he knows not true, he must give the impression to the office that he disciplined me so the staff thinks they have won. Won? Wtf?

    So it even gets better! He’s hands down the best VSO I’ve ever seen! As he’s fake screaming at me, he’s helping with my case. He knows exactly what he’s doing putting the case together, adding disabilities that should have been rated before and without breaking a sweat. He continues yapping going in my medical notes, X-rays and reports getting all the information needed for approval and when finished not batting an eye, he hits the print button. He gets up because only one printer in the office that is shared, gets it, puts all neatly together and puts on one those fancy paper clips and then an envelope. I’m in shock as he gives to me, shaking hands and apologizing for the no good bitches in the office.

    I walk out and the past her prime receptionist is snickering because she thinks I got my ass handed to me. I left without a word wishing they knew what a pig their regional manager was and is the best person at the DAV with his knowledge passing the abilities of his title making feel better than I could remember and for the first time having faith in the entire butt fucked system. If those idiots never complained, I would never have met the guy or had my case perfectly submitted for approval.

    God works in ways I can never understand, but somehow always works. I just wish, probably the only time, there were more assholes like him in the world. He gave me his card and of course lost it. Sorry so long, but got me into a great mood remembering the ordeal, meaning I live for another day!

  9. “By April 1993, the Department of Veterans Affairs had compensated only 486 victims, although it had received disability claims from 39,419 soldiers who had been exposed to Agent Orange while serving in Vietnam”.

    “https://books.google.com/books?id=3t84d8tLEVcC&pg=PA178#v=onepage&q&f=false”

  10. Just think about this award title;

    “Outstanding Federal Executive Of The Year”….

    Well that certainly lumps him in with federal executives…. now, in light of DECADES of anecdotal evidence about just what any given federal executive is then tell me just what constitutes an outstanding one???

    Is this like being named as trustee on cell block V for being an outstanding example to the others? Solo potty priveledges and everything?

  11. Attempted to sign the petition, regarding removing Thomas Murphy.
    It’s closed.
    Thank you for providing the link, anyway…it leads to more “rabbit holes” to thoroughly discust me.
    Time for more meds. It never ends…

  12. Ben, again thank you for your leadership in exposing the fraud in the VA and those complicit in supporting that fraud including the “Sucklings” such as DAV who lack the leadership to fight for Vets. The DAV has been absorbed into the quagmire of fraudsters in the VA bureaucracy and I have observed this Drift by “Service” organizations over the years. It is time to disband the VA and have private health care administered by doctors instead of bureaucrats, many of whom are the lowest of the low. DAV has become a suckling to the corrupt body of the VA. I am herewith demanding that the DAV cancel their charter which no longer has any relevance to helping vets. Private lawyers should be assigned to every veteran’s claim for benefits before it has become a wounded DAV drawn up claim which will wallow in the appellate system for years. The DAV has suffered the same disease that Patty Hearst suffered after being so close to her captors.

    1. Semper Fi to that! It is called Fatback Stockholm Pus Gut Syndrome! A direct violation of the “Wear your Underwear up to your Titties Act of 1930” Subject to be challenged by the Fuck the VA Act of 2018.
      “Death to the Fatbacks who screwed over veterans via ingrown asshairs” Said the Navy Corpsman.
      #Corpsman101

  13. I would like to know, just what did Thomas Murphy do in the military service?
    More specifically, what the hell did he do in Vietnam?
    What was his “MOS”?
    What gives him the rights to fuck over vets?
    What GOD gave him the superiority of fucking vets?

    1. The douchebag came from Home Depot to VA . It shows he was in the Colorado National Guard and 6 years Marine Corps Reserve totaling 15 years . This is equivalent to no real combat service with first hand experience to have any say so on our beloved Vietnam Veterans claims . There is no equity to anything he has to say, based on his fuckery and generalized, unequivocal fatness and unsatness!

      1. Murphy kept the “Round-Up” displays all nice and tidy and did on the floor taste-testing of “Round-Up” for Montsanto in the garden section of Home Depot.

    2. It is apparent to all by the selection of the very left wing “National Commander” Delphin Metcalf -Foster. I am demanding my refund in a letter and will file a lawsuit to enforce the return of dues based upon fraud in the misrepresentation by the DAV that they have the best interest of vets as their mission ONE HALF MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR SALARY??? YOU ARE SHITTING ME. FOR WHAT? TO SNUGGLE UP THE ASS OF THE VA BUREAUCRATS??

    3. As CU said, he served in the CO ANG and Marine reserves. He worked for DOD, Qwest and Home Depot.

      His bio is at: “https://www.va.gov/opa/bios/bio_murphy.asp”

      1. 91Veteran,
        You ain’t gonna believe it, I clicked on your posted link and lo and behold – it “no longer exists” or “has been removed”!
        Very telling!

      2. Not sue what might be going on on your end CE, but I checked the link and it still loads for me.

        I also checked it on another system to be sure. It still loads.

  14. One thing to remember, DAV was started before VA was started in 1930.
    “Directly from DAV’s site: DAV, a non-profit organization with more than one million members was founded in 1920 and chartered by the U.S. Congress in 1932.”
    TALK ABOUT CALCULATED CORRUPTION!

    1. CorpsmanUp,
      Try googling this:
      “President Hoover gets caught choking his poker buddy!”
      His poker buddy was the one who made a “99 year contract with a floor wax company for the VA!” (Before it was called the VA!) That’s the “reason” why!

  15. When I ask for my lifetime membership fee back due to the DAV Commander’s greatly increased salary the response was “no way.” Wish I had done an annual membership so I could have withdrawn as a statement.

  16. Let me paraphrase in the interest of Transparency, Truth and Accuracy:

    Thomas Murphy is receiving this award “for his disregard of exemplary leadership and service to ill and injured veterans while serving as executive in charge. In his capacity of CAOCDN (Chief Agent Orange Claims Denier Nationwide, he successfully stonewalled eligible veterans out of just claims related to Agent Orange until approximately 85 to 90 percent of those veterans either gave up pursuing said claims, or died while waiting for said claims to be properly adjudicated.”

    NOW, the statement reads true.

    VA suffocates. DAV abrogates. Yee F’n Ha!

    Old Stinky Dinosaur Sphincters would not recognize or admit honest truth if it hit them between the eyes . . .

    What DISHONEST, ASS KISSING WEASELS they all are.

  17. What a disgusting and vile slap at veterans. This is not just tone deaf, but a big FUCK YOU to any veteran. Even if you are not suffering from Agent Orange, Murphy’s way of thinking goes back many years and his mindset was and is held by many VA hacks that denied veterans benefits and proper medical care that were earned. Their actions allowed veterans and their families to suffer needlessly for years.

    And for what? Some quick headlines that help preserve their access?

    To try save Murphy from being axed out of a job?

  18. A true veteran service organization speaks truth to the good and the bad. They are transparent and is willing to say Fuck you VA and any other hack in honor of the creed!
    Haven’t seen this stance taken in any of these organizations.
    “Death to the fatbacks who prey on veterans via a burst hemorrhoid on a public toilet”

  19. Ladies and gentlemen, Thomas Murphy is Diabeetus! (Pronounced Daah-beet-us )
    Stay away from that shit!
    Signed,
    Da Corpsman
    I told you never trust a wilderbeast with a pizzaboy hat!
    They quick to call the cops on you though.
    A bunch of sloths!

    1. The ACME telemedicine booth has prescribed a truckload of agent orange barrels to fill Murphy’s whirlpool sauna bath, soak and repeat as necessary.

      1. Sir, you forgot to mention the length of time to achieve best results. So I say soaking should be just that. Soak until you see your skin looking like wrinkles, then time yourself, and stay in sauna for 1 hour. Get out, dry off, don’t eat or drink, do no errands, and get your ass back into the sauna and repeat until you can’t do it anymore.

        Then go and get some shut eye for the rest of the night. Then the first thing in the morning, doer all over again. And repeat this process until you start feeling like shit. When you start to feel like shit, this means that it’s working.

        Then this is the time that you need to gather those around who think the same, and then have them to join you, and to help you to repeat the processes again, and again. And as the more of you get feel like shit, then go and get more of your buddies who think the same way. Keep repeating until done.

        This is what happened to others that were exposed to this nice and soothing stuff, and you see how their health is doing, don’t you?

      2. ANutterVet,
        Don’t forget to throw it on the lawn, then drink it from the water fountain!
        For best results, drink it straight out of the barrel. This way he should get the full results in a matter of minutes!

    2. More like Diabeetov !! (Pronounced Daah-beet-off)

      He’s been jerkin’ veterans for years . . .

      Semper Fi and Cheers, DocUp.

  20. Want to learn more about the (corrupt) DAV, “Disabled American Veterans”, organization.
    Go to;
    “DAVReform.org”
    It tells exactly what the DAV does to their own membership! It also tells how DAV State Reps screw over chapters nationwide. It’s ALL for money and power!

    _______________________________

    This is out today from; “military.com”
    By: Richard Sisk
    Titled;
    “Shulkin Claims Mandate from White House to Purge Plotters at VA”

    In the article, Shulkin claims, “… we’re moving forward in the way that the President wants us to…”!
    What the hell does he mean by that?
    My guess is, he’s figured out how to MURDER more veterans without getting caught!
    What else is he up to?
    My guess is, he’s going to find a way to enrich himself and others in Washington DC’s main VA office! If he can “pull off a travel fraud” so easily, what’s to stop him from “pulling off” other major frauds? So, be careful taxpayers!

    @dav-fuckyou –
    @shulkin-fuckyou
    @allvso’s-fuckyou
    @afge-fuckyou
    ____________________________________
    P.S.
    Last night, on World News, channel 9, @ 6:30,
    The TSA agents at “OIA”, “Orlando International Airport”, were fighting to keep their jobs. Seems “OIA” wants to bring in an outside “private firm” to take over! Which means, the current company will loose LOTS of benefits!
    Well, this isn’t sitting well with the “AFGE” backed company. Only there’s a little problem. AFGE was no where in the meeting! Only the workers were present!
    Maybe, Florida’s OIA has wised up to the corrupt AFGE!

    1. I’m going to put this video on, so y’all can learn more about “illegal gun control laws” being forced onto the American People.
      The “comments” made by the owner of “Net 4 Truth USA” IS backed by laws and statements from our representatives in Washington DC in the early years of the 20th Century! ie: “the Dick Act of 1902” which “…can not be altered or falsified or repealed!”
      Titled:
      “Cover fe’fe #263 – Illegal gun control laws”
      Dated;
      22 Feb 2018 (14:17 min. long)

      #2 – “Right to Bear Arms” 1791
      Quote: “A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.” UNQUOTE!!!!!!

  21. As a national veterans’ advocate for over 8 years, I am once again disappointed by the DAV’s shameless pandering. This organization banned me (100% T & P combat veteran) because of my efforts to #OverhaultheVA.

    What makes it even more unpalatable is this was announced right after we received this email through our website contact form:

    From the Inbox:
    “I am contacting you regarding an ongoing problem that I have noticed with the VA and the the Board of Appeals. I am a VSO with DAV. I have had an appeal in for my claim for 10 years. I have had multiple remands because the Regional Office repeatedly fails to comply with remand orders. As a VSO, I see many veterans in a similar position. I have tried to get DAV involved, but they have other priorities. I am hoping that by reaching out to your organization, that you bring this issue to the appropriate parties. Thank you.”

    Our question remains (and now has been answered by you Ben); WHAT could possibly be the DAV’s other priorities than helping a veteran with a merry-go-round appeal / remand problem???

    1. Lauren, I’m an activist also.

      I need a ghost writer to help me with some research on a Pro Se Case intended to lead to the compensation of veterans who are victims of cerebral malaria. (NOT ME). If interested contact me at “[email protected]” . The quotation marks are so my email address won’t throw my post out. Copy from within the “.

      I am a 76 year old Vietnam Veteran. Most of the casualties of Somalia were victims of cerebral malaria. The residual conditions are diagnosed as adjustment disorders. Of course if you have brain damage you have an adjustment problem to address.

      My effort for mild to moderately severe TBI victims finally bore fruit in 2008 after a 20 year effort. But the cerebral malaria victims have been left behind.

  22. Wait…(looking at calendar)…nope, it’s not Benjamin’s ultimate April Fool’s Joke!!

    Wait…am I having a really bad dream with sudden urge to defecate profusely?! (half right, unfortunately)

    Wait…D.A.V.=Dumb Ass Voices…speaking only for their own survival like the lone dinosaurs surviving the asteroid extinction event and do not have the graciousness and decency to just evolve or…die?!!

    THAT D.A.V. is giving golden turd awards to the most bile smiles in the pile?

    (just going to blurt it out)…Dumb Ass Voices (DAV) do not speak for today’s Veteran and it probably ceased over 30+ years ago, and view these so-called “awards” as nothing more than DAV sucking asses to keep that gravy
    flowing into the pile.

    Dumb Ass Voices (DAV) are very much part of the problem in a synergistic way.

    1. Dysfunctional Adversarial and Vile?
      Discarding Another Veteran?
      Disgracefully Attacking Veterans?

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