VSOs The Big 6 Veterans Groups

The Big Six Veterans Organizations Butt-Hurt Over Ronny Jackson Pick, The Man Who Manages 58 Could Manage 350,000

Dr. Ronny Jackson, according to Newsweek, will go from managing 58 people to over 350,000, $200 billion, and an army of government contractors if confirmed.

Jackson presently manages the White House Medical Unit under the White House Military Office. There, Jackson oversees a staff of 58 people comprised of 9 doctors, 10 nurses, and 16 physicians assistants and support staff.

President Trump’s selection of the nominee to replace former secretary David Shulkin peeved all the dinosaur veteran organizations to the chagrin of Concerned Veterans for American, a veterans organization often excluded by the iron triangle aka The Big Six for its strong conservative leanings.

RELATED: Shulkin Out At Veterans Affairs

Basically, the traditional veterans organizations are super butt-hurt because President Trump very clearly is stating f-u despite their unified letter in support of keeping Secretary Shulkin. Despite wide support from the veterans organizations that failed to keep veterans safe from waitlist fraud and failed to address disability compensation backlogs — yes, those organizations — President Trump finally is doing things his way.

RELATED: Tone Deaf DAV Gives Tom Murphy Award For Outstanding Advocacy

Like I said yesterday, you might as well pop some popcorn, sit back, and watch the show because the next couple months will be a heck of a ride.

From my perspective, given the gutting veterans rights and veterans deaths over the past decade, while most VSOs either turned a blind eye or even participated in the cover-up (don’t forget DAV sending VA employees a letter of encouragement right after the waitlist scandal broke in 2014), things probably can’t get much worse. But even if they do, who is to say it wasn’t going to get worse, anyway?

RELATED: American Legion, VFW Left Behind By Younger Veterans

Again, I’m just here for the fireworks at this point. No one inside the Iron Triangle wants to listen to outsiders like us so we sue (working on it).

RELATED: VA Secretary Caught Eating Yellow Snow

American Legion Heard On Twitter

American Legion was surprised Trump excluded them from the conversation of Shulkin’s replacement, but they handled the news with more tact than the others:

“We found out the way everyone else has found out: through the media and through Twitter,” Verna Jones told TMN.

“Of course the nomination is the president’s choice,” Jones said. “This is a person who the president obviously trusts to run the VA and we’re going to do everything we can do as advocates to advise the Secretary and to help make him as successful as veterans need for him to be and to make sure the VA stays intact and robust for veterans.”

“In previous administrations, we had more contact with the White House and more conversations about things that are happening or are not going to happen,” Jones said. “We do not have the kind of contact that we would like to have with the White House and hopefully that will change.”

RELATED: New VA Electronic Health Records Program 6% Odds Of Success

AMVETS On Ronny Jackson

Veterans advocacy organization American Veterans (AMVETS) told Newsweek that it had “pretty serious initial concerns” about Jackson.

“While his background as a military officer and a physician are encouraging, as far as we can tell, he’s never held a command or led anything remotely close to in scope or complexity to the VA,” the statement to Newsweek read. “The President will need to show that this active-duty naval officer is eligible and qualified to run a $200 billion bureaucracy, the second largest agency in the federal government.”

RELATED: Shulkin Lied About Purge Authority

VFW Inserts Foot Into Mouth

VFW certainly got off on the wrong foot.

“The VFW will be closely monitoring the Senate confirmation process, because what Dr. Jackson’s bio does not reflect is any experience working with the VA or with veterans, or managing any organization of size, much less one as multifaceted as the Department of Veterans Affairs,” VFW Director of Communications Joe Davis said in a statement.

Vietnam Veterans of America

John Rowan, who leads Vietnam Veterans of America, described Jackson as an “unknown quantity.” “The only good thing is, he’s a veteran and experienced with dealing in warfare,” Rowan said. “That’s good. Whether he has administrative experience or not, I don’t know. Hardly anybody knows.”

RELATED: How To Beat Back VA’s Google Ads Budget

Paralyzed Veterans of America

Carl Blake, executive director of Paralyzed Veterans of America, offered ominously: “We are all headed into the deep unknown now.” One former V.A. official was more blunt, telling Politico that his “first reaction was O.M.G. That’s still my reaction. . . . The V.A. is the hardest department to manage as it is so political.”

IAVA On Selection

“Nobody really knows who is he. Is he an empty vessel? Does he have strong views on privatization, or reforming the VA?” asked IAVA CEO and Founder Paul Rieckhoff during an appearance on CNN Thursday morning. “So the confirmation hearings are going to be really really important. The Senate, House, time for you guys to step up and grill this guy and find out if he is qualified to not only run the agency but care for our veterans in a time of war.”

CVA Is Pro-Jackson

The conservative group Concerned Veterans for America expressed more optimism about the change, saying in a statement “We are hopeful that this change will end the recent distractions at the VA and put the focus back on advancing policy that will ensure veterans get the health care and other benefits they have earned. The Trump administration has made great progress over the last year reforming and fixing the VA, however, there is still much work to be done.”

Independence Fund

“Obviously, as the White House physician, Admiral Jackson has the president’s trust, which will be vital in bridging the final barriers to getting real V.A. health-care choice enacted into law,” Sarah Verardo of the conservative Independence Fund told Army Times. “Who is or is not the secretary is not important when this president has laid out such a clear and compelling vision for the V.A.”

Conclusion

Like I said, it may be time to sit back and watch the show.

The Big Six will no doubt have a meeting to address this behind closed doors to figure out how to obstruct next developments. Whenever The Big Six collude behind closed doors, the outcome is never good.

Let’s not forget the secret meeting they had with Shulkin last spring where they were asked to stand down on a few issues, likely the stripping of due process rights for claims, to get some favor later on from the Secretary…

RELATED: Thanks VSOs, Veterans Benefits Could Take 20% Shave (April 2017)

Guess that ain’t gonna happen, after all.

Veterans will take this one in the shorts and The Big Six will not get the access they were promised with Jackson in charge. The train has already left the station after the appeals reform last summer and the next leg of that train are the regulatory rewrites to be published any time over the next month.

Don’t hold your breath.

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95 Comments

  1. ALRIGHT ! ! I am going to “pitch” what I have been DOING, rain or shine decent times ( darn few, yes) or crappy ones ( far too many ) at the VA . If YOU ARE DELUDING YOURSELF INTO BELIEVING THAT THE VA MEDICAL AND REHABILITATION SERVICE IS GOING TO ULTIMATELY HELP YOU SOLVE YOUR CRUTIAL ISSUES —- I HAVE A FANTASTIC SKI LODGE TO SELL YOU AT A BARGAIN PRICE IN …….TONGA. REMEMBER THE ROBIN WILLIAMS TRUE STORY MOVIE, “PATCH ADAMS ? ” Okay, well, THAT’S WHAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT HERE. WE ARE A BROTHER VET, TO EVERY OTHER BROTHER VET. WE CANNOT BE DEVIDED ON ANY ISSUE. Twenty five returned veterans since WWII , are STILL KILLING THEMSELVES DAILY…. THE VA WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO STAUNCH THIS TIDE; WE ARE SOLDIERS, SAILORS, MARINES, COAST GUARD, AIR FORCE AND I BELIEVE WE CAN FIGHT AND WIN THIS “BATTLE” by befriending and mentoring returning vets, even if it’s just for a cup of coffee and to “chew the bull.” ( …. And, YES, even though I am “Just a Sailors Wife,” I have SEEN how powerful this IS. ) C.H.

  2. Why ask the remf’s at the vsos for approval, they don’t represent veterans, just work for the interests of the va. Most veterans are never asked their opinions on anything, just have to take it or leave it, and you’re apt to live longer if you leave it.

  3. Today is Monday, 2 April,
    Hope y’all had a great weekend and Easter! Now onto my opinion—–

    One one of the early morning talk shows, I think it was Meet the Press, there were five people talking about the VA’s healthcare.
    As soon as the Pro-Trump person spoke about “CHOICE” For vets, one of the anti-Trump” imbeciles said: quote; “Are you suggesting Privatization!”
    That person didn’t listen very well!
    The Pro-Trump speaker laid it out perfectly;
    Give vets a choice: the ones who want, and are happy with the VA, let them stay. For others, let them go outside!
    I somewhat paraphrased his comment. Only, that was the intention!

  4. You can run on for a long time
    Run on for a long time
    Run on for a long time
    Sooner or later God’ll cut you down
    Sooner or later God’ll cut you down
    Go tell that long tongue liar
    Go and tell that midnight rider
    Tell the rambler,
    The gambler,
    The back biter
    Tell ’em that God’s gonna cut ’em down
    Tell ’em that God’s gonna cut ’em down
    Well my goodness gracious let me tell you the news
    My head’s been wet with the midnight dew
    I’ve been down on bended knee talkin’ to the man from Galilee
    He spoke to me in the voice so sweet
    I thought I heard the shuffle of the angel’s feet
    He called my name and my heart stood still
    When he said, “John go do My will!”
    Go tell that long tongue liar
    Go and tell that midnight rider
    Tell the rambler,
    The gambler,
    The back biter
    Tell ’em that God’s gonna cut ’em down
    Tell ’em that God’s gonna cut ’em down
    You can run on for a long time
    Run on for a long time
    Run on for a long time
    Sooner or later God’ll cut you down
    Sooner or later God’ll cut you down
    Well you may throw your rock and hide your hand
    Workin’ in the dark against your fellow man
    But as sure as God made black and white
    What’s done in the dark will be brought to the light
    You can run on for a long time
    Run on for a long time
    Run on for a long time
    Sooner or later God’ll cut you down
    Sooner or later God’ll cut you down
    Go tell that long tongue liar
    Go and tell that midnight rider
    Tell the rambler,
    The gambler,
    The back biter
    Tell ’em that God’s gonna cut ’em down
    Tell ’em that God’s gonna cut ’em down
    Tell ’em that God’s gonna cut you down

    -Johnny Cash-

  5. “60 Minutes” this evening has a full spread on Veteran Mancini, combat Vet that killed himself, brain donated to science to study TBI and concussive injuries…will see if it’s just an op ed to promote some VA hack selling research back to taxpayers, so jury is out, just sharing that a lot of VA and Veteran-centric newsworthy things of late…while the VA Sec. is now arguing sematics of whether he was fired or he resigned…WFC’s?~ (flush)

  6. HAPPY EASTER! Today, @ 10:30 on Meet The Press, our beloved Dr. David Shulkin will be BUTTHURT and performing ‘Sourgrapes Concerto in Ass Flat’, where there will be much whining.

    POP YOUR POPCORN and use the nasty easter candy you can’t stand to pebble Shulkin while he’s whining to the nation…he’s sparing no expense, hitting all news outlets, seeming a bit like a BUTTHURT SNOWFLAKEof the Obamamite Holdover Variety.

    (on another note of Obamamites: Eric Holder wants to run for POTUS….he didn’t do enough damage as AG)

    1. lol. Happy Easter Namnibor. But to me all holidays are just another day and more days nothing gets done in DC or gubberment. They all should be forced to punch in a time-clock and work like the tax serfs do, or as military does.

      No popcorn today, or rarely, thanks to all the surgeries I’ve had due to their dental clinic and local scum covering for them. High discomfort day on top of the rest from ‘professionals’ to contractors/staff.

      In case some are not aware, there is a civil war going on and has been for years. I would guess not many seen/noticed the old SDS (Students for a Democratic Society – for those who don’t know or bothered/harassed by years ago, but still active under different labels. Circa 60′ – 70s) communist salute the punk and his young stupid followers threw up during their ‘anti-gun,’ anti-1st and 2nd for all but them, veteran/old people hatred, marches then copied by idiots around the land. And used in other ‘marches’ or protest small or large. Parents thrilled about their slimy kids being trained to be anti-American activist, gender bending, activist before professionals, globalist/commies and veteran haters instead of learning what they should, or putting BS sports to the side too. Most still failing to know or understand code words, images, signals, emblems, blah blah, matter and important to see and call out.

      Of course more Obummerites are called into action or still are even after office or like Hillary the demon ugly hag is doing. People better watch the below vid and understand it’s coming here and has been. Thanks to MSM and others news and events or problems aren’t getting out very well, or even allowed to be discussed like VA issues, illegals, what’s being taught in schools/churches or health care period. Ol’ Paul Revere and others would fail to get the messages out in our contemporary high tech culture via computer, college town hall meets, FreakBook, Utube, MSM or horse.

      Global genocide – One country at a time – Episode 900 South Africa JB Wells and company.
      “https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oawXTHKWQo4”

      I’ll have to watch the show as long as I can before up-chucking and turning the channel… as usual.

      “The individual comes face-to-face with a conspiracy so monstrous he cannot believe it exists. The American mind has not come to a realisation of the evil which has been introduced into our midst. It rejects even the assumption that human creatures could espouse a philosophy which must ultimately destroy all that is good and decent.”
      J. Edgar Hoover

      “The American mind simply has not come to a realization of the evil which has been introduced into our midst.”
      J. Edgar Hoover

      Where do we stand many years later? Much worse off in every arena in the circus.

      Have a good day.

      1. Evil exists so long as it is sufferable. When it is no longer sufferable we are each charged to rise up, throw off the chains of our oppressors, and provide new guards for our future security. It says so right in the Declaration of Independence.

    2. HUGE facepalm of embarrass-ment for what I just watched…the god syndrome is amazingly strong with him.

      1. The corruption extends the VA Secretary to the Director’s of VAMC’s, on down to the VA PCP’s. It’s rampant.

      2. yep Nam, just as expected plus all the other lies and propaganda the show had to serve up.

  7. Off-Topic:

    Tomorrow, April 1, is not only Easter, but it’s both a full and blue moon *and* April Fool’s Day! Google is celebrating tomorrow by have the Google Search/Location App will display a “Where’s Waldo” puzzle map made from your location.
    Why relevant to Vets?

    The VA likely under Shulkin, (and still may anyway), will also have their Whack-A-Mole (WHAM) App also running to where you can attempt to locate the rats ready to jump the plank of the V.A. Titanic with their ‘savior’ Shulkin ( 😀 ) attempting to make a landing with his golden parachute before he disappears in the defense contracts working behind the scenes (and basements/garages) on more uses for we nonhuman test subjects.
    (Hint: Shulkin’s golden parachute is a very dark hue of Brown #2 with glittering iron pyrite for corn pattern)

  8. Ben, looks like Shulkin may have been ousted for cutting Choice or at least taking the blame for cutting the funding.

    “https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/30-companies-getting-the-most-from-the-government/ss-BBKjyCT?ocid=spartandhp”

    Health Net and TriCare were both in the top 10 2 years ago in Gov Contracts for Choice while Shulkin was in charge of the Medical End and responsible for getting it off the ground. Both were just over 13 Billion in U S contracts.

    TriCare didn’t make the list of 30.

    Health Net is #17 with only 3.13 Billion.

    It appears Choice was defunded to the tune of more than 20 Billion.

    Can you find a source to find out what is going on with Choice money wise since its inception in 2014? That will tell us a lot about parking lot and waiting room suicides by Vets at the VA. Another waiting list problem?

    Part of that went to renting, equipping and staffing a VA Clinic in Scottsbluff, NE. So far I have a positive impression but only 3 visits. Will keep you informed if it is better than my private Choice Access was.

    Has anyone else gotten a new VA clinic within the 40 mile limit in the past two years that is worth a shit?

    1. Forgot to mention, Humana now has the TriCare Choice contract. 3.65 Billion at #13. Choice is no longer #4 and #6.

    2. Loo9ks like the Hardware Companies got our money. Hard working lobbyists. Lockheed and Boeing picked up while the others seem to have dropped if I’m remembering the top 10 from 2015.

    3. Rumors going around that fucking Walmart is in talks to acquire Humana looks like this might be why. So now that flooding our shelves with cheap chinese products. We’ll be importing cheap chinese doctors to kill our vets with.

      1. Don’t forget about the Walmart Chinese 3D Organ Printers Self-Checkout & Installation, (for those inner-aisle brawls when one of the friendly fatass customers rip one of your organs-out while fighting over the very last case of generic twinkies)….coming soon.

      2. WC. They keep using the same old flunky inbred contractors many of us have some major issues with, or have.

        Just like all the other monopolies they claim that are not so. All the merging going on. Centralization going on. The Micro-suck games and forced upgrades. Getting our MSNews from the same few scum bags that own the entire gaming and fake news systems,… err and propaganda.

        Another one bites the dust. Locally it’s all censored along with other issues. Hope the DC gang and many others are enjoying their breaks, golfing, fancy steak dinners, little boy and girl hookers and unlimited booze and cocaine brought in by government dispatch.
        Notice anything?
        “https://www.stripes.com/afghanistan-war-veteran-known-for-heartbreaking-2010-tv-interview-dies-at-30-1.519837?utm_medium=email&utm_source=Stars+and+Stripes+Emails&utm_campaign=Daily+Headlines”

        Condolences and bless his heart.

  9. Shulkin’s phony martyrdom and other comments

    By Post Editorial Board
    The New York Post
    March 30, 2018 | 4:13pm

    “Newly fired Secretary of Veterans Affairs David Shulkin is trying hard to make himself into a martyr, suggests Noah Rothman at Commentary. He’s not going quietly — “though he most certainly should.” In a New York Times op-ed piece, Shulkin claimed his tenure “had been broadly successful” and that he was the victim of a “brutal power struggle” over partial privatization of the VA system. If he was trying to “tug on Democratic heartstrings,” it worked: Shulkin has redefined himself “as a victim for a cause, rather than a substandard manager of an agency in perpetual crisis.” And he’s distracted attention from the fact that, under him, the VA performed “as one would expect from Washington’s most poorly managed bureaucracy.” All it took, says Rothman, “was a cheap gesture of passive aggression toward the president.””

    1. Seymore,
      Have you noticed whenever someone is “ousted from a position of authority”, especially those of the Democratic flavor, begin to blame others for their misgivings!
      _____________________

      I asked this before.
      Admiral Jackson seems to be a good pic. Only, I wonder how he’s going to react, if he’s confirmed, to civilians in the VA who might tell him to F**k off. When they’re told to get their proverbial shit together, and do their damn jobs.
      Or, how about if they’re told to follow the rules, laws and regulations. Something the VA has refused to do!
      Lots of questions!

      1. cj ¯¯̿̿¯̿̿’̿̿̿̿̿̿̿’̿̿’̿̿̿̿̿’̿̿̿)͇̿̿)̿̿̿̿ ‘̿̿̿̿̿̿\̵͇̿̿\=(•̪̀●́)=o/̵͇̿̿/’̿̿ ̿ ̿̿ says:

        Crazy elf, that is exactly why the AFGE/SES, needs t go, take the AFGE/SES away, and that fuck you attitude will go with it. When you take away their UNION PROTECTION, and (sorry, I can’t remember the name of the committee that gives them their damn jobs back), get rid of that BS as well, then the VA will right itself, as it should be.

        Now that there is new VA leadership, time to replace the leadership at the VAOIG. the CIA branch of the VA (Criminally Incompetent Assholes). They think their job is to forewarn, cover up, and whitewash, instead of prosecuting wrongdoers.

        200 billion dollar agency, where Unions are first in line, and Veterans are last, “Houston, we have a problem!!!!!”

        You DC assholes who are there by the grace of the people, to SERVE THE PEOPLE, answer one simple question if you will….

        HOW THE FUCK CAN A UNION MEMBER SERVE THE PEOPLE FIRST? WHEN THEIR VERY EXISTENCE, REQUIRES THEY SERVE THY SELF SERVING UNION FIRST?

        EXACTLY, THEY CAN’T!!!! So get rid of the fucking cock a roaches.

      2. “cj”
        I get WHAT your saying.
        I’m just wondering how this “active duty Admiral” is going to take it!
        You remember how Graves and Rubens acted just before they went in front of Congress and used the “5th” to get out of trouble.
        Well, maybe this “Admiral Jackson” won’t put up with that kind of bullshit! At least I’m hoping!

      3. cj ¯¯̿̿¯̿̿’̿̿̿̿̿̿̿’̿̿’̿̿̿̿̿’̿̿̿)͇̿̿)̿̿̿̿ ‘̿̿̿̿̿̿\̵͇̿̿\=(•̪̀●́)=o/̵͇̿̿/’̿̿ ̿ ̿̿ says:

        I remember, agreed, I hope he doesn’t put up with any BS either.

        Happy Easter to you and your family.

        Happy Easter to all.

  10. This selection has no leadership experience beyond a handful of medical staff, so my confidence in this one is very low. Yet another former General Officer to run the agency – we’ve seen how well that worked in the past several times over. With Shulkin getting a 100-0 vote from the Senate, the bar is set very high.

    Personally, we’ve gone officers and civilians in the drivers seat of V.A., so why not try a former enlisted person instead – they would relate better to the majority of the people being served by the V.A., and it hasn’t been doing be before. Take a real chance on making a change.

  11. This man has to “lead” nobody. The fix is in and it is called a brotherhood. The man he picked could not possibly be any closer to POTUS than a doctor who literally must have had POTUS by the balls and told him to turn his head and cough at some point in time.

    This guy knows POTUS from asshole to belly button and told a nation he still converts oxygen and food like he should. POTUS in this equation cannot possibly have anyone he trusts more. It is a ball thing and not so much the coughing…

    So when I saw POTUS pick a man he knew personally at such an intimate level I knew why the choice was made. He personally knows this guy and trusts him implicitly. I would pick one guy I trusted and knew but without mega-management experience over one hundred Fortune Five Hundred executives to run the the circle of jerks now running VA.

    Why? Because this guy will not question orders and this is what we need. We need servants, not celebrity corporate money changers! Money is fucking changing too godamn rapidly at VA so let’s find somebody who has no idea how to do that I say. Think about it…

    1. Dennis,

      Those bone spurs should be so painful at the potus’s (small on purpose because I have absolutely no respect for a F@@KING 5 time draft dodger or a 1 time for that matter) current age that it would be difficult for him to not indulge in copious amounts of cocaine and alcohol to keep from screaming all day long. I have bone spurs and most are in my hands from working so damn hard and they are extremely painful at age 62. I do not use cocaine but drink alcohol because it is the only legal fix for my medical problem. Capeesh?

      I worked heavy equipment in the military and was tasked with the heaviest jobs due to my size and strength. My nickname was ‘Superman’ so you know the ‘rankers’ abused me.

      The VA told me I had to live with it because it is way too expensive to send me out to real doctors.

      What do you think now about the potus’s pick if he didn’t jack his as up about lying about the damned bone spurs? He had a grand opportunity when he had a handful of his loins. It is only one way for a torturer to get someone to talk the truth. Probably because the pain is….

      You get my drift.

      I hope you are right that this guy is honest and forthright.

      1. Most of your real doctors will charge you a bundle to make it worse through some sort of surgery. Next time you see a person with two year old surgery ask them how much better off they are now compared to before the surgery.

        Don’t know where you are at but I had the back surgeon at UCLA Medical tell me why I didn’t need surgery on the West LA VA Campus. New he was giving me straight scoop because he wasn’t going to get a dime more whether he did the surgery or not.

        My lower back is now normal for my age. Surgery had a 60% chance of making it progressively worse. And when I ask someone who has had back surgery there are very few that tell me they are better off than they were before surgery.

        Bone spurs can be scraped off. but you have to go through connective tissue around the nerves which too often causes a scare tissue that strangulates the nerve. and then the bone spurs grow back in shorter and shorter periods if you are successful in getting the spurs scraped off without the connective tissue scarring.

        Hope you can find that miracle bone surgeon who isn’t just racking up a payment on his child’s pre med degree or a down payment on a yacht.

        Suggest you try capsaicin cream. Put on too much the first time or two and then use liquid soap or cooking oil to take it off. It’ll teach the brain to quit screaming pain.

        Ask your VA PC to refer you to a Pain Clinic. If they don’t file an SF-95 tort claim and go to court pro se. Forget about claiming no surgery. You can’t get an expert witness that will say it is wise or would have given you benefit.

  12. What did these whining VSOs do to fix the VA? How long would this continue if the VSOs had their way in keeping Shulkin?

    “https://nypost.com/2018/03/29/these-horror-stories-show-much-more-work-is-needed-before-va-can-tout-progress/”

  13. If Physicians and Specialists would do what they were trained to do, and then to do no harm in do these things, and then backing up the Patient in achieving their health back as much as possible, and to remove the greed, the backbiting, etc., then there’d be less problems in the VA, and things would run much smoother, and many Veterans would be much happier with VA care. I know, my statement is an ideal one, but it’s something that should be normal in shooting for.

    Popcorn, get your popcorn here. It’s available buttered or blank. Yes we can do 1/2 and 1/2, we’re very flexible.

  14. The first action will be his confirmation hearing. Tough questions will be ask. I would expect him to ask for his back up team after Shulkin’s complaints. Will he put the Koch brother’s people on it or will he go to the middle. Let those who want to go private go private without restrictions and those who have more confidence in getting treated right by the VA go there if reasonably available.

    Where he comes down on the questions will tell me where I want to be on his confirmation. That hearing will be a must watch for me.

  15. Let them whine. If the Veterans here and out in the real world like this new head of the VA then that will leave the big Six with egg on their faces for trying to oppose him

  16. I’ve got some extra organically grown digital popcorn, can I send anyone some? Rich creaming salted organic home-made tub butter too.

  17. Seems like we’re always sitting back and watching the show. With no plan, then implementing such, determining whether it’s working or not (monitoring), to make necessary adjustments, then it’ll be the same ole shit.

    1. If anyone that is appointed doesn’t have a foot in the swamp it is Jackson. He has never had a command where he could have been enticed. His service was on the OR table seeing men come off that were going to need help for life if he could get them off alive.

      Suck up to the President to get the Job. A bit swampy but the question is what does he want to do with it. Has that stint in that OR molded his desire? Or is he just there for the power. He must have been good on that OR table to be expected to be first on hand for an assignation attempt of a President. But where is his soul in that? From the greats I knew at the China Beach Hospital in Danang before the Navy turned it over to the Army, it should be in the right place. But we can’t know for sure and can only monitor until we see the results.

      After some action one way or the other we will choose support or obstruction. But until we see some action all we have is the pop corn.

    2. Oh, but we have the piggy VSOs to represent us…

      I’m bleeping tired of getting tweets from Isaakson’s VA Committee – where he’s always excited to announce meetings with piggy VSOs so he can get their spill on what veterans need.

      That’s like the whole ‘Emperor has no clothes’ crap where the VSOs just sit there and tell Congress what Congress wants to hear – which is “VA is the greatest!!”

  18. Will the DAV be performing a farewell ceremony for Shulkin so the DAV can give him a final “pucker ups” before he leaves the VA?

    Piggy VSOs just worried that their gravy train mau have to be shared/taken ober by the privatization crooks.

    Either way, we the taxpayers and veterans get screwed. So, I won’t be sitting back and watching with popcorn…I’ll be preparing for another let down.

  19. The sniveling condescension in the statements smearing Jackson tells me all I need to know about what these hacks think of anyone outside their little groups. What a huge disgrace to the memories of all those much better men who built those organizations to have their honor pissed away by those acting like High School mean girls against someone outside their club.

    No management experience? How much management experience does it take to recognize veterans are being hurt by the very agency these hacks are defending?

    What kind of management experience allows blatant fraud to occur so some bureaucrat can get a bonus.

    What kind of manager has someone directly under him in his own headquarters that is found to run the worst veterans charity in existence?

    What kind of management experience does it take to manage a simple travel voucher?

  20. So he is not a mega manager but neither was Hillary and she was damn near elected to manage 350 Million and would have had the button for total destruction in her hand. We all know her reset button in Russia was a total failure

    1. Peter,

      Under her management at State, she managed to lose at least $6 billion and turn Libya and Syria into rubble with chemical weapons on the loose.

      In addition to killing 4 in Benghazi over poor management of Ambassador security.

  21. Allow me to play devil’s advocate for a moment regarding the “great” hat corps.
    The DAV has been transporting patients to their VHA appointments for many years and that is a good thing!
    Now, is there anything else the hat corps accomplished in recent years, that would actually be of benefit to ALL VETERANS?

    1. The DAV can afford to shuttle veterans around cuz they get free rent and other “perks” for puckering up to the VA’s butt. Look up the definition of “federal financial assistance”

    2. @TaB
      True that! And you’ll get no argument from me.
      Our siblings here have mentioned repeatedly that these hat clubs are ultimately only supporting their own local playdates and national dues from their funds received. I am still unaware of anything but talk from any of those groups in recent years, that is of even a little benefit to ALL VETERANS.

    3. Rosie, others. The majority of groups, do-gooder associations, unions, VSOs, VA, countless others churches included, secret societies always fall back on ‘look at the good works we do.” That sentiment is supposed to shut people up and automatically cease all criticism and cynics, period. Just like calling someone a “racist,” anti-Semite, misogynist, bigot, whatever. Works very well with the socially engineered since birth and demanded to silence by academia, a church, and politics. This ‘stuff’ is nothing more than very very old school activism and Marx, commie, corporate, to government agencies tactics long before our so-called freedom of 1776.

      Want a bigger more well known example? Got one and it will offend many. Shriner’s Hospitals. Now who would dare do a background or connections check on that outfit that does so much good for kids and families? Not many. They spring from Freemasons. You know that secret group(s) that in-part run towns, academia, cities and gubbermint. That demand their corner stones are placed on the North East corner of some newly built children’s museum for all to see and brainwash or instill, or burn, that kindly image into their tiny little undeveloped brains with. Much the same way we see college kiddies and Women’s Marchers” holding up signs of the hammer and sickle that is simply over-looked or unreported. These are ancient tactics. Now ask Trumpka of the AFL/CIO and others if such tactics are used or known of. Better ask him to take a polygraph too. Try to criticize things, question or issues over Israel even in some church… you’ll get the same tactics..labeling, the expectations of being totally silenced, etc. It all works doesn’t it? No denying it at all. Yes I am intentionally making connections. Don’t just try to merely ‘nip it in the bud,’ go for the roots.

      Now who would think that such ‘groups’ or all affiliated, including and majorly using females, would come out in force to destroy and attack people like me in their “strong-holds?” Behind the scenes it is exactly those same groups/affiliations that promote and support censoring, their cliques and connections that want to attack and silence people like me. Even chasing me away from one of two major hospitals here after getting a copy of my VA med files, to which added remarks will never be known to me, in office only, and ‘may not be part of the requested medical files required by law.” But as soon as my next appointment with the new PCP came up after them getting my VA files, things seemed to change and parallel the same stuff the VA was doing along with other games. What a flipping joke. Bottom line: Does the good all those kindly folks (basically Freemasons in this context) do out weight the evils and corruption they pull behind the scenes??? Who has the power to control every agency, all media, medical boards, protect all the lying evil “professionals,” activist groups, etc., in a entire state or town??? I am putting this out here the best I can right now. Like those before me to now…. where is our civil or human rights others can attain even by law… but not locally?? No attorney will touch this shit.

      I am supposed to be a private citizen, a vet with some rights. I am not running for any office or position in this lefty “strong-hold” nor would I, too damn evil and corrupt due to the above. Yet I deal with character assassination, gossip, retaliation from countless sources from local leaders, threats, councils, on. No more contacting anyone, no trusting any politicians, no media, no trusting local VSOs, et al. No FOIA requests work here, no recording allowed here, no letters from DC or the state… work here. It’s all been attempted and proven to make matters worse and expanding my medical and private info out for others to use including medical staff activist, to apparently satisfy the threats from VA staff, to staff for state reps and on that goes too. How does a patient registering secretaries end up putting shit in our files constantly or some Democrat or Neocon’s staff get off seemingly using our info like emails, for spam, then saying nothing more to do unless we sign contracts to make everything about us open game with no ending dates? Even by utility companies claiming to need it???

      That said. Each and every group or VSO type out there will tell you they have specific agendas like the DAV transporting disabled vets around and such. Or not their area of expertise, intentions, not equipped for, or vision. Or their hands are tied due to it being a legal issue, medical issue, and on the excuses run.

      Now try to get that into some peoples thick skulls after the reader/victim goes through being offended, the knee-jerk reactions to some reality after the years of just accepting things as they are, or claim something or someone is nothing but good.

    4. @T
      I fully understand where you are coming from.
      Your second to last paragraph brings my point to bear.
      The hat patrol has headed off to DC x# times a year for how many decades now, disguising their buddy reunions as helping to form useful policy changes for veterans. Through my attempt at poking the hibernating bears, I want to see at least one accomplishment from those recent “meetings” that became a useful benefit for ALL VETERANS. Their club niche agenda matters not one iota if they’re invading DC for reunion convos, while we continue to facepalm ourselves.

      Don’t forget, it was only because Britain/Churchill needed us, that America proudly relented and joined in WWll with everything, even little children could muster. It is my opinion, that is exactly why the WWll veterans enjoy(ed) a huge hunk o’pie and everyone after them is reduced to begging for the taste of a crumb. The citizens refuse to understand that just because parent/grand/great from WWll benefited from XYZ (and Hollywood recycles that often) does not mean those same benefits have continued/progressed over the last six decades! The ONLY Americans that wanted our citizens to be involved in “other countries problems” were the moneychangers; because the horde of Joe Citizen’s never wanted any part of it.

      That begs the question, are the hatted one’s deliberate inactions intended to promote an abundance of nothing for the last six decades of veterans?

      1. OMG! In rereading my post about WWll I neglected my intention to add “in Europe”. I so deeply apologize.

      2. WWII vets didn’t have it so great. 3 Uncles. PTSD wasn’t a thing then. It was called a non compensable “adjustment disorder.” They had it a little better. They could ride the rails as hobos. Self medication was mostly limited to ETOH (alcohol). Combat veteran suicide was just as high as it is not except the VA and military were able to dilute the statistics with the 10 to 1 logistical support people that wore uniforms then. Now those are mercenary high paid jobs.

        At least there were jobs a PTSD victim could hold. Ranch and Farm work readily available provided by those who didn’t go but actually showed their appreciation with more than an empty “thank you for your service.”

        Current vets have better ed benefits, better rehab benefits, better Medical discharge benefits than the WWII vets ever dreamed of. Look at 100% VA disability compensation. That was top for the WWII vets. An E-6 on a medical discharge at 100% does far better today than the VA comp.

        WWII was shorter. But many of the WWII vets were in combat most of the war. There was no home leave in the middle of the war.

        Organic brain syndromes were also “adjustment disorders.” Cerebral malaria was then and still is an “adjustment disorder” unless you go home in a body bag. Mild to moderately sever TBIs aren’t compensated until 2008.

        Current veterans have it far better than those who served before 2008. Only Gulf War syndrome and some agent orange relief precedes 2008.

        Although I never had cerebral malaria I’m still fighting for those who did. DCWD 17-206-F. It is too late for the WWII veterans but some of the Somalia veterans (most of the casualties were from p. falciparum malaria aka cerebral malaria)

        Yeh, I took ragging from WWII veterans after returning from Vietnam. And then I visited Saipan, Tinian, Guam, Chuuk and realized how miniscule Vietnam was comparatively. Several battle fields in WWII had more dead than the entire Vietnam War. You have to see the artifacts, bunkers, air strips and bomb craters to really get the picture of that war. Europe is mostly healed and not much evidence left other than the cemetaries. But the Pacific Islands are different.

        After 17 years of war the middle east wars are becoming comparative for them but not for us. we use the Kurds and then abandon them to the Turks who want to wipe them off the earth. At least our military veterans for these wars are comparable to the WWII veterans if they have spent at least 2 years in combat total of the 17 years. And some have spent more and given more. God rest their souls in which ever world they are in.

      3. Good points Lem. Post war economy was better, gas cheaper, housing cost and others not inflated intentionally out the arse, etc. That is why so many people, vets included, hate us “baby boomers” claiming we had it easier back in our days or today. Words popping in my head I have to put down like ‘these were the worst of times, the best of times.’ Odd.

        I found a free chat board provider I am going to check into even though I am stretched quite far enough dealing with stuff and spring coming on so I can try to get out and be more mobile. Called Zata Boards…with free speech supposedly since we are being censored and banned all over the place by all other social media commie scum and locals. And to not draw more negative attention or clog up Ben’s blog here with other stuff or communications. Also if I do it there won’t be any stupid crap like groups on FB etc., like must agree to tearing down confederate statues, erasing American history, or trash confederate or veterans graveyards, remove crosses or memorials cause the aren’t PC, or expected to support the like of Antifa, Marxist and such. Accept those terms or move on and die? I’ll move on thank you. Really tired of that distracting American hating junk that just supports the United Nations, to globalist to the commies. Then wanna play the…. we help veterans games or supposedly support vets with VA issues. Horse poop.

        We used to be a very strong rail road town that disappeared the more the colleges and libs took over. That is included or classified as … ‘dirty jobs’ or ‘unwanted non-white collar employment.” Anyway, about the age of ten I got to meet a real honest to God Medal of Honor recipient that was a “rail-rider,” a Hobo. That guy has never left my mind and thinking of him daily in my older years. Can’t remember the name he used for some damn reason. Seems he had a very unusual sounding real name too. I will have to hold my nose to go to the local lying public library to see what I can dig up on him in archives, if it is to be found in this crap town. This town’s creeps finally got him to do an interview once, how I don’t know. He hated the wars and reasons for wars, he hated WW2 and the lies about it all. He said against the will of his family and friends, “left the rat race and didn’t want any part of it nor all it’s lies, ways, and propaganda.” Paraphrased the best I can. I think he helped create the non-conformist, cynic, truth seeker, I am today.

        He and I really hit it off after bike riding down the hills around Hobo Jungle and the campers there needed some clean water, some food, and coffee. I provided, mom approved, and became fast friends. He, they, would show us kids how they made fires, coffee, hobo stoves, one armed vets would show how they rolled their own smokes, etc. Coming or going he would stop by the house, use the phone (or not) to call his family at times I suppose, pick up some possibles, grub, talk, trade paper-back books, and be on his way with two shaky hand taps on my left shoulder. We had our best chats down in the “Jungle” by fireside, some of them boozing it up on wine, cooking pots of ‘everything but the kitchen sink soup,” and learned quite a bit with much of it lost on a dummy kid until I was older and taking some ‘roads less traveled’ or experienced some life more.

        I still have one old PP book he gave me around here somewhere. In our last chat he mentioned I and those of my age would probably be the generation of wars where “only the rocks would remain.” That and a few other things have stuck in my mind for all my life. Also many of their war stories did NOT match up with what I was to swallow in school, or what the official narratives, history books were spewing out. Some of them would be attacked and outcast today and in some VSO bar. Media would hate them. In Canada or Germany today, those old vets and fellas would be in prison and persecuted for life for hate crime speech or not being PC. Or like others daring to challenge those officially stamped acceptable/demanded versions for brain-washing.

        I think of this with each person, vet, I hear/know doing suicide or forced to silence, madness, or being censored. Each has a story. A vet gives up and offs themselves we lose a story, a personal song maybe, stories of struggles and perhaps some real truth and facts. We all lose a story that should be heard by all, not merely suppressed and flushed, forgotten. It really pisses me off… this advanced civilization, which is sicker than the rest.

        Dang another morning popping up.

      4. Rosie, good choice of words..”promote an abundance of nothing.” This is what some say is “progress” today, or some phony delusions about “sustainability,” a “fix,” “wait,” or “truth.” Generations, show, and the many ‘deliberate inactions’ got us all where they wanted today. Most totally distracted, caught up in their games or life, or too worried about fitting in, making it. Going back more than a mere six decades in our short lifetimes full of wait and waste.

      5. @T
        I understand how it is looking for older info!
        That’s why I am grateful for computers!
        You may have been too young to have thought to ask him what he did or where he was at but, if you can recall any of that it might be another clue.
        Ann Curry did a several episode program on PBS this year “We’ll Meet Again”. There were a couple of the episodes that were military related and showed what the seekers did to find clues to get to their ultimate find. I’ll just leave that at that.
        I hope your search bears good fruit!

    5. @T
      “rail-rider”
      It’s been a few decades since I heard that term. That is a touching memory you have shared. If you find the interview I’d like to know about that. Maybe you’ll recall his name from this list and related links? “https://www.google.com/search?q=medal+of+honor+recipients+ww2”

      1. Thanks Rosie. I’ve been through those lists countless times and can’t get anything to register or ring a bell. Read too much about most of them through the years and with all the water under the bridge gone by, it’s difficult to put my memory back into proper working order. All those damned SSRIs and dope the VA pushed on me for pain or to dumb me down sure hasn’t helped matters either. Some years or memories never have made a return or a complete loss, years gone, or jumbled all to hell. Short term or long term my memory has been affected.

        Like biker bars, the hood, serious “Hobos” didn’t use their real names much or fist names only or like JD, or Hobo Dan, Rockies Rebel, Baldy, RR Jack, Rabbit, One arm Pete, etc. They had their own signs and marks too to use to find others they know, meet-ups, maps, caches of goodies, property lines, camping spots, friendly homes or churches, what trains to catch/where, spur lines, or more dangerous unfriendly areas or towns. Others or town people wouldn’t have a clue what they were about or how to read them.

        Been wanting to do it for a long time now. I have running to do to create more hell for myself. Body and head willing. 1. Gonna go by the local lefty commie red stared news rag and see about putting some info and ads about local corruption there. Craig’s List and others were a total flop. 2. The lying censoring library is across the street so I can hop over there and try to get some assistance from a librarian to look this up for me or with me. Tired of putting it off and having it on my bucket list. 3. Going downtown after to get the dope on the price of protesting permits and other info about them so I don’t easily break any laws to get shot over. If I gotta go out and stand alone, wait for some idiot or activist to throw rocks or wanna serve me some “knock out game” antics, cuss or ridicule… college kiddies gang up on….fine with me. But I am out to shame these ass-hats in the VSOs to lying corrupt politicians to all health care around playing their goofy little tyrant games with me and others. State, federally and local, all are guilty as hell and complicit. If I have to stand at some point and hold a sign begging for some non-political, anti-activist filled health care I will. 4. Then down to get some sticks and poster board paper.

        Then pop back over on FB that I have been putting off too and do some catching up. And let a few others know what I am up to and why…if they don’t already know.

        We’ll see how all that goes since we can’t even leave negative remarks or cute epitaphs about corruption or evils done here, on our tombstones around here either. Total control from cradle to grave… sadly.

        Wonder what happened to “Old Marine?” Ya out here buddy???

      2. Rosie. Made it to the library and not good news. Research dept. said it would be like hunting for that needle in multiple haystacks without exact or approx year or time frames. Not much is archived locally I guess. Less is news or news print articles that have not been ‘digitized’ they said. Meaning I would have to use the micro fish things and go in small increment reels to do the searching for months or years still possibly not finding it. Then looking at their smaller that usual public seating, environment, that would be a near impossible task. But I may have to give it a whirl.

        Cut budgets, cut taxes, loss of grants is blamed and may never see any local improvements in getting much ‘digitized’ or upgrades. Said what I am searching for may never see this happen. They only have 8 years pre WW2, 1800s type of stuff accomplished.

        VSO members around here for years, as usual, don’t know much to do about anything. Checked with old Post’s historical archives keepers and they never came up with anything either.

        Next move. Tomorrow at the county historical museum and their links to the ‘Hist society.’ Librarian put that little bug in my ear to check out. Never thought about that move.

      3. Rosie. Got it! Thanks. I’ll try to find out more tips and check into the PBS series, just found now, with Ann Curry, and more locally. Just amazes me that my life went on and no vet groups locally thought enough about this guy to put the article up on their walls somewhere. They had plenty of room for their mugs over the years and funny hats but no place for this kind of story? Guess my mind is wired differently than most folks.

      4. @T
        Just in case…
        On here is the link to the program “https://www.pbs.org/show/meet-again/”. From what I see there are only clips available online right now. I see that there is a DVD available and I know that a library should have it to loan out or watch while there.

      5. Rosie. Again thanks. Two heads or more thinking and sharing is always better than one, or one like my noggin alone. I’ll be attempting another trip to the library this weekend. And call to see if they have those DVDs. History museum closed on Mondays so their report will be known later today.

        Three major area all encompassing lefty colleges, colleges – cough cough, it seems information would be easily found over any subject. Not so. Just like dealing with all the state’s and local corruption, VA, to the censoring, it is difficult to navigate or deal with. It was really bad thirty five years or so ago. Past twenty years it just got worse and why I call the area the Gaza Strip of the USA, or an open air prison camp. I am not kidding. Iron fisted censoring, covering-up, lack of transparency full circle, nepotism, to the locals/Gov ceasing any inquiring minds or groups to form with a hint of fighting any part of it is frowned on with actions of any sorts to cease any of it. Legally or illegally. From the evil freedom/truth hating cacophony it is all their way or no way, period. Of course they all have their ingrained excuses and diatribe. All easily proven but fear, being wary full knowing of all the retaliation, knowing the cliques will prevail allows it all to deepen to the point it is at now and will be worse to come.

  22. My two cents:

    CVA, ‘strong conservative leanings.” That can create a debate on what that label means and covers. A lot of pigeon holes open to where “conservatives,” “leanings” can fit into. If the mighty CVA is so great and they, or their members probably know of and read this site… then why aren’t they chiming in or out to help those willing to stick their necks out to see if anyone is for real out there, or playing the same old games. Why are they seemingly too afraid like other chicken shits to show some kind of strength to enter some areas where they may have to do some toe stomping for the smallest investigation or exposure of corruption. Scardy cats. Facade? The other VSO locals have their tongues?? All I see is hype from them on TV and Petey got a damn good high paying job with the New York cliques…. where you have to play the MSM game, rubbing shoulders with filth and liars.

    “Rights?” Where are all those VSOs, including the CVA, Petey Hegseth, Faux, Congress to city councils, Trump at over our rights to free speech, the redress of grievances with government entities etc. I am up close and very personal with dealing with all kinds of corruption and cover-ups, lacks of transparency, censoring. All I get is games, being ignored, mis informaiton and shut-downs. No help with filing complaints with anything… just brick walls in my fine state where ‘no negatives’ are allowed. Is it because they know there is absolutely no changing or improving government, and, or, areas like mine due to the total saturation, occupation, complacency, to fear, retaliation forces, connects to DC? In or out of the VA. Must be.

    Gonna sue or how about a try at a class action or moratorium. Need a witness, front man, target, call me in. But I am no public speaker and have to contend with too much for public shit for short fast orders, or rules of order. Hung my Christianity and no cussing on the back peg of the jacket tree. Put me in coach but don’t expect me to show any of those freaks or with ‘Honorable’ signs on their desk to be shown much respect or honorable mentions or such freaking courtesies. Not today. Not when some of us out here can’t get the basic human rights, health care, Constitutional rights, considerations or safety from mob rule or all concerned.

    Respect and honorable mentions is earned. And can be lost. Just because someone out there thinks like them that we should auto-trust someone, auto-respect or bow to their picks (like Congress critters do or VSOs) have the wrong ideas about being American and their group-think or band-wagon jumping to fit in expectations.

    Should be another doctor shopping day but gonna have to tarry and not start a new project on another Friday.

    Good to read ya Seymore. Hope you got things lined out.
    Good day!

    1. T, I can understand your skepticism of CVA. I am wary of them myself given how closed off they appear.

      My question though is, how old is the CVA group compared to how old the DAV, Legion, VFW, Amvets or VVA are?

      I understand questioning the intentions of CVA, but I think the intentions of the others should be questioned as much or even more.

      How long have each been around, and why is the VA still in such sorry shape?

      1. My trepidation with CVA is their main financial backers, The Koch Brothers. I assure you that Veteran’s best interests are not at the forefront and all you need to do is re-watch an older Eddie Murphy movie called “Easy Money” to see a depiction of those two oddball rich fucks that have a good hand in controlling Big Pharma via investments…I see more nonhuman lab subject contracts from those two under the guise of…”let’s try something different….”.

        Get rid entirely of the AFGE in the VA and I will start paying more attention. I worry CVA was simply feeling like the runt of the Big Six Pig Litter and was not allowed time at the feeding trough like the Big Six…PLEASE let me be wrong!

        Hope is all we have and it floats just like all else in the swamp.

      2. 91,
        CVA and according to Petey they are doing great things, where? They made it to MSM and the national scene. They jumped on the scene like “Oath Keepers” and some others but I get or see no action from them in my state or locally. Yes they have been contacted or multiple attempts tried. All this projecting, boasting, etc., brings me back to – times a wasting- and the body counts increase during the circus, waits, stalls, excuses, facade, games. When they, or Petey, the Faux attorney contributor with him have the balls, or gall, squashed balls, to get on TV, Faux, call for emails, info and reports then block the email like Faux did to never responding to other methods attempted… then something is wrong. And continue to do so. They know about this blog then why the shying away? Where is their collective at over the censoring to attacks on veterans. They’ve had plenty of time to make some kind of move even though they may be short timers. All claim to be have members, and many in some states if not all… so where they all at? All or any of them?

        What is ALL their excusing not combining (“merging”) with all other VSOs for a calling out of the vets and concerned citizens into the streets for some change. Are they all sitting back waiting for some other one to take the first step to see what happens or who they may piss off. Every rag tag anti-American and pathetic group out there is and has done it but vets or over our concerns, like censoring, can’t or aren’t protected to do so. Not much interest? No big money backers Soros or Clintoons or from Hollywood. No scum bag sports idiots interested, more fluff and games. But I am expected in my Marx village to go join the herds, put on vagina hats, wear pink, put on and try some high heels, support illegals 100%, all unions, join Antifa/BLM/Naacp/La-Raza/ Debbs/Bolshevik/Freemason/Azteca/college kiddies/frat rats/sowhoreities activist, every clique to FOP, and plethora of other groups. To appease, never question, and support them all, vote Dem only, support the colleges/activist but F me and our concerns for one reason or the other. Oh where oh where is the CVA and the rest? Standing in the side-lines napping and waiting, playing games in DC or on Faux. Oops there goes another days body count go by… like some kind of sick jingle to be sung or get accustomed to. No call state by state or town by town for members or some event to come to? No excuses, like with Trump can or should be used and can’t be with all the press and chest pounding. Hell, in one years time or less biker groups and many others can put on one hell of gathering or some event. So can churches and others. Or to set up for a huge concert and ticket sales. Just like the recent kiddies got done so they can switch gears to tearing up a Constitution, or jumping to the LGBT or support the illegal movement stuff… by design and intention.

        Post 40 here is a defunct Legion like others here years back that had nothing but troubles. Missing or misspent money, corruption,nepotism, families taking home bingo money, sales from the gambling tickets, etc. Every top dog in local government, judges, lawyers, cops, college heads, business owners, et al, supported their shit and some non-vets were allowed to come in and vote to keep the corruption and families in. I am the only one I know of that openly contacted the state National offices over this. I was told… it’s local issues and for us to clean it up, period. Same thing people were told in other states having the same issues with their groups or VSOs. Others tried anonymously using copies of paperwork, from ‘the books,’ and stuff to notify other members and Legions, groups, what was going on. Because they were afraid their business would be affected, fearing the upper crust of our sick city, have to deal with the local corrupt regimes and business groups like the Chambers and secretive boycotts and ridicule. Cough, hack… the Pres of that post was a retired cop, X city council, X many city and county positions, and on. Voting out was not going to happen with all the evil behind him and the cliques. Fast forward to today’s climate of tyranny and censoring we’d never hear of this going on and insiders won’t dare blow a whistle. This stuff was going on in the sixties, seventies and beyond that too. Way back when was when one could always here about “not rocking the establishment’s boat.” That included the old VSO styles as well with the so-called old timers. Seems there was always a lot of illegal gambling going on, theft, nepotism, and other stuff going on across the board. What it’s like today, I don’t know. Cleaned up some I guess, others given passes. Just depending on ones geographic area and amount of corruption to ethics of membership. Back then they’d use the old phrase in meetings…. “shit or get off the pot.” Or “get er done” that is a big joke today not taken seriously, complacency took over like dis-concern.

        If groups and people out there like the Red Cross, all of those special interest groups, over some damages, phony cause, or event can mobilize and get active, have a huge event to raise money for some member in a clique, those highly paid VSOs and CVA can do the same. WE are living supposedly in the high tech age of fast networking to gathering up flash mobs for thefts to filling the streets with thugs, or use Go Fund me stuff real or not to raise huge amounts of money. Or to draw a crowd for scum to see the “knock out game” played on some old vet or white person?

        Body count.
        Waste of time.
        No excuses. Many others died, silenced, playing the wait and see game, or with giving all those others…. time or time for change.
        Rant off, done went blurry.

      3. Nam, my concern with CVA is their appearance of being powerful, with one or two faces, but nothing showing where their power comes from. They may be concerned veterans, but who are they really? I tried contacting a state representative of CVA and heard nothing back. It’s as if they have a certain amount of structure in place for whatever agenda they want to push, but they seem uninterested in hearing from fellow veterans. If that is the case, then what are they concerned about?

  23. From; “military.com”
    Titled;
    “FIRED VA Chief Shulkin: ‘They Saw Me as an Obstacle to Privatization’!”

    via: “Stars and Stripes”
    Dated; 29 Mar 2018
    By: Nikki Wentling

    Shulkin just doesn’t get it! He’s NOT welcome anymore! He’s a complete idiot!
    As well as a LIAR and THIEF!

  24. I only had NPR on for a few minutes this morning and it was Shulkin and various BUTTHURT VSO PIGGYS blowing all kinds of smoke up Shulkin’s ass as if he was the godsend for the VA and Shulkin was talking about how he was vehemently against ANY privatization…and now Shulkin, once so far up POTUS’s ass in photo-ops is now playing the sour grapes violin concerto in ASS Sharp this morning.

    HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA….(VSO’s would not even need to exist if the VA were doing it’s job and you assholes have become the very dingleberries on the VA’s asshole…HA HA HA )

    1. @Nam – – – “VSO’s would not even need to exist if the VA were doing it’s job and you assholes have become the very dingleberries on the VA’s asshole…”

      The sheer brilliant accuracy of that statement is astounding! A Million Thumbs UP.

      Now, I must hit the rack for a few hours. 01:50 HST.

  25. “Piggy”, by Nine Inch Nails:

    “[Hey pig
    Yeah you
    Hey pig piggy pig pig pig
    All of my fears came true
    Black and blue and broken bones you left me here I’m all alone
    My little piggy needed something new

    Nothing can stop me now
    ‘Cause I don’t care anymore
    Nothing can stop me now
    ‘Cause I don’t care
    Nothing can stop me now
    ‘Cause I don’t care anymore
    Nothing can stop me now
    ‘Cause I just don’t care

    Hey pig
    Nothing’s turning out the way I planned
    Hey pig there’s a lot of things I hoped you could help me understand
    What am I supposed to do, I lost my shit because of you

    Nothing can stop me now
    ‘Cause I don’t care anymore
    Nothing can stop me now
    ‘Cause I don’t care
    Nothing can stop me now
    ‘Cause I don’t care anymore
    Nothing can stop me now
    ‘Cause I just don’t care]”

  26. In my opinion,
    When President Trump was FORCED to give the monies he raised to the VSO’s – BEFORE HE “…COULD VET THEM!” Look it up, he was truly pissed.
    Then, since Inauguration Day, he did some research! And, more likely than not, saw the corruption – not only within the VA – in the VSO’s!
    I know its taking a long time to get to where we’re at today. Only, President Trump has had to deal with lots of corruption within the government. Especially, with the “Russia, Russia, Russia, bullshit”! And other crap the Dems and Rino’s have been throwing at him.
    That being said,
    Be thankful we didn’t get the other one elected as POTUS!!!!!!!

  27. In my opinion;
    The first thing Admiral Jackson might want to consider is,

    DON’T listen to any of the VSO’s!
    Don’t listen to the unions!
    Kick them out of ALL VA facilities!

    Because, the first thing these reprobates are going to do is:
    Continue to screw over the veterans they claim to be helping!
    And,
    They will go behind the Admiral’s back to screw over him!

    Secondly, tell those unions and VSO’s, it’s time for them to stop protecting VA employees who have been caught breaking the rules and regulations! They, from top to bottom, will be charged if/when caught!
    It’s that or:
    He will ask for the breakup of the unions! (As President Reagan did!)
    And/or;
    He will kick the VSO’s out of ALL VA facilities!

    I like James Clement’s ideas. Especially the “EXPEDITE” matter!

    These were just my thoughts for this Friday morning!!!!

    1. Crazy Elf, I suspect many of those VSOs were working to protect Shulkin, and to give cover to Congress when needed for their pathetic lack of oversight.

      I agrew they will be working with their little VA insider minions to knife Jackson in the back if they can.

    2. Bet your bottom dollar they’ll be working with their insider minions to screw over the Admiral. Hopefully, he will not take their bait.

      Again, we just have to wait and see.

  28. The VSOs can say what ever they want. They are totally worthless and in no way represent Veterans anyway. They really should all be audited by the IRS for their claims of the number of Veterans they claim to have as members vs the number of posts they have open, a.k.a. their gambling operations and charity scams.

    The fact that President Trump is appointing Dr. Ronald Jackson as the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shows that the president is keeping his promise to Veterans. Currently Dr. Jackson background and experience has led him to be placed in charge of providing the best medical care anywhere in the world for the most important people on the planet including the President and his family.

    That is the kind of medical care Veterans deserve. The president is placing that kind of leadership in charge of the VA.

    Currently heads are already rolling at the VA making way for the new Administration. Missal at the VAOIG has closed the lid on the giant can of white wash and has been referring crimes to the DOJ but Sessions needs to get his act together and start prosecuting the Crimes. A short list of some of the recent reports released by the VAOIG.

    1.) Administrative Investigation of Conflict of Interest, Nepotism, and False Statements within the VA Office of General Counsel, Washington, DC (2017-03324-IQ-0103), March 29th, 2018

    2.) Review of Research Service Equipment and Facility Management, Eastern Colorado Health Care System, March 29th, 2018, Report Number: 16-02742-77

    3.) Review of Timeliness of the Appeals Process, March 28th, 2018 Report Number: 16-01750-79

    4.) Review of Resident and Part-Time Physician Time and Attendance at Oklahoma City VA Health Care System, March 28th, 2018, Report Number: 17-00253-93

    5.) Review of Alleged Unsecured Patient Database at the VA Long Beach Healthcare System, March 28th, 2018, Report Number: 15-04745-48

    6.) Review of Alleged Hazardous Construction Conditions at the Jack C. Montgomery VA Medical Center, Muskogee, Oklahoma, March 27th, 2018, Report Number: 15-04678-114

    7.) Audit of the Personnel Suitability Program, March 26th, 2018, Report Number: 17-00753-78

    8.) Independent Review of VA’s FY 2017 Detailed Accounting Submission to the Office of National Drug Control Policy, March 26th, 2018, Report Number: 18-00836-147

    All negative with a number of them referred to the DOJ for prosecution. All showing a total lack of leadership by Shulkin. To access the summaries, or for the full reports, you can download them at:
    “https://www.va.gov/oig/apps/info/OversightReports.aspx”

    1. @ Seymore: Welcome back aboard! Agreed. The VA Titanic is most likely about to be called to General Quarters, then given a collective arse chewing about the dismal time it took them to man their stations.

      Going to be a whole lot of refresher training dealing with core values over the next 18 months or so, provided the Admiral gets through his confirmation hearings.

      I for one would like to see some VA heads roll . . .

      LONG overdue!

      1. I second “James Clement’s” comment to “Seymore Klearly” – “WELCOME BACK ABOARD, BROTHER!”

        Until we veterans see true change in the VA,
        Well, y’all know my opinion!

    2. @Seymore – – – Thank you for the references! Looks like I will have a pleasant weekend reading. Again, Welcome Back Aboard!

    3. @Seymore Klearly- I have had to specifically only use Chrome as a browser on Windows machine and added the Norton 360 extensions which has prevented my entire browser (now Chrome) from crashing, but…the bot attacks, ad bots, are ONLY aggressive on Ben’s site here, no other place…I have no virus’s on any devices…so am thinking the piggy’s may have utilized some of that IT FIX $$$ to attack any form of accountability such as Ben’s site.
      (I get incredibly nauseated with flashing like these ads…am not epileptic, has more to do with medication side effects and an inherited inner-ear weird thing)

      1. Hey Namnibor,

        I know what you mean about the adware. When I am reading something and that flashing and changing of ads is going on all over the page. It is a real distraction and triggers a serious migraine that I can’t get rid of for days.

        Right now I am using FireFox with adaware ad-block. It does a real great job. Although if one does slip through it triggers repeated attempts to access my system. The other day their were 38 attempts in less than 2 minutes. Some very aggressive adware/spyware.

        The fact that it tries to take over the page right from the gitgo is going to kill site traffic by people wanting to read the article or Comments. The majority of the traffic will be nothing but adware using the site to dig into our systems. Also to distract from the articles and comments. So basically it is Malware extreme.

        I also noted that I do not have the problem with any other sites on the web. Just Disabled Veterans dot Org.

      2. Just reposting this in case anyone else is having to deal with ads and pop-ups.

        ANutterVet March 28, 2018 at 4:18 pm

        When using Windows 10 platform, browsing with Foxfire, I get no pop-ups whatsoever when using these blockers (and you can turn pages on or off);

        – AdBlocker Ultimate
        – AdBlock Plus
        – AdGuard AdBlocker
        – uBlock Origin
        – Ghostery

        Could be a little top heavy or redundant I don’t know, haven’t correlated to see what is duplicated or runs short. Just know that this set works for me.

        When browsing with Internet Explorer (IE) pop-ups come up. Don’t know about browsing with Windows Edge.

      3. Gibson Research Corporation, grc.com makes a great port scanner called Shields Up, it scans your computer ports to see which ones are open, what their doing, and if they should be closed for proper security and some instructions to secure a windows machine.

      4. Hey guys, I need to point something out about the ads and why they are here.

        The Big Six have annual budgets in the hundreds of millions of dollars, each… and they are not truly holding VA accountable. Plus, VA spends tens of millions on propaganda each year. To get the word out to Americans about what is really going on requires a big budget for online content and in-person meetings in DC.

        Right now, I lack the big budget necessary to fully counter what VA is doing. To compete and expose more VA scandals and do more research, I need a bigger budget. To help get that goal, I added ads to this site. I realize some of you do not like it. However, the only other option to pay for the expansion is to create a paywall like NY Times, WSJ and WashPo, which is not what I want to do.

        Viewing the ads and even clicking on any that look interesting to you helps me fund this operation, at no cost to you. And, I GREATLY APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT!

    4. Awww c’mon Seymore!

      It takes some serious manager type management to screw up in so many different ways.

      Interesting about the Office of General Counsel. So busy hiring family that they just don’t have time to prosecute VA employees breaking the law.

      1. Total Mismanagement from the top down by Shulkin!

        Don’t you just love it in the Report on the corrupt General Counsel in charge of Contracting for all of the VA. Who hires his wife for a work from home position, (tele-work), for $114,000 plus per year. But the DOJ dropped the ball.

        “The OIG determined Mr. Fleck shared VA sensitive information with his wife while she was being vetted for the VA position, and he and Ms. KW made false statements when questioned about it during their respective interviews. The OIG referred the conflict of interest and false statements matters to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, which declined prosecution due, in part, to available administrative remedies.”

        When you consider how they in fact had been breaking the law for more than 10 years while working for the Army and then another 2 years while working at the VA. It certainly sounds like Jeff Sessions needs to fire and replace the U.S. Attorney who let the felonies slide.

  29. I am not surprised. President Trump thinks Jackson is a “good man, believe me.” I have heard those comments before.

  30. Fat-fingered the keys due peripheral neuropathy. Cut-off sentence should read: Perhaps soon would be a good time for POTUS Trump to begin to reach deeper into the VA to enact a few more “reforms”.

  31. Given how the Big 6 have rolled over and not kept their promises to the average veteran on the street, preferring instead to suck up to the likes of Macdonald and Shulkin – – – I say good. The VA truly needs to work for all veterans equally. Not just the special interest veteran unions. That is what the Big 6 have become. Check out what the executive directors of those organizations pay themselves.

    Who gives a Rat’s Rip Damn if they are Super Butt-Hurt? Not I. And not any of the 100 plus Brothers I personally spoke to today regarding the incoming SecVA. We are adopting a “wait and see” stance until the Admiral has a chance to get his sea legs under him. Say 6 months after he is confirmed.

    Pretty much guaranteed he is going to despise the corruption within the VA. Won’t really surprise me if he orders a top-to-bottom review of the entire operation of that organization, with a keen weather eye for holding all personnel more accountable, and to give lower level workers more autonomy with which to perform their duties.

    Should he do that – – – It would be about 10 years overdue in my opinion. Perhaps he would be kind enough to attach the word EXPEDITE to that “request”.

    For those unfamiliar with naval parlance, the single word EXPEDITE conveys a special sense of urgency. Loosely translated, that meaning is “Get it done correctly the day before yesterday with zero excuse”.

    Commanding Officers of Warships have seen their careers go down the tubes because they did not comprehend the meaning of the word EXPEDITE.

    Will be a really FUN show to watch.

    Perhaps soon would be

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