Riot Gear

Nobody Panic, But VA Just Bought Up $2 Million Worth Of Riot Gear

With rumors of an impending government shutdown swirling, VA suddenly hauled off and bought a sweet stash of riot gear. They bought the gear quietly, without trying to kick up a fuss.

But of course, everything is fine. Wink wink, nudge nudge.

What, you might ask, qualifies as “riot gear”?

How about riot helmets, defender shields (the tall clear plastic ones), body armor armored mobile shields, Kevlar blankets, tactical gear, crowd control equipment and a “milo return fire cannon system”? Is that enough riot gear or what?

Why did they do this? Do they anticipate massive riots? Possibly. We all know the devastating effect that shutdowns have on recipients of veterans’ disability benefits. Those of us who are healthy enough to protest in public in the first place, have often done so in the face of government shutdown.

A week without those benefits, let alone a month, would pose a huge threat to our quality of life. Maybe VA knows something about the shutdown rumors that the rest of us are still in the dark about.

To be sure, over 40 federal agencies need various amounts of riot gear for purposes of law enforcement. Some of these are agencies you might not normally consider as needing that.

The Department of Education, for example, employs a handful of armed truant officers.  The IRS suits up for particularly high-profile evaders. The Smithsonian has valuable, even priceless exhibits that are constantly accompanied by decked-out governmental agents as guards. Crazy stuff.

But $2 million in riot gear is so much. Typically when such agencies stock up on riot gear, it might be $30,000 here, a couple hundred thousand there. Not small dollar amounts, but nowhere close to $2 million.

What should we, as concerned citizens and veterans, take away from this development? For now, perhaps extra wariness of the government’s flaring disagreements is warranted.  

Sure, we often debate pretty heatedly about the way VA spends our hard-earned taxpayer money, and so do our reps on the Hill. At the end of the day, though, we can agree that the government needs to stay up and running. People need their benefits. Schools and law enforcement need their funds. We like having access to national parks, etc.

For VA in particular to have gone so far overboard with the riot gear… they really believe we are about to be furious with them. How about we all keep our ears to the ground in anticipation of some serious SNAFU?

Sound off in the comments below about your own ideas. What kind of game is afoot with VA this time? We always appreciate hearing from you.

Source: https://www.timesgazette.com/opinion/30903/be-wary-of-federal-government

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46 Comments

  1. Veterans don’t take the VA lightly if they bought riot gear they will use it against veterans, this country is becoming militarized against its own. I take courses in computer technology after months of my computer being tapered with. My cellphone destroyed by removing the keyboard, I done a thorough examination of my cellphone, and found in the restricted permission area: The word., VA Clinic they had been monitoring my phone calls, listening to me and my wife conversations through the ROKU TV. They have a very extensive hacking program.

  2. 09/28/2018

    Dear Benjamin Krause,

    That is about $13,333 for every Hospital in the system.

    I am sure the funds could have been spent better.

    Maybe they have a new idea, they are going to join the Veterans Parade in November? You know they have to look their best, especially after $200 Billion has been laid out for them.

    Sincerely,

    Don Karg

  3. WTF? When did the VA give their employees training in the use of such equipment? I know one thing of trouble starts I’m jumpin I’m with The President. So disabled or not I can still shoot straight.

  4. Does this new equipment for the VA Barney Cops also come with a special pocket to place their bullets in or is that pocket being used for their stash of oxy or meth?

  5. Nobody in their right mind purchases weapons and armaments used for killing and armed confrontation of this nature unless they believe there is a need to use them.

    These are not surgical supplies which can also be used to kill and harm, these things are made to give Leo the brutal upper hand in any confrontation between them and other Americans. Tell me again how exactly does that fit into the VA mision statement? The bastards tasked with healing the vets need shields now so they can learn to shoot around them??? Who the hell do you think they are planning to shoot at around their shields, this agency put into place to “care”? The most corrupt agency America has ever known appears to be arming itself in order to secure just what and for whom because it sure aint a nod to the civil rights protections we signed up for as Americans. Is it?

    We are arming morons, idiots, and criminals for a siege. Smart?

  6. “Minneapolis VA cited for failures in connection with vet’s suicide”
    By Mary Lynn Smith Star Tribune, September 25, 2018

    “A veteran died by suicide at the Minneapolis Veterans Medical Center parking lot in February, less than 24 hours after being discharged from its mental health unit.

    Now, a federal agency has cited the hospital for numerous failures in the case, including not adequately documenting the patient’s access to firearms.”

    Full Article At: https://www.startribune.com/minneapolis-va-cited-for-failures-in-connection-with-vet-s-suicide/494326471/

  7. More Criminal VA Employees with a new scam at the VA!

    _____

    “3 charged for conspiracy to defraud Temple Veterans Administration Medical Center”

    A Temple couple and a Killeen resident were charged for their alleged roles in scheming to defraud The Veterans Administration Medical Center in Temple.

    Author: KCEN Staff, September 26, 2018

    “WACO, Texas — Federal authorities filed charges against three suspects for their alleged roles in scheming to defraud the Department of Veterans Affairs of about $250,000 Thursday, according to U.S. Attorney John F. Bash.

    The suspects are Operations Supervisor in the Engineering Department at the Veterans Administration Medical Center Chrisopher Sebek, his wife Melissa Sebek who owns and operates MS. Bookkeeping Services, and Jeffrey Pearson who is the owner and operator of Whitetail Industrial which is a business that contracted goods and services to VAMC-Temple.

    Christopher Sebek and Pearson are both charged with one count of conspiracy to defraud the government and one count of theft of government property. Melissa Sebek faces one count of theft of government property.

    Court records state Christopher Sebek and Pearson entered into an agreement to steal money from the VAMC in February 2012 and allegedly submitted fraudulent invoices to VAMC for payments purportedly for goods and services designated for the VAMC.

    Sebek also allegedly presented fake invoices from his wife’s company to the VAMC. These invoices were used to pay for personal items and cover Pearson’s 30% commission on each invoice.

    Court records also allege Sebek stole two VAMC credit cards and used them for person expenses.

    If convicted, the suspects face up to five years in federal prison on the conspiracy charge. and up to ten years in federal prison on the theft charge.”

    Article At: https://www.kcentv.com/article/news/local/3-charged-for-conspiracy-to-defraud-temple-veterans-administration-medical-center/500-598420876

  8. They’ll probably have them deployed around the desk where people that have drove a 100 miles to their appointment, only to find out “We tried to contact you that your appointment was cancelled but you never answered.” My phone rang as I was walking up to the desk one time and saw the nurse who was talking to me on the phone telling me my appt. was cancelled. A few choice words and asking what her name was so when I went to the Pat. Adv. to make a complaint to the director, she talked someone into to staying 30 minutes past quitting time to give me a ten minute sonogram. I was livid, but I kept my cool, Pat. Adv. said to go back up, they’ll “squeeze ya in”…

  9. On a side note…

    I literally just got this e-mail…

    Watch Live and Ask Questions – This Thursday
    The Secretary and panelists will discuss how VA is focusing on customer experience and improving the delivery of care and services to our nation’s Veterans.

    September 27th, 1:30 – 4:30 PM Eastern Time

    Well holy cow Batman!!! The Secretary wants to hear from us???

    Wow, like they just “have” to do this publicity stunt in order to improve things?

    I dare not register cuz I think I would end up bathing them in FUs.

    I got a question…how hard is it to protect the privacy of our records; process our claims promptly and accurately; and, stop whistleblower retaliation?

    Meh, no worries. Granted the VSOs will be more than happy to be the only atendees because of course, they speak for us.

    1. Sorry Windguy,

      Didn’t anybody tell you? The big stockpiles of ammunition was thrown in on the Fast and Furious deal when Obama was running guns for the Cartels.

  10. I spoke with a VA Police Officer about this in Cincinnati and let him read it. He laughed it off. Said this is “a hyped up article” The Office of Security and Law Enforcement over the last year or so changed some standards for those guys. One of which is learning to shoot with and around a shield and also the catch all of Officer Safety, protecting veterans, staff, and the facility. I asked why they even need the shields. He gave an example local to Cincy. He said after an Officer involved shooting at a college campus nearby (non VA related) they bought some of the equipment stated here. Local Police intelligence suggested (possibly) the campus was going to have protests nearby. He added “We can’t use them unless we are qualified on them” so at the range they use them for various tactical scenarios and to ensure the Veterans have a hospital thats safe to get in and out of.
    At any rate if this was a recent change in standards across the board it would explain the mass purchase of this stuff. However, while a big city VA might have an articulable need for this stuff, I’m not sure every campus across the country can state why it’s a need. 2 million may be a tad much. -Semper Fidelis-

  11. Like I am so fond of saying: “When a government (or any entity for that matter) has too much money, they tend to piss it off”. This is also known as the “bladder theory”.

  12. It appears that the influence of the previous administration is running rampant and those individuals need to be ferreted out and shown the door. You can fire a government employee, just no one does the paperwork to do so. It is surprising that the VA needs riot gear as well as other government agencies. Why? Has anyone asked the VA about it? Doubtful, but doesn’t mean that they are just buying it to have…there is a purpose for buying it and without us knowing what it is, we are apt to decide for ourselves. This government sucks…vote them all out…

  13. C’mon now – belay all that paranoid shit. We’re all Americans here. We’re all consumers. My old lady buys shit we don’t need all the time. Heck, I’m sitting here with four to five thousand rounds of ammo, so it’s not all on my wife either… Somebody at the VA saw a good deal on some shit and bought it. Just in case, right?

  14. I had a Neurology appointment at the new VA hospital in Denver yesterday. I was there from about 8:00 am till around noon. All I saw was sick elderly veterans, I only saw 1 young able bodied veteran. The rest of us were 60 and above, and would be hard pressed to fight off a stray dog with our canes.
    I know they don’t fear us, but most likely the untold number of 100% PTSD veterans who are taking anti-depressants, and depend on those medications. I bet if the medications stopped flowing, or benefits, those able bodied veterans would be looking to rip someone a new asshole, and they know it.
    This might explain the millions spent on such gear. If they do rip some ass, because of a shut down and disabled veterans get cut off, I hope one of those able bodied veterans rip some ass for me, and all of us unable too!

  15. I being refused for my military intiltlements I guess this people are pay to stop Vet from benefits.
    having benefits.

  16. AFGE ScumBags

    “Federal Employees Local President in Colorado Pleads Guilty, Sentenced”
    by Carl Horwitz

    “On November 5, Sherri Pemberton, former president of American Federation of Government Employees Local 1802, pleaded guilty in the City and County of Denver District Court to one count of theft from the Denver union. She was immediately sentenced to two years probation and was ordered to pay $7,958 in restitution. The sentencing follows an investigation by the U.S. Labor Department’s Office of Labor-Management Standards on request by the union itself.”

    “Posted in Union Corruption Update”

    Posted At: https://nlpc.org/2009/12/31/federal-employees-local-president-colorado-pleads-guilty-sentenced/

    1. Well I have at least one hundred more AFGE Scumbags listings that I can post all dealing with charges of fraud by AFGE local Presidents or Treasurers.

      Lets just accept the fact that the AFGE has truly earned their rating as the most corrupt Union in the United States.

      Oh and AFGE members whose stealing your membership dues?

      1. Thanks for the links. Ahem “https://nlpc.org/?s=Indiana&x=0&y=0” A hell-u-vah lot more incidents should be on there but is swept under the Hoosier carpets due to union controls and vast amounts of corrupt networks. Looking at the big pictures and the very small I can report this. Not one is free from corruption, misconduct, illegal perks, to attacking those of us who try to expose any segment of their connections and networks including the stinking VA and it’s unions and contractors. Not one. Sad commentary but reality.

        Corruption abounds here but most folks just accept it and use it all to their own benefits. It’s also why there is practically zero whistle-blowers willing to come forward to expose any of it from any place or institution. Also why the local/state veterans associations, lying media to corrupt politicians and clubs steer clear of getting involved in matters of corruption to dirty politics while claiming they do so much for us. Ha.

      2. Seymore,
        “Fat boy” David “little” Cox has his work cut out for himself. I gotta sneaky suspicion he’s next to take the fall come the new year!

      3. Way to go Seymore! Reading those put a HUGE smile on my face . . . let us hope the trend of arrests and convictions continue. I do think the punishments could be a bit stiffer though. But that is the Judge’s job to decide.

        Nice to see some of these A-Holes getting slapped!

  17. AFGE Scumbags

    “AFGE Secretary-Treasurer in Denver Charged with Embezzlement”
    By Carl Horwitz

    “On October 11, Violet Lamorie, former secretary-treasurer of American Federation of Government Employees Local 695, was charged in U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado with embezzling more than $70,000 from the Denver union, which represents employees of the U.S. Mint plant in that city. The charge follows a probe by the Labor Department’s Office of Labor-Management Relations and the Treasury Department’s Office of Inspector General.”

    “Posted in Union Corruption Update”

    Posted At: https://nlpc.org/2016/11/22/afge-secretary-treasurer-denver-charged-embezzlement/

  18. AFGE ScumBags

    “AFGE President in New York City Sentenced for Embezzlement”
    by Carl Horwitz

    “On November 1, Federck Petro, former president of American Federation of Government Employees Local 2094, was sentenced in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York to six months of home confinement and three years of probation for embezzling $112,477 from the Manhattan union, which represents VA hospital employees. He also was ordered to pay full restitution and a $100 special assessment. Petro, who had served as local president during February 2006-July 2008, wrote nearly 200 unauthorized union checks for his own benefit. He had been arrested in December 2011, and pleaded guilty in February of this year following a joint probe by the Labor Department’s Office of Labor-Management Standards and the Veterans Affairs Department’s Office of Inspector General.”

    “Posted in Union Corruption Update”

    Posted At: https://nlpc.org/2013/11/27/afge-president-new-york-city-sentenced-embezzlement/

  19. AFGE ScumBags

    “Missouri AFGE Local President Sentenced for Embezzlement”
    by Carl Horwitz

    “On April 10, Vicki Guynn, former president of American Federation of Government Employees Local 1612, was sentenced in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri to four months home confinement and three years probation for embezzling $16,081 in funds from the Clever (near Springfield) union. She pled guilty in December. The guilty plea and sentencing follow a joint investigation by the U.S. Labor Department’s Office of Labor-Management Standards and Office of Inspector General, and the Justice Department’s Office of Inspector General.”

    “Posted in Union Corruption Update”

    Posted At: https://nlpc.org/2012/05/11/missouri-afge-local-president-sentenced-embezzlement/

  20. AFGE ScumBags

    “Albuquerque Local AFGE President Sentenced for Fraud”
    By Carl Horwitz

    “On November 2, Fidel Garza, former president of American Federation of Government Employees Local 2063, was sentenced in U.S. District Court for the District of New Mexico to four months in prison, three years of supervised probation and four months of home confinement for defrauding the Albuquerque-based local. Garza had been indicted in December 2008 on 58 counts of wire fraud of about $84,000 from the local and another 58 counts of deprivation of honest services; he eventually pleaded guilty. As part of the sentencing agreement, Garza also will have to pay $77,457.89 in restitution plus a $100 special assessment. The actions follow a joint investigation by the U.S. Justice Department, Postal Service and Labor Department’s Office of Labor-Management Standards.”

    “Posted in Union Corruption Update”

    Posted At: https://nlpc.org/2010/12/24/albuquerque-local-afge-president-sentenced-fraud/

  21. AFGE ScumBags

    ___

    “AFGE Local Ex-President in Missouri Pleads Guilty to Fraud”
    by Carl Horwitz

    “On December 15, Vicki Guynn, former president of American Federation of Government Employees Local 1612, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri to wire fraud in connection with theft from the Clever (near Springfield), Mo.-based union. The guilty plea follows a probe by the U.S. Labor Department’s Office of Labor-Management Standards and Office of Inspector General, and the Justice Department’s Office of Inspector General.”

    “Posted in Union Corruption Update”

    Posting At: https://nlpc.org/2012/03/01/afge-local-ex-president-missouri-pleads-guilty-fraud/

  22. AFGE ScumBags

    ___

    “AFGE President in California Charged with Fraud”
    Posted on June 14, 2018 by Carl Horowitz

    “On May 22, Roger Harris, former president of American Federation of Government Employees Local 3048, was charged in U.S. District Court for the Central District of California with one count of wire fraud in the amount of $36,150 against the union, which represents employees of Lompoc federal prison. The indictment follows a joint probe by the Labor Department’s Office of Labor-Management Standards, and the Office of Inspector General for each of the Justice Department and the Treasury Department.”

    “Posted in Union Corruption Update”

    Posting At: https://nlpc.org/2018/06/14/afge-president-in-california-charged-with-fraud/

    1. Seymore,
      I wonder how “David ‘little’ Cox” is taking in all of this criminal acts by his subordinates!!!!!!
      Cry me a fucking river!????

  23. While certainly disgruntled Veterans who have been mistreated or cheated can and do protest in every country that maintains military service. Their protest have always been aimed at the leadership of governments and the facilities that support the Governments infrastructure. Not the facilities connected to any Veteran support function in those countries.

    Besides what is a measly $2 million worth of riot equipment going to do against a group of organized Veterans.

    Veteran Affairs is not gearing with riot gear to protect itself from Veterans. It is gearing up to protect itself from employees. It has been the AFGE and other unions that have been calling for organized protests against the VA.

    It has been the unions that instructed VA employees to break the law. With such actions as calling on employee to lose the paperwork and slow down the process of paperwork to create a bureaucratic nightmare for Veterans. Just to prevent success of programs like Veterans Choice and VBA processing of legacy appeals.

    It has been the unions trying to organize employees and union members to protest at VAMCs across the country. Not Veterans or Veterans groups.

    With the government unions now so heavily under-fire the unions are getting more desperate everyday. Looking forward to seeing some of the scumbags getting arrested while they are protesting. With the AFGE being the most corrupt union in the United States it is only a matter of time.

    Also with the lowest of class of people the VA hires. These scumbags will never be able to get another job in their “claimed” fields anywhere else. So a lot of the scumbag, immoral, unethical, unqualified and moronic employees currently working at the VA are truly about to get a wake up call on life.

      1. James,

        Not sure on what is up with Namnibot, I know that he has been involved with moving to a new community. Also the last two paragraphs are sure to happen this next spring and summer.

      1. Elf,

        You won’t have to pay to see it happen. With the arrogance of the AFGE they will make sure it is all filmed and posted to YouTube as training Videos for afge members.

      2. Seymore,
        Have you seen this bullshit.
        Remember that State Department punk, Stuart Karaffa, who said: “Resist Everything. Every Level. F**k Sh*t Up!”
        Guess what, the asswipe “…has been moved UP to the Dept of State Office of Special Council!”
        He received a promotion!

      3. The deep-state, warring American empire wanting to install puppet governments of their own pick around the world, creating chaos in select areas, now claiming permanent bases scattered around in the mid-East, and shadow governments seems to be increasing too, and digging in. The scum Michael Bolton to Nikki Haley (Cultural Marxist two faced freak) threatening the world and those who don’t side with them…..I see little change going on.

        EB-5 visa holders and others are flooding in… media quiet. Except for Trump’s chest pounding and claims. No way to vote shit out of office, no way. No way to keep up with all the harm done to this country and us.

        Rivero with a vet trying to get into specialized schooling Ben may know about having major issues with specialty training courses and game playing. Is Voc Rehab involved or not in this too??? While colleges, ‘specialty training courses’ seems to be targeted for, or from those ‘the top,’ wanting foreigners to come fill positions (sensitive positions) instead of vets or Americans. I can’t find anything about any of it locally except colleges (for many years) demanding and wanting more foreign students to fill their seats instead of Americans regardless of high grade points or high military experience.

        Mark 1:00:26
        “https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8LpyLCoX73M”

      4. Elf and James,

        This is what it will look like in the videos. Notice the prefect camera angles and setup. It was all staged for the AFGE camera!

        ___
        ___

      5. I’ll save you a place in line right next to me. First ten tickets got my name on them . . .

    1. We vets are still on the ‘domestic terrorist list’ of those to watch and are capable of certain things. And being fed up with VA and gubbermint’s BS and do not want constant or perpetual wars to continue on for the youth. And trying to expose all the corruption in DC to local levels of doom and gloom.

      “https://www.forbes.com/sites/adamandrzejewski/2017/10/20/why-are-federal-bureaucrats-buying-guns-and-ammo-158-million-spent-by-non-military-agencies/#5bb9283e64a1”

      My links are dead but even NOAA has become armed and militarized. It was them reportedly arresting people (not the Coast Guard) on the West coast after the Fukushima incident and keeping people away from certain beaches and from items washed ashore during that storm and things that were being checked for radiation.

      There is a lot going on and too much to keep up with. What is next? Martial Law to claim it’s to rid us of foreign armies and gangs who are here now by the millions? Gangs claiming their numbers can, combined, to take over any state or town out there? To destroy those pesky Europeans who “stole their continent and enslaved many.” Anyone else seeing those bomb shelters with federal stamps on them that look like Star Trek space shuttles? Oh yeah. Carried by trains that don’t honk their horns per law going through crossings and towns? By trucks covered with heavy tarps followed by black, heavily tinted windows,
      SUVs?

      Fun times ahead while censoring, book burning, social engineering, info ceasing and more increases. Most unions wanting total rule and total open borders, etc.

  24. After taking a few good hits of Cannabidiol mixed with my Vanilla Clouds 80/20 juice at 75 watts on a .015-ohm Quad Clapton Coil for my PTSD and Chronic Pain, let me gaze into my Crystal Ball . . .

    The acquisition of this much riot gear by the Veterans Administration makes perfect sense to me.

    I foresee the VA forming a large new unit that will operate under the authority and direction of the notorious Disruptive Behavior Committee’s.

    Rather than wait for the inevitable attack on VA facilities that will occur as soon as they are successful at stripping away all our benefits, the VA will be proactive to preserve their current culture of being “the finest integrated healthcare/benefits system available”.

    Massive numbers of new hires will soon take place. After they complete their prescribed period of training, they will be issued this riot gear and assigned to a team. This team will be the Designated Internal Personnel Security Halting Integrated Threats (DIPSHIT) team.

    The mission of the DIPSHIT team will be to take the fight to the streets, so to speak.

    They will zealously monitor all Vet-Centric websites upon which any veteran who fearlessly exercises their First Amendment rights, speaking out unafraid against the VA/AFGE/Congressional conglomerate that keeps those disabled veterans who have honorably served constantly fighting to obtain their pre-promised benefits from the nation they fought for, many coming home broken forever.

    Many of those broken veterans will have to struggle for the remainder of their lives to eke out the barest of existences.

    These websites (this one for instance) will qualify as Single Source Corroborated Intelligence. Target Lists will be generated containing veterans names that the VA deems a threat to themselves.

    You can guess the rest. Orwell had it (mostly) right.

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