Top 10 VA Locations Paying Big Buck Bonuses
You will be shocked to learn how much Veterans Affairs paid its top VA executives in bonuses over the past 7 years while veterans were denied due process, killed, and generally neglected across the nation.
Top VA executives pigging out at the bonus trough were outed by USA Today recently. We took their data and created a Top 10 VA Executive Bonus Pay list of executives by location, name and position, so America can see where our tax dollars are going.
Are you curious about what your local VA executive earned in bonuses? Do you think they earned the money?
While I have no problem with people earning bonuses for doing a job well, I have a severe problem with paying VA executives top dollar as they tanked the agency through backlogs, wait lists, death panels, secret hearings, and related crimes against veterans.
Does my logic make sense to you or am I just off base with my expectation that people should get paid well only for a job well done?
Across the country, VA paid out over $22 million in bonuses over the past 7 years to just a handful of executives. The total bonus pool for all VA staff was well over $200 million just last year. In our estimation, $11.8 million of the executives bonuses were paid out to the top 10 piggy troughs (i.e. VA facilities) across the country over the past 7 years.
Washington DC tops out at a staggering $9,257,155, which makes up almost 50% of the entire share of bonuses. Over 200 VA executives receiving substantial bonuses are listed at just that location.
The top 10 bonus paying VA locations are:
- Washington, D.C. – $9,257,155
- Ann Arbor, Mich. – $390,165
- Bay Pines, Fla. – $365,451
- Muskogee, Okla. – $331,573
- Nashville, Tenn. – $315,900
- Cincinnati, Ohio – $288,249
- Denver, Colo. – $281,677
- Durham, N.C. – $224,975
- Mare Island, Calif. – $222,565
- St. Louis, Mo. – $221,915
Here is the full listing arranged by location and then bonus pay. You can also download the full list here that I pulled from USA Today and reorganized. Do a quick CNTL+F to search for your favorite VA piggy. The listing starts with the location and total exec bonuses paid followed by individuals and their individual total over the past seven years.
While I have no doubts that many of the employees on this list did a great job, I am equally confident that many of these VA executives earned these bonuses by illegally preventing veterans from receiving their benefits and health care. Do you have an experience with your local VA executive, good or bad?
[DOWNLOAD TOP 10 VA BONUS LIST HERE]
[DOWNLOAD ENTIRE VA BONUS LIST HERE VA]
TOP 10 VA BONUS LOCATIONS | TOTAL |
Washington, D.C. | $9,257,155 |
Thompson, John H – Position: Deputy General Counsel | $138,524 |
Murray, Edward J – Position: Dep Asst Secy For Finance | $132,014 |
Mcgaha, James F – Position: Dep Chief Financial Ofcr | $125,465 |
Vandenberg, Patricia C – Position: Asst Dep Us For Health | $121,471 |
Mittelstaedt, Lois M – Position: Chief Of Staff | $116,881 |
Patterson, Ann C – Position: Dep Dir Ofc Pcc&Ct | $115,692 |
Hipolit, Richard J – Position: Assistant General Counsel | $115,479 |
Tucker, Daniel A – Position: Dep Asst Secy/Budget | $114,262 |
Luigart, Craig B – Position: Chief Health Tech Officer | $109,564 |
Warren, Stephen W – Position: Principal Das Info & Tech | $108,005 |
Hall, Walter A – Position: Assistant General Counsel | $106,591 |
Rubens, Diana M – Position: Assoc Dus For Fld Ops | $105,881 |
Batres, Alfonso R – Position: Chief Ofc Readj Couns | $103,619 |
Thomas, Lisa M – Position: Chief Of Staff | $103,351 |
Garfunkel, Sanford M – Position: VISN Director | $102,100 |
Sullivan, James M – Position: Director | $101,928 |
Frye, Jan R – Position: Dep Asst Secy/Aq & Mat Mg | $99,894 |
Williams, Joseph A Jr – Position: Adus/Hlth For Oper & Mgmt | $99,765 |
Walters, Ronald E – Position: Dir Ofc Of Finance & Plan | $99,366 |
Hanretta, Kevin T – Position: A/S For Ops, Sec & Prep | $93,437 |
Muro, Steve L – Position: Under Secy/Memorial Afrs | $92,603 |
Vige, Mark S – Position: Financial Manager | $92,059 |
Tibbits, Paul A – Position: Dep Ch Info Officer | $90,375 |
Neary, Robert L – Position: As Ch Fac Mgmt Of/Svc Del | $89,257 |
Wilson, Keith M – Position: Dir Educ Service | $88,668 |
Szybala, Renee L – Position: Assoc General Counsel | $87,066 |
Phelan, Leo A – Position: Dir Veterans Rel Mgmt | $86,876 |
O’Brien, Caitlin A – Position: Director | $85,399 |
Downs, Frederick Jr – Position: Dir PSAS | $85,376 |
Reed, Rita A – Position: Financial Management | $85,000 |
Kearns, W Paul Ii – Position: Chief Financial Officer | $83,000 |
Shyshka, Jeff L – Position: Adas/Info Tech Operations | $82,209 |
Anderson, Phillipa L – Position: Assistant General Counsel | $82,007 |
Greenberg, Kenneth M – Position: Exec Secy To The Dept | $80,539 |
Mayes, Bradley G – Position: Program Management | $79,770 |
Yow, Mark W – Position: Assoc Ch Financial Ofcr | $78,880 |
Van Diepen, Louise R – Position: Miscellaneous Administration And Program | $78,225 |
Campbell, Robert R – Position: Assistant General Counsel | $77,893 |
Hunter, Joy W – Position: Chief Learning Officer | $77,100 |
Mardon, Stephanie Diane – Position: Dep Ch/Bus Ofcr/Revnu Ops | $76,755 |
Walcoff, Michael – Position: Program Management | $75,820 |
Bradshaw, Edward D Jr – Position: Assistant General Counsel | $74,946 |
Keller, Steven L – Position: Deputy General Counsel | $74,467 |
Jacobs, Janice S – Position: Dep Under Secy/Operations | $73,606 |
Quicker, Rose K – Position: Assoc Ch/Fac Mgt/Res Mgt | $73,432 |
Flanz, Meghan K – Position: Assoc General Counsel | $73,262 |
Orr, Martha Kay – Position: Executive Director | $69,715 |
Hutter, Paul Jeffrey – Position: General Counsel | $68,700 |
Torres, Rafael A – Position: Principal Das Hr & Admin | $67,887 |
Tran, Dat Phat – Position: Dep Assistant Secretary | $67,277 |
Muellerweiss, Alice – Position: | $64,478 |
Grams, William T – Position: Dep Chief Financial Ofcr | $63,940 |
Haggstrom, Glenn D – Position: Executive Director | $63,777 |
Mascetti, Romano Iii – Position: Das For It Resource Mgmt | $62,437 |
Strong, Mark R – Position: Acfo For Corefls And Dss | $62,293 |
Ogrady, Lauralee T – Position: Health System Specialist | $61,776 |
Wright, Vivieca D – Position: Dir/Network Spt (Central) | $60,611 |
Matkovsky, I Philip – Position: Adus/Hlth For Oper & Mgmt | $60,395 |
Graham, Gail L – Position: Asst Dep Us For Health | $60,358 |
Breakfield, Geraldine V – Position: Program Management | $60,000 |
Landfried, Lorraine D – Position: Dep Ch Info Officer | $58,638 |
Verenes, Constantine G – Position: Miscellaneous Administration And Program | $56,750 |
Heard, Corydon F – Position: Edc For Acquistion Innova | $56,635 |
Siegel, Lloyd H – Position: As Ch Fac Mgmt Of/St Mgmt | $56,168 |
Angell, Susan A – Position: Director | $55,560 |
Chasen, Everett A – Position: Miscellaneous Administration And Program | $55,000 |
Maginnis, Kathryn S – Position: Program Management | $53,113 |
Deanes, Tonya M – Position: | $52,983 |
Coyle, Maureen – Position: Asst Dep Chief Info Off | $51,775 |
Norris, Jimmy – Position: Chief Financial Officer | $50,850 |
Franco, Rosa C – Position: Das/Resolution Management | $50,826 |
Hensley, Willie L Jr – Position: Human Resources Management | $50,000 |
Hogan, Michael R – Position: Assistant General Counsel | $49,506 |
Spiczak, Annie H – Position: Asst Dep Us For Health | $46,451 |
Pamperin, Thomas J – Position: Program Management | $46,357 |
Fanning, Ruth A – Position: Program Management | $46,339 |
Jackson, Frederick R – Position: Dir For Securty & Law Enf | $45,751 |
Manker, James E Jr – Position: Chief Financial Officer | $44,789 |
Cooper, Iris B – Position: | $43,436 |
Coffey, Georgia B – Position: Dep Asst Secy/Div Mgt Eeo | $43,400 |
Martinez, Katherine A – Position: Information Technology Management | $42,000 |
Lowe, Stanley F – Position: | $40,943 |
Witkin, Maxanne R – Position: Dir, O/Emp Disc Comp Adj | $40,725 |
Palmer, Katherine M – Position: Assoc Das/Financial Polcy | $40,137 |
Orndoff, Donald H – Position: Director CFM | $39,970 |
Pratt, Shirley S – Position: Adas Fin Imprv Audit Read | $37,980 |
Caden, Judith A – Position: General Business and Industry | $37,000 |
Berrios, Wilbert – Position: Asst Dep Chief Info Off | $36,578 |
Oconnor, Christopher E – Position: Assoc Dep Asst Secretary | $35,284 |
Meehan, Terence S – Position: Dir/Employee Dev & Trng | $35,055 |
Bauernfeind, Joseph W – Position: Program Management | $35,000 |
Snyder, Robert D – Position: Pdas For Policy & Plng | $34,720 |
Cardarelli, Michael – Position: Miscellaneous Administration And Program | $34,325 |
Eskenazi, Laura H – Position: Princ Dep Vice Chairman | $34,214 |
Bradley, Edward L Iii – Position: Dep Dir Asset Entprs Mgmt | $33,060 |
Abbott, Leslie E – Position: Financial Management | $32,000 |
Giddens, Gregory L – Position: Staff Director | $31,140 |
Turner, Hughes – Position: Deputy Chief Of Staff | $30,825 |
Riggin, E Philip – Position: Miscellaneous Administration And Program | $29,965 |
Wooditch, Jon A – Position: Miscellaneous Administration And Program | $29,000 |
Jain, Rajiv – Position: Ass’T Dep Ush | $28,752 |
Tuchschmidt, James A – Position: Executive Director | $28,752 |
Elizalde, David A – Position: Dep Chief Logistics Ofc | $28,482 |
Shalda, Ralph – Position: COO | $28,000 |
Galloucis, Michael S – Position: Executive Director | $27,900 |
Agarwal, Madhulika – Position: Ch/Patient Care Svcs Ofcr | $27,854 |
Cross, Gerald M – Position: Dep Ch/Patnt Care Svc Ofc | $27,854 |
Tierney, Helen – Position: Chief Financial Officer | $27,850 |
Andrews, Katheleen B – Position: Deputy Director | $27,776 |
Hanson, Anita R – Position: Director | $27,697 |
Wallace, Sally L – Position: Information Technology Management | $27,000 |
Davis, Jerry L – Position: Deputy Assist Secretary | $26,992 |
Walsh, Maureen H – Position: Dep Asst Secy/Budget | $26,948 |
Peters, David J – Position: Asst Dep Chief Info Off | $26,800 |
Starnes, Albert J – Position: Executive Director | $26,660 |
Beck, Lucille B – Position: Dir, Audio & Sp Path Svc | $26,448 |
Biggs-Silvers, C M – Position: Adas For Administration | $26,448 |
Valentino, Michael A – Position: Chief Consultant | $26,448 |
Oswalt, John D – Position: Financial Management | $26,105 |
Devine, Daniel C – Position: Project Executive | $25,630 |
Pierce, John R – Position: Medical Inspector | $25,607 |
Delobe, Charles R – Position: General Counsel | $25,500 |
Muir, Thomas M – Position: Director | $25,376 |
Roberson, Charles E – Position: Assc Dep Asst Sec for Fin | $25,256 |
Gunnar, William P – Position: Physician (Regular Ft) | $24,795 |
Patillo, Jacquelyn R – Position: Dep Chief Information Officer | $24,795 |
Stewart, Maurice C – Position: Program Management | $24,565 |
Birdwell, Stephanie E – Position: Director | $24,413 |
Kearns, William P Iii – Position: Chief Financial Officer | $23,810 |
Gipe, Bruce P – Position: Director | $23,555 |
Puglisi, John Thomas – Position: Ch Ofcr/Ofc Of Resch O’St | $23,555 |
Powers, Glenn R – Position: Deputy Director | $23,490 |
O’Leary, Timothy J – Position: Ch/Research And Dev Ofcr | $23,436 |
Cox, Malcolm – Position: Ch Academic Affil Ofcr | $23,361 |
Hayes, Patricia M – Position: Chf Conlt Wmn Vet Hlth | $23,248 |
Mackay, Dorothy M – Position: Program Management | $23,000 |
Regan, Maureen T – Position: General Attorney | $23,000 |
Fink, Lawrence E Jr – Position: | $22,871 |
Batten, Sonja V – Position: Ad Chf Pcs Off Men Hth | $22,498 |
Burgess, Thomas A – Position: Assoc Dep Asst Secretary | $22,330 |
Pummill, Danny Gi – Position: Program Management | $22,091 |
Culpepper, Michael V – Position: Ch Off Wkforce Mgt & Cons | $22,013 |
Fox, Ellen E – Position: Executive Director | $22,013 |
Trinka, James A – Position: Executive Director | $22,013 |
Mccallum, Deborah K – Position: General Counsel | $22,000 |
Murray, Patricia D – Position: Director | $21,785 |
Crump, Regan L – Position: Dir/Ofc Of Strategic Plng | $21,708 |
Doyle, Norbert S – Position: Chf Procur & Log Officer | $21,525 |
Pape, Lisa M – Position: National Director | $21,373 |
Dolan, Nancy J – Position: Das For Policy | $21,325 |
Leney, Thomas J – Position: Director | $21,115 |
Hume, Charles C – Position: Director | $21,076 |
Simmons, Stephen C – Position: Program Management | $21,000 |
Daniels, Stanlie M – Position: Asst Dep Under Secretary | $20,832 |
Bosley, Ellen M – Position: Nat’L Dir Nutr & Food Svc | $20,357 |
Milsten, Dennis – Position: Director | $20,273 |
Lloyd, Susan S – Position: Director | $20,249 |
Jesse, Robert L – Position: Deputy Under Secy/Health | $20,216 |
Hogan, Thomas J – Position: Miscellaneous Administration And Program | $20,000 |
Murphy, Thomas J – Position: Dir, Comp & Pension Svc | $19,882 |
Macdonald, Edna M – Position: Program Management | $19,826 |
Lenox, Lindee L – Position: Assc Dir NCA Field Prog | $19,716 |
Birdsall, Holly H – Position: Physician (Regular Ft) | $19,530 |
Czarnecki, Tammy L – Position: Deputy Director | $19,308 |
Coy, Curtis L – Position: Dep Under Secretary(Dus) | $18,869 |
Flemming, Duane C – Position: Dir Pol Anly & Forecast | $18,662 |
Insley, Marcia L – Position: Director | $18,579 |
Francis, Joseph Jr – Position: Ch Ofcr, Of Qual/Perform | $18,183 |
Garvin, Ron H – Position: General Attorney | $18,000 |
Lawrence, Mary Gilbert – Position: Deputy Director | $17,770 |
Panther, Barbara P – Position: Human Resources Management | $17,593 |
Arola, Patricia E – Position: Asst Under Secy/Hlth/Dent | $17,357 |
Hawkins, Brian A – Position: Medical Center Director | $17,000 |
Wiggins, Leslie B – Position: | $16,530 |
Bilosz, Mark M – Position: Deputy Director | $16,469 |
Miranda, Bonnie Jean – Position: Program Management | $16,200 |
Ross, Terry A – Position: Program Manager | $16,123 |
Herbers, Jerome E – Position: Medical Officer | $16,000 |
Mchugh, Susan C – Position: Equal Employment Opportunity | $16,000 |
Jones, Luwanda F – Position: Executive Director | $15,974 |
Furlow, Clarenton W – Position: Financial Management | $15,251 |
Ehrlichman, Richard – Position: Program Management | $15,000 |
Zeiss, Antonette – Position: Dep Ch Consul Mt Hlth Shg | $14,877 |
Campbell, Charles M – Position: Deputy CIO | $14,000 |
Graham, Bonnie – Position: Chief Officer | $13,905 |
Schettler, David K – Position: | $13,513 |
Rick, Catherine J – Position: Chief Nursing Officer | $13,152 |
Finn, Belinda J – Position: Auditing | $13,000 |
Ross, David B – Position: Medical Director | $12,811 |
Turco, Kathleen M – Position: Chief Financial Officer | $12,579 |
Hans, Sherrie – Position: Sr Hlth Policy Prog Dir | $12,386 |
Kupersmith, Joel – Position: Ch/Research And Dev Ofcr | $12,130 |
Dischner, Catherine U – Position: Ast Dep Undr Sec For Hlth | $12,011 |
Amdur, Deborah – Position: Supv Social Worker (Vaco) | $11,999 |
Hamlett-Berry Kim W – Position: Dir, Hiv/Hcv Prevent Svc | $11,847 |
Tsan, Min-Fu – Position: Physician, Deputy Chief Officer | $11,718 |
Darkins, Adam – Position: Ch Consul, Ofc/Care Coord | $11,571 |
Eisen, Seth – Position: Director HSR&D | $11,571 |
Gaudet, Tracy W – Position: Medical Director | $11,571 |
Davey, Victoria J – Position: Chief Officer | $11,030 |
Moore, Dana L – Position: Health System Specialist | $11,000 |
Mclenachen, David R – Position: Director | $10,801 |
Cramer, Sheree L – Position: Chf Conlt Wmn Vet Hlth | $10,777 |
Vallowe, Joseph M – Position: Administrative Officer | $10,000 |
Peterson, Michael R – Position: Ch Cons Envi Sta Health C | $9,918 |
Kluh, Christine L – Position: Das For Corp Sr Exec Mgmt | $9,548 |
Cragg, Scott P – Position: Information Technology Management | $9,100 |
Buck, Andrea C – Position: Dir, Ctr For Patient Sfty | $9,092 |
Malebranche, Karen T – Position: Deputy Director | $9,092 |
Ozben, Esra – Position: Adas For Hrm Operations | $9,092 |
Lynch, Thomas G – Position: Ass’t Dep Ush | $8,985 |
Warner, Volney J – Position: Chief Learning Officer | $8,985 |
Mccarthy, Maureen F – Position: Deputy Chief Officer | $8,680 |
Zlowe, David – Position: | $8,680 |
Griese, Dwayne L – Position: Assoc Dep Asst Sec | $8,572 |
Frueh, Michael J – Position: Director | $8,553 |
Hurndon, Leroy O Jr – Position: Executive Director | $8,553 |
Worley, Robert W Ii – Position: Director | $8,445 |
Mitrano, Catherine C – Position: Adas Resolution Managmt | $8,319 |
Darkins, Adam W – Position: Ch Consul, Ofc/Care Coord | $8,265 |
Seastrom, Mark R – Position: Dir/Perf Analysis & Integ | $8,164 |
Reynolds, Robert T – Position: Director | $7,941 |
Markey, Vincent E – Position: Director | $7,786 |
Wagner, Kenneth W – Position: Director | $7,575 |
Pearson, Ervin – Position: Dep Chief Financial Ofcr | $7,550 |
Medve, John P – Position: Executive Director | $7,450 |
Hyduke, Barbara L – Position: Assoc Ch Pt Care Svs Ofcr | $6,751 |
Woodmansee, Denni J – Position: Dir, Physician Asst Svc | $6,396 |
Ann Arbor, Mich. | $390,165 |
Belton, Linda W – Position: Health Systems Admin | $88,451 |
Mcdivitt, Robert P – Position: Medical Center Director | $80,802 |
Finegan, Michael S – Position: VISN Director | $75,892 |
Walcoff, Kimberly A – Position: Program Management | $39,160 |
Whitson, James A – Position: Director | $31,000 |
Atkins, Lou Ann – Position: Medical Center Director | $29,402 |
Hemphill, Robin R – Position: Physician | $24,382 |
Gross, Milton D – Position: Medical Director | $21,076 |
Bay Pines, Fla. | $365,451 |
Clark, Joleen M – Position: VISN Director | $82,795 |
Weaver, Nevin M – Position: Health System Administration | $81,549 |
Hopkins, Wallace Mason – Position: Medical Center Director | $59,000 |
Klinker, Suzanne M – Position: Medical Center Director | $41,073 |
Slemmens, Gary R – Position: Regional Counsel | $32,979 |
Shorter, Christopher M – Position: Executive Director | $18,451 |
Zbogar, Michela M – Position: Physician (Regular Ft) | $18,228 |
Meyer, Karen Sue – Position: General Counsel | $17,000 |
Hopkins, Wallace M – Position: Director | $14,376 |
Muskogee, Okla. | $331,573 |
Floyd, James R – Position: Medical Center Director | $97,448 |
Mcclellan, Christopher J – Position: Director | $71,125 |
Jarvis, Samuel D – Position: Program Management | $67,000 |
Washko, Albert B – Position: Health System Administration | $65,000 |
Fillman, William D Jr – Position: Program Management | $31,000 |
Nashville, Tenn. | $315,900 |
Thompson, Keith J – Position: Director, Vba Area Office | $95,929 |
Dandridge, John Jr – Position: VISN Director | $83,884 |
Dusenbery, Michael A – Position: Program Management | $62,651 |
Corley, Brian T – Position: Program Management | $36,000 |
Alvarez, Vincent L – Position: Physician (Regular Ft) | $21,266 |
Kennedy, Tammy L – Position: Regional Counsel | $16,170 |
Cincinnati, Ohio | $288,249 |
Hetrick, Jack G – Position: VISN Director | $134,298 |
Smith, Linda D – Position: Medical Center Director | $115,840 |
Gelman, Sheila C – Position: Physician (Regular Ft) | $27,776 |
Dyrenforth, Sue R – Position: Psychology | $10,335 |
Denver, Colo. | $281,677 |
Roff, Lynette A – Position: Health Care System Dir | $109,751 |
Grippen, Glen W – Position: VISN Director | $87,619 |
Kane, William J – Position: Director | $49,334 |
Gheen, Patricia J – Position: Deputy Chf Bus Officer | $34,973 |
Durham, N.C. | $224,975 |
Hoffmann, Daniel F – Position: VISN Director | $133,704 |
Seekins, Deanne M – Position: Medical Center Director | $32,089 |
Anderson, Charles M – Position: Medical Director | $22,729 |
Shelhorse, Mark E – Position: Physician (Regular Ft) | $19,096 |
Kinsinger, Linda S – Position: Chief Consultant | $17,357 |
Mare Island, Calif. | $222,565 |
Cullen, Sheila M – Position: VISN Director | $131,634 |
Barnes, Sharon K – Position: Director Special Projects | $82,251 |
Johnson, Mary Anne G – Position: Physician (Regular Ft) | $8,680 |
St. Louis, Mo. | $221,915 |
Iverson, Marilyn A – Position: Director Canteen Services | $117,719 |
Tober, Joseph (Ray) – Position: Chief Operating Officer | $60,413 |
Unterwagner, James D – Position: Director | $29,245 |
Mccoy, Beth A – Position: Program Management | $14,538 |
Grand Total | $11,899,625 |
VA ONE BIG BIG BIG FEDERAL RICO CRIME RACKET FROM AFGE UNION HELL THE MAFIA IS MICKY MOUSE TO VA RICO CEIME RACKETS THEY STEAL MOST OF THE $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ BIG BIG BONOUSES
Clark, Joleen M – Position: VISN Director, she does not work at Bay Pines.
criminal investigation and repay the bonuses. bunch of slackers and hush money .
No wonder there is no money for veterans who have put their butt on the line in combat. All the dirt bag government officials take it all. This is a disgrace, they have no shame.
No matter how much wrong the FUBAR VA does, they still maintain that pompous and degrading posture that is negative to Veterans. The Dental Clinic at Mare Island, California used to be very good, now the dentist that were supposed to be great are nothing more than lying scum which matches the last in their class in Martinez, California. They hired as a team leader that was a lowly VSO that destroyed hundred’s of Veterans record’s! What a pay raise for such a scum bag…FTVA! When I see certain people that are employee’s that through Veterans under the bus every day and knowing some of the carnage they have caused but still stay employed at the VA even get promotions I want to throw up, actually I have…
Tip of the iceburg, Now they were given 92 billion by congress. I bet they are at their adding machine dividing it up, Yea now I will have enough money for vegas. Those amounts are just outragious. There needs to be a cap on those bonus’s Like $500 accrost the board. The bonus is set by the rank of the officer or employee, say you have been with the v.a. 20 years and at the top gs-15 step 20, and making over 100k they make out like a bandit and do not even have to use a gun to rob the citizens and veterans out of those tax paying dollars. I watched v.a. employees get bonus awards and some deserved them, others not. The amounts shown here are a slap in the face of the veterans, I am schocked. I received a superior performance while working for the v.a. and the most I received was $500 and worked my butt off. I had to take a medical retirement after 24 years, was given a date to leave and told not to come back. How could I do that, I am a veteran. Well I did go back as a veteran and the same people that I worked for and with made my life a living hell, telling lies about me and when confronted and asked where their evedence was to support their allagations. Their response there is no evidence but collabrated, collabrated by whom. I told them I wanted my civil and constitutional rights to a fair hearing to clear my good name. I was told no way and if we ever hear that you become disruptive or do not follow the v.a. staff instructions for care, you will be arrested by federal authorities and banished from v.a. care. I have writted to Senators Bennets office in colorado and his assistant made an inquiry into the matter twice and both times the v.a. let the same person who attacked me answer the senators inquiry. Her response Mr. …… Has been disruptive on many ocassions and another reason he can not return to this facility is that he refused to admit that he had been disruptive. I may have P.T.S.D., but that does not make me stupid, who in their right mind would admit to some thing they never did. Not me. This has been going on for the last 10 years and has not stopped as of today. I have written to different v.a. agencies and it seems they must have about 20 offices to help the veteran, but it seems it always the other agency that handles those matters. It like the joke you know between me and my brothers we know ever thing and when asked a question they reply Oh that’s one that my brother knows but he not here right now. The Denver Director should have never received a bonus, She told the senator Mr. ….. medical records were never coded for disruptive behavior, nor were his records red flagged and no investigation was ever completed. She was right about one thing there was never an investigation and my records were flagged and disruptive behavior is coded all over the place by different people at the v.a. and anyone who had acess to a computer could see this and therefore treat me as if I had done something wrong when I never did. The senators office closed the case in their office and returned all the documents to me. I do not want to go to the v.a. unless I really need medical help. They set me up an appt with a mental health social worker the other day, never received a letter of the appt, nor did I request to be seen, so I called the social worker and asked her why was an appt made with her, I did not request an appt. Left 2 messages, she returned my call and told me she did not know why the appt was made. I asked her to find out who requested the appt and she told me her computer was down and that she would contact me in the early A.M. next day. she never called back. what do you think could be going on.
All they do is sight regulation after regulation and never even try to correct the wrong they do or have done! I believe that the Martinez, California VA Medical Clinic should be closed and turned into a parking lot or put a new sign saying enter at your own risk.
I have had one failed doctor tell me I have no rights and he is the one that along with my work got me let go of a job I had for 13 year’s. I see in old records that were lost that I wasted my time and I feel so fortunate that those last in their class didn’t kill me.
James, I feel your pain. No one at the Ann Arbor VA deserves a bonus for doing their job. Doing it well should be expected, and going above and beyond the call of duty may warrant some compensation, but not the values shown here. Everyone should be upset by this as it is ultimately taxpayers who provide the funds for these bonuses. This money should continue to be put back into the respective CBOC or Hospital to continue to improve the care to veterans. We need more staff and more equipment, but we constantly lose staff and use antiquated equipment.
On another note, I am an 18 year veteran and an employee. I served in 8 separate combat tours from 1988 to 2005. I have a bronze star and 2 Purple Hearts. I was a corpsman and I take the care to other veterans very personally. Administration, including management and supervisors, are very corrupt at VAMC Ann Arbor. I too am getting the ‘disruptive’ tag for standing up form myself. I do my job flawlessly, my Evans have always been “fully successful” or “exceeded expectations”. I have never received a written counseling or any disciplinary action. Now, I do have ptsd, and a dislike towards middle eastern people due to the trauma I faced there for so long. My supervisor is a female who is middle eastern and very incompetent. Recently she told one of my coworkers that “I pissed her off for the last time, she was sick of me, and she was coming after me”. I contacted the AFGE immediately, ORM, and a personal letter to the Secretary of the VA. I am trying to figure a way to get congress to press OIG to covertly investigate the facilities again since I believe that employee satisfaction and quality managers are paramount to providing the best quality service to my fellow veterans. I’d love to talk to you more about your experiences email me @ [email protected] if you’d like to discuss further.
The Navy Corpsman
I think every dime of those bonuses should be repaid directly to a reputable agency who directly assists veterans and their caregivers. The VA already proved that they can’t handle it properly once, don’t give them another chance. Quite often our legal system makes abusers contribute to agencies who assist the class of victims the abuser harmed. Let’s apply that in this case, too. $22 million could help a lot of people….maybe save some houses from foreclosure, compensate a spouse who had to leave a career to handle the new normal at home, send a kid to camp to mingle with others who “get it”, pay off the debt from trying to keep lives on track while waiting years for benefits to finally get settled, pay contractors to fix all the things falling apart on the house because there is no time or energy to get to it, pay the copays that now pop up through Tricare for combat related injuries just because you are retired instead of active duty, oh…and how about compensating the families who lost their warrior due to death by wait list. Yep…there were plenty of places that money could have been used. I hope those VA employees enjoyed the vacations and other stuff they got as a result…. it directly correlates to everything veterans and their families sacrificed.
Bonus’s for what reason? All I know is we have to wait years for our just due.
Not a bonus but what is due us. If anyone deserves a bonus it’s those that
put their lives on the line for our country. Those who protected the interests of
large US corporations.
Maybe the spouses of those who lost their lives should received the bonus
the vets are no longer able to receive?