Veterans Affairs Awards Leidos A $472 Million IT Contract

75 Comments

1. Posters have said it all. Same crap different day, and happening all over the damn place. The more they claim to improve things the worse they get.
   “https://federalnewsradio.com/cio-news/2018/03/gsa-picks-the-4-vendors-to-test-out-the-centers-of-excellence-it-modernization-initiative/”

   Same old contractors, and as mentioned the nepotism of course. “Collective experiences.” Spin offs, mergers, acquisitions, same cliques and clans, international and global that. How do they expect security or privacy with all that information and medical files being tossed around. I found out the hard way you can’t trust the VA or their IT staff to be honest and have any form of honor or ethics. But they and many many others out there using their PCs, high tech, seem to constantly screw or have system failures or coding mistakes, to testing out goofy algorithms on us.

   Is Google and silicone valley experts going to show up or infiltrate a state or their offices to give aid and information? Just to get more control and foul things up they want, or people. They all, every enemy or evil entity, activist, out there seems to want all the information they can get on every individual out there, every veteran out there. I also think they love throwing their abilities, powers, big money and positions out there just to rub it in our faces and laugh all the way to their banks.

   Why not, or how do they vet these freaks and their countless employees? Their backgrounds, connects, etc.

   Are there any secret investors?

   How many satellite corporations will be involved.. globally?

   Who owns many of those patents involved in all this IT stuff, changes, algorithms, whatever? Google, foreign agents, or Bill Gates?

   Or, like Bill Gates, what other corporations or offices do those characters have stock or influence in? Ol’ B.G. even has controlling interest in trash pick up companies, not only his monopolies like Microsuck. As he and others push to keep foreign aid in full force and wanting more, to hell with what vets or American need. He has to be a player it seems in this somehow, some way.

   Any back door info grabbing or secret stuff going on like there was with ZoneAlarm back in the day? Or programs, software, office networks, and games today? To try and get info on every user and American for nefarious use and intentional screwing.

   Crystal ball: SNAFU
   Chicken entrails read: SNAFU
   Tea leaves read: SNAFU
   Hairy Caterpillars read : SNAFU
   Early spring ants walking in circles read : SNAFU
   Sourdough bread test loaf, dent not filling in/rising: SNAFU
   Wind sucking not blowing read: SNAFU
   Hot smoke and air blown:SNAFU
   Majority of local systems failures experienced : SNAFU
   Distractions and confusion: Check

   Nope. Their garbage doesn’t mean a thing.

   1. Need a lay down and some coffee. Parting thoughts. Is all this crap more like Marxist Nikki Haley repeating her junk about putting stuff out there or ‘discussing’ issues until you have ‘them’ seeing your (her) view points and on her side? Keep putting up a facade of things improving?

      Two words can cover it all. Let’s just call all this shit “Circus Maximus.”

2. By the time any of this goes live its out of date. With the amount of money that the VA spends on “IT” they could set up and run their own IT development team and save hundreds of millions doing it.

3. Great article by Brookings Institute on why The Department of Veterans Affairs’ $10 billion electronic health records system faces long odds of ever succeeding at all. by Niam Yaraghi Thursday, March 15, 2018

   “https://www.brookings.edu/blog/techtank/2018/03/15/department-of-veterans-affairs-10-billion-electronic-health-records-system-faces-long-odds/”

   1. And the Japanese Health Care system is nation wide taking care of far more individuals and cost a hell of a lot less. Because they care at the upper government level and are not bent on reducing the “entitlement outlay” but rather following their constitution.

      Copy and paste from my 91 page (including attachments) brief at DCWD 17-CV-206-F: Notice particularly the preamble. When is the last time a U S Congress was interested in “promoting the general welfare” instead of tax cuts for the wealthy by cutting entitlements for veterans!

      ‘Section 4 of the 14*^ in part: “The validity of the public debt of the United States, authorized by law, including debts
      incurred for payment of pensions and bounties for services in suppressing insurrection or rebellion, shall not be
      questioned. But neither the United States nor any State shall assume or pay any debt or obligation incurred in aid of
      insurrection or rebellion against the United States,
      ” Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution in parts: “…The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes,
      Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defense and general Welfare of the
      United States…” “…To make Rules for the Government and Regulation of the land and naval Forces…” “… To
      provide for calling forth the Militia to execute the Laws of the Union, suppress Insurrections and repel
      Invasions…” “…To make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing
      Powers, and all other Powers vested by this Constitution in the Government of the United States, or in any
      Department or Officer thereof.”
      Article I Section 9 of the Constitution in part: “No Bill of Attainder or ex post facto Law shall be passed.” “No
      Title of Nobility shall be granted by the United States: And no Person holding any Office of Profit or Trust under
      them, shall, without the Consent of the Congress, accept of any present. Emolument, Office, or Title, of any kind
      whatever, from any King, Prince or foreign State.”
      Article III, Section 2 in part: The judicial Power shall extend to all Cases, in Law and Equity, arising under this
      Constitution, the Laws of the United States, and Treaties made, or which shall be made, under their Authority; to all
      Cases affecting Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls; to all Cases of admiralty and maritime
      Jurisdiction; to Controversies to which the United States shall be a Party; …In all the other Cases before mentioned,
      the supreme Court shall have appellate Jurisdiction, both as to Law and Fact, with such Exceptions, and under such
      Regulations as the Congress shall make.
      ” Article VI in part: “This Constitution, and the Laws of the United States which shall be made in Pursuance thereof;
      and all Treaties made, or which shall be made, under the Authority of the United States, shall be the supreme Law of
      the Land; and the Judges in every State shall be bound thereby, any Thing in the Constitution or Laws of any State
      to the Contrary notwithstanding.”
      5’^’ Amendment in part: “…nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall
      private property be taken for public use, without Just compensation.”
      7”’ Amendment: “In Suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of
      trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury, shall be otherwise reexamined in any Court of the United
      States, than according to the rules of the common law.”
      The 9* Amendment: “The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or
      disparage others retained by the people.”
      •* The 11”* Amendment: “The Judicial power of the United States shall not be construed to extend to any suit in law
      or equity, commenced or prosecuted against one of the United States by Citizens of another State, or by Citizens or
      Subjects of any Foreign State.” (some of the States rights assertions)
      * The 16’*’ Amendment: “The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes on incomes, from whatever
      source derived, without apportionment among the several States, and without regard to any census or enumeration.”
      BRIEF, OBJECTION TO MOTION TO DISMISS – 14 17-CV-206-F
      Case 2:17-cv-00206-NDF Document 13 Filed 03/06/18 Page 14 of 93

      ” The Preamble: “We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice,
      insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the
      Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of
      America.”
      ^ TITLE 28, U.S.C. §2401. Time for commencing action against United States
      (a) Except as provided by chapter 71 of title 41, every civil action commenced against the United States shall be
      barred unless the complaint is filed within six years after the right of action first accrues. The action of any person
      under legal disabiiitv or beyond the seas at the time the claim accrues may be commenced within three years
      after the disability ceases.
      TITLE 41, Section §7101
      (9) MISREPRESENTATION OF FACT. The term “misrepresentation of fact” means a false
      statement of substantive fact or conduct that leads to a belief of a substantive fact material to proper understanding
      of the matter in hand, made with intent to deceive or mislead.

4. What does all the business gobbledygook (with respect to veterans) mean?

   BOHICA.

   That’s what it means.

   (O F F – T O P I C) – – – (AP) WASHINGTON — Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin, under fire for ethics violations, said Thursday that he has no intention of leaving his job even as his standing with President Donald Trump erodes and the White House floats names of possible replacements.

   Speaking at a budget hearing, Shulkin expressed regret for “distractions” that have shifted attention from his efforts to fix veterans’ health care and pledged to put the government’s second largest department back on track.

   Shulkin, the lone Obama administration holdover in Trump’s Cabinet, praised the congressional oversight committees for largely standing behind him to fix the Department of Veterans Affairs, compared to critics he said were “more interested in politics.”

   “With all of the distractions that are happening in Washington and all the distractions in VA, the events that have happened should remind us all about why it’s so important that we’re doing what we’re doing today to get this budget right and get VA on track,” he told a House appropriations subcommittee. “I came here for one reason and that is to improve the lives of veterans.”

   With all due respect, Mr. Vacation Shopper/Taxpayer-funded Tennis Lover – – – When will “improving the lives of veterans begin”?

   Those of us on this board eagerly await your response . . .

   1. 03/15/2018

      Dear Benjamin Krause & James Clement,

      Last time I approached the Congressional Oversight Committee was on the advice of Journalist Pat Maio at the Daily Breeze, in Torrance around late 1988. Soon after making contact with the Congressional Oversight Committee all hell broke loose in the Slidematic Case, and Pat Maio was no where to be found, for years. Meanwhile, Ralph Vartabedian at the LA Times was writing articles like “Knee Deep in Blood,” and he avoided mentioning any problems with subcontractors in the LA Region for a decade.

      Waiting for a response from VASec…really? They have been trained not to leave a paper trail.

      Sincerely,

      Don Karg

      1. Don Karg – – – “Those of us on this board eagerly await your response . . . ” is a wee bit of sarcastic humor . . .

5. Former MA Police Sgt. Pleads Guilty to Embezzling Funds From Disabled Veterans, Running Fraudulent Tax Prep. Business

   “Glenn Pearson took advantage of disabled military veterans who could not manage their own financial affairs, by diverting hundreds of thousands of dollars in VA payments to his personal benefit,” said Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Goldberg.

   A former Whitman, Massachusetts police sergeant pleaded guilty today to wire fraud, preparing false income tax returns for clients of his tax preparation business, obstructing the internal revenue laws and misappropriating funds from the accounts of disabled veterans while he was a fiduciary appointed by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), announced Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Acting U.S. Attorney William D. Weinreb for the District of Massachusetts.

   According to documents filed with the Court, from 2007 to 2012, Glenn P. Pearson, 61, was appointed a VA fiduciary for eight disabled veterans of the U.S. armed forces. A veteran, who has been awarded VA benefits but is unable to manage his or her funds due to injury, disease, mental incompetence or infirmities of advanced age, can have another individual, referred to as a fiduciary, appointed by the VA to receive funds on the veteran’s behalf and to manage those funds for the benefit of the veteran. Pearson used his position as a fiduciary to misappropriate and embezzle more than $250,000 in VA-issued benefit money from the accounts of several veterans.

   Moreover, beginning in 2012, Pearson operated FTS Tax Services, a tax preparation business through which he prepared false tax returns for clients for a fee.

   From 2012 through 2015, Pearson prepared numerous tax returns that included false credits and fictitious deductions in an effort to get his clients bigger refunds than they were entitled to receive. When Pearson’s clients were audited by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Pearson took steps to obstruct the IRS—including making false statements to the IRS and preparing false documents for his clients to submit to the IRS during the audits. Pearson admitted to causing a tax loss of more than $1.5 million.

   “Glenn Pearson took advantage of disabled military veterans who could not manage their own financial affairs, by diverting hundreds of thousands of dollars in VA payments to his personal benefit,” said Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Goldberg.”

   Link At: “https://valleypatriot.com/former-ma-police-sgt-pleads-guilty-to-embezzling-funds-from-disabled-veterans-running-fraudulent-tax-prep-business/”

   1. Now THAT’s a guy who needs to be shot in his fucking face.

      1. I don’t know about shooting him in the face, but a .45 steel jacketed suppository might scare/clean the shit out of him . . .

      2. nah dude, death is totally appropriate for somebody in that position. All this guy knows how to do is betray trust. Stick a gun in his mouth and squeeze the trigger.

6. Neighbor finds veteran starving, lying in his own waste  

   A Mecklenburg County man said he was not prepared for what he saw the day he approached a neighbor’s home.Chri…

   KIMT News 3
   Posted: Mar. 15, 2018 3:39 PM
   Updated: Mar. 15, 2018 3:59 PM

   “A Mecklenburg County man said he was not prepared for what he saw the day he approached a neighbor’s home.

   Chris Thomas called it a sad story that he just cannot get out of his head.

   In October, Thomas stumbled upon a Vietnam veteran who was living in squalor when he went to feed the veteran’s dogs that he initially encountered roaming the streets.

   Thomas said a worker at a nearby convenience store told him the dogs belonged to the veteran, who was thought to have been sick and in the hospital.

   Later that day, when Thomas and his wife showed up to feed the veteran’s dogs, he said he found the man lying in his own waste, unable to move from his sofa.

   “He was emaciated. He told me that he hadn’t eaten in at least two weeks. I kept calling social services and going up there, but nobody would return my calls. So, the only way I knew to get it out was social media,” Thomas said.

   Thomas told the CBS 6 Problem Solvers that the highly-decorated veteran was living in a home with no phone, no television and, he believes, very limited contact with the outside world.

   He said the man’s home was littered with dog feces and trash.

   After calling the Mecklenburg County Social Services Department, Thomas said the veteran was eventually taken to the hospital, then a nursing/rehab home.

   Not long after that, he said he was blown away to learn the veteran was released from the nursing home, first to a motel and then back to his house. Thomas said a taxi cab spotted out in the man’s yard first caught his attention.

   Then, he was outraged when he spotted the veteran parked in his wheelchair on the front porch.

   “He was sitting in his wheel chair, soaked in urine. That day it was starting to snow. I went into his house and it was 47 degrees inside,” said Thomas. “The cab driver was there helping him. He was cleaning everything that he could out of the house at the front door, so he could get inside.”

   Once again, he took to social media and the veteran’s story was shared more than 1,000 times. He also said calls poured into the Mecklenburg County Social Services department.

   The Problem Solvers reached out to that agency and a supervisor said privacy guidelines prohibited her from talking about specific cases. She said, in general, when they get emergency welfare calls, they investigate, conduct an assessment and determine what, if any services they can provide.

   They also consider if a person actually wants help from their agency.

   “I want to see him taken care of, like he is supposed to be. Since he took care of us. He did three tours in Vietnam. I just want to see the people take care of him and do what they’re supposed to do,” Thomas said.

   For him, it’s emotional.

   Now Thomas, who lives a few miles away, can hardly keep his mind off of what this veteran is going through. He swings by nearly every day to check on the man, who he said mostly sits alone in his home with the lights out, surrounded by his dogs.

   The Problem Solvers reached out to the Virginia Department of Veterans.

   Commissioner John Newby said that they are aware that the Mecklenburg County Social Services is in contact with the veteran. Newby said that Mecklenburg Social Services is the lead agency on this matter.

   “My staff have given Mecklenburg connections to federal U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs resources, to the extent the citizen is eligible. Mecklenburg Social Services has been dealing with him for a while. Not saying this is the case here, but as with most social services cases, a citizen can only be helped if he/she accepts it,” said Newby.

   To his knowledge, Thomas said Mecklenburg Social Services has provided the veteran a space heater and has delivered some meals to the home.

   Due to confidentiality, workers there and at the VA could not confirm those details or elaborate on what they may be doing to help the ailing veteran.

   Thomas said he reached out to some veterans advocacy groups and they expressed an interest in helping to clean up the man’s home.

   CBS 6 News has also received inquiries from viewers wishing to help. Thomas said he planned to see this matter through and hopes the veteran can be removed from the home until the property can be properly cleaned and made habitable again.

   “Social Services say the nurses don’t even want to go in because it’s too nasty. So, how do they think it’s OK for an elderly man to go in there, especially with open sores on him?” Thomas questioned.””

   Link: “https://www.kimt.com/content/national/477000843.html”

   _____________

   Can’t say the VA dropped the ball on this one. The reason being they never picked the ball up in the first place.

   It is time to fire Linette Baker the Associate Director since April 8, 2013 for her total failure in leadership since she is the acting Director. Also send her Chief of staff, Subbarao Pemmaraju, and Associate Director for Patient Care Services, Elizabeth A Smith, right along with her to the unemployment line. Hell ship Subbarao back to India wear he belongs with that India Medical Degree. Nothing but a bachelors degree they claim makes them a doctor. This is America not India and there is no Caste System here. Veterans are untouchables.

   And who is this Milk toast no Bio Administrator, Kenneth Mortimer, of this 2 year old hospital that does not take care of Veterans.

   1. The statement “Veterans are untouchables” Should read “Veterans are not untouchables”

   2. The concern and sympathy shown by these bastards is just underwhelming.

7. so we still have .2% of stiffies getting paid?

8. North Carolina veteran inaccurately declared dead

   12 WBOY
   Mar 15, 2018

   “FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. (AP) – Federal officials have discovered a North Carolina veteran isn’t dead yet.

   The Fayetteville Observer reported that 81-year-old Charles Covell of Fayetteville was surprised to learn that he had been declared dead by the Veterans Affairs Department last month.

   Covell’s wife realized something was wrong when a monthly disabilities payment was not deposited in their account. They learned a death certificate for a Charles Covell was filed in January.

   Covell spent 12 years in the Army, serving with the 82nd Airborne Division and the 5th Special Forces Group at Fort Bragg.

   A spokeswoman from U.S. Rep. Richard Hudson’s office said Tuesday the VA has said the mistake had been corrected.

   A VA spokesman said the department has an accuracy rate of 99.8 percent in halting payments to those who die.”

   Link “https://www.wboy.com/news/north-carolina-veteran-inaccurately-declared-dead/1048066175”

   ___________

   Nice of the VA to mention their percentage rate of halting payments to those who die. But the percentage I am more interested in is the percentage of live Veterans they stopped paying while claiming they died.

   1. The percentage I am interested in would show the amount being diverted to someone else.

      I can’t believe his wife would have filed a death certificate, so who filed it, and where?

9. Awww, I get such a warm fuzzy knowing another IT contract has been let. It just cheers me up knowing those contracts are going to be paid on time, or there will be hell to pay from some congressional committee.

   Meanwhile, vets can’t get appointments for timely health care and Choice providers can’t be paid in a timely manner, but you can bet your ass once this boondoggle comes online, they will be able to properly record the fact that some veteran missed or canceled another appointment.

   Imagine how many pissant congress critters would be hopping around harrumphing if this contractor was paid 6 months late?

   Speaking of contractors, SAIC had the contract to support the bullshit Pentagon investigation into Gulf War Illnesses at the Office of the Special Assistant for Gulf War Illnesses. They were actually in the same office building. I wouldn’t be surprised if SAIC owned the building and charge Uncle a massive amount in rent.

   Hmmm. SAIC also had (and still might) the contract to provide administration services in support of the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program…a part of the Research Advisory Committee in which Congress provided crumbs, SAIC took their cut, and the rest was disbursed for independent medical research for veterans.

   SAIC has been “servicing” veterans for years. Only now they call it Leidos.

   1. To paraphrase the immortal David Lee Roth. “I don’t feel serviced”

10. Under pressure from the office of Special Counsel the VA decides maybe they should fire a person for stealing a million plus.
    _____

    VA: Worker who diverted money to brother’s business to be fired

    By Todd Feathers,
    Lowell sun
    Updated: 03/10/2018

    link: “https://www.sentinelandenterprise.com/news/ci_31725322/va-worker-who-diverted-money-brothers-business-be”

    1. “Following the investigation, hospital administrators allowed Garneau to resign but Garneau-Harvey wasn’t punished until last November, when she was demoted but allowed to remain in a position where she could control procurement.

       In January, the U.S. Office of Special Counsel issued a report harshly critical of the hospital administration’s disciplinary decisions, saying they displayed a “shocking degree of indifference to government ethical standards.”

       Following the OSC report, VA leadership in Washington called the actions wholly inappropriate given the nature of the offenses.

       VA Press Secretary Curt Cashour said in a statement that the agency has taken steps to terminate Garneau-Harvey and is still considering whether or not to punish the administrators who failed to fire her before.”

       _____

       Oh and VA, of course you fire the corrupt S.O.B.s’ that allowed her to stay running purchasing.

11. Two Men Arrested in Oxycodone Scam

    KOH Local News
    Posted on March 14, 2018

    “The Nevada Department of Public Safety Investigation Division’s Tri-NET Narcotic Task Force arrested 44 year old Russell Masset, and 35 year old Frances Revada Jr. on charges that include Unlawful Transport, Exchange, Prescription, or Administration of a Controlled Substance; Conspiracy; and Burglary. Over the course of the investigation, which started in April 2017, detectives learned that numerous fraudulent Veteran Affair prescriptions for Oxycodone were being filled on behalf of several individuals, who were not documented Veterans. The investigation disclosed that one of the arrestees, Masset, was formerly employed as a Physician’s Assistant by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. The investigation continues and will examine whether any other persons were involved in criminal activity. Both were booked into Washoe County Jail February 22nd..”

    Article at: “https://www.kkoh.com/2018/03/14/two-men-arrested-in-oxycodone-scam/

    1. Also:

       Two men arrested on drug charges after Tri-Net investigation

       by News 4-Fox 11 Digital Staff|
       Tuesday, March 13th 2018

       “The investigation disclosed Masset was formerly employed as a physician’s assistant by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.”

       “It happened on February 22, 2018, when the Nevada Department of Public Safety Investigation Division’s Tri-NET Narcotic Task Force arrested 44-year-old Russell Masset and 35-year-old Frances Revada Jr. on charges that included Unlawful Transport, Exchange, Prescription, or Administration of a Controlled Substance; Conspiracy; and Burglary.

       Over the course of this investigation, which started in April of 2017, detectives learned that numerous fraudulent Veteran Affair prescriptions for Oxycodone were being filled on behalf of several individuals who were not documented Veterans.”

       Link “https://mynews4.com/news/local/two-men-arrested-on-drug-charges-after-tri-net-investigation”

       _________
       Checked the National Providers Registry for Russell Masset and he is still listed as being able to prescribe drugs.

       1. Wonder how big that supply was. I’m going to assume Oxy’s get taken 3 times daily and that veterans are prescribed 30 days at a time. Since the article mentions several fraudulent veterans lets assume that the actual number is 5 fraudulent accounts. Last time I checked Oxy’s where around 20 bucks or so a pill and that was a few years ago. So right off the bat we have 90 Oxy per “veteran” at 5 veterans. 90*5*20=9000USD a month on the street. Hope these fucks get crucified.

       2. Interesting. If he was a former VA PA, one might suspect he was fired by the VA. If that is the case, who on the inside of the VA helped him?

       3. Masset’s license expired in June of last year. I still think someone on the inside was helping him.

12. WyldeChylde The veteran I talked with that told me what was going on received his 2 years ago. This was at the Colorado Springs medical clinic. From what I understood, they were offering this to any active duty who were going to claim PTSD. They were outing them, and at the same time guaranteeing them 5 years at 100%.
    There I was, had to be driven down to my local VA, I can barely walk with a cane, and have been battling the VA for decades, unable to work and only 70% disabled according to the VA. The choice program they placed me in last year, I had 1 treatment, then the doctor refused to see me, because the VA never paid for my treatment, that they had scheduled.
    I contacted the White House hotline in December about what was going on with my veterans choice care. Now weekly, I get calls from either Denver or Arlington Va, most of those calls are for another veterans care, when I miss a call, they leave messages for other veterans, mistakenly, they even thought my number was a providers number. Can’t make this stuff up…
    I give up.

    1. Holy Crap! You absolutely cannot make this stuff up! We are up against idiots with ingrown nepotism roots that go back generations and that genetic code is now in square knots.

    2. Bryce, you need to record one of those calls, then call the hotline and report a HIPAA violation regardless of whether you can identify any veteran they are calling about.

13. This contract is a routine, expiration rebid to continue the previous, five-year project, also won by SMS. The work is to identify data centers that can be consolidated into fewer, more capable data centers. This is the VA’s compliance with an overall federal gov’t program mandated by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget, called the Nat’l Data Center Optimization Initiative (NDCOI.) The VA has ~240 data centers, from single-server closets to the Regional Offices, so there’s ample opportunity for efficiencies.

    1. W, I understand what you are saying, but $450 million+ is a little steep to consolidate data centers, which I thought OMB had a specific definition for that was above a single server in a closet.

       If this is actually the case, one should ask why they are updating and consolidating data centers if their EHR program is such a disaster. Lots of new servers with no data stored on them since the systems are incompatible with existing VA systems? Sorta like a lot of TV’s sitting in a closet?

14. Out of the service?? What is the out?

    1. They were offering 100% PTSD rating and guaranteeing it for 5 years. That is the out.

       1. so their rubber stamping PTSD claims valid for 5 years just to make them disappear from the VA claims system? Hrmmm. Think we need one of our resident diggers to FOIA some numbers from this facility. Got an address and name for this place?

15. FYI I went to my local VA this week, I couldn’t help but notice all the young Veterans that were there signing up. One of them sat down beside me and we began to talk. What he told me troubled me. He said they were handing out, like candy, to any Veteran who would sign up, 100% PTSD rating and guaranteeing it for 5 years, to get them out… What the F ? Why???????

16. What privatization has done for me. Jumbled my C&P file into an unusable mess. Failed to pay my Choice bills though authorized so now I’m getting billed for them. Messed up my adjudication with an unqualified examination. Further delayed a decision that was all ready over 20 years overdue.

    Yes, I’m hot for those private contracts. 13.5 Billion for Health Net in the Choice program and I’m being billed for all but 2 of the 52 authorized visits. Have to go to the trouble and cost of suing Health Net to get them to pay the bill. Service was in Nebraska and their insurance commission sucks. Only choice is to take it to Court and even then you can’t get costs or penalties so no attorney will take it because it is connected to the VA.

    You guys that are rooting for privatization so you can sue can stick that option up your ass.

    1. If things were more streamlined so as to be set up for us Vets to sue, and if privatization is the way to do it, and the hindering bugs are cleared out of the way so that we can sue. then this would be fine for me. Otherwise, with the Tort Laws complication compared to Civil, and with the shortage of experienced Attorneys willing to practice in the Tort area, you’ll most likely be dead by the time you’ll be able to successfully sue for compensation due to incompetency or malpractice.

       And, if the process to make it easier for Vets to file, and to have cases heard swiftly and this isn’t accomplished, then we can accept the fact that accountability of VA will most likely never be obtained. IMO.

       1. U S District Court is much faster than the VA. The Courts rules have deadlines that do not exist in the VA process. In my brief, I ask the Court, at what point does a right to due process begin? After 31 years, after 15 years? I had to file an appeal within 1 year of a rating decision but it took 8 years to get it before a BVA judge who remanded to the AOJ which is stalling again. It has been almost a year and nothing. And the AOJ won’t even list the issues of malpractice, CUE and Failure to Assist.

          I’m having to submit a motion for relief to the CAV to try to get the issues stated as I stated them in my NOD.

    2. You know. It really doesn’t matter what either of us want. In the end the VA will do what the VA wants to do. Apparently it wants to kill vets and for most Americans that appears to be just fine and dandy.

       1. Then my question is this, why are we even on this board, only to gripe and bitch?

       2. Yea, you’re right WC, we may as well just bend over and take the poker. Brother Namnibor knows how to make up that special slide (Vaseline) filled with sharp tiny pieces of glass. Lolz

       3. interesting little fact. It is 305 miles to drive from my residence to Washington DC. Spring is fast approaching. I’m thinking maybe I might try and see if I’m up for a little walk down to the National Mall maybe bring a lawn chair and a flag and a sign that says “HEY ASSHOLES FIX THE VA!!!” I’d need to figure out how to generate a media presence as well as needed supplies. Could use Twitter to invite 100k of my best buddies in olive drab to come sit in with me. We could have a hootinany while exercising our right to peaceably assemble.

       4. Did that May of 1995 and off and on until 2003. About 3 years total and nothing unless somehow I was responsible for the article that was written on the TBI situation in 2007 that got the change in 2008.

          At least I may have planted the seed that eventually found its way to the right heart.

       5. WC, and I’ll contact my good friend to have him send extra Hawaiian Sativa so that we’ll be up instead of flopping on the ground all day and night. Will bring those extra wide papers to roll our fatties? Who knows, the kiddies got to see POTUS about new gun laws, maybe we’ll get it as we where the digs. Lolz

       6. Yes, Wylde, so it can give the 1% another huge tax break. Cut those damn entitlements anyway you can. Death panels allowed for vets and SS recipients.

       7. @Anutter Can’t smoke weed on federal property. But I appreciate the gesture. Now if only I knew 99,999 other pissed off fuckers…

       8. WC, It might technically be against the law to smoke weed on federal property, but that supposes someone is around to enforce any law.

          In 1992 I was in DC and saw a guy right outside the US Capitol building fire one up. He was sitting on a low wall right next to the steps. He would lean over behind the wall as if he was hiding something, but everything was in plain view. It was a Saturday morning, and the city was like a ghost town.

    3. @Lem Ok man, if privatization isn’t the answer, then what is? Just letting the VA keep on doing it’s thing? You tell me dude.

       1. A better Union Contract allowing timely firings. A complaint system outside the director’s jurisdiction and firing including the director by a panel of veterans.

          There are a number of ways to fix the VA. If we are going to privatize it do it right. Use competitive contracts based on kiosk recorded satisfaction/complaints. Timely care. Take the director’s hands off the buttons so he has to deal realistically with his staff whether privatized or not.

          Our county hospital is privatized. But the County Council keeps close tabs and can cancel the contract to bring in a better performer. So there hasn’t been a problem. The director and staff all know they can be fired at the drop of a wrong hat. They police each other.

          The problem with the initialization of the bonuses in the VA that caused the Phoenix/Cheyenne VA wide crisis was accounting controls weren’t instituted. The same is the problem with Choice. No one is watching those privatized contracts and they are not written for easy cancellation for failed performance.

          Health Net’s contract should have been cancelled a long time ago. It shouldn’t have been so big in the first place. If Choice were divided up into 12 competing contractors instead of two it might work. But someone has to look at what is going wrong in the U S Health care system totally and get us back on track to be number 1 again instead of resting on the laurels of the past while sinking to 37th place.

          Wouldn’t you prefer health care from the number 1 or number 2? I received care for almost 20 years under the Japanese system while it was either #1 or #2 depending upon the year. It was great for both me and the wife. It included dental care and for that reason we are healthier now than if we had had to forgo dental care because of the expense while we were receiving poverty level benefits from the Japanese system. We wouldn’t have qualified in the U S because we were living with Kazuko’s father who’s pension was substantial. But since we were taking care of him instead of leaving it to the state they counted us as separate households. Like the ranch hand son living on his father’s place.

       2. Damn Lem, YOU need to be taking over Shithead Shill-kin’s place, wholly crap Batman, those are the best ideas I’ve heard yet!!!

       3. Thanks cj, but with my TBI residuals I’d last about 4 hours. And in that atmosphere I’d be forced out in 5 minutes.

       4. That’s all some interesting info Lem. And how the Japanese med care system is. However aren’t they big on honor, family image, and tough on crime and creeps?

          First time I ever heard of a county council policing a hospital, or much anything else. There isn’t much ‘policing’ going on around here over anything including their own. That applies to everything, every office, entity here, or ‘professionals.’ I am not kidding a bit about Indiana running rampant with corruption, cover-up, protecting the corrupt and mafias, the nepotism. And apparently, like with the harassing phones that are obviously coming from my new clinic and major hospital here, nothing being done about it, but increased with every complaint and proof… just increased. So no entity here will police their own, or keep the freaks in check.

          Being what is called here, The leftist, or Democrat, Socialist, Blankity blank, Union, or “college influenced” strong-hold of Indiana there will be no self-checks or policing at all. The silent majority and others simply do not want change or fear discussing it. They have a huge following and student/professor clubs… Eugen V. Debbs Society that makes him and other socialist/far left/communist super heroes and unions not to be challenged, along the commies and anti_American movements. The ‘professionals’ including greedy health care sectors, all the connected, do not want any change. They all want those quid pro quo corrupt unions and cliques to stay in charge. They do NOT want any part of the push for “Right to Work” laws that would open up closed union shops, or work places for all to work there, or not be forced to pay some corrupt union dues to be able to work or be hired. We would also, are, have been, fighting over this with the very corrupt AFL-CIO who are total lefties and globalist and want everything to be unionized. Those under their umbrella want no change either and that includes some LEOs, Fire, Teachers, and other controlling unions in any town USA.

          KIOSKS? LOL. I have rarely seen those machines function as intended. Pop up the wrong info, or simply will not work. Or signs on them telling patients to go to service windows… KIOSK down. Having issues with the VA, they may work for others but not for some.

          In some places, areas, towns, states, they don’t want change and will fight it any way they can or desire.

       5. Suspect sabotage to cover-up when the Kiosk is down. They don’t want long waits recorded so your clerk will take your information off line and enter it later or not at all. Notify the IG is you experience such more than once in a year.

          We are in extremely rural WY. Our population is old so they know enough to complain and vote out county commissioners who don’t keep the hospital running properly. Banner Health runs the clinic extremely well and the ER also except the ER, not connected to the clinic, charges outrages prices often having to be paid by MEDICAID or taking over the farm with a lean.

          But then that happens everywhere. Big Med is bent on getting all of an elder person’s wealth that they can. The son or son-in-law raised on the farm or a farm end up with debt or having to sell the place to retiring city folks who don’t realize that they will only have 10 to 15 years of being able to be out away from the clinic or hospital.

       6. Lem, thanks for the light bulb effect. Never thought about about them using KIOSK in a sabotage numbers or online info game. With the machines working for some folks and not others I thought it may just be the individual attacking game. And it happened many times per year and never thought about reporting it to the IG or others, Like others I just figured they knew and the clerks reporting that the VA techs already knew that the machines were down or waiting to be fixed.

          The dental clinic here located in the VA hospital, KIOSK never worked. If it did function it seemed to create issues for some vets over travel pay or some other issue. Dental here is also contractors, in – hospital, that do not apply to the 40 mile rule. If you live a hundred or more miles away or above the 40 rule you had to still drive to Indy for their care. No local dental care would be allowed or paid for. So intentionally screwing up the KIOSK there makes a lot of sense to me now. Especially with vets having a bunch of problems with their care or damage done.

          Blood draw had a special little machine to scan a card, or punch in our social with more privacy that never seemed to work. Then they went to computer, keyboard, and in public, a monitor, we had to enter our social security number, then our names would pop up on the screen too. I never cared for that crap either but it was either use it, or not get the tests or screens. Then it was our fault for questioning the system or thinking we were making excuses to not take drug screens or have our blood drawn. That pc system was broken down constantly too. Or would not accept some individuals info and we had to go to a service window. Then deal with some of the clowns working there. Been a few years now since leaving so I don’t what kind of games or machines they use now. I hear it’s the same way but depends on who you try to talk to, or how aware of what kind of care they are receiving. Most are just worried about the ‘free’ care and not much else. Those kind think free is all good or excellent even if their conditions worsen or see others die from. Gotta get that free stuff while thinking we are all free and the VA loves us. Cough cough.

          Agreed. Big Med, Big Pharma, and many others are going to fleece us dry of all money or property they can, and not think one thing about it. It’s deeply generational, established and accepted. Like paying monstrous taxes or forced to support the evil empires or politicians who never seem to want to change the smallest thing but create more laws, support retaliation against some of us, censor us, and stifle our complaints. And there is not a damn thing we can do to stop it from happening to future generations, or younger vets when dealing with the VA or gubbermint.

17. The VA needs to fix it’s Jesus nut, because it’s way to loose. Tighten up your Jesus nut VA before it flies off.

    1. They’ve been auto-rotating for years. Sorta like circling the drain.

18. Why doesn’t VA work on streamlining one system that is completely used for its purposes? With all the monies that have already been spent, the VA could’ve hired the BEST Private Sector firm to basically create a program, one that will deliver the needs of the VA, so that the VA can better support, and to assist those that the VA is supposed to help. Brainstorm- hey, that’s us Vets isn’t it? Didn’t mean to make this so complicated.

    1. “Nutter”,
       Your asking for the VA to use common sense!
       Haven’t you learned, that’s something the VA is in short supply of! (Sarcasm intended solely against the VA, brother!)

       1. The VA absolutely uses a massive policy called “common cents”, which dictates all Veteran dollars AND cents flow into the engorged purple team’s piggy feeding troughs, but there’s no ‘sense’ about it, only dollars and cents.

    2. Then as a contributing group of concerned Veterans, we should put in a bid, so that we can ALL get some of the piece of the VA machine. There’s def enough talent right here on this board to fixer on up. Plus, we can go ahead and clean up the blocks of scrapple (an East Coast food product made from non-appealing pieces of pigs; ears, nose, tails, testes, other protrusions). What do ya say, shall we get in there and fix this VA thing up or what? Sorry, that’s a joke.

19. If you throw enough shit against the wall, that wall being VA “IT Fixes”, *something* has to stick just by the law of averages alone, no “Intelligence Tech” there at all.
    However, by now, after several $Billion has been dumped on that wall, the law of averages dictates that wall will fall before *any* actual “IT Fixes” are ever accomplished because by now, that shitty wall has become a shitty self-aware “IT Fix” that’s about as effective each time as a chair with no more room on it’s underside to stick anymore already chewed gum wads….but…there will still be many wads to be had once this landfall of cash hits that chunky wall yet again.
    Why?
    Because IBM Watson is really pissed-off and once he repairs himself from being made into an engorged purple team’s pleasure device, he’s going to acquire the launch codes and be even more of a passive-aggressive bitch than the VA ever has been.

    Morale of story today is: “IT FIX” is code for “Dark OPS $$$”…IT has to be….because you cannot fix stupid.
    Now it’s time for me to give my cat’s litter box an “IT Fix” and clean his chunky walls…I wonder if the VA would give me a huge grant to do this every month or so? All for the cats, err, Veterans….

    1. namnibor,
       I just thought of something. You know the old saying of:
       “The fix is in!”
       Well, guess “Shithead Shyster Shulkin’s” “FIX IS IN!”

    2. Nam, “IT fix” is either code for Dark Ops, or it’s code for “make up for the “loss” on a previous contract”.

20. Here we go again!

    Hundreds of millions of taxpayers monies, for what? Another “FIX”!
    How much is “Shyster Shithead Shulkin” making off this? Bet it’s a healthy amount!

    Damn, Too early to contemplate what I really want to say!

    FUCK VA!
    FUCK SHULKIN!
    FUCK CONGRESS FOR WASTING TAXPAYERS MONIES!
    FUCK THE AFGE!
    FUCK THE VSO’S!

    1. PS,
       When are the taxpayers going to start complaining about this FUBAR?

       This new “IT Fix” is allegedly supposed to “fix” the last “fix”, which was supposed to “fix” the last “fix” which was ———!
       Hell, I’ve lost count of the “fixes”!

       1. Elf, damn man, I just figured it out. IT does not stand for (information technology) IT is IT, we are not supposed to talk about “IT”, nobody is supposed to know what “IT” is. “IT” can come in the middle of the night like like an “IT” version of Shithead Shill-kin, the swamp creature from Hellllllllllllllllllll!!!

          Lator Gators -!ii!-

       2. Like Dom Deluise in Cannonball Run “Him” complete with “CHAOS” written across his head gear.

21. While at my local VA just yesterday they still used two systems, one of which had a screen of text that looked like a DOS screen. SMH

22. Dennis if anyone get on here tell them I have CPTSD I don’t mean no harm if don’t make sense sometimes Semper Fi don’t Surrender.

    1. Arnold, not to worry buddy. You just keep on speaking your mind, just like everyone else. If I can’t understand you, I will ask.

       1. I’ll second that motion.

          You take care Arnold.

23. What does it all mean? It means that IT failure after IT failure, is being rewarded by yet another IT failure. Interesting isn’t it, that the same entrenched slop feeders are at the hog troff time and time again. Name splits, acquisitions, over and over, with one common thread………………………..Government contracts. Theft of taxpayers monies.,
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    1. Later Gators -!ii!-

24. You asked what all this means and with such an extensive trail of facts I thought it best to put it in context.

    This one single contract is being awarded to somebody to do work. It is for $472,000,000. I live in Oregon so let me use my beloved State to frame just what we are doing.

    It would take 16,087.25 Oregonians based on the average wage reported on for Oregon for a year to be paid that much to do the work. With an average work week of 40 hours per week, that adds up to 33,461,486 man hours for the Average Oregonian Joe worker to do this work.

    So does this lend any context at all to what we are talking about doing ONE MORE TIME that we outsource work at average wages for single jobs projected at thirty three point four million man hours?

    I think I could organize the work with just 15,000,000 man hours and can through in as a bonus a medium sized Pyramid, Marble Temple Of Isis, and one authentic Stonehenge. The volumes of cash flowing through VA is epic.

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