Veterans Affairs Head

Veterans Affairs Head Still Bad At Math

Veterans Affairs Head

Benjamin KrauseDepartment of Veterans Affairs head Robert McDonald still claims to have fired more VA employees than he actually fired in an attempt to look less castrated as head of a $160 billion agency. McDonald claims he fired 300 employees connected to the wait list scandal.

Can we or should we continue to blindly trust this failure of a leader who cannot espouse buy-in from unethical leaders throughout the ranks of Veterans Affairs?

But if he were still any CEO of any major corporation, there is no question he would already be fired for failure to corral dysfunctional managers. So, do we let him go on like the castrated ranch hand he is? Do we let him continue to fail at basic math and basic leadership skills?

@deptvetaffairs - Can you please teach Mister McDonald to use a calculator? #VAisLying Click to Tweet

Recently, a data table leaked to The Republic marked “Not for Release Outside of the House and Senate Committees” listed almost 300 employees faced with discipline linked to the wait list scandal. At the bottom of the document is the statement that on 24 names are actually linked to the scandal in question.

A spokesperson for VA failed to fully reconcile ambiguities between what Secretary McDonald actually said and the data on file.

At ground zero of the wait list scandal, The Republic reiterated that only one employee has been fired from Phoenix VAMC. That employee is Sharon Helman. Helman was not fired for actions related to the wait list but instead for taking payoffs from government contractor.

Two months ago, Senator Johnny Isakson called out the Secretary McDonald for being bad at math. Two months ago I commented about Sen. Isakson’s questions:

Recently, McDonald looked clueless in front of a Senate Committee while trying to claim he is responsible for firing over a hundred thousand, “We’ve terminated over 140,000.” Senator Johnny Isakson called him out.

McDonald then stated he terminated 1,800 dysfunctional employees linked to the wait list scandal. He shifted his number to 1,400 – then back to 1,755 – then down to 755.

Really? I know very few people who could mistake 3 people for 140,000 people.

At that point in the testimony, Senator Isakson gave Bob McDonald a pass, “I’m not good with numbers either.” McDonald may be a lot of things, but an engineer is clearly not one of them.

Nonetheless, is it wrong for me to presume that Secretary McDonald, with all the newly allocated billions, could afford a calculator?

Source: https://www.disabledveterans.org/2015/09/17/ny-post-veterans-affairs-death-toll-will-rise/

Similar Posts

35 Comments

  1. I found this and thought after all of the bad news about the VA, some good news about the upcoming generation would be nice.
    This story is about high school students who volunteer to be pallbearers for homeless veterans. It is a good story.

    ww.cnn.com/2015/10/30/us/michigan-high-school-pallbearers/
    add a “w”

    f8f

  2. How does someone who isn’t good with numbers become head of a Fortune 100 company? Then he gets this gig with the VA? There’s only one possible answer. Obama nominated this clown because he would continue business as usual at the VA. After all, this is the president who shrugged off the VA scandal with the rationale that we all volunteered for service. This is simply the “shit rolls downhill” doctrine at work. With a president who is clueless and corrupt, it is unlikely that his nominations will be the same.

    1. I haven’t seen any evidence that Obama gives a damn about the military or veterans…it’s why he put nitwits in control at the Pentagon and fired any flag rank that would dare question his shocking lack of competence in anything other than community agitating.
      If you recall, or want to search the net for the CNN articles, Obama proposed a couple months into his first term that wounded or service connected veterans pay for health care using private insurance.
      This wasn’t a slip of the tongue by some ignorant city councilman, he pushed that stupidity for several days at least. His own party had to rescue him by clearly and publicly saying it would never happen.
      Several veterans groups met with him at the White House, and he refused at that time to take it off the table.
      He did this with Shinseki, who refused to push back against it.
      I highly doubt there would be any change in the VA initiated by Obama, he doesn’t care. The media helps him by looking the other way. Any other politician would have been hammered daily in the press given the news coming out about the VA.

  3. This is the phrase I googled on Bagdad Bobby’s lies to the Press Club. There’s a bunch of sites brothers and sisters to visit.

    “from the National Press Club, Secretary Robert McDonald on Veterans Issues”

    You’ll get the articles from last Friday until today. There’s lots of writers out there letting him know he’s nothing but a liar!

  4. A calculator? No. He needs an honesty transplant since this shows he can’t tell the damn truth on anything. Unfortunately, Congress refuses to really put the screws to him as they should.
    What kind of federal agency can provide numbers to Congress, then not only arrogantly tell them those numbers cannot be released outside of their committees, but then lies to the public about them without Congress calling them out?
    If those committees have not heard what McDonald is lying about publicly, then their oversight is shockingly incompetent. Why not call him on it and demand documentation proving how many have been fired? Or demand to know how McDonald is so wrong in what he claims?

    1. If the veterans committee, keeps getting the run around I’m sure they will not take much more!

      The committee had to know these ladies were going to plead the fifth, the assistant chair that sits next to him told the ladies! Before they started!

      You can use any constitutional rights you want to use!

      I don’t know if the committee has any power to take action against bad employees!

      The OIG and justice department must step in or no one will be terminated or placed in jail!

      The president should show AMERICANS that our veterans must be taken care of or many, many future veterans will not be there as our youth is smarter than we think!

      Plus their parents will not let them join, knowing when they get out there is nothing here in the United states for them, except get hurt by the very people they want to protect!

      Its a really sad story when your own country, will do things to veterans of their own country for profit!

  5. Here’s something new about Ol Bagdad Bobby.
    Seems last friday, 6 Nov. He spoke in front of the “National Press (Club)” in Washington.
    There were lots of people on the panel and in the audience. Y’all should google it. It might be found on C-SPAN under
    “press . org” or y’all might also be able to google this,
    “Secretary Robert McDonald on Veterans Issues”
    I got it today from Facebook. In it he tells the audience lies about a bunch of shit. I got so pissed when I heard two things I had to turn it off.
    One was the “YMCA’s” and the “Elks” are “partnering with the VA”! I don’t know if y’all are aware of this, but just what, if anything, has the “Y” done in decades? And, What will the “Y” receive out of this “partnership”?
    The thing that made me turn it off was his statement of, There’s been “…62 convictions through the DOJ…” of VA employees! WHAT THE FUΩK, OVER! When did that occur?
    This is beyond insanity. Is the VA being run by the inmates, as in “STONEHEARST ASYLUM”? (Great movie, btw).
    Everytime “Bagdad Bobby” tells a “story” about “his VA”, the fictional account of how many he fired keeps rising up. Just like that ‘fabled’ Tower of Babylon! We all know how that story ended!

    1. I spent all day Sunday putting comments up on Baghdad Bob’s feel good sociopath lies.

      The man needs some heavy duty meds. Reminds me of Homeland after the explosion when the female lead went manic with colored markers needing meds.

      Baghdad Bob needs purple, no he needs green, no he needs to color code blue.

      Until he is properly pilled out by his VA’s best.

  6. McDonald hasn’t fired anyone. He’s not going to fire anyone either. McDonald is just another O’Bama appointee and that makes him Mr. PHONY BALONEY!

    1. Veterans can’t get disability, but McDonald will get their disability monies and laugh ALL the way to the bank!

      If this were not true why is he hiding and not speaking up for the veterans?

      His office does not answer veterans questions or inquiries at all!

      They should just shut it down and tell them to go home! Anyone can not answer the phone, anyone can not answer veterans concerns!

      I think Bob is listening to much to Kenny chesney, it’s five o’clock somewhere!

      1. Seems he has to spend his time talking about the past to Congress who loves this stuff so they can promote their agendas.

      2. Seems every thing is automated when you call, no one answers the phone, leave a message! No reply back?

        The computer sites give you an email, they don’t reply to your questions.

        There are generated responses, with blanket responses, no human interaction!

        What they don’t realize these robots, have no concussion and neither do the people using them!

        TO say I didn’t hear about that or I would have taken immediate action!

        They are using this tactic as a weapon so they won’t be held accountable.

  7. Introduce McDonald and the rest of those vile creatures in management to piano wire. Congress is a joke and all these committees are just smoke and mirrors to bullshit the public into thinking that they care. They don’t give a damn about veterans. These “refugees” coming here are getting benefits we can’t. This is a national disgrace that should be the main story on every news station every day until it’s fixed!!!

    1. Civilians cannot get their benefits from employers who harm then. Vets cannot get benefits from the DOD fr the wars they fought in or for. Civilians get reduced rates of their SSA as I imagine so do vets, all based on benefits we’re all supposed to get from employers or the DOD BUT DO NOT. There are folks who come from other countries since the 80’s who can get SSA benefits, even though they haven’t worked one minute here in this country. Congress is responsible for those reduced benefits that we all get and also responsible for the extra free benefits to those who never worked in this country out of our earned benefits. So now you all know where the corporate WC/VA & reduced SSA benefits we didn’t get, goes to, anywhere but to hardworking, now disabled civilians and fighting for our freedom disabled veterans. YEP, we can thank Congress SINCE it is them who create all of our problems. There are millions of us and we need to know who we vote for because they’re selling us out and with great betrayal & deceit. Congress also includes the senate..

  8. The VA promised to end the backlog? I hope this was the appeals backlog as this is in part from the VA error screw up. Us vets wait many years on claims. The VA should be held liable and accountable of lying to veterans. In 1936 before the VA existed the Adjusted Compensation Payment Act was passed by Congressman. The same should be done today as the VA remains dumbfounded in ending the backlog which should include appeals. The VA has a duty to assist veterans and they have failed. One has no idea of the VA unless they sit for years in appeals backlog.

    1. Yes ,they have failed to assist and I think, they know it and they will continue to cheat as many veterans as they can! Why because they can and management encourages it!

      These two women employees who lyed and cheated and did everything they could to fit their own agenda!

      These type of employees would sell their own mother, if they thought it would make them a buck!

      No morals! Lye cheat! And stealing from disabled veterans, denighing their benefits so the two could live happily ever after!

      Quote (go ahead have a good laugh and enjoy the show! )

      You can’t touch this! !!!!.

    2. On the backlog, I’ve noticed quite a number of veterans commenting that their percentage of disability is being reduced, often without the veteran knowing until it happens. Perhaps the backlog would not be so huge if the VA wasn’t reviewing decisions so often to reduce percentages, then the backlog growing again when those veterans appeal those arbitrary decisions.
      I get the sense the VA is scrambling across the board in making decisions that reduce costs. Reducing percentages, cutting off medications, delayed scheduling of appointments, the lack of Choice program in shambles where so many vets cannot get appointments. I read a comment last night on VA is Lying about a spouse not being able to get contractors to give her a quote on adaptive housing construction for her service connected, quadriplegic husband because of bureaucratic red tape. I started hearing in late August that the local VA could not do many procedures without prior approval from HQ first. I get the sense the VA ran out of money some time ago, and they’re doing anything they can to keep the lights on and salaries paid. If they screw vets in the process by kicking their claims or care into another fiscal year, what do they care as long as their paychecks continue.

  9. Robin,
    Here’s something I forgot to mention. Recently the Obama administration sent 50 SOF to Syria. Why? Their “mission” was never really laid out to anyone. Why?
    With all the B/S Washington has handed out to the American public, who would believe them anyway?
    Here’s my, and others, take on those BRAVE SOF individuals. Are they being sent there to be “sacrificial lambs”? You know, like those 182 vs. 5,000 “bottled up in the Alamo for 13 days of Glory” were in 1836?

    1. Elf,

      I believe you are correct. Putin was invited into a sovereign country and we are the invaders in Syria. Libya and Hillary? Look up Gen Charles Jacoby. Her personal general who was given BOTH NORTHCOM and NORAD as a thanks for that Libya thing. He also buried the Afghanistan Prison Scandal. And, civil rights violations in Alaska.

      Syria has Tartus, Russia’s warm water military port for years. We need to stay away, far away. Let Putin handle it. He has warned us of that. If those SOF guys are killed like they were in Benghazi their blood is on Obama and not Putin.

      We are headed right into WW4…if you count the Cold War that really wasn’t so Cold just hidden.

      And, I will be damned if ANY of my 13 grandchildren or six nephews enlist. One WAS interested in West Point and a brilliant young man until I talked him out of it. And, this family came here in the 1640’s and fought in every war. I am named after an uncle who died in WW2 as a pilot.

      No more. You can’t take care of veterans no problem, you will not get anymore from my family and any other kid I can talk out of enlisting to have veterans to mistreat.

  10. We need to know, not only the Numbers of employees, Fired, but also their Grades!
    (how many SES, GS 15s, ecc)
    Also we need to know, If they are actually fired or transferred to a different Government Agency. (as usual)!
    MSG VAM

  11. This is the email I sent out last night to the top VA echelon and my congressman’s staff. Baghdad Bob this past week was very busy honing his image. Or, trying. Now I want to know from this interview…who was dumb enough to save his ass in the Army and what was he doing that he needed saving? Crossing the street drunk on leave?

    Mr. McDonald,

    The following conversation is a quote from you in a conversation I will put a link under it:

    Whatever Works: Tell me about what keeps you up at night in terms of veteran employment.

    Robert McDonald: I think the biggest thing is some day I’m walking through the streets on a point and time count of homeless veterans and I raise a blue tarp and there’s somebody that I served with who may have had a big impact in my life or saved my life during military service. So what keeps me up at night is making sure every single veteran who leaves military service has a job, has employment, gets integrated in the community.

    WW: So that’s actually happened where you’ve opened a tarp and … ?
    McDonald: No, it hasn’t happened yet, and I don’t want it to happen but it’s that thought that keeps me up at night.

    Well, you know what Mr. McDonald? My husband met two men he served with in Desert Storm at a VA Town Hall Meeting in Bloomington Indiana that were living in a tent for THREE years waiting for their VA disability. You see my husband is a real SOF man. As were those other two men. While you joke about walk abouts with camera crews he was on walk abouts through war zones. While you joke about little quirks at ALIT he was DRCS attached to the Eskimo Scouts during the Cold War in Alaska. Cold in the field for weeks at a time.

    Quite frankly I am tired of hearing your bullshit bragging on how you would feel if you met a guy you knew in a tent. You would feel nothing. You are a narcissistic sociopath.

    Please find a phone and ask Rep Lee Zeldin how you can help a REAL SOF soldier YOUR VA is screwing. John R. Mitchell. You can see his 2-1 on the FB page Desk Commandos of the VA. I am sure yours pales in comparison. While you are at it call me at 631-598-9383 and ask about the two soldiers Indy VBA Director Michael Stephens blew off at the town hall meeting when they told him how they were homeless for three years in a tent city. One picked me up and hugged me and told me how my husband was injured. How MY husband saved their lives. SOCOM..you know the real SOF guys…refuse to release the medical records. Your VBA has lost responses to Fast Letter 09-52 once in 2011 and Stephens ignored FL09-52 to get John’s SOF proof again.

    Mr. McDonald, either follow Allison Hickey’s lead and resign with a modicum of self respect if you have any left or learn to follow through on your photo op promises. Lead, follow or get the Hell out of the way sir. Your job has too much riding on it for the 22 of my fellow veterans that kill themselves everyday to have to listen to your own egotistical driven drivel almost daily.

    As you stand right now you sir are a national disgrace to those of us who raised our right hand with honor. Yes, I am a veteran too. And, along with my family the caretaker of my disabled husband. You will never find him living under a tarp sir. WE will see to it even if your sorry rear end echelon butt cannot as it has not in the three months Lee Zeldin has patiently waited for an answer from you.

    Robin Mitchell

  12. Couple things here.
    Yesterday while on Facebook, I ran across a post from Ron Nesler, “VA is Lying”. He informed all he was not going to be putting up any more billboards. He’s tired and wants to relax. If he has enough money, he might put one more up. But, that will be it.

    Secondly, in today’s blog, there’s something peculiar going on. Why would anything said in/to the committee “Not [be] For Release Outside of the House And Senate Committees”? I always thought the ‘dialog’ would be for “public view”! Since this is the case, over this “leaked document”, these questions need answers, “Is the House, Senate and VA trying to hide (false) ‘facts and figures’ from public view?” There seems to be enough evidence where McDonald has committed perjury a number of times now. Why hasn’t he been charged?
    Is there a “collusion” between all three?
    For some reason I feel, more and more now, anything and everything our ‘elected’ & ‘appointed’ officials are doing is nothing more than a “dog and pony show”!
    It’s time to vote all these “posers” out of office!!!

    1. Crazy Elf,

      I agree. Rep Lee Zeldin sits on the VA committee…even the one on disability yet in three freaking months cannot get Baghdad Bob to answer a letter that lays out exactly how Indy VBA Director Michael Stephens and DRO Katrina Bone broke law, regulations, Fast Letter 09-52, Training Letter 09-01, ignored multiple CUE’s pointed out to them on transcipts at hearings, etc.

      And, no one can tell me where the SMC T money is going Even the VA committee and the budget committee can’t find out how much the VA gets every year for aid and attendance for TBI veterans. Something stinks and bad.

      1. Robin,
        There’s too many things happening where, I believe, the “Current Administration”,(POTUS), “House”, “Senate” and “VA” are bullshitting the American public almost daily.
        Everytime one turns around, some “elected official” says, “I’ve introduced a new bill to get to the bottom of ‘xxxxx’!” Then nothing more is said. Why?
        This insanity has gone on far too long. Either these “posers” who waste time, space and air, need to be forced out of office or fired….
        Since firing them is not an option, voting all of them out of office next year is the last and only resort. Trouble is, for the next year VA and these incompetent individuals can, and will probably, do more great harm to veterans….

        I’ve said it before, so here it is again.
        Something so egregious is going to have to take place within VA, and our government, where every registered voter will stand tall and say to their representatives “Enough is Enough! Resign and get the hell out of America!”
        That’s my feelings Robin!

        BTW, I’ve heard there’s a “bill” in the House concerning the adoption of a “draft”? That’s going to NOT go over too well with the American Public!!! About two or three weeks ago, I read, in reputable news sources, about “the equal rights of American women subject to a draft”! It was allegedly from the DOD! If all of this is true, we’re heading towards something on the fast track to a real bad BIG war, AGAIN!

        Here’s something also, FYI, Did y’all realize that Russia is in reality the only country legally allowed in Syria? Pres. Putin and Assad (Syrian President) have both said this.
        There’s so much B/S going on in Washington these days. One can’t really differentiate the truth from fiction.

    2. I had the same thoughts. Why isn’t Congress demanding he provide proof of any firings and put a stop to his lies?

      1. If Congress does not require *any* accountability from the VA, the VA is simply going to run with that leash as long as they can because even President Obama has “complete confidence in Sec. McD and the VA to do the right thing…”—as LONG as there’s absolutely NO accountability at the top, all else below will be corrupt.
        If this was the beginning of Obama’s 2nd Term, I think it would be important to try to Impeach his ass.

        @crazyelf- I fee the exact same way about those SOF (Peacekeepers) that were sent to Syria…things could go “Cold War Part 2” really fast. I also cannot be convinced that Cuba is actually not acting “covertly peaceful with USA” with ties still with Russia. Think about it…the way Putin has positioned his troops in Europe and reported subs and ships off Alaska coast just like in the Cold War Days…I think Obama has zero strategic skills and it also seems the DoD has entirely forgot what was learned from the long ass Cold War Years.

      2. All the “top brass” in the Pentagon (DOD) who were privy to what our enemies were/are up to – has been fired by Obamy !
        Most have been coming out with the truth. Yet few, to none, of the American public is listening. Only prior military are taking heed.
        I’ll leave it up to y’all as to what the term “stockpile” means!

  13. A “calculator”?
    That would imply ac-COUNT-ability….not happening with and under McDonald. McDonald’s perpetual ‘clueless look’ is from an acute case of bullshit-itus…it’s extremely contagious and all of the VA is infected.
    Do NOT be fooled and think you can detect it from the color of the eyes. No. The VA spent billion$ on special Bullshit-Concealing-Contact-Lenses. Cannot go by their breath either. Billion$ spent on specially contracted anti-bullshit breath mints.
    However, billion$ could not conceal over the top BAD VA MATH.

    Do not worry though, the VA has a WHOLE TEAM of Dr. Frankenstein’s working on “the problem”…VA is Lying, Veterans are Dying!!

  14. VA loves to mince words and stretch the truth like an old fashioned taffy machine. Perhaps in VA Sec. McDonald’s brain, “300 connected to Phoenix scandal…” in his mind, they are ALL on VA PAY ROLL so of course they are “connected”…EVERYBODY’s CONNECTED in VA LAND. Common Thread that connects them?
    Incompetence…and that common thread is made of Kevlar at the VA. Cannot “FIX” stupid.

  15. When the manager of the veterans local clinic (CBOC) showed up in District Court here in Eugene Oregon to fight the Restraining Order To Prevent Further Abuse that the Circuit Court put onto him, naming him as the “molester” and myself as the “abused”, he showed up with a freshly printed copy of several pages marked as being part of my medical record and being protected under the Privacy Act.

    He handed the papers to the DOJ Attorney who was defending the Restraining Order for him, but the attorney told the judge he had only been notified on the Friday previous to that Monday that he was counsel for VHA in this matter.

    He took the papers from the clinic manager, and handed me them. He asked me to read one sentence in which I used the “f” word in a voicemail that I had left at the clinic. When the Judge realized I was reading from unredacted medical records (even I didn’t know what they were from) he immediately dismissed the case.

    That put me on to something. I immediately filed a complaint (I kept the unredacted copy of the records I was handed) that the CBOC manager had simply printed out for his use without any sort of authorization my medical records for release to me in court without my authorization. Further, I complained that tricking me into reading one sentence that was actually wording from a voice mail, was an intentional use of those records to attack my character in a Civil Court matter.

    The response from VHA? “That manager no longer works in federal employment so we cannot verify the veracity of your complaint.” I have the unredacted copy of my records which show the date time stamp they were printed! Then, to top it off, at the next meeting of my “point of contact”, the reporter doing the story on me was present. My point of contact laughed when I said CBOC manager got fired. She said to myself and the reporter, “No he didn’t. He took time off to get married. He still works in VHA, he just isn’t the clinic manager because he got married and wants more time with his family.”

    So what do I think about people getting fired? I think that the VHA simply picks up Websters unabridged dictionary, watches a few episodes of Perry Mason to bone up on the law, then seeks out a definition for “fired” that can techincally fit any situation, so long as you get way down in Websters and surf the dictionary for your proof you didn’t lie.

    They lie at every single level. When that attorney told the judge that he had only the weekend to prep for this case, and when that Judge saw that manager hand his attorney freshlly printed medical records and then release them to me – he almost jumped in his seat. He IMMEDIATELY stopped the proceeding and told the DOJ attorney to “Shut up now.”

    He knew too that they had screwed the pooch legally, but his only recourse was just to dismiss the case. He said it was outside the scope of the District Court proceeding.

    So maybe, “fired” and “married” are the same thing at some level in Websters? Perhaps “paid vacation” means fired too, if you get to the Latin root word stuff way way down in Websters. They aren’t telling lies! Just ask Webster….

Comments are closed.