Why Reform Eludes Many VA Medical Centers
The nation’s VA medical centers lack proper oversight says a new audit report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO).
With 1,200 medical facilities, regional offices called Veteran Integrated Service Networks (VISNs) are not properly monitoring staff levels. Setting business and finance strategies, the 1,000 employees working in the facilities lack clearly defined roles to oversee medical centers.
“It is important for an organization to have both individual and organizational-level performance measures to help monitor performance,” GAO said.
Lack Proper Performance Measures
But VA does not use appropriate performance measures.
Instead, VA has no policy to deal with poorly performing regions. So who is watching the watchers? No one, apparently.
Obscure Data
Further, dubious VISN directors could easily obscure data revealing the VISN “has failed to meet its objectives.” Compounding matters these same directors are evaluated on metrics that have nothing to do with oversight of its medical facilities.
So how do you hold them accountable if their bonuses and performance metrics are not tied to the performance of the subordinate medical center?
Lack Oversight
Many VISNs fail to fill key oversight roles ensuring the circular process continues into infinity.
“By establishing a process for assessing the overall performance of VISNs in managing and overseeing medical centers, VHA would be better able to determine if a VISN’s performance is positive, if it is functioning poorly, or if it requires remediation,” GAO said.
Perhaps this explains why and how the system continues to maintain its broken ways.
One of my friends, Lauren Price at Veteran Warriors, wrote up the anatomy of whistleblower retaliation. When you think of the context of limited direct VISN accountability, the following makes a lot of sense, in italics below.
Life cycle of a VA scandal
- Event(s) occur. Leadership notified.
- Leadership makes deliberate efforts to conceal event(s).
- Whistleblower(s) go public about event(s).
- Leadership removes whistleblower(s) from position(s).
- Leadership begins retaliatory actions against whistleblower(s)
- Event(s) facts are leaked to the media.
- Congress “demands action”.
- Leadership thanks Congress for oversight.
- Congress orders an investigation.
- Leadership concurs with investigation recommendations.
- Whistleblower(s) are/is fired.
- Wash, Rinse, Repeat.
- Pick a scandal, any scandal over the history of the agency.
Lauren is not wrong.
Without direct VISN accountability, the ability of leaders to retaliate will go on forever. And, veterans will be at risk.
Wait List Scandals Continue
Wait list scandals are now commonplace at various VA facilities where agency leaders pressure clinicians to doctor wait lists to make the facility’s performance appear better than it is.
Today, Congress is holding hearings to address three new sets of whistleblower retaliation not unlike other stories exposed since 2014.
Veterans who need care are unable to access that care because of scheming agency leaders gaming the system. While the names sometimes change, as Lauren’s example explains, the strategies are the same.
Legionnaires Cover-up
Last week, I wrote about the Linda Loma VA cover-up of deadly Legionella outbreak where facility leaders tried to cover-up an outbreak.
That decision put veterans and employees at risk of illness and death. Even though Congress is now demanding answers, will anything happen?
Without VISN accountability, there can be no ground level changes.
Currently from *”military.com”*
See if you can read why she’s really leaving?
There was a utube video out showing a former Army staff sgt calling the “VA’s Suicide Prevention Hotline” and being put on hold!
*”https://www.military.com/daily-news/2019/06/27/vas-suicide-prevention-director-leaving-post.html”*
I’ll go into my history and find it.
P.S.
Here’s the video, by Douglas Ducote, calling the VA’s Suicide Prevention Hotline and being put on hold;
*”https://youtu.be/Ml60Mq9-gnw”*
Thanks for the reply Doc
From: *”Military.com”* today,
*”https://www.military.com/daily-news/2019/06/26/va-inspector-general-department-must-be-more-transparent-hiring-vacancies.html”*
Seems the va doesn’t really want people to know who is hired for what job at the VA!
The government dosn’t care about the constitution. If you speak under the freedom of speech you will become a target. Life threatened career destroyed. Whistle blower said its not even worth saying anything because nothing ever done and you become the target,
06/25/2019
Dear Benjamin Krause,
It has been a good week on responses, good work.
I am assuming my last statement was too long for entry, it is o.k..
Steven stated, “So long as the Administration refuses to act against VA Executive Management—I think we can agree they are not leaders in any sense of the work—that Executive Management has no incentive to act on Congressional mandates. Only the President can direct the VA—Cabinet Secretaries exercise power in their Departments under the President’s authority. So only the President can fix it.”
It [the statement] is normally true, under normal governments, but since the “Central Bankers” are involved even Chancellor Merkel cannot make a move without first asking the CBs what to do [Syrian Refugees—see Charlie Rose Interviews during the crisis/a contributing factor why he was removed from TV]. 7 days ago the chancellor appeared very ill, unsteady, and shook erratically as she stood next to visiting Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky.
This VA Scandal reminds me of the battle the students of China had with their Government in Tiananmen Square May of 1989.
Steven is right, go after the guy who says he is in command.
Keep your eye on the prize!
Sincerely,
Don Karg
@Don,
“Who” do “they go after”? Especially when another agency comes to their defense, as has happened in 2017 and 18 and 19!
Then “Who” can fire the “unappointed” directors and top echelon managers? The President can’t. He tried and was told “Not so fast!” Oh, btw, he’s the first president to fire some of the top ranking echelon at VA!
Explain HOW these individuals can be fired!
P.S.
One has to remember. The Secretary of VA is the only “appointed” individual by POTUS and “confirmed by the Senate”! All others are “hired” by the Secretary.
Therefore, IF the Secretary is a no account asshole – he will be fired.
POTUS can tell the Secretary to fire anyone. Then what happens?
Oh, I remember McDonald couldn’t remember how many he fired. Then Shulkin was caught firing people who were still on their probationary period!
Of course, it didn’t help matters to find out Shulkin was a thief! Remember his and his wife’s “European Vacation”!
The do not get fired, they have “accidents.”
@Don Karg – – – Agreed. I miss The Charlie Rose Show as his interviews provided information of substance. Yes, Steven is right.
@All – – – Combat Veteran Sarcasm Mode On – – – I do think Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez really has something with her “VA for All” idea. Maybe THAT is the solution to wake the American Public up as to the real plight veterans face. It is an idea whose time has come.
Guaranteed if most Americans were receiving the same non-healthcare level and administrative (Delay, Deny, Please Die) bullshit for 18 months that we veterans have been dealing with since the 1970’s – – – there would be mass riots in the streets. Then maybe something useful would actually be done. Millions would be marching on Washington
Yep! The more I think about it, the more I like it. Perhaps that’s the lesson America needs to learn. When people ‘thank me for my service’ – – – it requires every ounce of self-control that I possess not to assault them.
Combat Veteran Sarcasm Mode Off.
@Jim,
Many on here, including myself, have commented on why civilians should be forced to use the VA for their healthcare!
I believe it would be a great “eye-opener for the majority of Americans.
Remember, only a small portion of the 330 million Americans served or are serving in our military!
Let a few of them see the “Delay, Deny until they DIE” mentality of what we experience!
To divide and ruin this country is about the only time there are marches in DC or locally.
AOC blows smoke while her devoted followers and regimes have set up separate health care centers for the segregated classes. Urgent care for college students on campus, others for some unions, others for city/county unions/workers and for local politicians… “to save tax dollars.” Then the offices for illegals, non English speaking ones, etc.
Public here are frogs the pot and don’t care about anything but their own stuff and none of it good for the country. They don’t care about others like me. They don’t even care about their family or others having to sit for hours, 6, 8, or more just to get through one pain to get their meds weekly, play the game, with certain MDs and clinics laughing all the way to the bank. Inform such MDs or their staff you cannot simply sit, pace, or stand that long to get in.. they don’t care. Won’t do any good to tell them you have to go home due to it making you sick or causing more issues, to call, and you’ll come back up. Oh no go, you have to play the game in the over crowded cramped zoo. The public is getting accustomed to many things.
The American public is accustomed to many things. Got the locals even signing goofy ass contracts too about not suing over malpractice or abuse. But allowing the clinics and MDs to sue them (like me) for whatever they desire. Dirty tests false or not, not following MD orders, not seeing the strings of their associates.. on and on.
If they are going to tolerate the many things I’ve posted about. Not care about their neighbors or countrymen, not march on DC or raise hell locally about the censoring, things being corrupt as hell, no news about people getting killed, patient abuse, to covering up for VA crap? No due process in courts, legal harassment and threats. This country and a proud to be “progressive” community with a “progressive Chambers of Commerce,” openly stated “progressive campuses” and no others wanted or allowed, and all must bow down to them all? USA is crashing down akin to the USSR under the Bolsheviks, proud to be called Marxist. Foreigners claiming to have control of our government and institutions. Others like from S. Africa declaring wiping out Western Civilization, ethnically cleansing of all white there and here and Europe, and much more of course. It’s finished. No rule of law, no real country with boundaries, no real media. And we are the enemy put on their lists, and it’s open season on us without a closing date.
Jim you made me smile! Ha!
It takes everyone on all levels to handle this problem.
The Chinese Students and some Leaders saw the light, but action from the government was fraudulent when it came for the crunch in real time.
Here we have the time and the people, and we can apply the pressure.
Elections are on and it is time to change the typical speech from abortion to Veterans Care and the abuses that got them in this Charlie Foxtrot position.
Take it to communities, take to the streets, take it to Washington, take it to the Media in a new form—show them the Current Fuck ups and the end result.
Make the candidates talk about it. In 2006 no one made speeches except me on the unusual events happening to the Veterans—at that time not one Vet opened his mouth. After 2000 died in one Hospital [Carl Hayden] don’t you think its time?
Around the Slidematic case Heart Attacks, Car accidents, and hard core poverty was the norm, and let us not forget Judge McKee and Judge O’Neill who looked into the case.
Don Karg
Open season on us without a closing date…agree. Because we respect LIFE.
No one is doing the watching… or caring. Or proper investigations. VA, nursing homes, civilian care, their contractors over the CBOCs etc. Leave one CBOC due to incompetence, inability to talk to their admin (Humana Health Ops), or of the ever revolving doors of PCPs and care, to them taking it personally if one leaves the female filled clinics and admin… watch the hate, scorn and retaliation begin. Just ask the wrong question that may hurt their ears, cross their activist agendas or politics, ask about some severe wrongs being done like file omissions/manipulating, messaging deleting, etc. “Oh but they care so much for veterans of impeccable characters, high trained. wonderful team-mates, great friends.” blah blah bs. But fire the ones that don’t fit in with their cliques and queen bee’s leads or running, right. Or one lose a PCP/PA license (must have been bad, secretly dealt with), well liked and connected in the local community. Don’t dare ask about those with a popular cute facade, union connections plus. Comes back with another title, can’t discuss your medical care, but there to push head meds, play telehealth, or to force them on vets. And hand-out loud outburst and comments sometimes that has to be over-looked (Obviously with ME issues – blamed on ‘burn-out’). Then heads out to be head admin of an out of state clinic somewhere, unknown.
“Reform?” How? Never happen. Think politicians, SES/DC above the law types, unions, activist, thugs, mafia types, country clubber elite, connected media trash, or countless cliques are going to allow their friends, BFFs and beloved team-mates, family, depths of generational nepotism, suffer consequences over real over-sight or legal actions? Easier and safer for all of them to omit info and files, lie, to ruin, murder, gas-light, play ID politics, whatever, to network and attack the WBs or targeted vets, family included at times. To kill us off or made to suffer by any means at their networking disposal (plenty of examples for this or left unattended in some activist VA protecting civy hospital.)
Hard to deal with mafia or syndicate styled health care corruption or the entitled ones. Same families in every level and kind of health care, VA or not. Heads of or elite secretaries for them, in all media outlets, works for big Pharma, bout every state office and agency, same lineage of county or city lawyers to all workers and clerk staff, all LEO types, local on up. One party ruled with no term limits with state agencies on board against any negativity. Filled in all academics-med schools their societies, special interest groups, the secret orders of evil, got it? Even got the backing of every religious group out there and their hospital or claimed caring professionals.. gag. Through out the entire machine. Step on one little toe, you’ve stepped on them all if it hurt the evil or corrupt one enough, or might of put a little concern of their positions or job in slight jeopardy even though they know they can get by with murder or allowing one to just lay and die or be abused till. We all know and heard about certain “scorn,” and other forms of excuses or warnings. All that and more is how the politics and ways, works, and how it is in Indiana. DC and others are the same damn works. Think the WBs are going to come out stand against all those machines? They’d need to get put into something like witness protection, moved outta state with entire family and given work to exist and live else where. Yes, it’s actually that bad.
Guess those like Lem not wanting to read books by those like Congressman Black was it that openly wrote about how corrupt and evil DC and Congress. Or from others brave enough to try to expose the evil and games in DC, with the VA, the real rulers of DC, and why oppression and evil is allowed to prosper and oppress us. Games they play like musical chairs to dog and pony shows like this yet another worthless ‘committee meeting.’ And of us being attacked, catching every form of flak out there invited to the show? As witnesses to VA and civilian thuggery? Hell no.
@”T”,
That’s how it is all across these United States. One big happy corrupt family who knows they can’t be fired!
Until federal marshals arrest someone, it will continue!
congress wants to send 4 billion in humanitarian aid to the border. Were the human kindness for American citizens. Disabled being deliberately denied by social security because they are bankrupt. Veteran loosing there home waiting on the va or the homeless. This goverment needs to get its head out of its ass!!!.
best article” Feds gone wild doj stunning inability to prosecute its own bad actors”
Lawyers caught shoplifting 3 times they refuse to prosecute
The Congress also provided you with many more billions in aid and assistance as a Veteran. And it provides billions and billions of tax relief to the wealthy and corporations.
The issue isn’t that we are trying to deal with an actual crisis at the border—its that Party D and Party R are trying to politicise it for their own benefit. If we are going to detain people crossing illegally into the country, we are obligated to provide for them.
And it isn’t just about “wanting to be an American” OR “taking our jobs”; it’s a lot more complex than that.
I know those headline lists make nice reading, but they are lousy policy.
We’re the only country that throws you in a court system go into Mexico see what happens
Amen Steven! Well-said.
There are problems at the border – – – but those problems CAN be solved quite easily if people are paying attention, THINKING, and wanting to implement practical solutions.
Unfortunately, BOTH political parties love DRAMA, and BOTH are doing naught but adding fuel to the fire.
Robert Wilkie wrote to the Committee today , complaining about the VA not being invited to appear at the hearing on “Learning from Whistleblowers”
The hearing was to learn from whistleblowers , not to learn how the VA quashes them , retaliates or abuses them. How would the VA be able to appear as a whistle blower? For what? Not enough money for this year’s bonuses? The only “chip away” here is the the VA is getting knocked on its ass deservedly so.
I did interventional radiology Nursing at Miami VAMC. I was not only attacked by the medical staff for talking with Veterans and told to shut up, they tried to hang a mal-practice suit on me for something a Doc did in the suite. I was able to detail my involvement in a report of contact but the staff decided I should get the ass end of every schedule and work assignment after that. I left and I did file a complaint which was quashed.
Later in life I got a masters degree in healthcare and I learned a few important lessons . The big one starts with a question: Exactly where is the Customer Service Window at the VA? The rest of the lessons flow out of that predicate. When all of us can identify, locate and access the customer service window we will; have a new beginning. Until then we are just wasting our breath and this is why so many Veterans are homeless and committing suicide. There really is no help, just the illusion of help placed in front of the gold mine that feeds a bunch of greedy fuckers who simply do not care about anything except the Procedure that gets their slimy hands on the gold. Make no mistake the doctors own the pharmacy companies, the insurance companies, the hospitals and the durable medical equipment makers, the supply chain is owned by doctors and nobody buys pills, catheters or asswipes in volumes like the VA. The Doctors control the Data at CMS ( Dr Carolyn Clancy, MD moved from CMS to the VA). She sits on data that will expose the medical community- the Doctors do not want this, plain and simple. The data, if mined will show many of the crimes committed against Veterans, eg, anicholinergic drugs cause dementia ( study out today ) . This is a huge class of drugs including OTC stuff like Benadryl. These dudes have been poisoning the public and Veterans for decades and getting away with it. does the VA have a poison control window you ask? Best advice: get your body clean of all this shit and stay away from the Doctors at the VA and then some. Try CBD oil , it’s good for you.
RJ, you are correct. I noted what you are speaking about years ago. Many of those drugs are not even fit to be put into an incinerator. All about a dollar bill. You just would not believe what I had to clean up when a Veteran died.
@Angela….that’s the very essence of the Free Market and Capitalism. Which you are constantly sighting as the sole solution to the VA’s woes.
You do understand that two of your favourite horses are the entire reason for the situation RJ points out, right?
The “profit motive” you’re forever going on about is what is responsible for Drug Companies and Insurance companies gaming the system—they are seeking to maximise profits and maintain their market share; getting in bed with the people charged with prescribing their products is just good business.
And your belief in deregulation took care of the second part—the Government acting on behalf of the common weal.
The conclusion one may infer from your post here is that it’s not so good to have the people prescribing drugs also making money producing them—we could call that a conflict of interest, right?
The problem for you, Angela, is that deregulation “in order to allow unfettered competition” also leads to this kind of shit.
Regulation and Free Markets need to be in constant tension for a Republic to remain functional; we do not need regulatory commissions on the proper use of a lawn mower or the choking hazard of small toys in the hands of infants. But we do need to keep **real** collusion from happening, even though it is “just good business”.
Balance.
Do not know what you are saying Steven. When I speak about pharmaceutical companies, no, I am not praising them at all. And I believe I had expressed to you once before in another article, I do not agree with probably 3/4 of the Medications that the pharmaceutical industry makes profits from. I mean not resorting to pills period. You have missed the boat with me once again. When I speak about a free market system, I mean it is the private sector that can manufacture, produce, build, innovate, grow, the government cannot do any of this. If it were not fit the private sector with profits and revenues, the government would collapse from not having taxpayer funds to survive from. It is the government that feeds off the private sector. I am sure you know this. If it were not for the private sector with the free market system bringing in those profits and revenues to deliver the taxpayer dollars, the VA would collapse. Because big government as in Socialism cannot survive without Capitalism. Here is why I stand for free market system. Big Government cannot survive by itself. Because government does not produce or innovate or manufacture anything to generate profits.
Agree Steve, it is conflict of interest. Making money off of taxpayer funded meds. People who prescribed them should not be getting kick backs from the pharmaceutical industry.
Want to watch the veterans committee meeting?
*”https://youtu.be/G_5xcbqivrY”*
I’ve experienced retaliation from the VA professionally when working for the Va as well as personally when receiving healthcare. However I’ve also had really good experiences and know that there are good people in the VA trying to do their best for the veteran. It’s just the bad apples that ruin everything for everyone. I’m happy to hear people speaking their truths – I see progress – even if it’s just pontificating – that’s how change begins – keep on keeping on – never let up – until wrongs are righted
Peace out
TLC, you are correct. There are decent employees who work for the VA. Many get sunk by the system itself and other bad seeds.
here run down on today whistle blower hearing
VA whistle blower hearing today. VA targeting whistle blower veteran compensation
dr Katherine Mitchel va whistle blower “VA called her a whistle blower success story nothing could be further from the truth I’m here to set the record straight, VA administrative continue to retaliate the only things I have seen that administrators are better skilled at weaponizing investigation boards and manufacturing charges”
There no relief on va retaliation and the administrators know it. 15 month wait on whistle blower complaint retaliation
Va falsifying government documents and making imaginary clinic with wait list to reduce log still continues
Dr aghevli constant harassment and frivolous investigations. reported patient death threatened reprimand. Feel she being made example of by va fired day before congressional hearing.
People are afraid to speak up because of what will happen to them at va
the only people being held accountable are the people reporting the problems
Va not giving whistle blowers there rights
Va whistle blowers heroes saving heroes
Va retaliation leads to ptsd,depression and suicide
one veteran said va has made me ashamed to call myself a veteran
VA Indiana retaliated on whistle blower for reporting millions in bribes, no heated office in winter , several investigations and put him in aspetis.
Government goes after you if you talk to the news media
oig worthless on finding
Va showing favoritism in contracts
Va misspends and steals money no accountability
reporting will kill your carrer and threaten your life
Va mangers sent 11.7 million dollars inappropriately noone held accountable
6 million unspent for suicide prevention as thousands die no accountability
whistle blowers destroyed while va officials protected by tax payer money
The va investigator may be also the same as the complaint against
guilty managers never held accountable
VA targeting veterans disability compensation for whistle blowing
whistle blower show up to board pro se but government has 5 attorneys no balance government has all time in the world
whistle blowers destroyed cost 100 of thousands to be representative
the wrong doers are making the ultimate decision for the whistle blowers
VA disability compensation targeting for whistle blowing.
Do you know what I say? Good riddance.
Truth. Retaliation is rampant and I asked when I am finally dead do you win?
Want you should make better English, comrade. Points making are good to say, but lacking of good words say you are not American.
The problem of tense and the use of articles of speech. Tsk-Tsk.
We’re quite good enough at arguing amongst ourselves, thanks.
@Steven,
Talk about poor use of the English Language. Your all over the board on this one!
@Steven
Check your own english writing skills. Anything can happen at VA as well as on this board.
Didn’t want to call you any names thats fitting for your attitude and insensitivities.
ATLANTA VA EMPLOYEES BUILDING WALL AROUND COMMUNITY CARE NETWORK
TELLING VETS ENROLLMENT IS AUTOMATIC (NO NEED TO APPLY);
PRIMARY DOCS TELLING VETS THEY DO NOT CONTROL ENROLLMENT (SEE VET ADVOCATES);
WHY ATLANTA VA BUILD WALLS FOR COMMUNITY CARE NETWORK
WHILE GOVERNMENT AGENCIES RAIN FREE GOV BENEFITS/HEALTHCARE ON ILLEGAL ALIENS?
VETERANS BEING TREATED LESS THAN CITIZENS BY VA
Dear Pretend Person,
Please ask your robot not to shout.
Also, try and get current before you launch your robot, and make a bit of effort to at least sound like a person who uses English.
@Steven,
Your really an asshole!
Maybe this veteran has trouble with his vision. Maybe he had a combat injury which impaired his vision.
You don’t know anything about this individual. So STOP with your personal attacks! It’s getting old.
BTW, your actions ARE just like how progressive leftists act!
VISN’s create 95% of the problem and have zero accountability. I’m a board certified ABR diplomate diagnostic radiologist, decorated (24 years active) Veteran and during the 2 years I was an Imaging (Radiology) service chief in Danville, IL, I added several clinical services including imaging guided deep joint injections that had never been done there. I raised serious QA issues on one (career) provider and midway through my 2nd year, the VISN was directing very weak leadership in Danville to persecute and eventually suspend me for questioning another career V.A. doctor. This provider, in the 18 months following my departure, would be named in several veteran death cases and finally audited finding a near 20% error rate, eventually fired. Fully two years after I was telling the VISN and local leadership what was happening. The VISN and prior leadership completely covered for this guy and attacked me instead. I have no doubt the Danville OIG (ongoing now) will conclude the VISN had nothing to do with it, that the then leadership could have been more proactive and, finally, let’s just hope it does not happen again. ZERO accountability.
Agree with you doc of the force that VA adds to the list of Veterans’ health issues many times. I have had nurses even admit it to me out in the community. Sad-Shame, VA cannot ever own up so they can improve the quality of care.
You would not believe what they have done to me ruining my life on purpose for the same thing. What is different is I’m a patient and cut off my balls so can’t defend myself any longer.
doc of the force …What are the Qualifications for a diagnostic radiologist
Because whoever is looking at my scans never see’s anything Then I go to a neurologist and he says there’s your problem right there
Old Marine; qualifications are variable depending on the site. Big tertiary urban medical centers will typically have fairly well trained subspecialist diagnostic radiologists in neuroradiology. A neuroradiologist who reads your studies should not miss much of anything on spine MRIs, Brain studies etc. In smaller more rural areas that have limited access specialists you more typically have general diagnostic radiologists who may miss quite a bit of small details or subltle neuropathology. Neurologists often times in these smaller areas may have better insight into reading your studies, especially if they look at CTs and MRIs routinely, as some neurologists do.
I should add too that the V.A. pays very low rates; I would have been happy staying with the V.A. if…IF…their management (e.g. weak local leadership, corrupt VISN leadership) was not so jacked up. My current gig pays twice what I was making with the V.A. with 19 weeks off (compared to 8 with the V.A. including Fed holidays). IOW, with much lower pay and crazy working conditions (e.g. in VISN 12),the V.A. will not recruit the greatest radiologists.
Worse than can imagine. Until you take that Union contract and have waste of money paper shredding company come out and dispose of, nothing will change. Because these places are so badly managed, recruiting quality people is not happening. When you can’t fire someone and everyone knows? They stop caring. Then add short staffing, turns management job into trying to keep people. On top of it you have people negotiating Union contracts with zero experience and afraid of a walk out which is in their contract and don’t care, they give in. Wait lists? Short doctors? Where do doctors have a 40hr work week? The VA of course. People have no idea how bad it is, there’s no help. Who ever you call is in the loop, your congressman, veteran organizations, patient advocate and everyone else all work together and are buddies. They talk or email daily and some for years and is nothing anyone can do. When start firing people and throw their contract away nothing will improve and watch out for the Choice Program. They are puppets working with a payment structure that will create the same problems and begging the VA for more. Unless lucky enough to get assigned to someone who cares might as well not go. Why would a director of a hospital with roots where they work and family are take getting transferred so many times? Smoke screens, where are all the doctors they hired with licensing problems and so many claims the can’t go elsewhere? Made a big deal and did nothing. I don’t care what anyone says, it’s a shit pile where they don’t care and do as please.
When this article was written, the House had a bill reintroduced to help fire underperforming government employees:
*”https://www.fedsmith.com/2019/06/20/bill-resurfaces-expedite-process-firing-federal-employees/”*
With the most corrupt union in America, the AFGE, protecting these engrates, does anyone see the flaw in this ‘bill’? There’s already loads of laws allowing people to be fired. Why add to the confusion?
AFGE Union needs to be stripped of it’s protection authority of government employees for everything that comes up under the sun. Maybe they need to be investigated too.
You do realise that the union does not protect the Directors and Executives? Right? Those people report up a chain of command that leads to the President. Every one of them can be fired, or more properly, “asked to resign”.
It’s not the Union’s fault those asshats are too lazy, too well-paid, and too protected by their fellow Executives, to get off their asses and enforce the contract.
The VA’s contract does not provide for the protection of malfeasance or substandard performance. There are metric that define performance. The issue isn’t that “they” can’t be fired—it is that no one at the VA **really** wants to fire them.
Do you guys read this blog? Was it a desk admin who decided to cover up the Legionella in the water at Loma Linda? No, it was an executive decision. Every one of those people can be fired/asked to resign.
The problem is they are protected, not by a Union, but by the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Where’s the Administration in all of this? Where’s the Secretary? Where’s the Under-Secretary? Where’s the Regional Director?
It’s not Union problem. It’s not a Department problem. Its not an executives problem—it’s all of them together. They have an inertia that has to be overcome by pushing on all three levers at once.
Yes agree.
@Steven,
You might want to rethink your “progressive bullshit attitude” and read this article about who can be fired by whom –
Mr. Trump IS trying:
*”https://www.thenation.com/article/at-the-va-a-law-meant-to-discipline-executives-is-being-used-to-fire-low-level-workers/”*
There’s other articles out that goes deeper into what is actually occurring! Do the research “FOOL”!
go to commitee on veterans affairs click hearing can watch today whistle blower hearing
Please provide your “Lauren Price at Veteran Warriors” Lync every time I try to find it I get an error page.
Not exactly what you asked for – – – but may help get you there.
“https://freedomoutpost.com/author/laurenprice/”
My Loma Linda VA PCP didn’t act surprised when I told her about Loma Linda VA being co animated with Legionnaires Disease. Later told me to use my Medicare top very a civilian doctor. The VA is becoming obsolete which is what draft dodger and traitor want.
or the time they paid the ambulance ride denied hospital saying it wasn’t an emergency.
They approved my treatment than refused all the bills. Finally paid it but took a act of congress to get it straighned out. The deliberate denials are more frustrating than what we go in for
*”https://www.thegazette.com/subject/news/government/iowa-city-va-employee-testify-congress-about-whistleblower-treatment-jeff-dettbarn-radiology-technician-20190624″*
I am 100%IU Disabled Marine Corps and cant access the system. Unable to access healthcare. All body systems failing. Worst yet; no one cares.
To make matters worse, VA (Marlo Montes, CHEHALIS CBOC Director) Sabotaged my ability to access healthcare with family pcp.
Waitlist for fragmented arthritic swollen painful right knee since: OCT2010.
Failure to pay my ER visits I get calls from collection company daily. Can’t access hospital. Total clusterfuck.
This was reported yesterday, 24 June 2019,
*”https://www.thegazette.com/subject/news/government/iowa-city-va-employee-testify-congress-about-whistleblower-treatment-jeff-dettbarn-radiology-technician-20190624″*
I believe this is the whistleblower “jy” referenced!
This is the best one yet. You all need to read this article how the government will use the doj to go after people but dont do jack shit to there employees committing crimes. Lawyers shoplifting and one took goverment property turned it into a garage making thousands. Ig refused to prosecute.
But they will go after whistle blowers , veterans and the disabled in a heartbeat
“Feds gone wild: DOJ’s stunning inability to prosecute its own bad actors”
Not only the Fee’s gone wild but companies like Google have too. Google is training it’s algorithms to set their searches to not reveal the truth. All part of shaping public opinion far from the truth. Benjamin, this is not all Google has been doing in regards to sticking their nose where it does not belong, they have somehow been sold or received account numbers and have defrauded Americans. I am one of them. My situation involved them overreaching into a purchase that did not involve them. And, yes financial institution did investigation and my money was put back. My point in sharing all of this is the VA acts with same abuses of power. Though, even with Google trying to steal the elections, they do not realize that there are millions of Americans who do not do Google searches. Many Americans still who do not use damn computers. Government and companies are stupid. They believe they know everything about American citizens when in reality they are totally disconnected from the truth.
I mean Fee’s gone wild.
I mean Fed’s gone wild.
A disgrace.
Special Counsel action required here! IMHO.
Just coming out va whistle blower fired day before testifing in front of congress
“jy”,
Do you have the source? What media is reporting it?
It was reported directly to the HVAC today while she gave her testimony.
VHA is a government run, socialist entity. The president has said America will never be a socialist country. Everybody with half a brain knows socialism doesn’t work. Why, then, are veterans made to suffer in this corrupt institution. It will never change until the bad actors are exposed and expelled, the warrens of red tape, the mazes of bureaucracies are destroyed (the primary cause of so many suicides) and veterans are allowed to take advantage of the best medical care in the world that already exists in this country; that many Americans, and congress, already enjoy; along with 80% of veterans that can afford it.
God will judge…
Agree.
totally agree with you
I’m plumb out of replies on any of the above. I have been subject to all that for the past Years and found no way to remedy it.
Backing out, Ben. Too much hacking of progressive ideas that are needed to fix this. Name calling again. Will check back in a few months.
Don’t leave me alone in here, Lem!
Lem. Great example and usual attitude, actions. Hacking? Not seeming to care much about others, to listen to others, won’t read what they may not like or agree with. Pick those toys up and wanna go home until maybe some will die off? With everything I’ve wrote about your seemingly hard lined leftism or those coming out here claiming to be proud Progs only? With the damages done, treatment of myself and others plus those behind the censoring nation-wide, the activist, unions, etc. All that is okay and excusable due to politics? We are supposed to swallow whatever the new label of the hard left turned to to be more appetizing to the sheep and socially engineered while doing what they’ve done to me and others?? Call others the fascist, tyrants, non-functioning, or whatever? I’ll leave it at that but I’ve had quite enough Prog ideas and forced to live in a totally Prog town full evil, 4 colleges of the same, and hates all others. Yeah, really something to be proud of then to storm out like a child.
@Lem,
It’s about damn time, Lem. Your whining and bitching is getting old. And all because others on here don’t play by your rules. Your “I’m smarter and more intelligent than y’all bullshit attitude”, is getting old!
So go ahead, take your ball and go home!
@Steven,
No other President EVER made a “promise” like Mr. Trump. As a matter of fact – ALL the presidents prior to Mr Trump “praised the VA”!
Hillary did and was chastised for it! Obama took the “Choice Program” monies and gave it to the illegals and muslims! Both Bushes praised the VA as did Bill Clinton, Carter and Reagan. As a matter of historical fact – Reagan made it a law where IF you got out of the military with an honorable discharge – you could NOT draw unemployment!
Nr. Trump fired people and they had to be rehired and backpaid because the government stepped in and stopped it. Research it “fool”!
Donald Trump ordered or authorized the (purging) of thousands of veterans disability claims.
Those veterans are given a death sentence. How would you like to be part of the veterans Purged.
Management is firing whistleblowers and then through legal proceedings were found to be fired for made up charges.
The va has become a criminal enterprise and our elected officials should go after them the same way the went after the Mob.
The va over and over have proved they are not for veterans. 300 thousand veterans died before receiving treatment.
Claim denied. Appeal denied.
They are a criminal enterprise.
Follow the money. Millions are uncountable. Disappeared with out a trace.
Who is running the va. The mar largo 3. Trumps buddies. Stakeholders, who are the Stakeholders.
Veterans are not the Stakeholders. The va is an insurance company.
If Trump doesn’t like soilders who became prisoners of war. I don’t like people who get caught and became prisoners of war.
I guess he thinks being a prisoner of war is like a traitor and are spending their time, playing golf and hanging out in a multimillion hotel.
PURGING VETERANS DISABILITY CLAIMS ! By order of the current president.
@James Gallegos – – – Paying attention as usual, aren’t you? Well-said and right on target.
Gallegos, to be fair be sure to include other names like Obama and his major failures under his admin. Obama didn’t play golf, spent unknown hours of party time with terrorist like Bill Ayres at the WH, and then after promising transparency including visits to HIS WH, turned rainbow flag, not the USA flag turned out to be nothing but lies too.
Time to get off the activist, bash Trump train isn’t it or include ALL the scum in the WH and has been for generations. Oh, that’s not trendy is it? Media should have bashed others too and mainly our Kenyan Prez and grand divider. Get over it. County is imploding anyway and sure there are many out there happy as hell about it too.
And like others up there say and talk stupid shit. If Trumpster was just focused on McCain the traitor and generational liars and propagandist, then I don’t care. And pee on his stinking daughter and the rest riding on his coat-tails and placed on TV.
Reform ain t’ goin to happen just bashing Trumpster or demanding health care for all illegals and hating on other vets just over ID politics. Seems there is plenty of time and money out here, and there, to wasted on distractions instead of using that energy, know-how, etc., putting up forums for free speech and state by state unite vets for some of that reform and solidarity instead of playing activist and divider games. I offered to chip in too. Any takers to try to beat the censoring, activist, those many whose main concerns is to ruin this country and see to it that nothing is “reformed,” addressed, or properly investigated.
If any “reform” has to happen then it’s going to have to be from the bottom and that includes revealing it all, not just your picks and protecting others of any sort. But that’s the real fear isn’t it? As bad as the fear the system and communities have instilled in vets and others not to get involved and never speak ‘negatives’ about local employers, the community, or the corrupt in control. All and any of them.
@T – – – Mr. Gallegos has made many ‘disagreeable’ comments towards Obama policies as well. I think (Correct me if I am wrong, James G) that J.G. and J.C. are alike in that we both want better for our nations veterans, both remember what past presidents (D & R) have promised but not delivered for our vets, yet stick to the current POTUS holding office when making our comments.
Just something I have observed over the last three years on this board.
My wife may yet live, and I am mighty happy and hopeful. Been running like a chicken with my head cut off to get things done. Heard some vets this morning discussing the ‘Democratic Debates’. One said it was a piss poor excuse for a food fight! Bet that would have been funny to see.
Haven’t watched or heard news since wife went in hospital. Millennium of Music CD’s to destress at night after lights out are my current escape. If awake, NOVA and Masterpiece Mystery.
Jim, glad to hear things are hopeful and must be doing better.
I didn’t, don’t, watch those dog and pony shows, either side. Seen another Oprah buddy is up and running too though, Williams, and spouting ” all we need is love” stuff.
I don’t recall much negativity about Obama compared to the present WH clown. History keeps repeating it’s self and the same old people think they are still POTUS, spouses of, or still upset mightily over the election. His term and those in his admin are still very active in activism and is when some of us started having to deal with the VA issues, plus warning from newly trained PCPs that quit soon after saying we are not going to like what is coming around the pike. And many nasty corrupt things did come.. including all the activist, big city and local “knock out games” for whitey and white vets. And I am still having to live to things that happened under his admin and will for life with no recourse. Obama must also think he’s still POTUS since he feels the need to stick his nose into about everything, still, following the present POTUS around that no others have ever done. And looked up to and still followed by his many followers and activist. So like some having a thorn in their butts over Trumpster and will for life, I have my own thorns and the many heads that should have rolled in his time, and still for past crimes and misbehaviors or pro misconduct. The very nasty treatment, language, threats, med cuts, abuse, etc., that reportedly “came as direct orders from the top” and list began and the tippy top was one we were supposed to bow to. Not me. Don’t think I have to detail it all or how bad it is on the local scene due to him and others being quite active, MSM showing just a little of what he’s doing, and a heavy following. If I write more I may tip a bit of my song birds in some arenas.
Anyways, just another day and who ever is pointed out, remembered, some blame to be placed on in reality doesn’t mean a thing. My blood pressure stays the same, maybe some people need a memory jog from someone harmed beyond belief which is acceptable to some and think.. let’s move along now forget the past. Re-write some history, or excuse it all which ain’t easy. Hard to drop it too when some varmints locally are held up as heroes, spoken constantly of, the swooning, best leaders ever, and those like me who disagree are to be burned out and etc.
Time for the Fair. Got new signs to make, try to draw some outside attention, and piss the masses off. Somebody has to try to expose all the idiots and corruption. “Top to bottom.”
pleasant weekend to all.
Crazy Elf, agree.
Obama did play golf. All the damn time. More often than Trump. Hawaii was Obama’s second home remember.
@T – – – I hear you. We all know that what happens with the VA every time a new POTUS is elected (if we are lucky) is that they make one or two changes to it, then move on.
Just once I would like to see a war veteran elected into office as POTUS who would have a ‘hard on’ for the VA based upon their pre-POTUS experience. THAT would give us a better shot at some true reform.
I don’t watch the debates as a rule (either side) either. But I do think that given the number of Democratic Candidates that have filed thus far would have made for some great ‘entertainment’ as the ‘trying to out shout each other’ match developed.
When I overheard those veterans at the hospital describe it as a ‘piss poor food fight’ the mental picture that developed in my mind was hilarious!
The country is toast. Best that can be done at this point is to buy but a few more years of time before its’ ultimate demise. Not thrilled about it, but not much I can do to change it either.
While a lot of us were overseas doing our duty – – – thise who were charged with keeping watch on the Homefront were asleep at the wheel.
Jim C.
First off with the fourth coming up I want to nominate Ben and the few others trying to expose issues, about the phony Whistle Blower protections, or the astro turfing, the covering-up about ‘reform’ a true Medal of Freedom. If a stupid golfer, a lying POTUS, Hollywood trash can attain it, then surely Ben should get one for his wall. Bet he’s catching some flak.
Second, yep, burnt toast.
The main blame falls on all media types. Then comes scum ending local forums to the censors then to traitors like Suckerburger and the rest. Media like big Bro’s Department of Education starting around the seventies didn’t help matters about truth, facts, realities or the social engineering either. Whatever the machines touch it distorts and ruins.
Yes, asleep at the wheel along with the many enemies. Free to network, group-up, fully supported and protected. Who never sleep or take breaks with full intentions of total ruination, self-service, and destruction growing roots.
People keep wanting to play the two party politics game when they are joined at the hip behind the scenes and are still “friends and colleagues” in DC. Have contacted all parties. Dems don’t care, ignore. Reps claim unaware of any local corruption, can’t help or get involved in any of the major issues like have, told them of. “If we can be of any more assistance please contact us, click.” Bitch and claim to hate each other or the corporate machine here. Lefty ones good more to the right ones bad. Then all get tax breaks, have their fancy suits and high powered protective groups for all that “professional courtesy,” VA included, unions included, like the many activist have their connections to DC, so to hell with us peons and “whiny vets.”
I’m not going to be threatened or shunned into silence. Piss on em all. Not a day goes by the harm isn’t remembered, or felt, and the many suicides and suffering too. In my book they are not going to die in vain. There are those past, present, and future who need to pay some consequences or will.
Here is a prime example of why there will be no reform. The broken VA and all else are symptoms of intentional “orders from the top.” Do some research, read what you are told not to read that may be from evil racist, anti this or that, or is “a sin to read or expose ones self to.” Why vets like me are targeted and no VSOs will help, all run off. All politicians, media, state agencies too. Why they don’t give a hoot about vets killing themselves off or of the many suicides happening. Think either party or the continued games will help? Think there are not multitudes of enemies out here doing their best to promote all the damages they can and create constant division to loving it when their side or cliques attack those like me and tell a vet to go kill themselves but not on their shifts due to the paperwork? Best ‘old’ example from way back I could find and not totally banned yet.
VA med centers, the CBOCs, all health care by regional and soviet styled rule. Making vets into terrorist, ratting on them or our neighbors, etc.
“https://deliberatedumbingdown.com/ddd/”
Think the U.N. Agendas, SES, and *above want “reforms?”
Happy 4th.
Progressives are on the left. The left are running the VA. The left is what is wrong with the VA. Unions are the lefts only means of keeping their job. Because of the left many good Doctors that my husband had either left the VA on their own or was fired. The last one who was fired or let go or resigned(depending on who you talk to) tried to get the choice program to pay for my husband’s care at a non VA hospital. Guess who ended up paying for it? Yes we did. Medicare paid $18,000 and we paid $4,000. The choice program funds are a slush fund for the Democratic workers.
That’s the progressive side of the coin.
Politics is in most Agencies that get their money from us taxpayers. I know because I have worked for a few Gov. funded Agencies.
Agree
Leftists reject LIFE.
Following.
Today the v.a. filed s formal complaint regarding their exclusion from the whistle blower conference today saying that, “the veterans administration will not be able to defend itself”. Why should the v.a have to defend itself? The decay and failure starts at the top. Regardless of who in charge at the v.a. they fail. The veterans administration is a corrupt “dis-organized” self serving enity that will never be able to provide competent or adequate service to veterans. The sooner the v.a. is terminated the better!
Aaaamen. There is no other remedy than to send these corrupt slimeballs down the pike with feathers sticking to the previously affixed tar. No one pays attention unless they are MADE to pay attention, pay attention or else, there is no other way.
“Quis custodiet ipsos custodes”
[Who will guard the guards?]
So true Elf they are so full of hate anger and raciest . They all think they are getting away with their crimes to To Vets and Tax Payers . They are protected by the union and the Dems they are not aware that is a higher court .
“J.J.”
Do you remember this article:
*”https://www.stripes.com/news/veterans-va-employees-rally-against-trump-s-workforce-orders-1.539494″*
It explains completely what VA’s employees think about getting fired! In my opinion, VA’s employees actually believe they CAN’T be fired!
This kind of crap, ie: criminal behavior, has been going on since the government, from past to present, made an agency over veterans!
Crazy Elf, you are always correct.
My husband and told some of the Schedulers that they could get fired. They laughed at us. Yes their Union protects the lazy workers. That’s how its always been in my experience of working 33 years.
When, and that’s a BIG WHEN, the VA’s “leadership” is held accountable (meaning arrested, tried, convicted and sentenced to prison) for their criminal behavior, nothing will change!
Of course, some on here will be blaming our president for NOT carrying through with his campaign promises. Let me remind you of something. He DID fire a few people in 2017! Then, all of a sudden the VA “Leadership” says: “Wait one minute, those employees didn’t receive their ‘due process’!” After awhile, those employees were/are still employed.
This question now arises, “What about the ‘Due Process’ of the veteran/patient? We have seen videos and read articles about how veterans have NEVER, or very seldom, have ever received “due process” in the VA’s system. That illegal “flagging” of veterans, and then putting them on a “disruptive list”, is our “due process”!
Vets have come on here and complained about being “flagged as disruptive”! So we can’t say we don’t know anything about it.
Now, VA has a new “rule” where a vet has to use a VA’s wheelchair before entering the building. All because, VA employees are afraid of us! WHY are they afraid of disabled veterans? What have they done to piss us off? How about ALL of the scandals these assholes have committed against veterans. Let’s start with that first.
Then explain why not one fuckin person has been held accountable for killing veterans – all for the sake of a bonus!
#fucktheva
#fucktheafge
#fuckthevha
They’re ALL a bunch of leeches on the veterans and taxpayers!
Rant out for today!
Yes, Lauren is correct. When Congress or the IG does investigations, the people affected should not be the Whistleblowers. Because they are being penalized for doing their jobs that they were hired to do. Many of the VA leadership should be held accountable. When I spoke about a Task Force to be created, I meant the force to be used to generate accountability and to generate the unleashment within and of the system, I am referring to a mobile team of doctors, nurses, legal analysts, and financial auditors to travel around the country to oversee while teaming with the VA leadership who are running those particular VA facilities. Make the situation so transparent that the scandals cannot survive and make the situation so monitored to where the VA leadership cannot hide in their false narratives.
Benjamin, make the VA leadership work to such a degree with trying to cover up that the difficulty to cover up becomes impossible. Turn it around on them. After all, it is more difficult and more costly when unaccountability and sabotage is happening. I mean costly to the American taxpayers who are earning the money with their own sweat. The Taxes that are being demanded from the American citizens and are being allotted to the Department of Veterans Affairs are rarely reaching the veterans to whom they are supposed to be for. Make it so transparent and monitored that the corruption disease cannot survive. Eliminate the corruption epidemic like we eliminate bodily diseases. Sure the Trump administration can do it. Go in with a task force to eliminate the disease within the VA just like when the CDC goes into a environmental disaster to quarantine the biohazards so LIFE can survive. Same concept. The VA situation is serious. Enough is enough.
Crazy Elf, you lay the timeline of events out perfectly.
With the extra sets of eyes involved and with the monitoring within the inner workings of each of the VA VISNs, then, the situations will become clear as to who is responsible and who may need to be fired or removed or whatever????? Then, when the VA leadership or VA employees are in front of the Congress or IG or whomever, they then cannot plead the FIFTH or give the exuse, “Oh, I was not in charge during this time.”
Maybe create a couple of Mobile Task Force Teams not just one.
What could happen is the Trump administration could hire the VA Whistleblowers to represent some members of the Task Force because they already have had a set of eyes on some of the situations happening within the VA. But, who knows what is going to happen? Probably nothing just increased crap. My comments are just suggestions to help improve. I am not an authority on any of this.
Benjamin, the VA Whistleblower Accountability office is acting with the same limitations as the patient advocates who are employed in each of the VA facilities. This office is just an extended version of the Veteran patient advocates who are employed by the VA. This office should function independently of the VA and even the VA attorneys hired by the VA. The Whistleblower Accountability and Protection Office is not functioning in the role for which and why it was created. Here is exactly what I have been saying all along. VA overreach to influence in order to be able to control and to ultimately dictate the outcome of whatever the issue maybe. This is Socialism in it’s finest.
VA patient advocates are just VA employee loyalists to the VA agency itself and to hell with the American Veterans. They rarely represent what is ethical, humane, and accountable for the American Veterans. So the VA Whistleblower Accountability and Protection Office exists in the same role as the VA patient advocates. So here you go. Serves no purpose to help the veterans and the VA employees who are really trying to do their jobs for which and why why they were hired. I will shut up. Enough out of me. Tons to do.
Angela has it right, Patient Advocates are a mere extension of the VA agency itself. If a VA employee doesn’t like what a Veteran says about services, they say to go talk to the Patient Advocate. I’ve had this happen several times and when I do speak with a PA, they do a circlejerk, speak with the offending VA employee, and then return with no remedy. The PAs cover for their fellow VA employees and screw the Vet needing some type of resolution. I’ve never had a situation where I needed to speak with a higher level VA official, though would expect the same result. Circlejerk is the active word!!!
@CE….Trump’s responsibility has nothing to do with “campaign promises”, which only fools put any faith in.
Trump is the President. He is the Chief Executive—something he is always ready to assert in response to questions about how decisions get made.
Do you see what’s missing in “Lauren’s Scandal Cycle”? I do…
Action by the Administration.
So long as the Administration refuses to act against VA Executive Management—I think we can agree they are not leaders in any sense of the work—that Executive Management has no incentive to act on Congressional mandates. Only the President can direct the VA—Cabinet Secretaries exercise power in their Departments under the President’s authority. So only the President can fix it.
Congress is not in charge of the VA…the President is. That would be Trump, the self-proclaimed swamp-drainer. Before him, Obama, the widely-proclaimed People’s President. And so on. All of them made changes that could have, and should have, changed the way the VA behaved in one or more areas (C&P, VBA, VHS).
But because We The People insist on electing inexperienced no-nothings to the Presidency, their accomplishments are ephemeral. They make a change, see it start, and look to another change to make somewhere else in Big Government. Meanwhile, without effective oversight—which means Administrative Power—the bureaucrats in the VA just go right back to what they were doing.
VA Executive Management serve, quite literally, at the discretion of the President. If Trump, Obama, Bush, Clinton, Bush, or Reagan, had wanted any of them fired, they would be fired. They are not the Admin working the desk at your local clinic. And FYI, Area/Region/Clinic Director’s are also not protected by a Union. As soon as they start getting shitcanned for failure, you’d be surprised how fast they learn to read the Union rules and manage effective discipline.
So yes, it is the Presidents’ fault. It is also Our fault for continually putting inexperienced rubes into the most important single post in government. Whatever they may say on campaign, and whatever We The People may wish were true, modern US Government is a huge bureaucracy which largely exists to protect and extend itself, like all bureaucracies. Only when we return to electing veteran politicians who have the saavy and know-how to operate in Washington, will we get any real change.
Only fools believe campaign promises. Anyone’s. Obama was going to open up government and have “Transparency”. Reagan was going to create a “New Economy”; Clinton was going to “put America to work”; blah, blah, blah.
It’s not the campaign bullshit I hold him to, it’s the actual failure.
@Steven,
It was “campaign promises”, especially by President Trump, to “fix the VA”! As soon as he was elected, a certain amount of high ranking officials were fired!
I guess I have to remind “fools” quite often about how the “OSC” told him he couldn’t do that.
Even in your comment you contradict yourself.
That being said – I stand by my original comment!
@Crazy Elf – – – Actions, not words. Just how much better is the VA now than it was before Trump took office?
Not one fucking bit.
@Jim Clement,
Does it say anywhere in my comments the VA has gotten any better? NO IT DOES NOT!
So stop putting words in my mouth!
@ Crazy Elf – – – Not putting words in your mouth.
Actions, not words. Trump and cronies spoke the words. No one forced them to. Now, where is the action?
Steven is right. And so is Lem.
Steven, glad you wrote “ALL.” And people still stuck in the two party gaming which is what is wanted does no good. But it’s odd after all the damage done to some of us by particular parties/activist, or the re-named ones are supposed to be great, having all the ideas, claiming not to be heard or constant victims, the best, but are in reality fascist, tyrants, and most corrupt out there. As I have shown and reported, and can prove. How else can a community and all involved be all out to protect those at the mighty VA and seemingly the entire health care field in my state. Fully protected and supported by all. Odd aye? All the evils going on, corruption, VA issues, and neither side of the pee isle helps but joins in the networking and covering up game? Ahem two parties, supposedly different, and always claiming to be more concerned or decent than the other?
The non-actions of those always claiming to be the ones with ideas, out for unity, tolerance, equal rights for all… are lacking severely on both party fronts where middle grounders aren’t welcome but to be destroyed apparently. With that ‘for us or against us’ group-think mentality. I think they’ve all shown their true colors and it’s not red, white, blue, or of patriotism, nationalism common sense. I don’t see those constantly harping about Trumpster helping us targeted ones from the Progs and others when troubles came from Obummer and admin, or from Trumpsters, or from the endless lists of social justice warriors spouting their crap while being huge parts of the problem. Those on the hard right refuse to help any too or claim as others do… they don’t know about any censoring, vet suicides, or retaliation tactics happening. Duh.
Pity media and others didn’t focus on other like they have with their auto hatred of Trump, us white people or those who voted for the clown. Obama allowed much to happen but he was the left’s and activist little darling. Also when tons of censoring and banning of complaints increased to like Devcon 4.
Under Obummer and Dem controlled whatever is when pain meds were cut, activist at the VA and others areas came out of the woodwork. We were placed on those list from the extension of the NDAA. Under him is when all the hell I started getting happened and some haters being very open and up-front about it. They were safe and protected, I am not. His admin and those under him didn’t give a damn much about us, me, or agencies, VSOs, even cared to give responses. Oh they were on the Obama band wagon aiming to bow and please… and ignore some things. Same as today, all things unchanged.
Daddy Bush, the H, and his promises and denouncing PC-ness and other freedom stifling issues didn’t go far either. All of them top to bottom and all involved are “two-faced.” But we all know it’s okay for politicians and authorities to lie and throw out false promises, and propaganda from the start and the experiment over by 1779.
Malignant VA leadership… VA employees get removed but the AFGE Union protects them. But, for Dr. Minu Agheoli to be fired for doing her job is really a disgrace. VA speaks about it’s values. I honestly do not believe the VA as an agency knows what values are. Do you call rationing care having values? Do you call denying Veterans care having values? Do you call delaying care having values? Do you call changing Medical records to cover up having values? Do you call entering another Veterans Medical information into another Veterans Medical record that ultimately has the veteran being flown to another state for a fraudulent liver transplant having values? If Veteran had not gotten marbles back this would have happened. Do you call preventing Veterans who are locked up from getting fresh air having values? Do you call having 7 providers in one year having values? Do you call nurses who give IVs without using gloves having values? Do you call VA doing CT SCAN and noting the issue but does not treat having values? Kick down the road. List goes on. In order for real change to occur, the Congress and the Senate are going to have to be made to receive their Healthcare in the VA system. The President as well. The VA has made small improvements but has a long way to go. But with all the polarization from the politics, hell, it is really hard for anyone to get anything done in this country. Hell, Benjamin, even the APA has been politicized. Take a look.
When one speaks about values, this means to me having respect for others and for oneself.
Means having integrity, being genuine, human diginity, having pride in oneself and having pride in one’s employment, kindness, offering a hand to others if needed… boils down to defending LIFE.
Yes, the VA had saved my life years ago; but, the VA did turn on me particularly in the last 11 years. When we speak about values, I do not call sabotaging others having values at all or even acting with appropriate conduct. I wished the VA would explain and demonstrate how they honor and have values. I do not see it and have not witnessed it in awhile.
Do you know Benjamin I have always given the VA credit or certain VA employees credit where credit is due. But, honestly they do not give a damn about me or anything that I and many other Veterans have to say. Benjamin, the VA leadership do not even accept constructive criticism. Benjamin, you say the VBA leadership treat you with respect when they return your phone calls in a timely manner. I say yes this is good. Ben, at least they are not trying to take you out. With me they were trying their best to throw me under the bus.
And, I do not even know why except for them just being big government and what they have become today as compared to what they were in the past with them having been a little more humane years ago. Ben, I am happy for you that they are treating you with respect. At least they are treating someone with respect. Do you believe they could expand their realm of respect for others? Ben, what would it take to get them to afford respect to many? What would it take to get them understand what is happening instead of lashing out? Benjamin, why would I have stayed around in the VA? For them to take me down??? Why would I have reapplied for Chapter 31 Vocational Rehabilitation? From what I have witnessed, I am not sure the experience would have turned out positive because of how they have been conducting themselves as an agency. Have a good day.
Benjamin, the VA demands to be respected. Ben, respect goes both ways. Respect has to be earned. And, I am sure you know this. I am just commenting. If the agency is most of the time focusing on taking Veterans out and firing their own employees because they are trying to do their jobs, the VA agency is not following a path that warrants respect. Respect does not develop or does not happen when it is demanded. Benjamin, you have demonstrated respect to them. Plus in your dealings with them, they have come to align with you in many ways for them to now show you respect from the way they return your phone calls. Why can’t this concept be applied with and to others?
Benjamin, let me tell you something. It is true the Director of a particular VA may not know what is going on at the ground level. He relies on what is told to him coming up from below. And, you know when there are many hands in between how the situation gets modified from how it initially started off going up in the chain of command Communication process. Also, if Veteran goes to communicate with Director of VA just to discuss issues to relay suggestions to both inquire and share suggestions, the VA police are called immediately. Not just one cop but 2 or 3 or 4 VA police just because a Veteran wants to have a meeting. Benjamin, the VA appears to not be trained on how to handle civil cordiality among and within the VA agency itself between all members within the VA facilities. Benjamin, the VA is always ready to attack is just the way that I see it. Many times there are not any objective reasons for them to deliver their attack actions. The VA many times provokes the situations. Benjamin, honestly, why do they do this if the situation does not even warrant it? In regards to me, I say I have always given them credit where credit is due. Constructive criticism. But, Benjamin, have they ever given me credit where credit is due? Hell no and hell no. Like I have mentioned, they stand up for their values. Ben, what values???? Please inform me if I am missing something. Because they most certainly do not respect me or other vets not in the slightest. Benjamin, yes, they say we have laws to follow. Ben, they do not even follow their own statutes. They skirt around. Say one thing and do another.
Can’t argue with that assessment.