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Posts tagged ‘Veterans’ Administration’

Calling all veterans: send me your experiences in the VA system


 

 

Written by Allen West on February 17, 2015

URL of the Original Posting Site: http://allenbwest.com/2015/02/calling-veterans-send-experiences-va-system/

Slide1Recently, Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert McDonald had a little unprofessional tussle during a budget hearing with Colorado Rep. Mike Coffman, a veteran of both Iraq wars. After a few minutes of arguing over huge cost overruns at a Denver VA hospital, McDonald snapped at Coffman: “I’ve run a large company, sir. What have you done?”

McDonald brushed aside his responsibility for the problem based on his time on the job and insinuated that Rep. Coffman actually owned the problem. Fox reports that Coffman didn’t respond at the hearing. “But the four-term lawmaker said in a statement later that he could tell McDonald a few things he hasn’t done.”

“I have never run a federal agency that tolerates corruption the way the VA has. I’ve never built a hospital that’s years behind schedule and hundreds of millions over budget. And I’ve never been a shill for inept bureaucrats who allowed American heroes to die on a medical waiting list.”

Apparently nothing has really changed at the VA. The Washington Times writes, “The embattled Veterans Affairs Department, now ranked by a government watchdog as among the most troubled federal agencies, is reminding employees in a memo why they should care about their work. The document circulating among employees is titled the “I CARE Quick Reference” sheet, and it spells out the desired core values of the VA: integrity, commitment, advocacy, respect and excellence. The memo says the VA is “a model of unrivaled excellence due to employees who are empowered, trusted by their leaders, and respected for their competence and dedication.” But after a year in which VA officials were accused of keeping secret waiting lists and concealing delayed care for veterans, some agency employees and veterans are questioning the “I CARE” program as a cosmetic effort that will do little to improve services.”Slide1

This reminds me of that “Potemkin Village” presentation given to Catherine the Great. The six-month-old Choice Act has supposedly been underused– when the truth is bureaucratic red tape has discouraged veterans from using it.

“Management has made a mockery of it,” (The I CARE program) said one VA employee, who asked not to be named for fear of retaliation. The head of a veterans group said veterans and active-duty service members are still waiting for “real, meaningful change” in the VA’s quality and promptness of health care services.“

“Adopting a catchy acronym and circulating a checklist is not enough,” said Pete Hegseth, CEO of Concerned Veterans for America. “It’s easy to put on an ‘I CARE’ pin, but it doesn’t matter unless you actually demonstrate that care through your actions and the results you deliver. That’s what veterans, military members and their families are looking for: real results, not a slogan.”

“VA Secretary Robert McDonald, tapped by President Obama last year to revamp the embattled agency, said in a statement on the agency’s website that the “I CARE” principles “focus our minds on our mission of caring and thereby guide our actions toward service to others. These values define our culture and strengthen our dedication to those we serve.”more evidence

I’d like to hear back from you veterans out there about your experience with the VA system.

What has been your experience with the Choice Act program — if you even knew about it in the first place?

Secondly, tell us your anecdotal stories of the good, the bad, and the ugly about the Veterans Administration hospital system — yes, we want to know the good stories, because not all of the facilities are poorly run.

And lastly, what are your recommendations? We’ll try to capture these stories and pass them onto the House and Senate VA committee chairmen.

Please email your stories to contact@allenbwest.com.

If we’re going to affect a policy change, then your voices must be heard. And I’d be honored to be the platform by which that can be enabled.

Steadfast and Loyal.

 Freedom with Prayer

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VA hospital orders Christian symbols covered in chapel


http://allenbwest.com/2014/06/va-hospital-orders-christian-symbols-covered-chapel/#67GbBpDzyIsojXU6.99

Written by Allen West on June 4, 2014

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While the Veterans Administration thanks its lucky stars the Bergdahl story has taken its scandal out of the headlines, it seems the VA system had other things to worry about anyway, beyond simply the death of dozens of veterans awaiting treatment.

No, what the VA really has to worry about is all those offensive Christian religious symbols in chapels.

As reported by Unhyphenated America, “A Veteran’s Hospital in Iron Mountain, Michigan actually went to the time and expense to install a curtain in front of an “offensive” altar, cross and statues of Jesus and Mary in the chapel.

According to a letter sent to Iron Mountain News, Chaplain Bob Mueller said “A couple of months ago, an order came down from Washington DC to cover all things associated with Christianity in the VA. Their solution is to cover everything in all the VA Chapels across the country.” Chaplain Bob went on to say, “A few weeks ago an official from the Madison VA came down here to tell me to ‘stop talking about Jesus, and to stop reading Scripture out loud.’”

It never ceases to amaze me what liberals seem to find offensive. For example, liberals find the concept of “school choice” troubling, but not the choice to kill your own child. Leslie Brown at Unhyphenated America has a more thorough (and amusing) list here.

Now, I know there are a bunch of folks who will jump all over the “separation of church and state” train, but how many times must I repeat it is not anywhere in the U.S. Constitution? We do not have an establishment of religion in America. We have the right to free exercise of religion – well, except in the eyes of the Obama administration.

Funny thing, I do recall a little thing called “separation of powers” as a fundamental principle of the United States, enshrined in our Constitution — but that doesn’t seem to matter to Obama and his progressive socialist acolytes.

And so the “fundamental transformation” of America continues. I’ve got an idea. Let’s hide the Christian symbols in the VA right next to the hidden lists denying our veterans proper care.

War on Christians Christian PersecutionObama defending muslimsVOTE 02
 

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More Evidence of “Dictator” Obama is Marching Us Toward Socialism


Obama Administration Violates another Court Order and  More Veterans will Die

Posted By on Dec 17, 2013

 http://freedomoutpost.com/2013/12/obama-administration-violates-another-court-order-veterans-will-die/#qPJLSAGtb98QoELU.99

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The Obama Administration controlled Department of Veteran Affairs has just  told disabled veterans to “Embrace the Suck. ” This slang phrase, often used in  times of desperation, is recognized by all US military personnel as meaning, “Face it soldier. I have been there. This ain’t easy. Now let’s deal with it.”

In contempt of a 2013 Circuit Court order (in Harris v. Secretary of Veterans  Affairs et al Eric Shinseki), the Obama Veterans Administration recently filed a  potentially illegal VA policy guideline change with the federal registry. If  approved, the VA will begin stripping veteran’s legal rights, increase veterans  disability claims denials and make it more difficult for veterans to challenge  unfair VA disability ratings determinations.

In Harris v. Shinseki, a Circuit Court ruled the VA must follow established  Veterans Administration policy and cannot unfairly deny or terminate a veteran’s  right to due process in disability claims adjudication or appeal by claiming a  veteran did not fill out the proper claims form.

Hidden, yet recently discovered in the federal registry is a new Department  of Veterans Affairs policy directive dated October 31, 2013 (38 CFR Parts 3, 19  and 20 Standards Claims and Appeals Forms). Although the policies stated  objective claims “to improve the quality and timeliness of processing of  veteran’s claims”, nothing could be further from the truth.

The Obama Administration—finally fed up with being blamed for its failure to  reduce record veteran disability claims backlogs and obscene rates of veteran  homelessness and suicides—is arrogantly pursuing the violation of a 2013 court  order protecting veterans and once again violating rights to due process.

The VA directive above will cause needless delays in existing disability  claims processing, open the door for low balling of disability ratings, increase  the volume of denied claims and see many veterans reluctant to endure the stress  of a VA claim process abandon their claim altogether.

This new Veterans Administration policy will require all new VA disability  claims to be filed on a newly designed form or filed electronically. To the  average American, this seems to make sense, but to our disabled veterans—many  who do not have access to computers and the internet, and some, without an  address—this will mean further complications and delays in applying for and  receiving the benefits, they deserve.

Moreover, this new VA policy change will effectively eliminate established  grounds for disability claims appeal by eliminating “requests for  reconsideration” which includes Congressional inquiries. This would all but  purge any Congressional power to challenge an incorrect VA disability  determination on behalf of a veteran constituent. Often times, this is the court  of last resort for veterans denied VA benefits.

Once again, another Obama cabinet appointee, Eric Shinseki, Secretary of the  Department of Veterans Affairs, has ordered an extraordinary cabinet level  policy change (a potentially illegal policy change) that undermines existing  Circuit Court precedent. All to cover the Obama Administrations careless  incompetence and loyalties to the American Federation of Government Employees,  the union representing inept Veterans Administration staff. All in the dead of  night, while Congress is on its current break.

This is how the White House plans to sweep the VA deficiencies and our  veterans under the rug.

Where is the Justice Department? Where is Attorney General Eric Holder? If a  private insurer had changed their process for claims filing midstream in order  to avoid paying out, delaying or discouraging valid claims submissions the  federal government would have them in front of a Grand Jury in a heartbeat.

In the dead of night, while Congress was on break, our transparent Obama  Administration slid a new VA directive into the federal registry effectively  stripping existing veteran’s rights without so much as a hearing; all to  artificially reduce the number of outstanding or backlogged veteran’s disability  claims under current Congressional scrutiny. This is how the Obama  administration cooks their books.

Author: John DeMayo

Raised in New York, now an adopted son of Texas, John DeMayo is an advocate  for the restoration of conservative America. He has been called a “stone  thrower” by some and a “sheep dog” by others. DeMayo’s America puts the  Constitution and Conservatism first. Everything else is just colored bubbles.  Visit me at lazarusoverwatch.com, Facebook or on Twitter.  All are welcome.

Read more at http://freedomoutpost.com/2013/12/obama-administration-violates-another-court-order-veterans-will-die/#qPJLSAGtb98QoELU.99

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