Veterans, This Will Make You Angry.(And It Should)

Everywhere you turn these days there is corruption. The VA seems to be no different. With many veterans having severe difficulties with the VA system this should make you angry. The VA funding is already having troubles and reasons such as this is why. Of course the ones who committed the wrongs will not be fully held accountable. They never are. The article even states that some recieved bonuses for their actions.

Lawmakers: VA must police conference scandal
www.marinecorpstimes.com...

House Veterans’ Affairs Committee leaders are expressing concern that the Veterans Affairs Department employees involved in more than $760,000 in wasteful conference spending might evade disciplinary action.

One VA official, the assistant secretary for human resources, resigned the day before the VA inspector general issued a damning report accusing him of lying to investigators and abdicating his responsibilities to oversee and control expenses for two weeklong training conferences at a Florida resort last year.

John Sepulveda, the official who resigned, will not face criminal prosecution after the Justice Department declined to pursue charges. But at least 11 other VA employees improperly accepted gifts from hotels and vendors trying to get the government’s business, including one who openly solicited the gift of upgraded rooms from the Marriott World Center Orlando Golf and Spa Resort, where the two conferences were held, according to the IG report.

So, if you are a veteran and are having troubles with the VA such as I am this is one of the many reasons. My opinion is that VA staff should be 100% Veteran. I know that would be near impossible but it would be nice. I am tired of the VA playing their games while most of us struggle to get the help and care that is needed. I have been on a wait list for therapy for almost three months now and have recieved two calls stating that the delay would be even longer. I imagine it will be next year before I can recieve therapy. This stuff will continue to happen if we the peoplke allow it to go on. Veterans of this country I urge you to take a stand on this issue. Write you reps and write them often and devulge your disgust for their actions.

Rep. Jeff Miller, R-Fla., the veterans’ committee chairman, isn’t satisfied. In an Oct. 1 letter to VA, Miller expressed concern “that VA will not fully hold accountable those employees cited in the report for unlawful and inappropriate actions.” Miller says he wants to know specific actions being taken.

The senior Democrat on the panel, Rep. Bob Filner of California, also wants more details. “This VA culture has gone on too long, from administration to administration, and it simply must stop,” Filner said in an Oct. 2 statement.

Filner said VA needs “decisive steps to change, once and for all, the management culture … a culture that does not question the expenditure of funds and cannot account for them once they are spent.”

The IG report found repeated instances of VA workers lacking proper authority to spend government money but doing so anyway, which resulted in overspending on such items as computer rentals, extra food and beverages served during conference breaks and promotional items to be given to attendees.

In some cases, these extra charges were put on government purchase cards, with employees with limited contracting authority splitting large payments into smaller increments in violation of government rules to avoid purchase limits.

To all the veterans out there I salute you and hope you don't have troubles along the way. I am sure most of you are mad like I am. I do believe that the veterans of this country are the ones who could bring the change that is needed in this country. What we need is a five million vet march on DC during the elections. Thatr would at least show our displeasure with how the system is being operated.

Semper Fi.

As an Air force Vet, who was honorably discharged and paid into the GIBILL, I was denied my college benefits, right when we went to war with Iraq. Funny, huh? They decided to create a whole new post 9/11 GI BILL after I got out and some how felt I did not deserve my entitlements. This is even after talking with 3 JAGs, and petitioning.

My 2 cents, the military is not what it used to be, but anyone who was in pre 1980s will tell you that, seems it's nation wide greed and could be due to the times.

I've always never understood why veterans weren't running the VA, how can anyone who never went through the crap we did expect to ever help us with what we really need.

Welcome to our world in the UK... When we leave the forces we are left for dead.. The forces charities are as useful as a chocolate fireguard.. Only the regimental associations seem to give real help.. The British Legion just pass the buck to other organizations.. Useless

I feel bad for you guys getting ripped off too... Wtf do we serve these morons hey?

Originally posted by Moneyisgodlifeisrented
As an Air force Vet, who was honorably discharged and paid into the GIBILL, I was denied my college benefits, right when we went to war with Iraq. Funny, huh? They decided to create a whole new post 9/11 GI BILL after I got out and some how felt I did not deserve my entitlements. This is even after talking with 3 JAGs, and petitioning.

My 2 cents, the military is not what it used to be, but anyone who was in pre 1980s will tell you that, seems it's nation wide greed and could be due to the times.

I've always never understood why veterans weren't running the VA, how can anyone who never went through the crap we did expect to ever help us with what we really need.

I got screwed over and lost two semesters due to the VA not paying the tuition on time. I actually gave up going to school due to the difficulties the VA caused me. It just sucks to be a veteran these days.

Originally posted by EvanB
Welcome to our world in the UK... When we leave the forces we are left for dead.. The forces charities are as useful as a chocolate fireguard.. Only the regimental associations seem to give real help.. The British Legion just pass the buck to other organizations.. Useless

I feel bad for you guys getting ripped off too... Wtf do we serve these morons hey?

It's pretty much the same way here. When you get out they make it sound like life will be so easy due to your veteran status but in truth the opposite is what happens.

The VA employees got limo rides, helicopter rides....whattta waste.

The VA had a "Golden Aged Games" in Hawaii that was supposed to be for 55+ old vets. 178 VA Emloyees went on that paid vacation. 178.

A "Non Profit" called "Help Hospitalizd Vets" also sponsored that event and the California Attorney General is going after them because they've been filling their pockets with millions and didn't use the money to help vets.

Joint Base Pearl-Hickam had their GIs volunteer to help in that event......while HHV pocketed all their millions that people donated just for that event.

The VA should be shut down. Marine Lt "Bing" Popkowski had cancer eating his bones away and he couldn't get the VA to routinely refill his narcotics every month. He went through all the channels trying to get help to get his meds refilled every month.....the VA put 8 bullets into him.

Read his story and the IG report that tried to cover up what they did to him.

When Ronald Reagan became PResident, the country was broke. One of the things he did was have the VA start providing NON service related healthcare.....so the Gov. could bill their 3rd party insurance and also bill those vets for care and medications.

The VA shortly afterwards had posters up saying they were making BILLIONS billing those vets. America's middle class is gone and now those vets have no 3rd party insurance to bill. The vets who truly have service connected disabilities now can't get help. The system is swamped with all those wanting NON service related healthcare.

Did you know there's now a contractor running some VA Clinics? Valor Healthcare. Politicians put a FOR PROFIT Company in to run those clinics so they can suck money out and ration out sub standard care. Can you believe Congress put a FOR PROFIT company in charge of allllll those VA clinics???

The VA also started to contract out doctors. It's one of the reasons nobody can get in to see a doctor. That's also why there's no continuity anymore in there....many of the contracted doctors don't stick around long with the VA since they're not really getting paid.

They're also contracting out many other services and those other places like X-ray/imaging/labs ain't happy working with the VA and the little they get reimbursed.

Look at all the money the VA's been giving out for "PTSD".....what a shame. Many of the people getting that have absolutely nothing wrong with them and laugh about it.


Let me tell you about 1. He's ex army and served in the Iraq War sitting in Kuwait doing nothing. He came back and applied for "PTSD" disability and the VA gives him $1500 a month for his mental disability. He's got a job working for DOD loading and unloading airplanes moving explosives around the world....he drives around tens of thousands of pounds of DODs boom stuff......and on top of his civil service pay he's getting $1500 a month for his "PTSD" mental disability.....

....Nation of crooks.

reply to post by Pervius


Very good points in your posts. I am service connected and your right it is becoming harder for us to get the treatment we need. Non service connnected issues should not be handled by the VA unless you have a high disability rating. Many are crying PTSD for the money as well which makes it even more difficult for people like me who actually suffer from it from my combat duty in Fallujah. People like that give us all a bad name. Now people think we are all faking it just to get the money.

Originally posted by usmc0311

Originally posted by Moneyisgodlifeisrented
As an Air force Vet, who was honorably discharged and paid into the GIBILL, I was denied my college benefits, right when we went to war with Iraq. Funny, huh? They decided to create a whole new post 9/11 GI BILL after I got out and some how felt I did not deserve my entitlements. This is even after talking with 3 JAGs, and petitioning.

My 2 cents, the military is not what it used to be, but anyone who was in pre 1980s will tell you that, seems it's nation wide greed and could be due to the times.

I've always never understood why veterans weren't running the VA, how can anyone who never went through the crap we did expect to ever help us with what we really need.

I got screwed over and lost two semesters due to the VA not paying the tuition on time. I actually gave up going to school due to the difficulties the VA caused me. It just sucks to be a veteran these days.

I'm sorry you have been given a poor situation. Clearly, you have been wronged. Why don't you take it up with Obama?

Originally posted by usmc0311

Originally posted by Moneyisgodlifeisrented
As an Air force Vet, who was honorably discharged and paid into the GIBILL, I was denied my college benefits, right when we went to war with Iraq. Funny, huh? They decided to create a whole new post 9/11 GI BILL after I got out and some how felt I did not deserve my entitlements. This is even after talking with 3 JAGs, and petitioning.

My 2 cents, the military is not what it used to be, but anyone who was in pre 1980s will tell you that, seems it's nation wide greed and could be due to the times.

I've always never understood why veterans weren't running the VA, how can anyone who never went through the crap we did expect to ever help us with what we really need.

I got screwed over and lost two semesters due to the VA not paying the tuition on time. I actually gave up going to school due to the difficulties the VA caused me. It just sucks to be a veteran these days.

Like I said, Why don't you take it up with Obama???? Of course you could do the right thing and NOT give up. Giving up is a loser option!!!!

reply to post by Gridrebel


I'm not giving up, just pursuing different avenues. I will deffinitely take it up with Obama by not voting for him this November.

reply to post by Pervius


I suffered genuine PTSD and got NO help from my government or forces charity. Ironically it was the discapline and hard charging character built in the Army that made me overcome it..

The fact that you guys have people taking the piss and having resources diverted from genuine people makes my blood boil even more! I think that PTSD is a big worry for governments with trained killers flipping out and doing damage hence why they are diverting funding.

Originally posted by EvanB
Welcome to our world in the UK... When we leave the forces we are left for dead..

You have been a tool in the hands of neo-colonialists.

You want them to care about you ?

since when does anybody care what happens to a pawn.

you are willing to kill on a strangers orders. and you expect to be respected.

they loathe you and hold in contempt. because you can do what they can't do personally, take a human life.

it is in their interests to see you broken and in disarray and in their control.

the greatest threat to them is the military turning on them.

it is why generals are carefully selected and greatly rewarded.

you are trained to be like a dog, to obey your master.

The more I read about the VA and the most homeless vets I see, the happier I am that my spouse has private insurance and although I pay for medications and copays sometimes out of pocket, the nightmare of the VA is avoided that little bit longer...



Keep up the good work!!! Fight for the fallen!!!!

reply to post by randomname


The point here is that the corruption in the VA is leading to money being wasted when it should be used to care for service connected disabled veterans from all wars past and present. I understand your view point but this isn't just about veterans of the current wars.

Originally posted by randomname
since when does anybody care what happens to a pawn.

you are willing to kill on a strangers orders. and you expect to be respected.

they loathe you and hold in contempt. because you can do what they can't do personally, take a human life.

it is in their interests to see you broken and in disarray and in their control.

the greatest threat to them is the military turning on them.

it is why generals are carefully selected and greatly rewarded.

you are trained to be like a dog, to obey your master.

Who's to come to your aid in time of need? That's like calling all cops bad yet who you gonna call when you need one? For the record, there is bad and good in any regime or order. We need to expose the bad in order to change it. Instead of being cynical, be proactive.

Originally posted by usmc0311
reply to post by Gridrebel

 

I'm not giving up, just pursuing different avenues. I will deffinitely take it up with Obama by not voting for him this November.

I'm sorry if I sound calloused. You have just cause and have been ripped off. Don't give up, keep pursuing your rights. You deserve them! Ignore the cold comments. People can sometimes be cruel.