CAS3
08-26-03, 11:40 AM
A MESSAGE TO ALL EMPLOYEES FROM SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS PRINCIPI, August 22, 2003
A recent article in the Wall Street Journal described how a badly injured veteran of our campaign in Afghanistan failed to receive benefits to which he was entitled because our employees acted in a “business as usual” manner by not making an extra effort to obtain information they needed to properly and quickly decide the veteran’s claim. VBA and VHA staff missed an opportunity to assist the veteran because our organizational “mindsets” got in the way.
Events like this are unacceptable. They cannot happen again.
Soon, each of you will be given specific directions to ensure that such events do not happen again, but in the meantime, please understand that every VA employee has an obligation to ensure that every veteran who is wounded, injured, or ill from training for, preparing for, or fighting our war against terror receives priority service-and especially to ensure that they do not “fall through the cracks.”
If you need information to assist a veteran of America’s new war, you have an obligation to both find that information-and obtain it. And, conversely, if you have information someone else needs, you have an obligation to get that information to where it is needed.
Don’t just send it-make sure it is received and understood by the recipient, so that your fellow employee can properly serve the veteran he or she is helping.
The men and women who embody our Department now have the rarest of opportunities: another chance to make a first impression. VA still carries a burden from the mistrust and anger many Vietnam veterans have as a result of their experiences with VA from thirty-five years ago. Many veterans of Desert Storm have similar feelings. Our actions over the next few months will define our Department for the lifetime of the veterans who are now returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.
Let me remind you of the words of my great predecessor, General Omar Bradley: “We are dealing with veterans, not procedures: with their problems, not ours.” I place tremendous importance on meeting our obligations to veterans returning injured or wounded from combat or military operations. It will be difficult for any VA employee to be overzealous in serving the casualties of the war in which we are now engaged. Conversely, we will have failed to meet our very reason to exist as a Department if a veteran is poorly served-or because we are acting in a routine, “business as usual” manner.
Each of us works for the Department of Veterans Affairs because we believe in VA’s sacred mission to care for veterans and the men and women who now serve in our armed forces. Today’s servicemembers did what was required of them-and some of them have paid a heavy price to meet their commitment to our Nation. It is now our turn to step up to the plate and do what must be done to honor our commitment, and President Lincoln’s promise, to these heroes. In my heart, I know I can count on each and every one of you to do your level best.
A recent article in the Wall Street Journal described how a badly injured veteran of our campaign in Afghanistan failed to receive benefits to which he was entitled because our employees acted in a “business as usual” manner by not making an extra effort to obtain information they needed to properly and quickly decide the veteran’s claim. VBA and VHA staff missed an opportunity to assist the veteran because our organizational “mindsets” got in the way.
Events like this are unacceptable. They cannot happen again.
Soon, each of you will be given specific directions to ensure that such events do not happen again, but in the meantime, please understand that every VA employee has an obligation to ensure that every veteran who is wounded, injured, or ill from training for, preparing for, or fighting our war against terror receives priority service-and especially to ensure that they do not “fall through the cracks.”
If you need information to assist a veteran of America’s new war, you have an obligation to both find that information-and obtain it. And, conversely, if you have information someone else needs, you have an obligation to get that information to where it is needed.
Don’t just send it-make sure it is received and understood by the recipient, so that your fellow employee can properly serve the veteran he or she is helping.
The men and women who embody our Department now have the rarest of opportunities: another chance to make a first impression. VA still carries a burden from the mistrust and anger many Vietnam veterans have as a result of their experiences with VA from thirty-five years ago. Many veterans of Desert Storm have similar feelings. Our actions over the next few months will define our Department for the lifetime of the veterans who are now returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.
Let me remind you of the words of my great predecessor, General Omar Bradley: “We are dealing with veterans, not procedures: with their problems, not ours.” I place tremendous importance on meeting our obligations to veterans returning injured or wounded from combat or military operations. It will be difficult for any VA employee to be overzealous in serving the casualties of the war in which we are now engaged. Conversely, we will have failed to meet our very reason to exist as a Department if a veteran is poorly served-or because we are acting in a routine, “business as usual” manner.
Each of us works for the Department of Veterans Affairs because we believe in VA’s sacred mission to care for veterans and the men and women who now serve in our armed forces. Today’s servicemembers did what was required of them-and some of them have paid a heavy price to meet their commitment to our Nation. It is now our turn to step up to the plate and do what must be done to honor our commitment, and President Lincoln’s promise, to these heroes. In my heart, I know I can count on each and every one of you to do your level best.