Interesting News!!!

[CAS3]

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.

[GunnerMike]

Yadda, Yadda, Yadda. Same old same old. My family has standing orders that at no time should I be entrusted to the tender mercies of the VA.

It is still my contention that VA's unofficial motto is: There is nothing too good for our nation's veterans and that is what VA will give them - Nothing.

[CAS3]

Mike, there are 3 parts to the VA system...benefits, medical and cemetary! Which one were you referring to? LOL

[JAMarine]

Wonder if the concept will get off the ground. Like you said Colleen; "Interesting News"

[CAS3]

What I thught was interesting is the secretary of the Dept. of Veteran Affairs sent it to all of his employees!!
I kinda intercepted by accident as I am not employed by him!

[JAMarine]

Good Work Young Lady.

Your The WOMAN!

Fi Marine

rich

[marine5]

Ahhh...I love the BS that Principi puts out to the masses...LMAO
Principi is only there until the Next President comes into office...
The VA minions are there for ever...NOTHING will change...
It will be "SCREW THE VET AS USUAL"...LOL

I don't know why the Young Vet is so upset...
I was discharged 31Nov72 with 60% it only
took 33 years 83 Days to get it to 100% T&P,
for the same thing I was discharged with...then
with the award letter they stated that I HAD NOT
been to NAM...was in RVN 68-70 they had lost one
of my DD 214's....convenient huh LOL

[Sixguns]

Synopsis:

"You guys screwed up, so now I have to publish this memo so it looks like I am serious and taking action. In the future, prevent me from public embarrassment." Signed, Your Boss.

See the VA is screwed up! Even the name tells you so. Veterans Administration.... Retirees and former military folks getting passed through a governmental process, that's what VA really means. Maybe a better name could be Veterans-Associated, Government INsurance Association
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And a new slogan would help
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VAGINA - - Taking care of the needs of those men who proudly wore their country's service uniforms!!!!

At least with the name Vagina, I could feel better about going through that process!!!


SIXGUNS

[greybeard]

My question is this. Why was such a memo needed in the 1st place?
Veterans, even combat disabled vets are investigated inside out-almost every aspect of their personal, medical, emotional, and financial lives are put under a microscope. It's been my experience, that more time & effort is spent disproving a vets claim than anything else. Perhaps it's time to start putting VA employees that seem not to care about the vet under the same scrutiny. I know a vet right here in San Angelo that served with the Americal Div that has been trying to get dis-ability for 33 yrs. More than a third of his life. He finally got approved for disability last month. I won't say what I really think about it, but suffice it to say the vc treated him better than his country did. They only broke his legs-his country broke his spirit.

[TMM54]

In this month's issue of the DAV magazine, there is an absolutely
appalling example of what the VA does (or does not do) every
day. A Navy veteran, recovering from a stroke, tried to get an
appointment with the VA for medical care and medicine. He was
put on a waiting list, but as his medicine was running out, he
called other VA facilities around the country. The VA convinced
this man to start to drive cross country to get an appointment,
but his car broke down, his money ran out, and now homeless,
the VA somehow managed to decide that he was deceased and
refused all help. This unfortunately is a true story, and we collectively must start screaming at our political leadership so
that this disaster (the VA) is fixed. Today. Call the offices of
your congressmen and senators, and keep calling until they are
sick of us and they actually force change. It is the only forseeable
way to fix this, short of armed anarchy. Semper Fidelis, Tom