Many Vets have mixed feelings whether to trust the VA or not while others have a strong opinion one way or the other. On one hand, Veterans who have weaved through the disability maze at the VA receive their compensation checks with amazing reliability on or about the first of each month. Still, how trustworthy is the VA? It is one of the “core values” at least at the Palo Alto VA, according to this report.
But how is the VA doing at fulfilling this “core value” of trustworthiness? And, have Veterans been harmed by this lack of trust? In at least some areas, the VA has a poor track record of trust.
One example of this is a few Veteran’s advocates suggesting the use of “certified mail return receipt requested” when dealing with the VA. Why would this happen if the VA were trusted to not lose Veteran evidence? In at least some cases, the VA was caught deliberately destroying this evidence .
Further, how does the VA respond when one of its own breaches Veterans trust? For example the VA promised to “hold accountable” those persons who shredded Veterans evidence.
But, did they really hold bad employees accountable or was this just “lip service”? This article suggests the later. And this is not the only instance where a “big shot” in trouble with a scandal at the VA was “moved” instead of being fired. In this article, Congressmen Turner was quoted as “outraged” that the director of the VAMC in Dayton was promoted instead of being fired after allowing a dentist to continue working at the VAMC when the (former director) knew for years this dentist used unsanitary procedures working with Veterans. The article continues, suggesting at least 9 Veterans contacted Hep B and C through this dentists poor hygene practices. Sadly, these Veterans were harmed by trusting that the VA would properly follow basic good hygiene techniques when they did not, in some instances.
It is clear that the above referenced articles seriously question not only the trustworthiness of the VA, but also in their ability to deal with the problem.
Walcoff admits to 200 “work at home” VA employees
It would seem as tho the VA does indeed trust its employees. Michael Wolcoff, a top level VA executive, testified to congress that about 200 rating specialists rate Veterans cases at home. Further, Congressman Hall suggested the VA “incentivize” their employees for coming to work. Mr. Walcoff weakly denied the “incentivize” term, but admittted the VA was out of space and the work at home program “had value”.
After giving due consideration to the millions of Veterans treated at VA hospitals successfully each year, I would have to say that the VA needs improvement to win back Veterans trust in certain areas such as shredding Veterans evidence, but that they have some very good employees and doctors who do a good job treating Veterans maladies. Its the exceptions that everyone notices and, out of fairness, we need to recognize that most Veterans do get good treatment at the VA. In short, the VA needs improvement in many areas in the “trust” department. Most importantly, when there is a breach of trust by a VA employee, the VA really should hold the individual accountable. Lip service does not cut it.
asknod
Bethanie Spangenberg
kcraveiro
robinhoodesqvetsatty
Wesley McCauley
Veterans Claims Help 
Very simple, the VA ARE NOT a group of VETERAN ADVOCATES !!!!!! They are budget driven and as far as the Vets are concerned ……… They would prefer you DEAD 😦
I also wonder about some of the VSO, starting to think that they are not doing there job to help the VETS
The VA is supposed to be unique as a Federal Agency in granting benefits to our Military Veterans. However the VBA, VHA, both have their own sets of CFRs to follow derived from USC just like any other Federal Agency. The VA is not unique in how it operates. Every Federal Agency has their own OIG. The purpose was to be the agency watchdogs. But in reality they are the junkyard dogs owned by their respective agency. The job of the OIG is to protect the Federal Agency from the public. Corruption and incompetence (planned or unplanned) is the order of the day for any and all Federal Agencies. There isn’t any oversight at all. The government agencies (just like big corporations) don’t want to be held accountable for their employees’ actions because it detracts from the bottom line or the operating budget that the managers want to keep for themselves. They avoid lawsuits or civil action simply because they can.
Can I trust that I am getting proper health care? The VA is all I have and I am not SC for Hep or my chronic liver disease. I know I am not getting proper healthcare for my liver condition and I know why. What can I do about it? Hope I stay alive until SSDI is approved so I can get medicare? Wait my turn at the BVA and hope for justice in the next decade? How am I supposed to live in the mean time? I can trust that the VA will hamburger my claim into oblivion any which way they can. I can trust that the VA will avoid finding my SMRs and my c-file if they can. I can trust that the VA will ignore any medical evidence I provide if they can. I can trust that the VA will let me die if they can. But then this is just the result of my own personal experiences. It only happens to me. I am just the anomaly. I am just feigning illness because I am a welfare cheat. I can walk (sometimes) and feed myself so what’s my problem?
No I do not trust the VA, or, the RO in Los Angeles. WHY? My C&P nexus(2002) from GI chief of staff at the VAMC, Loma Linda CA appears to be ALTERED! Mr Nod was very forthcoming telling me this is nothing new. Sentences crossed out, and hand written words on a typed report. Yet my VSO asshole representative said nothing at my denial. This is a CUE and fighting words. I have other CUE regarding this denial. Mr NOD said these are recorded in VISTA and cannot be altered unless there is a notation in the records. I got all my c file and SMR and the crossed out sentences still remain. Has my records been altered? Who would do such a thing? My guess is the RO at Los Angeles is the responsible party. Does the benefit of the doubt go in favor of the veteran? NOT… I can blame the vso as a rubber stamp to this injustice. I blame the RO and the evil devil there who did this to me. Do I have legal recourse? NOT… What do I do or who will help me? NO ONE… I have contacted my elected officals, Govonor, Bob Filner, and send as letter to the President every week for years. NO ONE IS HELD ACCOUNTABLE….
Except for Mr NOD and this site I was destined to sink and die under VA apathy. Now I have something to fight back with. THE TRUTH… I DO NOT TRUST THE VA………….
Hang in there Robert, we are all here reading this stuff because we are all in the same boat. Apparently the VA has had many years to refine their attrocities toward Vets. I have only been dealing with them recently since 2009. I got a VSO then because I had no clue what I was doing and I wasn’t going to let the VARO handle it. But then I found “asknod” and he taught me how to build the confidence to carry my own weight against the VA. A VSO is only going to do what they have to do, and that is seldom enough to win claims. I have had a half dozen C+P exams now and they are just a VA con game, a fishing expedition. They know when a vet takes it hook-line-and-sinker or they don’t bite and get away. The VA examiners are like the gatekeepers for the VA. You have to beat their door down with the weight of factual, medical evidence. Usually they deny that they even have it. Then when they admit they have it, they don’t evaluate it. Either the VA runs out of steam or the Vet will…I plan on finishing the marathon. Sometimes I get frustrated and I want to give up. Being very ill it’s easy to do that. I figure I have put in all of this effort, frustration for so long that I don’t want to let them win for all they have put me through.
I appreciate your understanding sir. My health is declining steadly as well. HCV has robbed me in so many ways. The Va has robbed me and added insult to injury. Though I wanted to give up I found this site by mistake. Mr NOD is quite a guy along with his “ministry of helps” to vets like us. We all suffer in different ways. My cancer is in remission today. Tomorrow is guaranteed to no one. I will die fighting the va monster and those there who injure and hate me because of my diseases. I hope your appeals and health runs the race. Thank you for your service……..
I used to be angry with the VA just after my diagnosis. I have spent so much time here at this VAMC lately that I have gotten to know many of the worker bees. I think most people are decent people and most who work here really do care about vets. What the hay, quite a few are vets themselves. When I have been allowed tests, procedures and to see specialists, most of the time I get quality care. It’s their employer who is the ugly green evil monster! They are appointed by politicans that want the senior managers to cart away baskets of money and let them keep some for themselves. At that high level it’s all about the lust for money, the greed and power devoid of human decency.
They have treated so many HCV vets now that they are starting to realize that what they have been told is a big lie. Big-pharma and Big-Med who caused this epidemic are losing the battle to cover-up this disease. People have figured out that the military went cheap delivery for vaccinations and medical, dental procedures and instruments, medical supplies. Big-corp spent lots of money to get the VA and CDC to cover all of this up and brain wash the public. Their wall has been slowly crumbling though, and the truth is moving through now. The VAROs still want to wash their hands of HCV however even they cannot shake off the stink. Anyone that wants to blame me for my HCV, well I will expose a middle finger to them whilst I explain how I arrived at determining their IQ.
Thank you for the service to your country! 🙂
We need to unite as a group or PAC something where we can get govt money to petition and redress the HCV issues. Govt money to study sex life of mosquitos or fruitflys? We are worth more than a bugs sex life… We are dying left and right. The original IFN study I was in 1995 few are still standing. I saw GI chief of staff retire. I seen many RN, support staff retire at my VAMC. I have been told I am one of longest, refuse to die, HCV patients with a bad attitude. I tell them what I want and how much! YES I stink up their waiting room with vim and vigor. NO bragging but walking wounded with knowledge. I have a VLJ hearing at los angeles 7-9, three days before my 60th birthday. Please keep me in your prayers… I might blow up if they push the wrong button………..
If they are rating cases at home, how the heck are they protecting confidentiality and privacy of medical records? Claims folders piled up on the kitchen table? How does this work exactly?
And thanks for bringing this to our attention!