Here’s the latest on the vA’s attempt to explain their myriad problems in vAspeak. I admire retired Brig. Gen. Hickey’s vain attempts to convince all that an elephant can indeed disappear up it’s own ass.
P.S. One thing I took away from this is that blondes are living proof that Hydrogen Peroxide causes brain damage. 98 metrics for bonus awards indeed. Perhaps there should be bonuses for exceptionally disabled Vets?
P.P.S. OMG! 23 million Vets? Our numbers shrank. The census said it was 26 million. If they can’t find 3 million Vets, does this mean they shredded them? Misplaced them? Maybe they’re homeless and don’t count them.
P.P.P.S. They finally realized there’s a problem with DBQs (no place for the nexus). Princess Allison says she put defective DBQs out there that way just to get things rolling. Now we have to reprint the damn things as soon as vA “sees” the problem and fixes them. “We’re working on it” solved everything here. At least the VFW reads this website and noticed the nexus area was absent.
asknod
Bethanie Spangenberg
kcraveiro
robinhoodesqvetsatty
Wesley McCauley
Veterans Claims Help 
It is sad that many returning Veterans and Homeless Veterans commit suicide after years of waiting for their earned Veterans Benefit Association (VBA) claims to be processed. Although the Congressional Hearing was on the “VBA Claims Transformation Plan,” an actual “Plan” does not exist in writing.
June 19, 2012. Veterans Affairs Hearing Video on Reclaiming the Process: Examining the VBA Claims Transformation Plan as a Means to Effectively Serve our Veterans . Congressman Bob Filner’s questions and comments to the panel.
http://veteransaffairs.edgeboss.net/wmedia/veteransaffairs/2012/120619.wvx
Opening Comment – Start time 7 Minutes to end time 15 minutes.
Panel 1 – Start time 56 minutes to end time 1 hour.
Panel 2 – Start time 2 Hours and 4 minutes to end time 2 hours and 9 minutes.
Panel 3 – Start/End time: 2 hours and 22 minutes.
Start time 2 Hours and 31 minutes to end time 2 hours and 34 minutes.
Panel 4 – Start time 3 Hours and 3 minutes to end time 3 hours and 12 minutes.
Start time 3 Hours and 32 minutes to end time 3 hours and 41 minutes.
http://veterans.house.gov/hearing/VBA%20claims
I think it is a little more than sad, more like unacceptable and the actions of the VBA untenable!
Many of us here are fighting in the trenches for our right to live. The VSOs are so attached and dependent on the system (the way it is now) that they are oblivious to what is going on. The VA says there is no problem. The NSOs have become lame ducks to that system that states there is no problem.
One of the statements made by an NSO was the spike. He said a rater wanted to give a Vet a C+P exam when the medical evidence was right there in front him. When he brought up the point the rater said: “I am not going to give the government’s money away”. Anyone who has been even remotely involved with their own claim knows the purpose of a C+P exam is to squash any positive medical evidence the Veteran has already supplied and POINTED OUT. In any event it’s an automatic 3-4 month delay once a rater requests a C+P exam. And “more likely than not” a C+P exam will be grounds to deny the claim.
General Hickey just flat out lied about how the VBA gets medical evidence from VA doctors. Under title 5 she should be tried for perjury and if found guilty sentenced to 5 years in a Federal Prison. But SES are above the law. After all she was a general with a reputation.
Came off a little strong…not my intent though. Can’t edit it. I do appreciate your thoughts. The only plan is to try and screw Veterans out of their compensation….I don’t see that changing anytime soon either. The house held hearings on Vets with HCV back in 1999-2000 and we all know where that went…into the circular file!
Just need to keep working with what we have….and listen to the minstrels that play the music of success like Mr. NOD and Mr. Joe Average Vet! 🙂
I haven’t looked at this webcast yet–but give me a break, I still can’t access the 2012 HCV BVA claims. How can we “reclaim” the right to read them? (I emailed the VA with the 404 message info weeks ago and was told it would be referred to the law librarian!)
Congressman Filner is a breath of fresh air. The Hon. Hickey better not get too comfy… I think the movers already measured her desk for crating.
Shinseki just picked her out last year. She wasn’t picked to solve or really do much of anything for Veterans anyway. Mr. NOD has it pegged pretty well just a Dog and Pony show. That is probably the last hearing for Bob Filner as he is running for mayor of San Diego now. He has been there for a long time (chairman and leading), is not a Veteran and we know the track record of the San Diego VARO. I personally have a bone to pick with them since they lost my SMRs and C-file. Patty Murray is the chairwoman of the Senate Vets Committee. The Seattle VARO and the Army installations in the state of Washington have been in the spotlight lately. Out of all of this hyperbole and innuendo I see this Administration and Senate putting a new pink bow on the pony and giving the poor dog a bone.
Yellow ribbon, perhaps.
Bob Filner is instrumental in getting the bill passed to get things moving. Once it is law then the USC needs to get boiled down into CFRs so the VA can operate with the new process changes. I like his logic, just grant the VV their AO claims. Sure a few will slip through the cracks but most will be valid. It’s really just a simple lesson in geography and history. So we have a medical diagnosis, next! What I didn’t care for was that Filner said that only Vets could be approved if they had a VSO representing them. My claim sat around the VARO for two years because my VSO didn’t have a clue what the Hickson elements were or even what I needed for evidence.
Talking about some future gargantuan computer system that will automatically spit out an error free claim in seconds is fruitless. Sure they can get something like that designed and operational in some years to come. But the claims process is in triage and bleeding to death. A process flow and decision trees are just as virtual. There are a lot of little things they could do to speed things up and the VA knows that but oh wait, that means they won’t be able to deny and delay as much. That is all they are good at and they will make up every excuse in the book to keep it that way. For instance what good is a C+P exam? How does that speed up a claim or even validate one? Some PA who doesn’t know his ass from a hole in the ground interpreting medical records from a specialist?
It can take up to 6 months or even longer just to get a mental health C+P exam. I just had one and the only reason I got mine in 2 months was because there happened to be an opening at a VA clinic 100 miles away. Driving 200 miles or waiting for another 4 months was a slam dunk of a decision on my part. Most aren’t as fortunate in other places though. Without one it’s a remand from the BVA so let’s eat up another 3 years because my VA psychiatrist won’t give me a nexus letter. Yet they will have to rate me with his diagnosis. Of course the VA’s game is to try and deny SC to begin with. Another thing is the DRO review. That’s like playing a game of football and having the other team’s coach be the deciding official. The vA has just become too good with delays and denial and unless Congress cries foul, I don’t see anything happening. Being an election year I consider all of that bold innuendo and grandstanding to eventually be shelved with the shades drawn.
Good read and I am sure that all of agree with your point of view seeing as how we are getting to the point of anarchy if this BS keeps going. At least Mrs. Hickey was polite but she didn’t have a Nexus letter for her being in such a good mood and therefore we can kick it back.
That’s the miracle of Serotonin re-uptake inhibitors like Paxil. Unfortunately, abuse of pharmaceutical drugs is willful misconduct and won’t be rewarded. Check those 98 metrics again.
Metrics my behind, I was never good with those anyhow. Good thought though. 🙂
OK, having watched the entire proceedings I want to nominate Filner become head of the VA effective immediately. And the little troll from IG, Halliday, needs to go investigate the major branhes of our government. It appears as though she doubts that anyone is deserving of 100% and for that she gets the raspberry award. Hickey was not really good at hiding her contempt of the raking she received from Mr. Filner and I was waiting to see if a vein actually popped in her neck.