This new editorial explains a little about how Shinseki is going to reduce the backlog by 2015, amidst a growing number of doubters.
Once again, the VA promises to reduce the backlog.
Among the skeptics is this 94 year old man, still trying to get VA benefits. Apparently 7 years was just too fast for the VA to complete his claim, and he waits, just like the other million or so Veterans in the “hopium” that Shinseki will fix the backlog.
So, the VA has a plan to reduce the backlog. First,
Please observe “the old” plan which was only partially effective at reducing the backlog:
Veterans were unhappy with the old plan, so something had to be done. There were congressional investigations into shreddergate, and the VA promised not to get caught at it anymore. Interestingly, Belinda’ Flynns congressional testimony “forgot” that Cleveland RO was also on the list of Regional Offices caught shredding Vets evidence.
Chairman Munyan and Belinda Finn had a conversation about shredding documents in 2011, in a congressional hearing about poorly performing Regional Offices. This is a portion of their conversation:
Mr. RUNYAN. And there is, Ms. Finn, regarding misplacing loss claim folders, you said in your written statement this is happening in the VA’s COVER system….
(Authors Note: Notice the present tense “is happening” as opposed to it “has happened” in the past but fixed. Isn’t that an admission by the VAOIG that Veterans evidence is still coming up missing far too often? The author wants to know why the VAOIG is apparently no longer performing inspections checking the shredder bin for these lost documents, since this statement would indicate that Shreddergate 2 is on its way. )
(continuing with Mr. Munford’s quote) They are tracked by bar code. How are we losing files like this all the time?
Ms. FINN. What we found was the location in the system doesn’t correspond to where the folder is. So when you go to where the folder was last recorded, it is not there.
Mr. RUNYAN. Isn’t that the purpose of the bar code?
Ms. FINN. The purpose the bar code, yes, is to provide a system for tracking it. But it requires compliance that people use the scanner to COVER it in every place it goes. And if somebody misses doing that step, and then the folder gets put into a file room, perhaps it gets misfiled and then you can’t find it.
There you have it. Scroll to the bottom to see the VA’s newest backlog reduction program.
asknod
brewerkelli
cspencer02
jamesaurora
kcraveiro
Laura
Veterans Claims Help 
I am in the process of getting a loan modification and I must tell you that the parallels are scary. No return phone calls, “lost” paperwork, missing information that was faxed just the day prior and here is the kicker; I sent in the requested information via return receipt USPS and also sent it via fax on the same day. One and one half week later and they still cannot find the paperwork. Two days later I get a phone call stating oh yes that was received on …..
Same ole BS and perhaps run by VA, who knows for sure?
Notice that the national average to certify an appeal to the BVA by a VARO is around 525 days…The counter doesn’t start and the appeal is not in the BVA queue until the VARO enters the claim number into VACOLS. Then it is supposed to be the date of the F-9 but will a Veteran jump to the head of the line after a year and a half of waiting for the certification? I have a claim stuck in that appeal limbo….for how long is anybody’s guess!
I was active duty for 10 years and had a MEB. My c-file from 1986 and all of those 10 years of SMRs are lost in space. The VARO wants to blame it on Dr. Smith. They “rebuilt” my c-file with nothing in it. That was the extent of this VARO’s “duty to assist”. Of course with nothing in the c-file, there is no evidence and no evidence was grounds to grant me a lightening quick denial. The ROs know that the probability that a Veteran will make it to the end of the appeal marathon is one out of 10.