Posted by the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs
Boring and expensive VA propaganda. Video II–innovations? We’ve seen your innovations in Winston-Salem.
Or if embedded video doesn’t play..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRSrfCoeL3s&feature=plcp
Thanks Joe Average Vet for reminding us about these outrages. They spent 3-9 million on as you correctly say, parties. They spent 84K on VA branded trinkets –probably made in China.
http://veterans.house.gov/va-conference-expenditures-under-investigation
asknod
Bethanie Spangenberg
kcraveiro
robinhoodesqvetsatty
Wesley McCauley
Veterans Claims Help 
The fake Patton is missing his CIB.
The Patton character is not historically accurate. I’m a stickler for that crap. He dies as a Lt. General (three stars). His impersonator is wearing a helmet with four and they are arranged improperly with one over three. A General would have four in line as would a Lt. general have three similarly situated. I’ll review the medals to make sure they are historically appropriate later.
The federal agency I am currently employed with has annual conferences too. And they are held at another federal facility (at virtually no cost) a whopping 40 miles away. They are so cautious about not wasting budget money and public perception that the attendees are required to drive their own P.O.V.s, pay for they’re own meals, return home to their own residence so no per diem expenses are incurred, and the only ‘alcohol’ you will find is at the local establishments where they meet for dinner. Basically the only thing provided is coffee, water, tea, ice tea, and bagels that are purchased with the ‘coffee fund’ money that everyone kicks in to. You know… like what is expected.
So I’d love to hear how this luxury Orlando vacay complete with Hollywood style trappings is justified in the written request from Reps. Miller and Filner.
What I find both amusing and ironic is the following excerpt from the OIG report…
“•VA employees may have received improper gratuities, including alcohol, gift baskets, concert tickets, embroidered pillow cases, stretch limousines, helicopter rides, and spa treatments”
This is absolutely a blatant violation of federal employment regulations that each and every employee are reminded of every single year when completing mandatory annual training.
Federal employees are specifically prohibited from accepting gifts valued greater than $20.
Helicopter rides? Spa treatments? Concert tickets? WTF??
Keep in mind that this conference was held for and by HR personnel who are tasked with ensuring employees are well aware of this regulation.
This is just plain shameful and rediculous. The party’s over A-holes… now get back to work!
Wow, I didn’t know that. We need to keep track of this story. This is probably just the tip of the iceberg.