Shinseki: Backlog at DVA is good news
Yes, you read that right, back during the last Administration a backlog of enrollment in the Department of Veterans’ Affairs meant incompetence and evidence that the Bush Administration didn’t care about veterans, But, now, Shinseki, in a Rick Maze piece at Army Times, sent to us by Chief Tango, says it’s good news that the backlog has grown.
Appearing before the Veterans of Foreign Wars in an election-year address aimed at showing the best side of the Obama administration’s policies, Shinseki said the total inventory of veterans’ claims was 400,000 when the administration began and is about 880,000 today.
The growth, he said, “is what happens when we increase access.” While it has meant some veterans are waiting longer for their benefits to start, “it was the right thing to do,” he said
Really, the Obama Administration “increased access”? How exactly? If I’m not mistaken, the last expansion of access to VA benefits came from the Bush Administration and they had half of the backlog that the Obama Administration is currently dealing with.
Of course, the Army Times doesn’t address that little fact. Yes, the Obama Administration is funding the DVA at a higher rate, but that’s only because they plan on pushing those of us on Tricare into the VA system and it’s so Brandon Friedman can tell tell me that this administration is expanding spending on veterans while Leon Panetta is actually jacking up our Tricare premiums, which, by the way, doubles on October 1st.
Category: Veteran Health Care, Veterans Issues, Veterans' Affairs Department
This guy has a college education? Um, General? Exactly how would you consider a backlog of people not getting the help they need “access”?
Doesn’t access mean they’re getting seen and served?
Fuck yooooouuuuuuuu Shitsacki
Shinseki (or an aide) was posting on Twitter yesterday, highlighting the number of claims and the backlog year over year.
“Secretary Shinseki: In 2009, VA completed 900k claims, took in 1mil. ’10: 1mil claims, took in 1.2mil. ’11: 1 mil claims, 1.3 mil taken in.”
That shows me an agency getting farther and farther behind.
Seventeen months and counting…and waiting. I agree with #2…
Shitsacki is the perfect example of officers who lose touch with reality as they go up the racks. The guy had a good run in his younger years. Shame, shame, shame…
Ranks, not racks.
Or the efficient doctor who hardly ever has backlog of patients, because they all just die. Yeah, don’t trust statistics, because they can be distorted to fit a political agenda.
This is similar to Obama in ’08 stating that Bush was irresponsible with the budget for increasing the debt, but now Obama is being responsible by increasing the budget debt because he is dealing with Bush’s irresponsibility….
Whiskey, Tango, Foxtrot, Over?
I am still waiting for him to issue us all Berets at the VA to improve our morale. It will make us all feel special so we will feel better about being understaffed, overworked, underfunded…… ummm yep, that should do it. It will really cure all the nepotism, favoritism and about any other “ism” you can think of that pervades the VA.
#4, I’m right there with you, but I’ve been waiting twice what you have as of today…
However, I believe what they meant by “increased access” is opening the doors to phonies who walk in with a 214, or a fake sheet of orders. You know, if they can’t even find the person’s name in the system, then their documentation must be legit. And if it says they were a 5-star General SEAL sniper with the Marine Recon and HALO dropped with the Rangers into Iraq, then they must be important and should go to the top of the line.
Sorry, rb325th. I’m not trying to talk bad about you, it’s the actual monkey fucks at the VA that I’m pissed at.
I will never forgive that man for the beret fiasco.
For about two years, there have been regular requests for more “outreach” events from VA staff. Now we understand why. He of the black beret thinks more demand for VA services is a “win.”
Let’s ask for the money to provide care and benefits for those veterans entering the system… Oh, that’s right, Senator Patty Murray, a Dem from Wash state, already did that. She’s blasted VA for not funding enough positions.
Yelling at VA for inadequate funding is one of the few issues that both Repubs and Dems agree about. Sen Burr, a Repub from NC, sent a letter with Sen Murray asking VA IG for an investigation.
The VA’s IG said hospitals were gaming their numbers to look like there were no problems.
Here’s the 2012 VA IG report and a news story:
http://www.va.gov/oig/pubs/VAOIG-12-00900-168.pdf
https://www.kuow.org/program.php?id=26588
Sen Murray has been grinding this ax for a couple of years. It must be really bad if a Democratic Senator is angry at the administration.
You would think this issue would get more media attention in states with lots of military and veterans.
I just hope that those veterans who are waiting for their disabilities get them before our Obamanation of a President gets done handing out a claim to every dickweasel who played Modern Warfare and wants government money from the VA.
word i got from the VA is Obama said to VA pay all current vets and make Vietnam Korea and World War II vets wait!! screw you Obama you piece of human fuckin garbage!!Who the hell does this jerk off president think he is!! These modern day so called modern vets im sure are going to be well received on memorial day!! Look forward to seeing you soon!