  The American Veteran's On-Line News Magazine Click here to make VA Watchdog dot Org your homepage VA NEWS FLASH from Larry Scott at VA Watchdog dot Org -- 10-17-2008 |
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The American Veteran's On-Line News Magazine Click here to make VA Watchdog dot Org your homepage VA NEWS FLASH from Larry Scott at VA Watchdog dot Org -- 10-17-2008 |
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AND CHANGES IN VA PROCEDURES -- VFW chief: "The question that begs to be asked and answered is how many veterans had their disability and compensation claims disappear down a paper shredder?"
Story below:
------------------------- UPDATE: SHREDDER SCANDAL SPURS VETS' OUTRAGE AND CHANGES IN VA PROCEDURES VFW chief: "The question that begs to be asked and answered is how many veterans had their disability and compensation claims disappear down a paper shredder." by Larry Scott
Many veterans who have written me in the few days since we broke the story about Department of Veterans' Affairs (VA) claims found in shredder bins at the Detroit Regional Office (VARO) have said this incident should be called "shreddergate." That's really kind of humorous. But, there is absolutely nothing funny about this situation. Original story and follow-ups... The VA has finally issued a statement about the
incident. VA press release here... Be sure to read it...
In typical VA fashion, the title of the press release tells a lot. The title is: VA Tightens Protections for Veterans Paperwork
The VA spin machine continues their work in the body of the press release as we realize that this is a classic government agency "defuse" and "minimize" statement. VA Secretary Peake says, “I insist on the highest possible standards for processing and safeguarding information in VA’s custody. It is unacceptable that documents important to a veteran’s claim for benefits should be misplaced or destroyed.” Peake tries to "defuse" the situation by saying the VA knows about the problem and is trying to fix it. The press release also states: IG auditors found a handful of documents waiting to be shredded, which might have affected the fate of veterans’ applications. The documents were returned to the proper offices for processing. By using the word "handful," the VA is trying to "minimize" this issue and make it seem smaller than it is. But let me tell you, there is nothing here to minimize and Secretary Peake still has a live fuse in his hand. This is just the tip of the iceberg. The VFW, not known to bash the VA, issued a
blistering press release. Here...
http://www.vfw.org/index The national commander said, "...the question that begs to be asked and answered is how many veterans had their disability and compensation claims disappear down a paper shredder?” When you have a statement like that, you know there's trouble ahead. That DAV was not quite as outraged, but reading
between the lines we sense a lot of frustration in their press release.
Here... What is VA doing.? The VA has stopped shredding
at Regional Offices, for now. And, in a story in The Army Times,
we read, "...the shredding ban is so sweeping that it includes the
removal of portable shredders from beside the desks of VA workers." Full
story here... More stories about this matter... But, now, the problem we have is this: Veterans' have found that they cannot trust the Veterans' Benefits Administration (VBA) with their paperwork. Trust in the VBA system has been irrevocably shattered. And, there's no going back. Every veteran who has had a claim denied or "timed-out" will wonder if their paperwork was shredded or "disappeared" somewhere along the line. And I will guarantee that this is just the beginning of this story. The VA had hoped to keep this quiet with a VAOIG (Inspector General) report that few would read. I was asked why VA Watchdog dot Org broke this story prior to the VAOIG report. Simple: This matter would have been downplayed and swept under the rug. But, not now. Should veterans be angry. Much, much more than that. We must take action. Below is commentary from Veterans' Advocate Jim Strickland who helped bring this story to fruition. Jim has a call to action...and I agree completely. --------------- YOU KNOW WHAT TO DO by Jim Strickland
As the reality of what I was hearing sunk in, I
was numb. The terrible rumors were true. Inside the fortresses of our VA
Regional Offices there are people whose job it was to serve America's
veterans and they were intentionally destroying documents. Documents that
held the key to much needed and deserved disability benefits. --------------- Find your Member of the House here... Find your Senators here... ------------------------- -------------------------
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