From March 14th to 16th 2008, Pacifica Radio provided coverage of the historic Winter Soldier 2008 gathering in Washington, DC.
National broadcast (April 22nd) on the first class action lawsuit brought by Iraq war veterans against the Department of Veterans Affairs. US vets suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder are alleging a system-wide breakdown in the way the government treats injured soldiers.
When young American men and women sign up to serve in the US military, our government makes a basic promise to them: that if they are wounded in the line of duty they will get the care they need. Unfortunately, for tens of thousands of veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan, that's a promise that only exists on paper.
Corporal Phillipe Louis Jean: When I Got Back from Iraq, They Tried to Deport Me
Specialist Joshua Casteel: Abu Ghraib Interrogator Meets With the Pope
Lance Corporal Jeff Key: Gay Marine Comes Out on CNN
Sergeant Todd Bowers: While I Was in Iraq, My Student Loans Were Sent to Collection
Sergeant James Dean: Afghan Vet Shot by Maryland State Troopers
Disability Claims Processing
There is so much that needs to be exposed.
For a better understanding of the problems with the disability claims, read the statements made by J.David Cox, R.N., AFGE, and Steve Smith of the American Legion
HOUSE COMMITTEE ON VETERANS’ AFFAIRS
SUBCOMMITTEE ON DISABILITY ASSISTANCE AND MEMORIAL AFFAIRS, September 13, 2006
Oversight hearing on the training provided to VBA claims adjudicators and the standards used to measure their proficiency and performance.
In addition, the RVSRs are GS-12 positions with higher salaries than a lot of RNs. The RVSRs have no medical training, not even medical terminology. Most are promoted to the positions and have very little, if any, education past high school. They are not qualified to make disability rating decisions, but can overrule doctor's opinions.
Admiral Cooper's task force with the incentive award program made everything worse. Focus is on production and timeliness in order to meet the criteria to earn more award money. QUALITY DOES NOT MATTER.
The $20,000 bonuses that management receives and the $2,000-$3,000 bonuses that RVSRs and Claims Examiners receive in addition to the others, should be going to our veterans.
Another little bit of information. The employees answering the phones to assist veterans are not receiving enough training, furnishing incorrect information, and are under pressure from management to complete the phone calls in 3 minutes.
Veterans have no preference in the office where I worked. They do not seem to even attempt to cover it up. Most of the highest positions are now held by women, non-veterans that were promoted over veterans that are more qualified.
Nepotism is a huge problem in many VA offices.
There is no such thing as Whistleblower Protection for government employees and the OSC, OIG and MSPB are as corrupt as the VA, so the problems just get worse.
VA employees are being paid good salaries to take care of veterans. The veterans are nothing more than numbers to them.
Veterans don't even know what is going on.
Congress doesn't care. It is pathetic.