How Ohio Veterans are Treated - Little Change Since March http://www.progressohio.org/page/community/post/brianrothenberg/C3Lk2008
| By The Mustang Major - Jun 7th, 2009 at 3:01 pm EDT |
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Categories: Affordable Healthcare, Budget Priorities, Honest and Ethical Government, Foreign Policy, National Security, Peace and Armed Conflict
Categories: Affordable Healthcare, Budget Priorities, Honest and Ethical Government, Foreign Policy, National Security, Peace and Armed Conflict
First, I wish to commend Brian Rothenberg for a job well done in research, points made, and the responses generated to his expose on how Ohio's Veterans have been shabbily treated.
Ohio's Shame; Caring For Ohio's Veterans Shouldn't Be So Political
http://www.progressohio.org/page/community/post/brianrothenberg/C3Lk
That was over a year ago, and fellow progressives here in Ohio, I'm here to give testimony, research, and detailed reasons why little to nothing has changed in over a year.
In detail below and this Special Report will be in 4 parts with the last being about the growing number of attorneys embracing Veterans' VA Claims appeals, and the little know change in federal law that allows attorneys to represent Veterans before VA Regional Offices, and better yet in federal courts.
Robert L. Hanafin
Major, U.S. Air Force-Retired
Veterans Today News Network
Member Editorial Board of Directors
I wish to begin with a detailed letter that I sent to Senator Sherrod Brown, because I will be working with Ms. Courtney Hansman in Senator Brown's Cincinnati office on a complaint that I filed with the Department of Veterans Affairs Inspector General in April 2009, that has once again launched an investigation into practices at the Dayton, VA Medical Center.
The substance of my complaint that got the attention of the Office of Secretary Eric Shinseki was that I am already a 100% service-connected Veteran requesting $7000 reimbursement for out of pocket medical and dental expense that the Dayton VAMC failed to offer me. I frankly did not make the case about me by committing any proceeds from winning an appeal to Fisher House to benefit military families in Ohio and across the nation.
I did not want to make this about me, I wanted to highlight that the problems with the VA system here in Ohio and across the nation are as Brian pointed out not partisan politics but systemic problems.
This is my last response to Senator Brown's office in regards to a problem that both he and Senator Voinovich admit exists. A few of you Yellow Dog Democrats are not going to appreciate me telling the Senator he has no clothes on, but please note how I do it.
The next three parts will be what I've written at national level that's getting attention in quite a few states with similar problems as Ohio, but our state remains at the bottom of the barrel and rated less than poor when it comes to treatment of Ohio's Veterans. This is something that everyone with a member in
the Ohio National Guard or thinking about joining the Guard needs to take extremely serious.
Though I marked that I disagree with Senator Brown's Veterans positions it is not that I disagree with what he is trying to do to improve the VA system in Ohio for what he's trying to do is commendable.
However, what I fear as a retired military officer, veteran of two wars, and parent who lost a child in these current foreign policy decisions (that's another story), I feel that there is no one on the Senator's staff, including his advisers for the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, who are expert enough on the VA system to make any effective changes. On the other hand the Senator may have people on staff that is too close to the broken system.
I am on the Editorial Board of two Veterans' and Military Family state and national Veterans news sites owned, operated, and directed by younger Vets. I also have a complaint with the Senator and Office of the VA Inspector General plus contacts with other members of the House and Senate on Veterans Issues in general via membership and regional adviser to the Political Action Committee VoteVets.com and on the Editorial Board of Directors of the unaffiliated Veterans Today News Network, and Our Troops News Ladder part of the News Ladder Network sponsored by Veterans for America.
We are a progressive online network that includes a legal affiliate of national attorneys called the Justice Project beginning to focus on Veterans legal claims beyond malpractice.
Our editorial board produced a Special Report called the Long and Winding Road that is an ongoing investigation relating just how the VA system is still broken from the view of inside reporters who happen to be veterans personally experiencing the broken system in Ohio as they deal with an ineffective Congressional/VA bureaucratic relationship that does more harm to Veterans in Ohio, and across the nation, than good.
Commentary by Senator Brown will now become part of that investigative process to be eventually forwarded to Political Action Committees within the Veterans' and Military Family activist community that is not composed of traditional, mainstream VSOs with logos in the lobby of VA Hospitals.
Senator Brown the problems are not partisan, they are not solved by Republican or Democratic appointments to VA upper management or even General Shinseki cleaning house at VA upper and middle management even if he could, which he can't because these are only treating the symptoms of the VA terminal illness.
Everything the Senator, and his staff, is experiencing and will continue to experience with the VA in Ohio are systemic problems that were created long before Senator Brown's election, and will continue long after the Senator is gone, as long as Senator Brown continues to DEFEND the very system he criticizes. Note your remarks about VA commitment below that you, Senator are either being conned by the VA or collaborating with the VA in keeping the system broke.
The Senator is showing inconsistencies between what he says and what his staff does, and younger more energized veteran advocates at state and national level are watching and taking notes. I was on the regional board of VoteVets and recommended that young Veterans political action committee support the Senator's run in Ohio, now I'm having second thoughts.
I personally have an investigative reporter birds' eye view as I document and record every "unsigned" correspondence that flows between various VA offices, Senator Brown, and me that will eventually be published online to thousands of Veterans in Ohio and across the nation who've frankly HAD ENOUGH.
My complaints and claims are not about me, I have my 100% service connected disability and only requested $7000 in out of pocket expenses for dental care the VA failed to offer and provide me MY CASE IS THAT SIMPLE. In fact, I've had thoughts of backing off on my own situation for fear of retaliation from the VA in questioning my disabilities after the fact, but have attorneys to defend me in that scenario.
However, I never wanted to make my VA grievance ABOUT ME, and I still do not intend to, because I'm appointed as an Editor on a Board of Directors for several younger Vet activists groups though not in the old fashion and traditional mainstream VSOs that have perpetuated the problems with the VA even here in Ohio. We younger Vets now have a VOICE within the Veteran and Military Family that may be divided on war but united in anger against the VA and politicians and Veterans groups that continue defending the VA.
Our editorial board intends documenting step-by-step how a retired officer's correspondence with the VA and Congressional representatives ends up being nothing but delaying tactics and actions that continue a long and winding road leading to too many Veterans Deaths. No amount of Senator Brown collaborating and defending the VA by assuring Veterans that stagnant VA administrators are committed will ever fix or bring those Vets back to life.
The Senator has to aggressively and energetically attack the systemic problems that allow the long and winding VA road to Veterans' deaths or he is playing an ineffective and stagnant role on the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee.
Simply put, my personal experience is (1) a request for monetary reimbursement, not a grievance that my VA claim is delayed, trashed, or shredded, thank God (2) a complaint about cost saving attitudes at the VA, an attitude that even old fashion VSO leaders have called an unfriendly Veteran environment," but have done little about. (3) My experience is evolving into a long drawn out paper pushing process that unfortunately the Senator systemically becomes part of, (4) my medical condition and request for reimbursement ARE NOT life threatening so the long and winding road is not a killer for me. In fact, time is on my side to wait out the VA, and I can afford a lawyer going into the Appeal process win or lose. In the long run I will win even if I do not get my $7000 back by documenting and exposing just how broken the VA system is regardless which political party runs it. My efforts may one day save lives by forcing real change in the VA system and prevent politicians like you from continuing to be conned by the VA and the stagnant Veterans groups that also defend the VA. Brian Rothenberg covered much on the financial layouts to Veterans Service Organizations and County Veterans Offices to not produce results.
Senator Brown, consider what happens if I were a young Iraq or Afghanistan Vet who you, Presidents Bush and Obama (among others in Congress or State Legislature) sent into harm's way, that young Vet sends you a similar complaint, I understand you've gotten too many to handle, however unlike me said Vets have suicidal tendencies or some other life threatening illness or wound from war that could kill them.
Senator you are part of a system that takes the VA anywhere from a month to two months to push paper, delay due to lack of information or intentionally leaving out information on a claim or case, half stepping with your office and staff with responses that eat up another month or two, then the VA throws the young Veterans near death into the VA Appeal process that could eat up another year to two years. All along the long and winding road Senator Brown you and your staff are either being conned by the VA or collaborating in waiting out the deaths of God knows how many young Iraq and Afghanistan Vets, not to mention older Vets hitting hard times and aggravated illnesses at the same time, VA stagnation has got to break someway - somehow.
Someone on your staff needs to research just how radical and reactionary young Vietnam Veterans became with the political and bureaucratic Veteran's Health care and Congressional delaying system they no longer has confidence in back in the 1970s but out right anger. Having worked for the VA for four years myself, suffice it to say that Veteran anger led to creation of federal police forces on VA medical campuses. Senator, do we really want to go through that turmoil on VA campuses again today? However, that's where we are heading both here in Ohio and nationally despite reassurances from you and the Obama administration. Yes, political predecessors may have created this mess, but the buck now stops with the Democrats. That is about as political as this is going to get, because when your party fails to fix the problems the Republicans inherit it then the vicious cycle goes on and on and on.
Bottom line: is it any wonder young Veterans right here in Ohio are committing suicide. One of my disabilities happens to be bi-polar, a side effect of which are suicidal tendencies that thank God I do not have, the VA found me incompetent to handle my own financial affairs, appointed my wife as payee for my VA disability check, and yet sent me out onto the street to decide for myself paying $7000 out of pocket for treatment the VA should have offered in the first place. Since the VA expects my wife to make financial decisions for me, even she knew of no alternative since the VA did not offer the treatments. Once again no big deal, thank God I didn't have PTSD, cancer from Agent Orange, or suicidal tendencies when the VA sent me back out on the street. What is really damning is that I'm already a 100% service-connected Vet. That speaks volumes about just how broken the system is. If we who are the highest rated are treated this way, lord help Veterans with no disability rating because no one else is going to.
I'll continue working with your staff on this, but I intend documenting every word you and your staff has said and does on this subject, and VA observe and report Veteran care in Ohio to national Veterans advocates determined to do something beyond Flag Waving. What transpires is part of an ongoing editorial project.
Frankly, I could care less if I get my $7000 bucks back or not. To show just how serious I am about that, I promise the Senator that when I win my principle against the VA system in Ohio I intend donating the $7000 the VA owes me to Fisher House to benefit military families.
In the Senators own words,
"Among the 50 states, Ohio is consistently ranked at the bottom when it comes to veterans' disability compensation payments. In its 2006 annual report, the Veterans Benefit Administration ranked Ohio 49th in the nation with average yearly payments of only $8,090. Over 1/3 of the variance in compensation between the states can be attributed to disparities in agency standards and inadequate training within the VA. To address this problem and ensure that Ohio veterans are receiving fair compensation, I introduced and helped enact the Veterans Disability Fairness Act. This legislation requires the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to conduct reviews and audits to identify and correct any inaccuracies in disability ratings and compensation claims by VA regional offices."
The Senator's own words beg several questions right here in Ohio much less nationally though they will get national attention within the Veteran activist community.
1. What the hell has Governor Ted Strickland's Veteran's Affairs Advisory Committee been doing this whole time besides like Senator Brown defending the shortfalls of a broken VA system? I strongly suggest the governor get a few younger, more aggressive, and energetic Veterans on his advisory board that do much more for younger Vets than tell WWII war stories and look out for the interests of older Veterans and mainstream VSOs who have their logos in the lobbies of VA Hospitals for a reason. If they question the VA system down comes their logos. Seriously, the DAV, American Legion, VFW and so on are too close to the VA to be objective beyond lip service. Speaking of which,
2. What has the old line, stagnant Veterans Service Organization's in Ohio been doing as our state? VA goes to hell in a hand basket becoming the lowest rating system that any socialized medical system in Canada or Japan would be ashamed of. In fact, our editorial board has been working closely with advocates for a U.S. national health care system advising non-Veteran advocates here in Ohio and nationally to look closely at the VA Hospital system under a microscope to determine what is right and wrong about socialize medicine before implementing it state wide or nationally. Learn from the never ending mistakes of the last existing socialized medicine system in the United States.
Senator, I believe you already know that since the downfall of the National Public Health administration hospitals the VA remains the only model of socialized medicine experimenters can look at. The systemic problems with the VA could become extremely exposed beyond anything you could say to reassure Ohio's Veterans.
In closing, I'm angry because Senator Brown, YOU are being conned by Dayton VA Hospital Director Guy Richardson, and Bill Feeley, Deputy Undersecretary for Health Operations and Management at the Veterans Administration.
It is beyond us Veterans who can THINK for ourselves that you Senator can say with a straight face, "The VA has made a commitment to correct the serious problems at the Dayton VA Medical Center. Our veterans put their lives on the line to protect us, and for that sacrifice, we must provide good health care and benefits. I will continue to work with the Dayton facility and the VA to ensure top notch health care for Dayton vets." Sorry, Senator but you've been listening to too many apologists for the VA with organizational logos in VA Hospital lobbies.
That all sounds good in sound bites and looks good on paper, but what happens when someone else is signing the VA paperwork instead of those responsible at the VA?
HINT: I strongly suggest someone on the Senators staff do something that our field investigative reporters from Veterans for America and VoteVets have and are doing: besides breaking the story on the Walter Reed fiasco before it hit mainstream media, we've exposed the shredding of VA Claims across the nation by VA Regional Offices, and yes the Columbus VA Regional Office is being looked at by investigative reporters from emerging young and proactive Veterans groups. The infamous VA internal email from upper management instructing lower level medical and admin personnel to downplay PTSD, is also counted among our editorial board projects that began online then eventually gained national media attention.
First place I suggest Senator Brown's staff begin is by questioning the sincerity of correspondence the Senator or his staff receives from VA officials as a trend of something to hide. Senior VA officials rarely sign official correspondence themselves (HUM?)
If the Senator's staff would take a close look at random samples (I understand not having time to take a look at all correspondence from VA senior officials in Ohio and from the DC beltway) Your staff will note a trend that rarely is any correspondence from Guy Richardson, Mr. Bill Feeley, or in my own case, Mr. George J.Opfer, the VA Inspector General, nor any other entrenched senior VA official rarely ever personally signed by the upper level VA manager supposedly making decisions and responses to America's Veteran or keeping Congress informed."
That trend of course begs the question not only here in Ohio but for hearings on the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee that ask the very hard questions such as how come Senator Sherrod Brown is responsible, accountable, and proud enough to sign his name (even if it is stamped) on every decision he makes or stand he takes, but senior and mid-level managers within the VA consistently get some underling to sign FOR them.
It is a bureaucratic maneuver federal government managers use to claim ignorance of policy decisions, denials, or mistakes made. Senator it is a trend that has got to STOP now for not only is it unprofessional and no way to do business, it is killing too many American Veterans. The Senate and House Veterans Affairs committees can not only question this unprofessional mismanagement practice but to pass laws that make it illegal and subject to dismissal for senior civil servants to order or have policy decisions, grievances, or correspondence with Congress signed by underlings who potentially could be VA upper and middle management scapegoats.
Senator, I realize that even in the Pentagon where I spent the last days of my military career, the process of allowing a second in command sign routine documents FOR THE COMMANDER was appropriate, but it was TABOO for military leaders to consistently have a subordinate sign off on policy letters, decisions, or especially responses to members of Congress or their staffs.
This trend though probably not noted by most every Congressional staffer, raises more questions about the sincerity and credibility of comments Senator Brown makes like, "The VA has made a commitment to correct the serious problems at the Dayton VA Medical Center" will continue to be questioned and of public record when he next runs for reelection. Meaning, the Senator's ability to FIX the problems that the VA in Ohio has committed to fixing will be on the line. Problem is that you Senator Brown appear to believe the VA is committed?
Frankly, I would not run for office on a promise like that based on correspondence signed by someone within the Ohio VA System that you and your staff have no clue who they are.
A courtesy copy of this response and commentary to Senator Brown will be included as part of our follow up on The Long and Winding Road at Veterans Today News Network and Our Troops News Ladder that is read by members of Congress.
If your office would like links to the 3 part Special Report, feel free to contact me. I of course will be in contact with Ms. Cortney Hansman in your Cincinnati office to solicit her views as both your staff and the VA attempt to make this case only about ME.
Robert L. Hanafin
Major, U.S. Air Force-Retired
Staff Writer, Veterans Today News Network
Editorial Board Member
Ohio's Shame; Caring For Ohio's Veterans Shouldn't Be So Political
http://www.progressohio.org/page/community/post/brianrothenberg/C3Lk
That was over a year ago, and fellow progressives here in Ohio, I'm here to give testimony, research, and detailed reasons why little to nothing has changed in over a year.
In detail below and this Special Report will be in 4 parts with the last being about the growing number of attorneys embracing Veterans' VA Claims appeals, and the little know change in federal law that allows attorneys to represent Veterans before VA Regional Offices, and better yet in federal courts.
Robert L. Hanafin
Major, U.S. Air Force-Retired
Veterans Today News Network
Member Editorial Board of Directors
I wish to begin with a detailed letter that I sent to Senator Sherrod Brown, because I will be working with Ms. Courtney Hansman in Senator Brown's Cincinnati office on a complaint that I filed with the Department of Veterans Affairs Inspector General in April 2009, that has once again launched an investigation into practices at the Dayton, VA Medical Center.
The substance of my complaint that got the attention of the Office of Secretary Eric Shinseki was that I am already a 100% service-connected Veteran requesting $7000 reimbursement for out of pocket medical and dental expense that the Dayton VAMC failed to offer me. I frankly did not make the case about me by committing any proceeds from winning an appeal to Fisher House to benefit military families in Ohio and across the nation.
I did not want to make this about me, I wanted to highlight that the problems with the VA system here in Ohio and across the nation are as Brian pointed out not partisan politics but systemic problems.
This is my last response to Senator Brown's office in regards to a problem that both he and Senator Voinovich admit exists. A few of you Yellow Dog Democrats are not going to appreciate me telling the Senator he has no clothes on, but please note how I do it.
The next three parts will be what I've written at national level that's getting attention in quite a few states with similar problems as Ohio, but our state remains at the bottom of the barrel and rated less than poor when it comes to treatment of Ohio's Veterans. This is something that everyone with a member in
the Ohio National Guard or thinking about joining the Guard needs to take extremely serious.
Though I marked that I disagree with Senator Brown's Veterans positions it is not that I disagree with what he is trying to do to improve the VA system in Ohio for what he's trying to do is commendable.
However, what I fear as a retired military officer, veteran of two wars, and parent who lost a child in these current foreign policy decisions (that's another story), I feel that there is no one on the Senator's staff, including his advisers for the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, who are expert enough on the VA system to make any effective changes. On the other hand the Senator may have people on staff that is too close to the broken system.
I am on the Editorial Board of two Veterans' and Military Family state and national Veterans news sites owned, operated, and directed by younger Vets. I also have a complaint with the Senator and Office of the VA Inspector General plus contacts with other members of the House and Senate on Veterans Issues in general via membership and regional adviser to the Political Action Committee VoteVets.com and on the Editorial Board of Directors of the unaffiliated Veterans Today News Network, and Our Troops News Ladder part of the News Ladder Network sponsored by Veterans for America.
We are a progressive online network that includes a legal affiliate of national attorneys called the Justice Project beginning to focus on Veterans legal claims beyond malpractice.
Our editorial board produced a Special Report called the Long and Winding Road that is an ongoing investigation relating just how the VA system is still broken from the view of inside reporters who happen to be veterans personally experiencing the broken system in Ohio as they deal with an ineffective Congressional/VA bureaucratic relationship that does more harm to Veterans in Ohio, and across the nation, than good.
Commentary by Senator Brown will now become part of that investigative process to be eventually forwarded to Political Action Committees within the Veterans' and Military Family activist community that is not composed of traditional, mainstream VSOs with logos in the lobby of VA Hospitals.
Senator Brown the problems are not partisan, they are not solved by Republican or Democratic appointments to VA upper management or even General Shinseki cleaning house at VA upper and middle management even if he could, which he can't because these are only treating the symptoms of the VA terminal illness.
Everything the Senator, and his staff, is experiencing and will continue to experience with the VA in Ohio are systemic problems that were created long before Senator Brown's election, and will continue long after the Senator is gone, as long as Senator Brown continues to DEFEND the very system he criticizes. Note your remarks about VA commitment below that you, Senator are either being conned by the VA or collaborating with the VA in keeping the system broke.
The Senator is showing inconsistencies between what he says and what his staff does, and younger more energized veteran advocates at state and national level are watching and taking notes. I was on the regional board of VoteVets and recommended that young Veterans political action committee support the Senator's run in Ohio, now I'm having second thoughts.
I personally have an investigative reporter birds' eye view as I document and record every "unsigned" correspondence that flows between various VA offices, Senator Brown, and me that will eventually be published online to thousands of Veterans in Ohio and across the nation who've frankly HAD ENOUGH.
My complaints and claims are not about me, I have my 100% service connected disability and only requested $7000 in out of pocket expenses for dental care the VA failed to offer and provide me MY CASE IS THAT SIMPLE. In fact, I've had thoughts of backing off on my own situation for fear of retaliation from the VA in questioning my disabilities after the fact, but have attorneys to defend me in that scenario.
However, I never wanted to make my VA grievance ABOUT ME, and I still do not intend to, because I'm appointed as an Editor on a Board of Directors for several younger Vet activists groups though not in the old fashion and traditional mainstream VSOs that have perpetuated the problems with the VA even here in Ohio. We younger Vets now have a VOICE within the Veteran and Military Family that may be divided on war but united in anger against the VA and politicians and Veterans groups that continue defending the VA.
Our editorial board intends documenting step-by-step how a retired officer's correspondence with the VA and Congressional representatives ends up being nothing but delaying tactics and actions that continue a long and winding road leading to too many Veterans Deaths. No amount of Senator Brown collaborating and defending the VA by assuring Veterans that stagnant VA administrators are committed will ever fix or bring those Vets back to life.
The Senator has to aggressively and energetically attack the systemic problems that allow the long and winding VA road to Veterans' deaths or he is playing an ineffective and stagnant role on the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee.
Simply put, my personal experience is (1) a request for monetary reimbursement, not a grievance that my VA claim is delayed, trashed, or shredded, thank God (2) a complaint about cost saving attitudes at the VA, an attitude that even old fashion VSO leaders have called an unfriendly Veteran environment," but have done little about. (3) My experience is evolving into a long drawn out paper pushing process that unfortunately the Senator systemically becomes part of, (4) my medical condition and request for reimbursement ARE NOT life threatening so the long and winding road is not a killer for me. In fact, time is on my side to wait out the VA, and I can afford a lawyer going into the Appeal process win or lose. In the long run I will win even if I do not get my $7000 back by documenting and exposing just how broken the VA system is regardless which political party runs it. My efforts may one day save lives by forcing real change in the VA system and prevent politicians like you from continuing to be conned by the VA and the stagnant Veterans groups that also defend the VA. Brian Rothenberg covered much on the financial layouts to Veterans Service Organizations and County Veterans Offices to not produce results.
Senator Brown, consider what happens if I were a young Iraq or Afghanistan Vet who you, Presidents Bush and Obama (among others in Congress or State Legislature) sent into harm's way, that young Vet sends you a similar complaint, I understand you've gotten too many to handle, however unlike me said Vets have suicidal tendencies or some other life threatening illness or wound from war that could kill them.
Senator you are part of a system that takes the VA anywhere from a month to two months to push paper, delay due to lack of information or intentionally leaving out information on a claim or case, half stepping with your office and staff with responses that eat up another month or two, then the VA throws the young Veterans near death into the VA Appeal process that could eat up another year to two years. All along the long and winding road Senator Brown you and your staff are either being conned by the VA or collaborating in waiting out the deaths of God knows how many young Iraq and Afghanistan Vets, not to mention older Vets hitting hard times and aggravated illnesses at the same time, VA stagnation has got to break someway - somehow.
Someone on your staff needs to research just how radical and reactionary young Vietnam Veterans became with the political and bureaucratic Veteran's Health care and Congressional delaying system they no longer has confidence in back in the 1970s but out right anger. Having worked for the VA for four years myself, suffice it to say that Veteran anger led to creation of federal police forces on VA medical campuses. Senator, do we really want to go through that turmoil on VA campuses again today? However, that's where we are heading both here in Ohio and nationally despite reassurances from you and the Obama administration. Yes, political predecessors may have created this mess, but the buck now stops with the Democrats. That is about as political as this is going to get, because when your party fails to fix the problems the Republicans inherit it then the vicious cycle goes on and on and on.
Bottom line: is it any wonder young Veterans right here in Ohio are committing suicide. One of my disabilities happens to be bi-polar, a side effect of which are suicidal tendencies that thank God I do not have, the VA found me incompetent to handle my own financial affairs, appointed my wife as payee for my VA disability check, and yet sent me out onto the street to decide for myself paying $7000 out of pocket for treatment the VA should have offered in the first place. Since the VA expects my wife to make financial decisions for me, even she knew of no alternative since the VA did not offer the treatments. Once again no big deal, thank God I didn't have PTSD, cancer from Agent Orange, or suicidal tendencies when the VA sent me back out on the street. What is really damning is that I'm already a 100% service-connected Vet. That speaks volumes about just how broken the system is. If we who are the highest rated are treated this way, lord help Veterans with no disability rating because no one else is going to.
I'll continue working with your staff on this, but I intend documenting every word you and your staff has said and does on this subject, and VA observe and report Veteran care in Ohio to national Veterans advocates determined to do something beyond Flag Waving. What transpires is part of an ongoing editorial project.
Frankly, I could care less if I get my $7000 bucks back or not. To show just how serious I am about that, I promise the Senator that when I win my principle against the VA system in Ohio I intend donating the $7000 the VA owes me to Fisher House to benefit military families.
In the Senators own words,
"Among the 50 states, Ohio is consistently ranked at the bottom when it comes to veterans' disability compensation payments. In its 2006 annual report, the Veterans Benefit Administration ranked Ohio 49th in the nation with average yearly payments of only $8,090. Over 1/3 of the variance in compensation between the states can be attributed to disparities in agency standards and inadequate training within the VA. To address this problem and ensure that Ohio veterans are receiving fair compensation, I introduced and helped enact the Veterans Disability Fairness Act. This legislation requires the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to conduct reviews and audits to identify and correct any inaccuracies in disability ratings and compensation claims by VA regional offices."
The Senator's own words beg several questions right here in Ohio much less nationally though they will get national attention within the Veteran activist community.
1. What the hell has Governor Ted Strickland's Veteran's Affairs Advisory Committee been doing this whole time besides like Senator Brown defending the shortfalls of a broken VA system? I strongly suggest the governor get a few younger, more aggressive, and energetic Veterans on his advisory board that do much more for younger Vets than tell WWII war stories and look out for the interests of older Veterans and mainstream VSOs who have their logos in the lobbies of VA Hospitals for a reason. If they question the VA system down comes their logos. Seriously, the DAV, American Legion, VFW and so on are too close to the VA to be objective beyond lip service. Speaking of which,
2. What has the old line, stagnant Veterans Service Organization's in Ohio been doing as our state? VA goes to hell in a hand basket becoming the lowest rating system that any socialized medical system in Canada or Japan would be ashamed of. In fact, our editorial board has been working closely with advocates for a U.S. national health care system advising non-Veteran advocates here in Ohio and nationally to look closely at the VA Hospital system under a microscope to determine what is right and wrong about socialize medicine before implementing it state wide or nationally. Learn from the never ending mistakes of the last existing socialized medicine system in the United States.
Senator, I believe you already know that since the downfall of the National Public Health administration hospitals the VA remains the only model of socialized medicine experimenters can look at. The systemic problems with the VA could become extremely exposed beyond anything you could say to reassure Ohio's Veterans.
In closing, I'm angry because Senator Brown, YOU are being conned by Dayton VA Hospital Director Guy Richardson, and Bill Feeley, Deputy Undersecretary for Health Operations and Management at the Veterans Administration.
It is beyond us Veterans who can THINK for ourselves that you Senator can say with a straight face, "The VA has made a commitment to correct the serious problems at the Dayton VA Medical Center. Our veterans put their lives on the line to protect us, and for that sacrifice, we must provide good health care and benefits. I will continue to work with the Dayton facility and the VA to ensure top notch health care for Dayton vets." Sorry, Senator but you've been listening to too many apologists for the VA with organizational logos in VA Hospital lobbies.
That all sounds good in sound bites and looks good on paper, but what happens when someone else is signing the VA paperwork instead of those responsible at the VA?
HINT: I strongly suggest someone on the Senators staff do something that our field investigative reporters from Veterans for America and VoteVets have and are doing: besides breaking the story on the Walter Reed fiasco before it hit mainstream media, we've exposed the shredding of VA Claims across the nation by VA Regional Offices, and yes the Columbus VA Regional Office is being looked at by investigative reporters from emerging young and proactive Veterans groups. The infamous VA internal email from upper management instructing lower level medical and admin personnel to downplay PTSD, is also counted among our editorial board projects that began online then eventually gained national media attention.
First place I suggest Senator Brown's staff begin is by questioning the sincerity of correspondence the Senator or his staff receives from VA officials as a trend of something to hide. Senior VA officials rarely sign official correspondence themselves (HUM?)
If the Senator's staff would take a close look at random samples (I understand not having time to take a look at all correspondence from VA senior officials in Ohio and from the DC beltway) Your staff will note a trend that rarely is any correspondence from Guy Richardson, Mr. Bill Feeley, or in my own case, Mr. George J.Opfer, the VA Inspector General, nor any other entrenched senior VA official rarely ever personally signed by the upper level VA manager supposedly making decisions and responses to America's Veteran or keeping Congress informed."
That trend of course begs the question not only here in Ohio but for hearings on the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee that ask the very hard questions such as how come Senator Sherrod Brown is responsible, accountable, and proud enough to sign his name (even if it is stamped) on every decision he makes or stand he takes, but senior and mid-level managers within the VA consistently get some underling to sign FOR them.
It is a bureaucratic maneuver federal government managers use to claim ignorance of policy decisions, denials, or mistakes made. Senator it is a trend that has got to STOP now for not only is it unprofessional and no way to do business, it is killing too many American Veterans. The Senate and House Veterans Affairs committees can not only question this unprofessional mismanagement practice but to pass laws that make it illegal and subject to dismissal for senior civil servants to order or have policy decisions, grievances, or correspondence with Congress signed by underlings who potentially could be VA upper and middle management scapegoats.
Senator, I realize that even in the Pentagon where I spent the last days of my military career, the process of allowing a second in command sign routine documents FOR THE COMMANDER was appropriate, but it was TABOO for military leaders to consistently have a subordinate sign off on policy letters, decisions, or especially responses to members of Congress or their staffs.
This trend though probably not noted by most every Congressional staffer, raises more questions about the sincerity and credibility of comments Senator Brown makes like, "The VA has made a commitment to correct the serious problems at the Dayton VA Medical Center" will continue to be questioned and of public record when he next runs for reelection. Meaning, the Senator's ability to FIX the problems that the VA in Ohio has committed to fixing will be on the line. Problem is that you Senator Brown appear to believe the VA is committed?
Frankly, I would not run for office on a promise like that based on correspondence signed by someone within the Ohio VA System that you and your staff have no clue who they are.
A courtesy copy of this response and commentary to Senator Brown will be included as part of our follow up on The Long and Winding Road at Veterans Today News Network and Our Troops News Ladder that is read by members of Congress.
If your office would like links to the 3 part Special Report, feel free to contact me. I of course will be in contact with Ms. Cortney Hansman in your Cincinnati office to solicit her views as both your staff and the VA attempt to make this case only about ME.
Robert L. Hanafin
Major, U.S. Air Force-Retired
Staff Writer, Veterans Today News Network
Editorial Board Member
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