Why is it that government will always find the most incompetent bureaucrat to put in charge? I guess the better question is why is the American public so tolerant of government's unfailing and incredible incompetence?

Reference your web article:
Under VA Chief, Effort to Aid Wounded Vets Stalled, Ex-Employee Charges

Walter Reed Army Medical Center does not belong to the Veterans Administration, so why are you trashing the VA. We all know about the problems at Walter Reed but what wrong has the VA committed? You people are either terribly confused or you simply don't care about truth or facts.

This Bush administration does not and has never cared about the wounded troops or their families. The evidence is very clear.

How much more physical, mental, medical, emotional, finanical abuse our we suppose to endure from this administration?

Please America help us, we are wounded in more ways than Bush will own up too.
The troops, and their families.

I as a daughter of a Vietnam Vet have been fight the VA for 3 1/2 years for benefits regarding Agent Orange exposure. I was born with Spina Bifida a presumed birth defect of Agent Orange. My father has Prostate Cancer as result of the exposure his claim was approved over three years ago. This Secretary Nicholson has obviously been a problem in these claims getting paid for issues happening to Vets well over 30 years ago. You can do a Google search on Haas vs. Nicholson and see just a snap shot of what thousands of Vets are still going through because of this terrible system that is in place. The courts over ruled him and he continues to try and over rule the courts. What a said situation the system is in.

WHO is Terribly Confused, rplat?
On April 17, 2003, under the authority of 38 U.S.C. 8111A, the Secretary directed VHA to give priority care to ACTIVE DUTY PERSONNEL involved in armed conflict in Iraq. He directed that VHA carry out this function by providing care through the use of sharing agreements between VA facilities and DOD TRICARE contractors. During time of war, the VA serves as back up for the DOD, and yes, this IS a time of war, rplat. WRAMC along with five (5) other DOD "flagship military treatment facilities (MTFs), is the head that wags 155 VA tails in this draconian system. If the VA spent half as much time and energy in seeking out new and competent leadership as it does in generating and cranking out mindless propaganda about how great a system it is, then our returing OIF/OEF veterans would be getting the best of care, instead of having to put up with the rats and vermin that greet them in the current system. Putting the VHA Secretary in charge of this project is doing what Bush is best at: putting the fox in charge of guarding the chicken coop. I don't know why you and people like you persist in making excuses for such rank incompetence, trying to obscure the truth, and subvert any and all means to rectify a shoddy system that fails to address the needs of our nations most precious resource: our veterans.

The problems at Walter Reed are symptomatic of the entire Department of Defense and VA system. No one watching the last week of news can believe that the VA is as remarkable as Jim Nicholson thinks it is. And the VA mentality of blaming it on the soldier or their family isn't any better. What wrong has the VA committed? They have failed the citizens of this country. There are some very good people on the individual levels of the VA, but the system as a whole is broken.

The problems with VA and military transition is systemic. Having the unfortunate experience of being medically retired and tranferred to VA for continued care and benefits in 2001 I can tell you it was a complete and dismal failure. I am still fighting for benefits that are clearly outlined in the US Code.
The VA is so chronically underfunded they always give a minimum amount in disability and make you appeal and that takes years. It is a nightmare. I was a career soldier and have told my son to stay away from the military and if drafted, do nothing to get hurt or you on your own.
The VA has let me slip through cracks on vital medication for weeks at a time because there is no followup and the inability to reach someone who issues critical meds.
I am Level 1 care and it takes me months to get an appointment. The VA has been broken and getting worse.
The first thing that greets you when you in the VA offices is a sign that says "All threats will be taken seriously." That sign is everywhere, because there are so many military that are fed up their broken system that makes them victims again, after the initial injury.

rplat:
To answer your question, the VA is having huge problems--the same basic bureaucratic ones as walter Reed and other military hospitals. The difference is that the VA hospitals and clinics in less urban areas are not equipped to deal with the number of casualties suffered by wounded military members. Nicholson is just the latest example of why political party patronage leading to executive postings is a bad idea. But hey, if he's qualified to take on the job as VA head, then he's qualified to take the criticism and responsibility for his failings.

The civilians who read the article don't automatically think about the fact that Walter Reed is a hospital for active duty personnel, and the VA hospitals (Veterans' Administration)are for veterans...after active duty. Civilians don't always understand.

Both WR and the VA have done good things for patients, and in my opinion, both have done horrific things against patients that are unforgivable. It's good that the media lets everyone know so that the dirt does not stay under the government rug.

It is just unconscionable and absolutle appalling to constantly see the news stories of wounded soldiers (and their families) "falling through the cracks" in their attempts to receive post-combat health care treatment and the proper re-entry support from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and other governmental agencies (not to mention private industries).

For the soldiers and their families - there simply has to be a better way to facilitate their physical, emotional, spiritual, and financial healing. I am sure at least one person in the halls of government and the maze of bureaucracy can figure it out.

No matter how bad the job they do they will still get there great medical and retirement.

rplat,

Yes WRAMC isn't the VA. We all know that. I've been there myself while in the Army. After being discharged for Severe Degenerative Disk Disease in 98, I now recieve my care at Audie Murphie in San Antonio,TX. Or should I say ..LACK OF!! I've also recieved treatment at the VA Hospital in Houston,Tx. Which wasn't any better.

I spent six years in the service with NOT one sick day. Then, BAM ..I started having severe back pain. Was diagnosed with Severe Degenertive Disk Disease. Was suposed to have a total disc replacement Nov.of 05. I'm still waiting! Haven't even heard one word from my Neurosurgeon as to what the hold up is! I also have other MULTIPLE spinal issues. I could go on but after 13yrs of pain and several meds,7EMGS, 20lbs of MRI's and bone scans...I think you get my point.

I'm NOT the only one recieving LACK of care from the VA. I've also been seen at a few VA clinics. They just push you onto some other place.
Shame on the VA on Congress for treating the Vets this way!!!!!

Walter Reed just put some focus on veterans health care.As a result VA health care was exposed as being grossly inadequate.In fact VA service has been found to be a disgrace.It is grossly under funded.It's not possible for it to care for all our veterans.There is an almost 700,000 baacklog of veterans waiting for appointments and decisions on claims.Finally the disgraceful state of the VA and its inability to take care of all our veterans in the manner they deserve has been exposed.

Shame on you double talking garbage hunters. Evryone one of you want your fame, as like "jump on the band waggon and ride it to the last period in every sense". For the military medical personal "Doctors and staff are some of the best in the world""!! Problem is ""The paper sufflers" They screw upthe whole system""! Lost documents, misplaced medical records, No inner faceing. The sysrem is a shambles. No to the VA. If heads rolled on active military staff for failure, ::"Then get rid of Dumb NICK! This meat head has been caught too many times with his pants down ""And always comes up smelling like a rose"""! Just what the hell is that all about??

The VA sucks when it comes to Paper work. As how horrible the situation ""read some of the blogs around the net!!! You won't understand how these Vets have put up with such incompentent handling of their cases.

How shameful the VA is operated!!!

Nicholson is a HACK. Brought in to cut costs, nickel and dime and deny veterans any aid and comfort.
All for Cheney/Rove/Chimpo

No excuses

If someone CHOOSES to serve in our armed services they get the best care available.

Full Stop, no negotiations no nothing, no excuses.

Veterans for America? Hardly... It seems as though Robinson and Sullivan use their hatred of the current administration and their media connections to forward negative rhetoric and push their organization in to the media limelight. If Sullivan has so much VA experience, then why isn't he using this for something positive? Shame on ABC for publishing their negative rhetoric. Shame on Veterans for America for bashing a Federal Dept. with 200,000+ employees trying to serve veterans and their families.

Sullivan is right. I was in VA when this happened. The actual facts are worse than painted. The Veterans Benefits Administration spent between $900,000 and $1M to develop what I would call it a first generation information system to track injured veterans. I saw it and it had a lot of great functionality that would have facilitated planning and anlysis. When it came time to turn it on as an operational system, the Office of Information Technology and the Under Secretary of health, at that time Dr. John Perlin, would not provide senior level support for the system or any funds to activate it or operationally support it.

The bottom-line is that VA has an entrenched careerist bureacracy that is resistant to change and actually works to subvert new and creative initiaitves to get ahead of the issues of caring for our war wounded. Protecting the staus quo is the game for the seniore political and career civil service leaders. Nicholson's style of management that insulates him from the day-to-day operations and staff insures he has deniability. Those who do take initiative are often driven out because they challenge the bureacracy. Nicholson's performance has given testimony to the need for fundamental change in the VA culture and leadership.

Nicholson is a war hero, an Army Ranger in Vietnam. He ain't no "bureaucrat." Maybe that's why the "bureaucrats" are trashing him.

After watching Brian Ross' report regarding veterans and the 2 comments, it seems that most people can't take the time to understand what they are hearing or reading. A soldier that is gravely wounded and is unable to return to active duty becomes a veteran. So when the soldier is released from inpatient care, his benefits, treatment, etc. become a VA responsibility. As an outpatient, whether in Building 18(?) or at home, the VA needs a system to track his care from day one! That is a separate issue from Walter Reed's outpatient building.

Well, considering that Walter Reed Medical Center isn't the ONLY one with a "Black Eye," I think it has a lot to do with it. Do you really think that Walter Reed is the ONLY hospital or facility that has these kinds of problems? Have you seen any VA hospitals around the country lately? I'm not talking of just the one or two nearby where you live. I am talking about VA hospitals from several states. Well, I have. I have seen some that are exemplary and some that are a disgrace. But sadly, once you see more than one like Walter Reed, your heart falls apart. So much for "Supporting Our Troops."

Jim obviously isn't a critical thinker. The VA is the next step the veterans face after discharge from the military. It is very important that the VA in this nation give quality care to our military coming back from the middle east as well as all of our veterans who have served. This is a promise that was made and our veterans expect our government to keep it. Since there are 3 branches of government, it is only right and honorable that an investigation into all the medical facilities that serve our veterans be given a look over to make sure they are given the care that is expected. It isn't about the wrong the VA has committed it is about the doing the "right thing" for our veterans.

Why do we tolerate Bush and his incompetent morons? What happened to Johnson and is he getting treatment? I know there are many excellent VA facilities and what's taking so long to get him help?

quick correction, my comment was directed at rplat not Jim.

Wrongs the VA committed:Now almost a 700,000 backlog of veterans waiting for appointments and claims decisions -cutting week day emergency care hours at hospitals and no emergency care on weekends, probable cause of death of veteran at Spokane Washington VA Sept.30, and veterans arriving after hours taken by ambulance to private hospitals where VA denies payment and veterans suffer financial disaster as a result-18 VA hospitals being considered for closing at a time when the VA can not care for the influx of veterans now--suspending 'Priority Group 8'veterans from receiving care in the VA Health Care System-VA is under funded and a disgrace concerning the care of all our veterns-Need more wrongs, let me know.

Not only can the VA not "talk" w/DOD via computers, as of 2003 none of the VA hospitals are connected.
If you move and transfer to another VA hospital, you have to request that your files be mailed!

GAO needs to be looking into this. It's obsued and borders on criminal!

Nicholson needs to resign now.

To rplat: Walter Reed was not mentioned in the article. There's no mix-up here -- the article is clear: Jim Nicholson was put in charge of the VA; he was given an option to install a rather inexpensive system to track soldiers after they leave the military (Walter Reed) and go into the VA system; he turned the fix down; it's still done with pen and paper; now Nicholson has been appointed by Bush to straighten out a problem that Nicholson seems to have exacerbated; Nicholson seems to have "forgotten" that he could have fixed the problem years ago.

Hint: this is not "the government's" fault. This is a question of another bad appointment made by an administration that seems to specialize in them.

I am a veteran who has recieved inadequate care by the VA in GA. I am currently contemplating sueing the VA for refusal to treat me and for malpractice. Basically they messed up my leg then refused to fix it. There is a hell of a lot more to the story but too much for the blog. Bottom line, no one seems to care about the vets after they(we)leave service. I am trying to get my benefits and am constantly bombarded by red tape, idiotic workers who have an attitude every time you talk to them, and yes racism. The VA needs a total makeover!!!

Nothing has changed at the VA. The VA has always been incompetent and will always be incompetent. I retired from military service in 1970 and applying to the VA hospital in Bedford, MA I was initiated into the bumbling,stumbling, fumbling rules and requirements necessary for treatment. Even though I have a "C" number from the VA I still had to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that I had a right to be there.

After about a year I gave up on the VA and sought treatment elsewhere. The cost at times was prohibitive but at least I was getting the treatment that was necessary. I have not returned to the VA nor will I ever return to the VA for medical treatment. I am appalled to learn that They still don't have a viable computer records system in place within the VA.

This current furor over treatment at Walter Reed and other veterans care facilities will eventually quiet down and we will again return to the normalcy of mediocrity in the veteran's health care system. The return of the ineffectual Jim Nicholson to head a task force overseeing veteran's health care only shows the incompetence of our elected leaders.

SNAFU.

The VA isn't innocent in this either. Their facilities suffered a noticeable change in care as they became more overloaded. Appointments became harder to get and even the staff started turning veterans away who were sick and injured. The whole system needs a major injection of overhaul to keep it up and running.

This must be even much more difficult for unmarried, adult Veterans who do not have families to go back home to.

Imagine moving in with ageing parents. Or if none are alive - being a burden on relatives or as a final resort, moving to a homeless shelter.

In areas like New York City where rents are expensive, it must be even more harsh.

I find this report appauling. I work for a local VA Hospital and we put the Iraq Vet at the top of our list. We have put into place a special program for our combat vets. We also get the wounded vets on Conveselant leave and they are HIGH PRIORITY.

If it weren't for the Veterans we would not have a job. I love my job and I love our veterans.

I have a question - why are these people unable to pay their bills? Aren't they still being paid while they move from active duty to veteran status? Don't tell me they are taken off the payroll just because the went and got themselves disabled while carrying out the absurd commands of this administration!

I am a disabled vet and it angers me when the government puts morons in charge of taking care of the disabled vets. Once again the government will continue to let an idiot run an important organization like the VA.

Clearly the Bush administration's priority with the huge defense budget is to seeing that Haliburton and their kind make billions. US soliders are not a priority to this administration.

Thank you Bush and Cheney for not caring about our soldiers and their families. Using slimy intimidation practices to contain your lies as to what you both have done to soldiers and families.

God will remember your soldier abuse!

My father was head of nursing in the Waco, Texas, VA Hospital in the mid-1960s and became a whistle blower because of the untenable conditions for patients while doctors napped in their air-conditioned offices--so the problems and the corporate culture go back a long ways. I can't imagine the horror of smaller VA hospitals if Walter Reed is such a mess.

Plain and simple. Jim Nicholson should be fired. Today. No severance package, no kuddos from the President for his excellent job well done....just fired.

I was in the emergency facility at Ann Arbor V.A. Medical Center and I was diagnosed w/walking pneomonia. I have COPD. While they were trying to get my oxygenated blood level to 94% form 79%, so they could let me go home, I was talking to one of the tech's there. This was in 2004. He was telling me about the news that had come down from the White House.

He said that I was safe....because I had been in the system for more then 5 years but that any other vets applying for aid would probably not get it. He told me not to miss any appt's or I would get on a list that would imperil my status They had been told to refuse giving treatment to any new vet that had not been in the system for at least 3 years.

I never knew his name and did not see him again. But he scared me badly. I have never missed an appt. since them and have seen his staements come true. I feel that the Iraq vets will have a long fight to get what they deserve, rightfully so, and the treatment that they have coming for defending the people that are abusing them. God help them and we will have to help them too.

Another "Bush boy" sent to make sure this story goes away without having to correct anything.

President Bush doesn't seem to remember what he said about bringing honor back to the office of the President of the United States.

I work for a VA Hospital and I love "my vets" and I am proud to be able to do whatever I can to help them. I've been a nurse for 10 years in the private sector and just recently started working at the VA. The VA WILL take care of the Vets-IF THEY CAN ONLY SURVIVE THE WAIT!

The system is equivalent to a dog chasing it's tail-I understand that the outpatient clinics are run better than they ever have been, according to the vets that have been around a long time...At least now you can make an actual appointment instead of taking a number and waiting all day. However, it's still difficult to get into see your primary care physician if your sick...you have to wait to get an appointment. If you need to see a specialist, say a lung doctor or a cancer doctor, you first have to recieve a referral from your primary care doctor. Then you have to wait until the specialist has an opening. See what I mean?

The Vets are told, "if you can't wait and feel you need to be seen you'll have to go to ER/Urgent Care." Everything is hurry up and wait. It seems to me that someone with some sense (a good nurse perhaps?)could do some triage over the phone and work these guys in. Some of the clinics don't see that many people in a day. Doctors and nurses in the private sector see many more people in a day than the VA. Everything and everyone around here stops after 4:30pm M-F.

The way our troops are being cared for as they return home and enter the VA system is already a disgrace.

For example, the new 'House of Veterans Affairs Committee Chairman' Bob Filner in an interview for the February edition of the "American Legion Magazine" said when he was speaking of the nearly 700,000 backlog of veterans waiting for VA appointments and decisions on claims, "that's immoral". There are 18 VA hospitals being considered for closing at a time when tens of thousands of veterans already need help and multitudes more will soon. The VA has suspended what they label 'Priority Group 8' veterans from receiving care in the VA health care system which at least in principle violates the 'Veterans Health Care Eligibility Act of 1996'. Emergency services and emergency rooms in many VA hospitals have cut their weekday hours way back and have no emergency services on weekends. On September 30th a veteran named Clinton L."Fox" Fuller arrived at the Spokane, Washington VA Medical Center at 4:35 p.m. five minutes after the urgent care center stops admitting patients for the day. A VA doctor and nurse came outside the hospital saw Mr. Fuller then went back into the hospital and called 911.

Mr. Fuller died when he possibly only needed oxygen to keep him alive as it did many times before. Many VA hospitals have now made it policy to call ambulances for veterans who arrive for emegency care after hours. Those veterans are then taken to private hospitals and treated. When they get out of the hospital they find out that they have to pay the private hospitals because the VA declines to pay. Often times these charges wipe out a veteran's whole life savings. I wanted to mention just a few of the cost cutting measures the VA has taken and some consequences of those actions on veterans. There are many more such stories but you may already be aware of some of them and I have said enough to get my point across.
Brian

Why is it that Bush and almost everyone else limit their comments and responses to only the Irag and Afghanistan wars? This issue of gross neglect should take into account ALL military personnel - wounded and/or needing medical attention for any other reason. There are countless other military personnel who have fought in previous wars that are continuing to fight tooth & nail for their medical benefits. The system should be fixed for ALL military personnel - past, present, and future!!!

Here are some ideas on how to fix the VA system. If my information is correct, there is a Bill in the House now, H.R. 515 and in the Senate, S. 331 that would increase signifacantly funding for the VA. If I may ask, why are these Bills not being expedited? I can not help but wonder why they are not.
Another priority for Congress due to circumstances should be to change the way the VA is funded. Legislation should be drawn up and passed making the VA a 'Mandatory' Budget item and then put on the President's desk for him to sign. These are the right and the moral things to do. I know that it is often difficult to do the right and moral thing, it often means the sacrifice of accomplishing things that others believe are more important.
Hearings and investigations are a waste of time. Veterans need help now. It's clear what has to be done, and the disgracefully under funded VA surely needs no investigation. Veterans organizations have been making that clear to Congress for years. Why have investigations and hearings on issues that Congress already understands and knows what has to be done to resolve the problems involved?

I hate to rain on the band wagon, but these problems with VA and our lack of treatment for our vets has been on going since Vietnam. I know because my father is a Vietnam Vet. I have fought with VA over his care for the past 19 years.

Here's how VA works...If you survive the red tape and the waiting to activate your benefits you have to wait up to six months or more to see a doctor. My father has PTSD he "sees" a psychiatrist by television (teleconference) every six months or so this is regardless of escalating mental problems. If he has an episode the family has to try and get him to a VA facility which is an hour and a half away. He also has heart problems--god forbid you have a medical emergency away from a VA facility.

If you do have severe chest pains or any other medical emergency and are taken by ambulance to the closest hospital--VA will pay for the emergency room visit. Once the patient is stable he is to be transferred to a VA hospital--again the family has to arrange transportation and pay for ambulance costs. If the attending physician at the non VA hospital does not think it is a good idea to move the patient because it could cause more trauma--VA will not pay for the extra care past the emergency room visit.

While I have received excellent care from Walter Reed. The doctors and staff that I have dealt with were wonderful.
But now that Congress and the BRAC Committee have decided that Walter Reed should be closed--why should anything be fixed? Well, that is the wrong attitude!! But as many of you have posted, these problems have been here for a long time. And that is what is wrong with the whole system. They just look the other way then things will disappear because Walter Reed is closing. Maybe the thought was that if we wait longer enough Walter Reed will be closed and noone will be the wiser to the problems that are sitting right in front of their face. No active duty military or veteran should have to deal with this lack of caring or concern. Why not have a psychologist that would be in-residence at Building 18. Bet if a psychologist had to have an office in Building 18, someone would have known about the conditions there. Not blaming the doctors but did anyone ever think that maybe those troops might need someone to talk to in the middle of the night.
The leaders at the top don't worry about anything until it is exposed in the media. Then they just jump through hoops to make others scapegoats and take the blame off of themselves.

Blantant reckless mismangement by Bush & Cheney. They are responsible for the planning, implementation, follow through and execution.

No planning at all, this reminds me of Katrina all over again, except with our US Military. What a national disgrace that Bush did not plan at all.

You can't squeeze blood from a turnip.

Money is not infinite. There's no magic money tree where the VA gets all of the money it spends. The VA spends virtually every dime it gets, every year. With increasing patient loads, but no more money, there's only so much that can be done. Someone is going to have to wait or not get service.

Also check the stats on medical costs. For the past 5 years, the VA has kept costs fairly stable while they've gone up around 20% every year in the private sector. While you're at it, check the stats on how the VA's budget is spent. The VA pays out 1/2 of its annual budget in disability compensation to your neighbors, your friends, your kids. The other half they use to provide medical and psychiatric care as well as train the vast majority of new physicians that end up treating you. Ask your doctor if he/she trained in a VA, and you'll likely find out they did at least a portion there. Also, if you have cancer or diabetes, you're probably getting treated with therapies and techniques developed within VA. They're one of the largest medical researchers in the world.

If you want better care, then lobby your Congressman or Senator to actually provide the necessary funds to get the job done. Otherwise, someone's going to have to wait in line.

$1 million for a system is peanuts. I worked for a company that spent $3 million for a system to monitor their network in '94. After Nickelson's cool reception to the system......he should be the last choice to head a task force on the problem.

It's all fine and good for the veterans coming home from Iraq and Afghanistan but, let's not forget the veterans that are already in the system. I have been receiving care from the VA since 2000. I have found that the doctors are so overburdened, they push you through an appointment and don't even give you time to tell them what your problems are. Shame on you! As we age, we have many more problems that need to be taken care of but are being ignored because the system has failed.
Don't forget that we served our country too, just not in Iraq or Afghanistan.

why dont we have the boys from the carlile group pay for the medical bills,it is their private army is it not.

i am a nigeria living here in oklahoma city and i feel so sad when ever i hear and see what some nigerians are doing to distroy the image of our great nation. i therefore founded a anti 419 group here in oklahoma city W.A.S war against scarms. i am ready to fight the fight and to educate my fellow nigerians here in the states to train their kids the ways of glory. Poverty is not an excuss to make others unhappy.Mr. Ross i so must love what you are doing with this issue of 419 and i will love to put in my support too , to make this world a better place to live.

The VA is broken and it CAN NEVER BE FIXED! It is a national disgrace that the AMERICAN PEOPLE have and will continue to remain complacent while Cheney-Rove, Inc. and this HACK Nicholson deliberately inflict this suffering upon the veterans. This is the real face of the "We support the Troops" garbage!

Why not weed out so many of the vets who claim "mental disabilitites" say for 40 years and meanwhile are perfectly able to work but just use the system to Maintain their VA benefits, thereby robbing truely disabled vets of their rightful time and attention. Come on you mean after 40 years of treatment in the VA those with post traumatic stress are not even a little bit better???? What kind of treatment outcome is that?? I think they would get a whole lot better if the va did not keep giving them unearned incomes.

I filed for coverage due to agent orange in Feb or 06 as a blue water sailor. I have prostate cancer. In August of 06 the courts said we were correct and due benefits. The VA has been trying to appeal that decision since early 07 and put all claims on stay. How long could an appeal process possibly take? The rest of our lives. If anyone other than the VA tried to pull this off, they would found in contempt and put in jail.

Other VA BS.

VA also has a policy of "cutting benefits" to vererans "pending an examination to determine" ... if the condition is deteriorating or getting better. So far, so good. Then (after the VA cuts the benefits) they don't schedule the exams. WHAT AN OUTRAGE!!! My benefits were cut by 70% on 1 JAN 07, and they have not yet scheduled the exam. Each time I contact them, I receive an apology, and then wait, and wait, and wait ... They, so far, have "withheld" almost $5,000 in benefits to which I am entitled. How can they now determine the status of my condition as of 1 January? They have been provided complete medical and surgical records regarding my knee replacement, my open heart surgery, and my other ailments, but that would be too easy for them - AND THEY WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO FUND ADDITIONAL PAYMENTS FROM THE MANY MILLIONS OF "WITHHELD FUNDS!" And of course, these funds are withheld "interest free." So much for duty and love for your country.

The government has no problem sending our men and women into battle (our sons and daughters) for wars that are without reason other than to line the pockets of the greedy politicians that should not even be in office (and should be impeached). What our veterans get in return for fighting for our country is a big fat nothing and lies!!!!!!!!!!! If our veterans are sick, depressed, lose a limb, have mental illness, alcohol dependent, drug dependency, do you blame them for what they have had to endure? - Whatever it is the VA and government should be held accountable and are responsible to take care of our veterans, they owe it to them - no exceptions. No short cuts, excuses should be allowed or accepted If someone is depressed or an alcoholic because they have had to go somewhere to kill for the benefit of our politicians and somewhere where we have no business to be in the first place. They did the same thing to the veterans that fought in Vietnam (another useless war we had no business to be in) look at all the homeless, alcoholics that the VA could care less about. It is time for the VA to step up to the plate and take care of those that fought for our freedom regardless of the circumstances. They are responsible! It is common sense if you send a person and have them kill in a war zone, and then bring back to society they are going to have major problems and they must be resolved. That is common sense!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Why don't the politicians who decide to go to war get of their lazy useless ass and go fight the wars themselves, or send child molesters, murderers, gang bangers if they are not going to take care of our military atleast they would save the tax payers dollars of paying for the prisoners that have a wonderful healthy life style. They owe it now step up and take care of our men and women. They take care of retired politicians so they can do it for the veterans. God bless our troops and bring them home safely and thank you for what you have done!!!!!!!!!!

I was a Veitnam Blue Water naval sailor and I have been disabled for the past 25 years because of agent orange exposure. They told me at the VA clinic in Peoria IL. to put in a claim, that wqas in 2005. Its going on three years of waiting for a response and no sign of them doing it. Its all stall tactics and they are good at it.With the health problems I have I suppose I will die before they get to my claim. I will just have to wait and see. At the rate they award claims I think I will be gone before they get to my envolope, The first one I filled in they lost or that is what the VA said. I think they through it away so I would have to file again. I waited eight months before I called to find out I was not in their system. Thats the Nicholson ,Bush, and Cheney like it. Mike H, Peoria