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.