VA outreach…

I am so accustomed to writing about cheating bureaucrats and uncaring doctors at the Veterans Administration that this story  is an absolute joy to post.   Veterans seldom get a fair deal in this world,  but they are driven to serve.   They get scorn and denigration in most progressive bastions and real support in the South and West, partly because many vets come from those regions.

Every generation of my family has seen military service.   A number of my friends are vets.   Until the COVID madness I tried to visit those in a nearby VA hospital who had no family or friends nearby.  Now I have to settle for visits by mail with a picture of my feral cat,  or the young fox who lives in the woods,  or the mischief-making juvenile opossum,  or the yearling raccoon bandit.  The staffers are kind about reading the letters to those whose eyesight has failed,  for which I thank them.

Consider this a plea to support your First Responders, law enforcement and truckers everywhere.  Pester your governors to keep the state rest stops open for the truckers.  If you have any eateries nearby that will accept call-in orders and run it out to truckers who pull through their parking lots,  pay for a couple.   If you support these groups,  you’ll be supporting a lot of vets,  and helping fill the gap left by those who won’t.

VA corruption…

You can’t make this stuff up.   The Veterans Administration spent $20 million on artwork,  most of it under the Obama Administration,  while allowing veterans to die from lack of care.   This incredible stupidity includes a pair of sculptures totaling %670,000 for a VA center which serves blind vets.

Few people have  been disciplined  for the multiple failures of the VA system,  let  alone fired.   If you were a whistleblower you were likely to get fired  by your corrupt superiors for attempting  to address  the deadly failures and corruption.  The solution is simple — do away with the VA system and use the money to pay for veterans’ care in the private sector.   Put the whistleblowers in charge of the transition and fire the rest.

A memorial you don’t know…

This October 5th,  the  American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial  will open,  as a tribute to those disabled by their injuries.   Like some service members,  I’m not overly fond of the name,  but it serves a purpose,  especially with the ongoing failures of the Veterans Administration.   If I ever lose my mind and visit the District of Columbia again,  I will definitely see this.

 

Crony coffee…

The Veterans Administration  is kicking out  the small business coffee shops at its facilities in favor of Starbucks.

Why not paychecks?

It seems the Veterans Administration is patting itself on the back because it is  withholding  bonuses from executives because the VA claims backlog has increased.   Doesn’t that mean the bonuses can be awarded later when no one is looking?   And why isn’t the VA withholding the executives’ actual paychecks,  which seems a much better incentive plan for people who don’t do their jobs?

Another agency run amok…

This time it’s the Veterans Administration  wasting money  on lavish conferences instead of taking care of our veterans,  which is its JOB.   One person has resigned.   Nobody has been fired.