Page 48 - January Febuary 2016 Issue
P. 48
Veterans’ Afiairs: Revisting the VA Scandal
USA Today published on Veterans’ Day, 2015, that amidst the scandal, VA Executives still
received roughly $142 million in bonuses. When asked about this, VA Oficials stated that “the
awards are to attract, retain employees”
VA Spokesman, James Hutton, went on to say, “The VA will continue to review tools and
options in order to ensure the department is able to attract and retain the best talent to serve
our nation’s veterans, while operating as a good steward of taxpayer funds”
However, the Chairman of the House VA Committee, Jeff Miller, who has been actively
investigating the VA for fraud, negligence and questionable bonuses to VA employees has
said this: “The most recent awards relect a “disturbing trend of rewarding employees who
preside over corruption and incompetence.” including those under investigation for wait-
time manipulation. He stated: “Rewarding failure only breeds more failure.” Representative
Miller has also noted the agency paid more than $380,000 in 2013 performance bonuses to
top oficials at hospitals where veterans faced long delays in receiving treatment,, He said
Tuesday. “Until VA leaders learn this important lesson and make a commitment to supporting
real accountability at the department, efforts to reform VA are doomed to fail.”
In a very recent article found in the Washington Post, dated December 16, 2015, it was
determined that some executives within the VA didn’t get the memo. In the article written by
Reporter, Lisa Rein, “Investigators at the Department of Veterans Affairs found that two senior
managers retaliated against whistleblowers who reported dangers to patient care and inancial
mismanagement at the Phoenix hospital at the center of a nationwide scandal over falsiied
waiting lists.
But 15 months after the internal probes were inished and sent to Secretary Robert McDonald
recommending that the managers be disciplined or ired, VA has done neither — keeping one
oficial on paid leave at home and leaving the other on the job.”
As it appears, the employees of the VA who blew the whistle on wait time, which was a
contributing factor to the death of many US Veterans, have been scrutinized and punished by
their Supervisors, but are rarely punished for blatantly retaliating against their own employees
for bringing to light massive laws in leadership and accountability.
New Problems with VA Incompetence:
It was just reported on December 15, 2015, by The Washington Examiner that the VA has
wrongfully declared 115 US Veterans deceased and revoked their beneits for a nine month
period between July of 2014 to April of 2015. As reported by Morgan Chalfant of freebeacon.
com,
48
USA Today published on Veterans’ Day, 2015, that amidst the scandal, VA Executives still
received roughly $142 million in bonuses. When asked about this, VA Oficials stated that “the
awards are to attract, retain employees”
VA Spokesman, James Hutton, went on to say, “The VA will continue to review tools and
options in order to ensure the department is able to attract and retain the best talent to serve
our nation’s veterans, while operating as a good steward of taxpayer funds”
However, the Chairman of the House VA Committee, Jeff Miller, who has been actively
investigating the VA for fraud, negligence and questionable bonuses to VA employees has
said this: “The most recent awards relect a “disturbing trend of rewarding employees who
preside over corruption and incompetence.” including those under investigation for wait-
time manipulation. He stated: “Rewarding failure only breeds more failure.” Representative
Miller has also noted the agency paid more than $380,000 in 2013 performance bonuses to
top oficials at hospitals where veterans faced long delays in receiving treatment,, He said
Tuesday. “Until VA leaders learn this important lesson and make a commitment to supporting
real accountability at the department, efforts to reform VA are doomed to fail.”
In a very recent article found in the Washington Post, dated December 16, 2015, it was
determined that some executives within the VA didn’t get the memo. In the article written by
Reporter, Lisa Rein, “Investigators at the Department of Veterans Affairs found that two senior
managers retaliated against whistleblowers who reported dangers to patient care and inancial
mismanagement at the Phoenix hospital at the center of a nationwide scandal over falsiied
waiting lists.
But 15 months after the internal probes were inished and sent to Secretary Robert McDonald
recommending that the managers be disciplined or ired, VA has done neither — keeping one
oficial on paid leave at home and leaving the other on the job.”
As it appears, the employees of the VA who blew the whistle on wait time, which was a
contributing factor to the death of many US Veterans, have been scrutinized and punished by
their Supervisors, but are rarely punished for blatantly retaliating against their own employees
for bringing to light massive laws in leadership and accountability.
New Problems with VA Incompetence:
It was just reported on December 15, 2015, by The Washington Examiner that the VA has
wrongfully declared 115 US Veterans deceased and revoked their beneits for a nine month
period between July of 2014 to April of 2015. As reported by Morgan Chalfant of freebeacon.
com,
48
