Board of Veterans Appeals worse now than before

[Gimpy]

George W. Bush took office!

Remember when candidate G.W. Bush told all of us disabled military veterans that "help is on the way" back during the 2000 presidential campaign? Well, let's examine just how much more "help" we've gotten, OK?

The average time for a disability compensation case appeal has actually gotten WORSE since Bush has been in office! We can't afford much more "help" like Bush and company are giving us!

This is absolute BULL$HIT!

The average time to complete a Board of Veterans Appeals case takes the following amount of time according to the BVA.

Chairman's report to Congress 2003, and projected 2004:

1. 790 days to certification to the Board of Veterans Appeals. and,

2. 425 days until a final decision by the Board. ----

"FOR A TOTAL OF 1215 DAYS" ----- ( see: 2002 report at: http://www.va.gov/vbs/bva/annual_rpt.htm ).

NOTE: This is more than 3 times as long as the Social Security Administration does the average claim. According to the National Association of Social Security Representatives, it takes about 4 months for an original decision; and about 4 months for a reconsideration decision, and about 1 year (365) days for an Appeal decision from an Administrative Law Judge (see: http://www.nosscr.org/ ). or -- JUST 605 days--.


The 1215 days the Board Appeals Decision takes does not even include the hundreds and hundreds of days for the needless remands to the Regional Office, which the Board orders as a stalling tactic. The Board of Veterans Appeals and the Regional Office should be investigated and put out of Business for corruption and incompetence.

I urge everyone to contact your Congressman and request that a full investigation into the VA claims system be done, and that the VA adjudication system be thrown-out, and allow veterans to go to their nearest Federal District Court for any appeals. ALL BOARD OF VETERANS APPEALS MEMBERS; ATTORNEYS, AND MOST VA ADJUDICATORS SHOULD BE GIVEN THEIR PINK-SLIP AND TOLD TO CLEAR-OUT THEIR OFFICE DESK.

The Active U.S. Military are being ground-up today in military action all over the world, and when they try to file a VA claim when they get home; they face a bunch of thugs, and organized crime bosses which populate the Board of Veterans Appeals and VA Regional Offices. All of which President Bush claimed HE was going to correct!


Contact your Congressman and the President (don't expect much help here though) today.

president@whitehouse.gov,


vice.president@whitehouse.gov,

bvacontact@mail.va.gov,

bvaombudsman@mail.va.gov


And Fax Congress: VA Secretary: 1-202-273-4877


House veterans committee fax: 1-202-225-2034


Senate veterans committee fax: 1-202-224-8908 ###################
The BEST way to correct this $hit is to VOTE BUSHS" A$$ OUT OF OFFICE next election!

[colmurph]

Gimpy....what are you going to say when the VA keeps on doing the same thing? Was it any better under Clinton? Has it affected YOU any differently? Or are you just using this as an excuse to bash Bush?

[Gimpy]

I don't NEED an "excuse" to bash Bush. There are enough valid reasons for just about everyone in this country to do that. I'm just pointing out SOME of them.

And, BTW it WAS better under Clinton...even WITH the republican assholes in Congress fighting him at just about everything he attempted to try and improve things.

I didn't have to wait for SIX months to a freaking YEAR to get a doctors appointment under Clinton and wait for hours and hours after you get the appointment like most vets do now under GEE-W!

And.....Clinton NEVER proposed "cuts" to the VA system like Bush has...............look it up..........it's in the record! Just ask all the military service organizations legislative staffs (DAV, VFW, AMVETS, V VA, etc.).............they'l be MORE than glad to tell you I'm speaking the truth if you don't belive me!

Problem is................most vets apparently DON'T KNOW WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON with the VA??????

But.................I'm sure as HELL gonna try and correct THAT!

[theoddz]

I most heartily agree with you, Gimpy!! Let me tell you what I see on the inside of the VA.....

1. Chronic and dangerous short staffing throughout the Critical Care areas and Med/Surg wards.

2. Vets who need placement in nursing facilities and cannot afford it because of cutbacks, so they stay as inpatients in costly inpatient VA beds.

3. Chronic shortages of supplies and equipment.

4. Crooked administrative officials "cooking the books" to make it look like the situation isn't as bad as it is, so they might get their BONUSES for staying below the budget lines.

5. Lower COLAS and allowances which serve to inhibit the recruitment and retention of qualified and GOOD people to serve our nation's finest. Heck, the facility where I work can't even keep a physician Specialty Service Chief to sign off on our Policy and Procedure manual, so that there is a decent level or standard of care that we provide our vets with!!!

It's gotten worse since Bush took office, believe me. I'm there. I see it, every day. But I'm staying here in the trenches, because I'm a disabled vet and I have a vested interest in this system. I stay because I figure it can only get better.....and besides, I'm good at being able to do something with nothing, and that seems to be what's going on here.

Now that I've had my say about a politically "heated" topic, I suppose this thread will get censured, too.

[MORTARDUDE]

Thanks for the info...Another friend of mine from high school, who was in the Army but didn't go overseas, applied for total Social Security disability for depression last December, and it was approved in 5 weeks !! Contrast this with the situation that veterans face with the VA for PTSD...I have come to believe that depending on ANY politicians to fix this, is a total waste of time. It will take in-your-face-activism, and I am not sure that will even make a difference. I just feel very frustrated with it all right now....

Larry

[HARDCORE]

GUYS & GALS -

"AND THERE IT IS!!"

VERITAS

[Gimpy]

for giving us an "insiders" view of what I've been attempting to warn all veterans about.

Hopefully your evidence will strengthen that warning!

[travisab1]

I can hardly wait until JFK gets in office. Like everybody else, we all know that JFK will support our troops overseas like he did way back when... Kerry is a good ole' boy with his fellow Veteran's in mind. I'm waiting for SWEET little ole' Kerry to name Janesie baby for his sweet little ole' VICE G#@ Da*$ Presidamndent...

Yours truly...Johnny $

[Gimpy]

You should seek professional help................FAST!

PS--I challenge you to defy any of the FACTS above that have been posted by ME or THEO!

[travisab1]

Gimpy;
The only professional help I can afford is through the VA...
Does that qualify as the professional help I NEEEEEEED!!!!!!
Ha, Ha, Ha Ha, Ha, HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA, me do, me do, me do, me doooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!. HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA,HMMMMMMM!!! EH... What's up doc?????????

TRAAAAAAAAAAAAVISSSSSSSSSS