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  #21  
Old 02-27-2010, 09:18 AM
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Default Ron P.

If that dirtbag could reproducing an ID card so easily, what's to stop him or another POS from doctoring up some paper to make him "qualified" for VA bennies? We hear story after story of POS getting caught, but how many more have continued to scam the system? I would wager that at least 10% of all VA claims are paid to unqualified people; the fraud, waste and abuse of Medicare, and other entitlement programs is much higher. ANd we hear the statistics bantered about all the time - but do you hear if any government agency is doing anything about it? We need to demand more of our public servants.
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  #22  
Old 02-28-2010, 04:04 PM
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If that dirtbag could reproducing an ID card so easily, what's to stop him or another POS from doctoring up some paper to make him "qualified" for VA bennies?
Brice,

When I started reading your message I had to chuckle because I thought you were talking about the recent wannabe exposure here and on PF2, but then I realized that you are talking about the much greater epidemic sweeping the Department of Veterans Affairs and other federal agencies with phonies producing made up documents to support their claims, and that certainly isn't funny. While that is more than enough to fire me up, what angers me even more is how these phony PTSD claims make real deal vets truly suffering from PTSD reluctant to file their legitimate claims for fear of being lumped in with the wannabes.

Another thing that angers me is the real deal vets that get turned down because the lack of official records or what have you. So we have phonies collecting benefits based on fraud, while real deal deserving veterans are suffering without the help they need and deserve. It makes me sick.

Robert
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  #23  
Old 02-28-2010, 06:50 PM
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Default Robert

Eggzackery!

On two seperate occasions, I had a call from some alleged former member of one of my commands, stating that he had served with me, and asked if I would write a letter for him to help him qualify for VA bennies. I guess that they figured out that a letter coming from me, with my record, would smooth the way for him to slide through the approval process, and he could laugh all the way to the bank.

Now, given that I don't remember all the names of all of my soldiers, being somewhat chronologically-challenged and all, I started asking a series of questions that might help my debilitated memory to fire back up. Seems as if he couldn't answer even the most basic things. For example, on tour #1, I ultimately led a mech Scout Platoon; all 10 tracks carried 5 guys, all tracks had a nickname painted on them, and all tracks were configured with a .50 cal and 2 M-60's with gun shields. He could not remember anything, not even the name of any of the other 4 guys that he allegedly served with. Since we were like family - hell - I can even my brothers and sister's names - I figured he could remember at least one name, but nope.

About that time, I told him that I thought he was a phony, and that I was going to have the FBI track himdown and send him to prison for attempted fraud. Next thingk I hear is a loud "click" as the phone became disconnected.

And you are spot on about the reticience of legitimate veterans trying to deal with a very dysfunctional VA system. The entire issue of health care for vets could be solved so easily, and I'll wager, much cheaper than the current sacred cow that need to be led off to the slaughter house: for those vets that qualify, simply give them a MasterCard, or Visa Card, and tell them that anytime they need medical care or meds to just use that card, and the VA will pay the bill. I've known vets that had to be driven 100 miles or more just to see some VA quack, and was no better off after the day-long ordeal of dealing with The System.

Just what the IG at the VA or the Social Security system or MediCare or anyother agency does is not very impressive to my way of thinking. If they were doing the job for which they are being overpaid, we would read of daily stories of fraud being uncovered, monies being recovered, and convictions being rendered, but no, nary a peep out of the hard-working dead-beats called federal employees.
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  #24  
Old 02-28-2010, 09:43 PM
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And you are spot on about the reticience of legitimate veterans trying to deal with a very dysfunctional VA system. The entire issue of health care for vets could be solved so easily, and I'll wager, much cheaper than the current sacred cow that need to be led off to the slaughter house: for those vets that qualify, simply give them a MasterCard, or Visa Card, and tell them that anytime they need medical care or meds to just use that card, and the VA will pay the bill. I've known vets that had to be driven 100 miles or more just to see some VA quack, and was no better off after the day-long ordeal of dealing with The System.

.
Brice, I have felt that way for a long time. Just give them a card and pay their bills, would probably save us millions each year. And, the vets would get better service. But alas, the government wants control so we have the Vets administration. I'm sure there would be abuses but not anymore than they have now.

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  #25  
Old 02-28-2010, 10:00 PM
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Brice here is another one for you!

Ex-vets Rep to Admit War Record Phony
November 26, 2009
Philadelphia Inquirer
A former official with the New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs is expected to plead guilty on Nov. 30 for falsifying information to receive military tax exemptions, officials said yesterday.

William Devereaux, 64, of Laurel Springs, was arrested a year ago and accused of grossly embellishing his Vietnam military experience and lying about war wounds in order to collect disability benefits and the tax exemptions, authorities have said.

He was director of veterans programs for the state Department of Military and Veterans Affairs at the time of his arrest.

Devereaux has agreed to plead guilty on a theft charge related to his property taxes, a spokesman for the Camden County Prosecutor's Office said today.

He could not elaborate on details of the plea agreement, which potentially could be withdrawn before Devereaux's hearing in Superior Court on Monday morning.

Devereaux's attorney, Dennis Wixted, would not comment on the plea other than to say his client had made full restitution of the money he owed.

Devereaux was arrested in November on charges of falsifying or tampering with records and theft by making bogus claims. Prosecutors alleged at the time that he owed more than $40,000 in taxes to Laurel Springs for 2002 through 2008.

Initially, Devereaux vehemently denied lying about his military record and inventing Vietnam injuries, but later admitted he was no war hero.

"I am absolutely remorseful and sorry for ever diminishing the absolute honor and tradition of those great men and women who got those awards," Devereaux told a reporter in December. "If I could take it back, I would do anything."

He did not immediately return a message left at his home yesterday.

Devereaux began work for the Camden County Office of Veterans Affairs in 2001. In 2004, then-Gov. Jim McGreevey appointed him director of veterans programs for the state Department of Military and Veterans Affairs. In that position, Devereaux helped Soldiers suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.

Authorities alleged Devereaux falsified tax records to the state by claiming he was injured several times as a paratrooper and artilleryman in Vietnam. He also provided false information to quality for property-tax exemptions in Laurel Springs.

Devereaux reported he had received a Purple Heart, a Soldier's Medal and the Bronze Star, but authorities said he served as a payroll-distribution specialist in Vietnam for four months in 1968. According to the prosecutor's office, Devereaux was never injured and never received the honors.

Wixted said Devereaux, who retired following his arrest, has paid the $40,000 he owed in taxes.
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  #26  
Old 03-01-2010, 05:05 AM
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Default Keith

Did this POS ever receive any VA bennies? Were they paid back? Seems like he got off way too easily.
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  #27  
Old 03-01-2010, 05:24 AM
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Several things here. First, I am not defending the VA in any way, but the money goes to Benefits, Medical, and now Adjudication to get the backlog down and processing times shortened. I have a "feeling" that nada extra is going to IG and that department is probably totally understaffed. I don't know this for sure but do know that there is a big push in Adjudication. Now...the problem here is processing claims fast. This is how so many of these POS'S are getting bennies they don't deserve. As the VA used to turn down legitimate claims to process them "fast" the pendulum has now moved in the other direction that it would seem they are not counting on DOA, DON, DOAF, etc to provide them with proof of a veterans claim. Obviously the guy Scout was talking about was turned down in the older system where a DOA check provided no info of him being in the unit he said he was so he found out who Scout was and hoped he wouldn't remember him but figured that he might just write him a letter just in case. Bad move. For most of us our initial claims took years to process as even with recognizable stressors they went to the Army or whomever to check out if the person was there at a certain time, in a certain action, etc. Not that this is 100% effective but it does cut out most of the bs'ers. It would seem now that they push this crap through without checking it out.

Scout, as we are finding out, I wouldn't hold your breath on them prosecuting this phoney General for all the reasons you point out, especially in Baltimore. This guy was outted years ago and nothing is being done. I'm not holding my breath on our most recent exposure here and PF2. I also think the VA doesn't like admitting to mistakes.

My "step-son" the Oncologist who treated Pighumper, Saxby Chambliss, and Rudy Guilliani, has been doing studies for the VA for years and was instumental in getting Prostate Cancer service connectable for AO. He was saying and has been saying for years that we should have a VA card good at any doctor/hospital and it would save the government billions and inprove care. He was at George Washington University Hospital when I had my first operation with the VA in Washington, DC. He was appalled by the hospital I was in, the filth, the staff, everything but my doctors. He drove every day to visit me because, "I didn't think you'd get out of there alive". He was that worried about the place and decided then when he got established to do studies etc. for the VA, so vets could hopefully get the treatment they deserve. He has operated on many vets for free so they wouldn't get the treatment at the VA hospitals. He would have done James, (Exlrrp), but one of his buddies was doing the implants for the VA in Washington, (state), so he felt confident James would be taken care of.

The system is a mess but I am in no way optimistic it will ever straighten out. The GENERAL and his ilk will continue to prosper. Sad commentary.

Pack
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  #28  
Old 03-01-2010, 05:28 AM
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Scout...it looks like that POS was just getting state bennies and not VA...from the article, but not sure.

Pack
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  #29  
Old 03-01-2010, 12:30 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SuperScout View Post
The entire issue of health care for vets could be solved so easily, and I'll wager, much cheaper than the current sacred cow that need to be led off to the slaughter house: for those vets that qualify, simply give them a MasterCard, or Visa Card, and tell them that anytime they need medical care or meds to just use that card, and the VA will pay the bill.
Scout/Folks,

I have mixed emotions on that when it comes to my personal health care. In my adult life I had a kidney stone 2006, a cold in 1991 that lasted less than a day, and a whole lot of shell fragment and gunshot wounds. Obviously I did nothing for the cold. I passed the kidney stone while in a VA Hospital, but before they had to take any measures other than giving me something for the pain.

That means all of my other medical care in the past forty plus years has been for combat wounds. Back in the late 1970s the VA gave me a card to go to any doctor of my choice on their dime. I have a wound right in the center of my chest that was hurting. The original wound only damaged skin, muscle and my rib cage, but stopped short of my heart (I guess that last part is obvious). So I decided to take advantage of the card and go to a local doctor.

I explained to the doctor that I was having some pain in the center of my chest, so he had me take off my shirt. I have two other gunshot scars and a four inch shrapnel scar within six inches of the wound that was hurting: all that in addition to a whole lot of smaller shrapnel scars. Anyway, I point to the well healed round scar in the center of my chest and told him that it was hurting right there. Dr. Potatohead didn’t ask me how I got any of those scars. He just asked me how the pain felt, and diagnosed me as having pleurisy. I put my shirt back on and left. That was the last time I ever went to a civilian doctor. I decided that day that as I only get treated for the residuals of my wounds, I only want to see doctors that are familiar with the residuals of combat wounds.

If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck and looks like a duck, I want my doctors to consider that it just might be a duck. Dr. Potatohead would probably think it’s a zebra.

But just like the rest of the Viet Nam veterans, I am getting old. So when I start having age related problems I probably would prefer a system as Scout laid out where I went to the doctors of my choice for those problems. Hmmmm, but I have seen a number of old guys at VA medical facilities.

Robert
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  #30  
Old 03-01-2010, 12:46 PM
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Robert, having been apart of the medical care industry for over twenty years and getting much of my medical care from the VA, I will tell you one thing. There are Quacks out there in both civilian and VA. You did the right thing recognizing the man for what he was. When it comes to Doctors, its seek and find and seek sometimes takes time even within the VA or Civilian Sector. But, don't give up on either sector because there are plenty of fine doctors in both the VA and Civilian sector.

Keith
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