Posted on Sep 2, 2015
Is the V.A. really that disorganized and dysfunctional?
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Posted 9 y ago
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Disorganized & Dysfunctional are not the correct words.
Inefficient to the point of negligence? That we could have a good discussion on.
Incapable of performing their designed purpose because the "bureaucratic process" does not work well with "People" let alone "Social Programs." I can highlight examples going back decades if not centuries.
But the Department of the VA is organized. It accomplishes "some" of it's tasks EXCEPTIONALLY well. The Education System (GI BILL) is ran in what I can only describe as a "Top Notch" fashion, because everyone is treated exactly the same. The processes are streamlined, and it FUNCTIONS exactly like a bureaucracy should. Amazingly so. The Cemetery program does as well. Not to sound overly callous, but they are dealing with the dead, who don't complain, but who are also, all treated exactly the same. The processes of those two offices show us what the VA is capable of...
But when we put "People," people with "issues" that have to be addressed individually.. there's the rub. Bureaucracies grind to a screaming halt. It's not that they are disorganized, or dysfunctional. It's that a normally smooth system has gunk in it, and it takes LOTS of manpower to clear said gunk.
Inefficient to the point of negligence? That we could have a good discussion on.
Incapable of performing their designed purpose because the "bureaucratic process" does not work well with "People" let alone "Social Programs." I can highlight examples going back decades if not centuries.
But the Department of the VA is organized. It accomplishes "some" of it's tasks EXCEPTIONALLY well. The Education System (GI BILL) is ran in what I can only describe as a "Top Notch" fashion, because everyone is treated exactly the same. The processes are streamlined, and it FUNCTIONS exactly like a bureaucracy should. Amazingly so. The Cemetery program does as well. Not to sound overly callous, but they are dealing with the dead, who don't complain, but who are also, all treated exactly the same. The processes of those two offices show us what the VA is capable of...
But when we put "People," people with "issues" that have to be addressed individually.. there's the rub. Bureaucracies grind to a screaming halt. It's not that they are disorganized, or dysfunctional. It's that a normally smooth system has gunk in it, and it takes LOTS of manpower to clear said gunk.
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Sgt Tom Cunnally
I have seen some improvements at the VA Hospital i.e., Veterans Choice Program & changes to the CO-PAY plan. When I lived in California I went to the VA Medical Center in Palo Alto & the Stanford Medical Hospital. The VA sent veterans to Stanford's Hospital for specialized care which was excellent. Also Stanford was continuously conducting research programs using veterans as volunteers, i.e Agent Orange, PTSD, & Skin Cancer.
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Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS
Sgt Tom Cunnally In the above, I'm trying to be as fair as possible, within the confines of the thread as a whole.
There are good sites and bad sites. Some sites are absolutely great. Some are downright horrible. At my local site (Richmond VA) you can't even find parking. Not an exaggeration. This is a result of it being built inside the city before the city expanded to it.
The people at the VA care. The system has issues. There have been improvements. Without a doubt. Those improvements are honestly what are letting us find all these other things that are wrong. It's like a field day inspection after months of not having them. You end up with a lot of "where the hell did this room come from? I thought this was a closet?!?"
There are good sites and bad sites. Some sites are absolutely great. Some are downright horrible. At my local site (Richmond VA) you can't even find parking. Not an exaggeration. This is a result of it being built inside the city before the city expanded to it.
The people at the VA care. The system has issues. There have been improvements. Without a doubt. Those improvements are honestly what are letting us find all these other things that are wrong. It's like a field day inspection after months of not having them. You end up with a lot of "where the hell did this room come from? I thought this was a closet?!?"
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Sgt Tom Cunnally
Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS - One of my clients at Gold's Gym was a former Paratrooper. And he told me a funny VA story ...He was having a rough time with the VA appointment clerk who kept asking him several times "What is YOUR problem?" and he finally got pissed off and said " I have a problem getting an erection" The clerk went ballistic and called her boss who got nowhere with this old Paratrooper who just wanted to be treated with a little respect .
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I think if definitely needs reorganization, but I feel it is a vital organization that has helped many over the years.
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