Caring for veterans: A higher calling and Lawmakers unhappy with VA's McDonald two articles of contention? Where do you see this going?

2015-05-05T09:44:32-04:00

I will attach the 2nd article underneath this one. This statement of a higher calling is exactly true, however when you don't have buy in because of the way things have been run into the ground by those in place now. You will never get the veterans or the organization to believe it.

Without a total restructure and a major change in policies and personnel this will be a long road and I'm not sure Mr. McDonald is going to get it done. It is going to take a team of the right personnel to change the culture environment and systems to get it back on track.

The second article stresses as most of us feel the frustrations, the past year a lot has come out but the changes are slow if at all. Lawmakers are unhappy with VA's McDonald. I see another scapegoat and departure in the next 6-12 months if something doesn't get moving in the right direction.

I do believe he cares and is trying to do what's right, I'm all sure that his hands are tied in many areas and can't do it alone. The case the other day of the VA in the Caribbean fining whistleblowers 20K for telling on their corrupt and broke system. They want to fix it but REALLY, get the evidence in this case and within the week Fire the Director and all parties involved immediately. Lets get it moving in the right direction, NOW.

Robert McDonald: Why We Serve

Living a life driven by purpose is more meaningful and rewarding than meandering through life without direction. My life's purpose has always been to

Response by CSM Michael Lynch made May 5 at 2015 9:46 AM

2015-05-05T09:46:10-04:00

Here is the second article

Talk the talk walk the walk and get rid of the corrupt folks that are making them all look bad.

Cordial no more: Lawmakers unhappy with VA's McDonald

As subpoenas fly, the cordial correspondence between lawmakers and VA Secretary Bob McDonald is turning ugly.

Response by LTC John Shaw made May 5 at 2015 10:32 AM

2015-05-05T10:32:56-04:00

Mr. McDonald was just appointed VA Commissioner, he has to be given a minimum of 18-24 months to implement a program. I am too new in the program to provide a critical assessment. I have experience caring and experienced VA personnel in most of my interactions. I find about 1/3 of the personnel non-responsive to anything. This is the frustrating part, working around the folks who say they are in charge of something, but really don't do anything.

Response by LTC Stephen F. made May 5 at 2015 11:18 AM

2015-05-05T11:18:36-04:00

I hope Secretary McDonald will keep the faith and drive on.
Changing organizational culture within a Federal Department or Agency is incredibly difficult and takes a long view approach. One of the primary difficulties is overcoming resistance to change in middle management including the people filling the billets immediately under the political appointees. The State Department has been a classic example on a large scale. VA bureaucrats can be very helpful or unhelpful sometimes because of their own issues but usually because they do not have the required span of control or access to all information. This exemplifies a typical problem when dealing with Federal Government agencies - it is the antithesis of "one stop shopping."
Anybody who has been on active duty for some time has experienced the problem of calling a support organization [higher or equal in structure] and having to make multiple phone calls to find somebody who can address your issue/answer your question. Frequently that person could not entirely solve the problem. That is by design. It is not an inherently evil design, the process is designed to change incrementally over time without radical changes to structure, policy, funding, etc.