House plan would give VA another budget hike is it going to help?

CSM Michael Lynch — Fri, 17 Apr 2015 11:56:58 -0400

I have to ask is this the right answer? I'm not saying the VA doesn't need more funds. I am extremely concerned where those funds will go and who will provide oversight on their use.

An article a few weeks ago stated that the VA had approved funding of 93 million dollars for 30 cities to help 45,000 homeless veterans in those cities. I'm no mathematician but that just doesn't look like it holds water on the amount of money. How much of that is overhead?
I'm happy to see the money going to the VA, I am praying that it is used to better care of our veterans. Salutes

House plan would give VA another budget hike

House appropriators appear ready to give VA planners everything they want, except for construction funding request.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 17 at 2015 11:59 AM

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 17 Apr 2015 11:59:20 -0400

If VA bigwigs do not divert it to themselves.

Response by PO3 Steven Sherrill made Apr 17 at 2015 12:00 PM

PO3 Steven Sherrill — Fri, 17 Apr 2015 12:00:29 -0400

This is a duplicate question.

The budget is not the problem. The mentality, and the culture of the people running the VA is the problem. The system needs to be torn down and rebuilt from the ground up.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 17 at 2015 12:13 PM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 17 Apr 2015 12:13:06 -0400

While the budget is going to help many things like updating old facilities, equipment, hire more direct patient care positions…. No budget is going to fix the big problems within the VA.

Those problems need to be address and eliminated; firing toxic employees and leaders. We can fix the broken building and equipment... but we cant fix someone who doesnt care about the bottom line: Veteran's Care.

With that being said: I love working for the VA. I starting working there because after the service I felt lost for a long time, I wanted a job were I connected with those I worked with, and more importantly, FOR.

Response by MSG Brad Sand made Apr 17 at 2015 12:46 PM

MSG Brad Sand — Fri, 17 Apr 2015 12:46:29 -0400

Sure throw more money at the problem...but do nothing to change the actual roots of the problem. Always works and why this Nation has a surplus.

Response by Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS made Apr 17 at 2015 3:19 PM

Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS — Fri, 17 Apr 2015 15:19:39 -0400

As Forrest Gump said "I am not a smart man"... but

You can throw money at a problem... and eventually you will fix it. With a hell of a lot of waste. Or you can figure out why you are wasting a hell of a lot of money on a problem.

I can tell you exactly what the problem is. I can tell you in a single sentence.

"The United States Government is not good at tackling Social Problems."

If you would like it stated more cynically, "The US Government is neither trustworthy enough, nor efficient enough to handle Social Problems."

This is not a dig on the US Government. It is merely a statement of Fact. The US Government is GREAT at A LOT of things. But it is a System. A Machine. Social Problems are about People. Machines/Systems do not work with People. Trying to make a machine handle "Individuals" will result in the machine breaking, hurting People, or BOTH.

So what is the solution?

Create an OVERSIGHT commission, which 'throws' money at a few INDEPENDENT 3rd party organizations who are able to take care of Veterans.

Organizations like Wounded Warrior, DAV, VFW, AL, etc, who in turn get vets care, and are reimbursed according to satisfaction & measurable metrics (turnaround time).

Response by Cpl John Papai made Apr 17 at 2015 4:05 PM

Cpl John Papai — Fri, 17 Apr 2015 16:05:03 -0400

Ive been in many different VA clinics and hospitals across the country and there are many that need major improvements, but if you go into some of the new VA hospitals you would see a lot of money wasted on crap that we dont need. For example in the Las Vegas VA hospital they have the new digital readers that scan your ID and check you into your appointments which dramatically decreases the wait time and also checks you out afterwards. However we dont need 5 of them in front of every clinic door, and we dont need the water murals in front of every clinic door as well. There is so much money wasted. I do hope as well that it goes to the programs as intended.

Response by SFC Collin McMillion made Apr 21 at 2015 2:31 PM

SFC Collin McMillion — Tue, 21 Apr 2015 14:31:04 -0400

Things have just gotten worse since they announced how they were going to straighten out the VA. I go to the Houston, TX VA and damn what a decline over the last couple of months. You used to be able to at least get an operator when you called, now all you heae is "all agents are busy, your are 27th in line and wait time is approx 32 minutes." Where is the new and improved......lol......system? Nam Vets used to be the main ones getting screwed, now they have extended it to most everyone.

Response by SFC Collin McMillion made Apr 21 at 2015 4:54 PM

SFC Collin McMillion — Tue, 21 Apr 2015 16:54:35 -0400

Don't even think about it......they talk big dollars and all we get is the big shafts. Always the same, they just get richer by killing us off. I just wonder how many executives are getting massive pay raises?

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Apr 21 at 2015 5:01 PM

MAJ Ken Landgren — Tue, 21 Apr 2015 17:01:38 -0400

If we had 30 VA centers each center will get 2.23 billion in to help homeless veterans with a total allocation of 6.70 billion. This will mean spending per homeless vet will be 148,888.88 which is a staggering amount.