Report: VA not doing enough on claims backlog. What should be done about this?

SPC Jan Allbright, M.Sc., R.S. — Thu, 07 May 2015 09:01:44 -0400

The backlog is a problem Congress has been grappling with for decades, yet about 188,000 claims — roughly 40 percent of all ongoing claims — have been pending more than 125 days

http://www.stripes.com/report-va-not-doing-enough-on-claims-backlog-1.344602

Report: VA not doing enough on claims backlog

Baltimore tops a list of the slowest VA offices for responding to veterans disability claims, while Providence, R.I., is at the opposite end of the spectrum, processing claims almost five times faster, according to a new report from a Senate working group.

Response by SFC Rich Carey made May 7 at 2015 9:07 AM

SFC Rich Carey — Thu, 07 May 2015 09:07:31 -0400

Well I have some thoughts on that, I worked at a Regional Office and I would say that some people show up to work and that is all they accomplish. Records are not logged in so the clock won't start clicking against them. I will log it in when I am ready to work on it, not when it arrives. Not every enjoys their job, to them it is just a job... Yes I even had someone put their arm around me and told me I need to slow down, I am making the rest of the crew look back.... Records are sent to different RO when they have a heavy case load, of course there are lag times becuase of the shipping the records around and then when they arrrive they need to be logged in and then sent to the proper department and so on...
Now, not everyone is like that and their are individuals who really try to do the best they can within the system.

Response by Sgt Branden W. made May 7 at 2015 10:01 AM

Sgt Branden W. — Thu, 07 May 2015 10:01:33 -0400

Having just been hired by the Veterans Benefit Administration, to say I am raring to go is an understatement. I start June 1st and look forward to exceeding the expectations of the job. SFC Rich Carey I certainly hope no one attempts to stifle my work ethic as you mentioned. If I'm inadvertently making the team look bad, then the team needs to dig a little deeper and step up the pace. I never quite understood that reasoning.

Especially when productivity is so key in the VA right now.. wouldn't you want the fastest, most accurate team?

SitRep to follow

Response by MSG Brad Sand made May 7 at 2015 1:40 PM

MSG Brad Sand — Thu, 07 May 2015 13:40:21 -0400

Like most things in life, if enough people really wanted it fixed, it could be fixed. The problem is that those in power would like it to be corrected...maybe...but not so much that they are willing to do what is needed to make that happen.

If I was given enough authority...free from prosecution...I could have this corrected almost over night. I don't want that, you don't want that, but the problem can be fixed when we have the will to fix it.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made May 7 at 2015 10:14 PM

MAJ Ken Landgren — Thu, 07 May 2015 22:14:13 -0400

Since it's the VA who the hell knows what the problem is.