Yes, the Bureaucracy Of The VA Is Killing Veterans. What are you going to do about it?

There is evidence that the US Department of Veterans Affairs, the VA, has been systematically putting high risk veterans on “wait lists” and falsifying records of how long it takes a veteran to get care.  It’s hard to hear, but in many ways, the VA is killing veterans. While this is horrifying, it is probably the tip of the iceberg. My experience with the VA has always been the following – the doctors, nurses, counselors, etc. working at the VA are warriors for our veterans and are usually incredibly passionate about their work. I have personally received incredible care at the Roudebush VA in Indianapolis. On the other hand, the bureaucracy of the VA from the head of the VA on down, of whom I have experience with at the highest levels, are often blatant careerists who put their own interests and image ahead of veterans. There are some good administrators, but even they get swallowed by the bureaucracy.

You can read about the latest case in Colorado at the following link, where records were being falsified to make it look like veterans got care much sooner than they in fact did. It also talks about the “wait list” at the Phoenix VA. The fact the bureaucracy of the VA is killing veterans should call us all to action.

http://blog.chron.com/healthzone/2014/05/va-operations-under-scrutiny/

I challenge everyone reading this to do two things:

1) Put enormous pressure on your congressional representatives to hold the VA responsible. Heads need to roll, there needs to be real accountability. Be frank. “The the bureaucracy of the VA is killing veterans. What are you doing about it?” Click here for your congressman’s contact information: http://www.house.gov/representatives/find/

2) Take it upon yourself to reach to veterans, especially those suffering from PTSD. The frustration of getting in to see the VA, and the fact that most first appointments are nothing more than a drug prescription, can leave veterans despondent that they will never get real help. There are great people at the VA, but sometimes, incredibly, you have to help your veteran fight to see them. Engage with your friends and loved ones, help them through the bureaucracy, help them find alternative resources and don’t let them fall through the cracks. Click here for some other PTSD resources: http://veteransfamiliesunited.org/2011/06/06/ptsd-and-tbi-resourcestreatments/

We can point fingers, but that makes us no better than the people we are pointing fingers at unless we act. Rise up, do something. I gave you two links to click. At least do that. The truth is that it isn’t just the bureaucracy of the VA that is killing veterans. We are just as complicit as they are if we don’t do something about it.