I hope the press doesn't drop the ball on this very important matter.....

Obama ran with a pledge to repair the system, yet......

I am not laying blame on him, it was a problem before he arrived, and he acknowledged it, yet.......

Please gang, we celebrate observance of those who assure we have the right to disagree under one flag, this weekend, lets support them with a united front, repairing and fixing a very broken system.

You mean you don't like drunken/drug abusing orderlies that abuse/rob/neglect patients? Or foreign born nurses that can't read English dispensing medications, changing dressings or abusing/robbing/neglecting patients? Or the 3rd world med school drop outs imitating doctors that couldn't diagnose a pimple on the end of their own noses routinely killing our veterans?

If you were an enlistedman, unless you have a Purple Heart, Bronze Star or similar costume jewelry, the VA is no place for you to be treated.

If you were an officer, you might get treated as well as the "doctor's" dog.

The VA is a farce. Creme de la crap of the medical world.

WD wrote on 05/24/14 at 08:19:38:


our local va hosp is nothing like you describe
ex enlisted here r.a.
been under their care for over 2 years my only complaint is yearly
$$ qualifying  I understand  why but that's not what we were promised
my co pays so far have been for meds only and darn cheap comparied to retail$$

pm sent ray

Before I got out my eye test showed I would be needing reading glasses soon.  My hearing test had been "reset" four times to higher volumes and lower frequencies (I worked on jet aircraft, and turboprops)

When I went to the VA in pensicola, they set me up with an optician near me for a free pair of glasses.

At the facility they made molds of my ear canals and set me up with some hearing aids...both ears...

Two years after I was out I was told the VA no longer pays for glasses. My hearing aids I put down after about four months because the batteries kept dying after about 4 hours and I couldn't keep up with taking them in and out when I had to use power tools. I haven't had them in my ears for about 15 years now. I think I will go and attempt to get a new pair.

I was also given orthodics for my feet... I have not been back to the VA for about six years, they now have a satellite facility about 20 minutes away (I stopped there once to make sure they had me on record). Guess its about time I went and updated them on my health....

I've had a few friends that worked at the VA... they were dedicated...
Regardless of what happened higher up...

My dad died during surgery at a VA hospital... but I do trust they did their best...

I do my best when it matters most... and I think it's just human nature...
Nobody wants to do a bad job...
Especially when it matters most...
It's human nature to try our best... that's the one positive about video games...
...(maybe the only one)...

I don't blame the top or the bottom for what has happened in the VA...
I am concerned about those paper pushers in the middle...
They don't see people... they see numbers...
If this scandal proves out... they should be prosecuted criminally...

I think it's often this disassociated middle, that fails... they feel pressures from above, but aren't invested below...
Over all,.. less middle makes things work better...  ...

Peace to our Vets... ...

I agree about the comment that most people try to do their best.  My family doc is 54 years old.  At my last visit, he and I were making idle chat about when we'd each retire.  We have been good friends for years in addition to the doctor/patient relationship.  He said he's thinking of working in private practice for 6 more years, and going out at age 60.  He said then he thinks he'll apply at the VA, and work there for a few years to "give back".
I have no idea what VA pays the docs who work there, but I doubt that is behind my friend's thinking.