The Saga of Butch the Rooster:

Fred was in the fertilized egg business. He had several hundred young 'pullets,' and ten roosters to fertilize the eggs. He kept records, and any rooster not performing went into the soup pot and was replaced. This took a lot of time, so he bought some tiny bells and attached them to his roosters.   Each bell had a different tone, so he could tell from a distance, which rooster was performing. Now, he could sit on the porch and fill out an efficiency report by just listening to the bells. Fred's favorite rooster, old Butch, was a very fine specimen, but this morning he noticed old Butch's bell hadn't rung at all! When he went to investigate, he saw the other roosters were busy chasing pullets, bells-a-ringing, but the pullets, hearing the roosters coming, would run for cover. To Fred's amazement, old Butch had his bell in his beak, so it couldn't ring. He'd sneak up on a pullet, do his job and walk on to the next one. Fred was so proud of old Butch, he entered him in the Iowa State Fair and he became an overnight sensation among the judges. The result was the judges not only awarded old Butch the "No Bell Piece Prize",  but they also awarded him the "Pullet-sur-prise" as well.   Clearly old Butch was a politician in the making. Who else but a politician could figure out how to win two of the most coveted awards on our planet by being the best at sneaking up on the unsuspecting populace and screwing them when they weren't paying attention? Vote carefully in the next election, you can't always hear the bells.

AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL

I really wish that the purveyors of these emails would do a little research and get their facts straight.............Oh, I forgot, they don’t like to confuse anyone with facts. So, after you glance at this “sample” of bullshit, take a gander down below at the real numbers and distribution of our Foreign Aid dollars. And you all wonder why this Nation is going to Hell in a hand basket!?

Here’s a sample of what I get a lot of:

Our military is being cut, our soldiers are having their benefits cut and the government has gone back on its

Promise of free medical care and denying disability to those physically and mentally torn apart for no good reason in political wars!

 Our retired seniors,
Living on a 'fixed income, have their

taxes raised to send to these countries and also are having medical benefits cut.
But, over the last several years THEY
have provided direct cash aid to.....
Hamas - $351 M, Libya $1.45 Billion, Egypt - $397 M, Mexico - $622 M, Russia - $380 M, Haiti - $1.4 Billion, Jordan - $463 M, Kenya - $816 M, Sudan - $870 M, Nigeria - $456 M, Uganda - $451 M, Congo - $359 M, Ethiopia - $981 M, Pakistan - $2 Billion, South Africa - $566 M, Senegal - $698 M, Mozambique - $404 M, Zambia - $331 M, Kazakhstan - $304 M, Iraq - $1.08 Billion, Tanzania - $554 M,

Nor do they get any breaks, while our government And religious organizations will pour Hundreds of Billions Of $$$$$$'s and Tons of Food to Foreign Countries and the illegals and leeches within our borders!
AMERICA: A country where we have - Our brave warriors, damaged for life, waiting in yearlong + for their due, the elderly going without needed medication and the Mentally ill without treatment, and for all of us, our safety is at risk because prisoners are being released back onto the streets due to "lack of funds -- etc.

Doing their math, you come up with $14.933 billion   ; all going to Africa or Persia (they don’t even know where Persia is). In fact, the U.S. sent approximately $37.680 billion overseas in 2012 for foreign aid, according to Finance Degree Center

It took me all of fifteen minutes to gather the information below!

U. S. Department of State

http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2012/02/183808.htm

Fact Sheet

Washington, DC

February 13, 2012

Budget

State and USAID - FY 2013 Budget

The President’s FY 2013 Budget for the Department of State and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) strengthens U.S. national security, advances America’s economic interests, and elevates America’s global leadership through diplomacy and development. It supports U.S. businesses, protects Americans at home and abroad, and stops the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. It supports our allies and partners, prevents conflict, promotes democracy, and reflects our core values.

Making up just 1 percent of the U.S. Government’s overall budget, the Department of State/USAID budget totals $51.6 billion. The request provides the most cost-efficient way to ensure diplomats and development experts have the resources necessary to address complex threats to our national security and promote our economic renewal.

Overview of the President’s Budget proposal for State/USAID

Includes $43.4 billion for the core budget, which funds the long-term national security mission of the Department and USAID.

Provides $8.2 billion for Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) to support the extraordinary and temporary costs of civilian-led programs and missions in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan.

Supports U.S. engagement with the government and people of 190 countries across the globe.

Builds upon our commitment to job creation at home and economic statecraft by giving our people the tools to better help American companies compete overseas; build future trading partners; and facilitate legitimate travel by U.S. citizens and international business people and tourists.

Continues to fulfill the Administration’s commitment to elevating development as a core pillar of US foreign policy through targeted investments with measurable returns, consistent with the principles in the President’s Policy Directive on Global Development (PPD-6) and the Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review (QDDR).

Supports the President’s new commitment to treat 6 million people with HIV/AIDS by the end of 2013.

Proposes a new Middle East and North Africa Incentive Fund to better position the United States to quickly respond to dramatic changes in the region and incentivize reforms.

Devotes resources where they are most needed to achieve foreign policy and development goals, reflecting hard trade-offs. Specifically, this budget:

o Reduces funding for Europe and Eurasia by 18 percent to reflect the successful transition of a number of countries to market-based democracies and eliminates the stand alone Assistance to Europe, Eurasia, and Central Asia account.

o Reflects over $100 million in FY 2012-FY 2013 administrative savings through administrative reforms.

o Enhances consular resources in areas with high demands for visas, including Brazil and China, generating tourism in the U.S. and new business opportunities for American companies. This work will be funded out of fees generated by the increase in visa applications.

o Limits the Department’s planned expansion of the Foreign Service by extending the time frame for the goal of a 25 percent increase while focusing modest staff growth on highest priority programs and countries.

o Scales back funding for overseas construction for one year, despite ongoing need for newer, more secure diplomatic facilities.

o Normalizes the Development Leadership Initiative (DLI) within USAID Operating Expenses and does not request additional USAID Foreign Service positions for FY 2013.

Supports major changes outlined in the QDDR and PPD-6 by allocating resources to goals with the greatest impact:

o Reorganizes to establish three new State Department bureaus focusing on high-priority issues of counter-terrorism and energy, and reorganizes and renames the Conflict and Stabilization Operations bureau to better fulfill conflict prevention missions;

o Continues to expand the application of science, technology, and innovation in USAID and State Department programs to ensure the most efficient and effective use of assistance funding; and

o Encourages whole-of-government approaches to development in emerging global markets, especially in the Partnership for Growth countries of El Salvador, the Philippines, Ghana, and Tanzania.

Supporting our Work in Frontline States ($11.9 billion):

“Improving governance, creating economic opportunity, supporting civil society is vital to solidifying our military gains and advancing our political and diplomatic goals.”-Secretary Clinton, June 2011

Iraq: $4.8 billion ($4.0 billion OCO and $770 million core)

o $2.0 billion in assistance, including $1.8 billion to fund police training and military assistance programs transitioned from the Department of Defense (DoD). Investments in health, education, and private sector development continue to decline as these programs transition to the Government of Iraq.

o $2.7 billion in operations funding supports the Embassy and three consulates as well as public outreach programs to strengthen ties with the Iraqi people.

o This is approximately 10% less than in FY-12.

Afghanistan: $4.6 billion ($3.2 billion OCO and $1.4 billion core)

o $2.5 billion in assistance for counter-terrorism-related programs, economic growth, reconciliation and reintegration, and capacity building, as well as to support progress in governance, rule of law, counter-narcotics, agriculture, health, and education.

o $2.1 billion supports the expansion of the diplomatic and inter-agency presence, the extraordinary costs of security in a conflict zone, and public diplomacy programs to build long-lasting bridges with civil society.

Pakistan: $2.4 billion ($959 million OCO and $1.5 billion core)

o $2.2 billion in assistance to strengthen democratic and civil institutions that provide a bulwark against extremism, and support joint security and counter-terrorism efforts, including $800 million for the Pakistan Counterinsurgency Capability Fund.

o $197 million supports the U.S. government’s civilian presence, as well as programs for engagement with civil society.

Other Frontline States-Related Costs: $95 million OCO. $95 million provides funding for additional USAID administrative costs and the cost to administer the Iraq military assistance program.

Improving Global Human and Economic Security ($14.7 billion):

“We need to continue shifting our approach and our thinking from aid to investment, investments targeted to produce tangible returns... Wise investors choose their investments carefully, they manage for risks, and they amplify their impact by trying to draw even more participants to the table”-Secretary Clinton, Busan Aid Effectiveness Forum, November 2011

$9.3 billion for critical interventions in health, food security, and climate change, as outlined in the PPD as presidential initiatives:

o $7.9 billion for the Global Health Initiative (GHI), including $5.4 billion for the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). The budget supports President Obama’s call for an AIDS-free generation with the goal of providing lifesaving treatment to six million people globally by the end of 2013. The request also includes $2.5 billion for USAID managed programs that build on significant progress to date and focus resources on key areas where the United States can make a marked difference in the struggle against pandemics and disease, including saving mothers and children through high-impact interventions such as malaria prevention and child vaccination programs.

o $1.0 billion for the global hunger and food security initiative, Feed the Future, to reduce poverty, hunger, and under-nutrition through sustainable investments in agriculture-focused economic growth. Together with the Department of Treasury’s contribution to the Global Agriculture and Food Security Program, this funding will enable the United States to reach millions of beneficiaries. The request supports implementing country-owned strategies that integrate the efforts of smallholder farmers, the private sector, governments, and civil society and provides them with the tools to achieve sustainable results.

o $469.5 million for Global Climate Change to address the environmental, economic, and social ramifications of global climate change through programs that develop clean energy economies; combat deforestation; and help vulnerable countries build resilience to withstand extreme weather and rising sea levels.

$4.0 billion in humanitarian assistance to provide life-saving interventions for victims of conflict, natural disasters, and persecution, including $1.4 billion for food aid, $1.7 billion to aid refugees and conflict victims, and $960 million for disaster assistance.

$1.3 billion to support development investments in the world’s poorest and most unstable nations, helping to stabilize societies and open new markets for U.S. goods.

Strengthening Partnerships and Preventing Conflict ($14.6 billion):

“American leadership must be as dynamic as the challenges we face. We have to be ready to adapt and innovate, and that might mean leveraging new groups of nations to work on specific issues.” – Secretary Clinton, Speech on American Global Leadership at the Center for American Progress, October 2011

$770 million for a new Middle East and North Africa Incentive Fund to respond strategically to the historical changes taking place across the region. The Fund will incentivize long-term economic, political and trade reforms—key pillars of stability—by supporting governments that demonstrate a commitment to undergo meaningful change and empower their people.

$5.1 billion in military assistance to support ongoing partnerships worldwide, including $3.1 billion for Israel, $1.3 billion for Egypt, $300 million for Jordan, and approximately $400 million for 70 other strategic partners around the world. This budget also provides $93.1 million in the International Military Education and Training account to promote regional stability and defense capabilities through professional military education and training.

$2.7 billion in economic and transition assistance to help strengthen and stabilize developing countries and countries in transition from conflict. This includes investing in building governing capacity, reform, and conflict mitigation in recently independent South Sudan; supporting continued democratic development in Liberia; post-earthquake reconstruction in Haiti; and encouraging reform in Burma.

$4.1 billion in contributions to international organizations (voluntary and assessed) to support cooperation and security in accordance with U.S. law:

o $1.5 billion to meet U.S. obligations to nearly 50 international organizations, including the United Nations.

o $2.1 billion to support the US share of international peacekeeping missions, including critical operations in Somalia, Sudan and Darfur, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sudan, Haiti, and Liberia.

o $535.9 million for voluntary contributions to international organizations, including UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the UN Development Program (UNDP), and to peacekeeping missions worldwide in order to diminish and resolve conflict, enhance partner countries’ capabilities to participate in peacekeeping operations and address counter-terrorism threats, and reform professional military forces.

$531.7 million for anti-terrorism and non-proliferation programs including support for programs that counter violent extremism and terrorist finance, and address the humanitarian threat posed by landmines and unexploded ordnance.

$932.5 million for rule of law, police development, and counter-drug programs worldwide, including protecting our borders and repelling the reach of criminal organizations and gang violence.

$56.5 million for Conflict Stabilization Operations to provide rapid responders to crisis regions, support conflict prevention efforts, and stabilize crises and set the conditions for the transition to long-term peace. These funds will support overseas deployments and the management of the civilian response corps for expeditionary operations.

$75 million to address emergent national security challenges, including through the existing Complex Crisis Fund ($50 million), and the new Global Security Contingency Fund ($25 million) introduced in FY 2012, which integrates Defense and State resources to address security crises.

$254 million to support bilateral international commissions, foreign affairs foundations and research centers. This includes academic institutions such as the Asia Foundation, exchange programs that include Eisenhower Fellowships, and multilateral organizations such as the International Fisheries Commission.

Supporting America’s Global Presence ($10.4 billion):

“Leading through civilian power saves lives and money. With the right tools, training, and leadership, our diplomats and development experts can defuse crises before they explode and create new opportunities for economic growth.” – Secretary Clinton, December 2010

$6.5 billion to support civilians in embassies, missions, and consulates around the world (not including the Frontline States), as well as at our headquarters in Washington. The request includes the following priorities:

o $507.4 million for public diplomacy to engage foreign audiences and win support for U.S. foreign policy goals, programs that include engaging with civil society in transition countries such as Tunisia, Libya, and Egypt (including the Frontline States, the total Public Diplomacy Request is $541.7 million).

o $1.4 billion in security for diplomatic personnel, information and facilities at our worldwide posts.

o $4.5 billion to fund other requirements, including staffing, operations and programs for our bureaus, envoys, and more than 270 posts overseas and in the United States, and funding for 121 new positions (83 Foreign Service and 38 civil service) in high priority programs and regions.

$1.5 billion to fund USAID operations, including USAID core staffing and security requirements in the Frontline States, and funding for the Implementation and Procurement Reform Initiative of USAID Forward.

$1.6 billion for security-related construction, major facility rehabilitation, and operational requirements at embassies, consulates, and missions worldwide. Supports the construction of new embassy compounds in Chad, the Hague, and fit-out of the U.S. Mission’s wing of the new NATO headquarters nearing completion in Brussels. Also continues the $270 million capital maintenance cost-sharing program initiated in FY 2012.

$83.3 million for investment in essential modernization of information technology through the Department of State’s Capital Investment Fund.

$587.0 million for exchange programs that give U.S. citizens broad exposure to the world and help foreign students better understand the United States. Scholarship programs and cultural exchanges such as the Fulbright Program advance U.S. national interests by preparing the next generation of leaders to work together to tackle global challenges.

$200 million for activities including financial oversight work of inspector general, support of American citizens for repatriation loans, and the protection of foreign missions and officials in the United States. These programs also fund a wide-range of other activities, including support for the evacuation of American citizens from nations in crisis.

$37,680,000,000: That’s How Much the U.S. Spent on Foreign Aid in 2012 — Here’s a Chart That Helps Explain It

Dec. 19, 2013 10:30am         Becket Adams

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2013/12/19/37680000000-thats-how-much-the-u-s-spends-on-foreign-aid-heres-a-chart-that-helps-explain-it/

The United States spends billions of dollars each year on foreign aid .

In fact, the U.S. sent approximately $37,680,000,000 overseas in 2012 for foreign aid, according to Finance Degree Center, a website dedicated to finance education.

The total amount, which includes investments in national security concerns, counterterrorism efforts and commercial and humanitarian interests, is really rather impressive when you think about it. Indeed, no other country comes even close in terms of providing other countries with monetary aid.

Here to help you visualize just how much the U.S. spends every year is a chart from the folks at Finance Degree Center. Enjoy:

Just How Much Does the U.S. Spend on Foreign Aid Anyway? This Chart Will Explain:

Since WWII the United States has led the developed world disbursements of foreign aid almost every year.

●    In 2012, the United States send $37,680,000,000 dollars overseas for foreign aid

A few reasons:

■    National Security

●    Counter-Terrorism focus since 2001

■    Commercial Interests

●    Think of it as an investment

■    Humanitarian Concerns

●    Less suffering makes a better world

What are the objectives?

Peace and Security

●    $10,594,000,000 of the budget

○    Specific areas include

■    Counter-Terrorism

■    Stabilization/Security Sector Reform

■    Counter-narcotics

Investing in People

●    $10,559,000,000 of  the budget

○    Specific areas include

■    Health

■    Education

■    Social Services/Protection of Vulnerable

Governing Justly & Democratically

●    $2,596,000,000

○    Rule of Law & Human Rights

○    Civil Society

○    Good Governance

Promoting Economic Growth

●    $4,405,000,000

○    Agriculture

○    Environment

○    Infrastructure

Humanitarian Assistance

●    $4,091,000,000

○    Protection, Assistance & Solutions

○    Disaster Readiness

○    Migration Management

Who were the top 5 recipients of foreign aid in 2012?

○    Definitions:

■    Per Capita: How much aid the country is receiving per person

■    Gross Domestic Product (GDP): the monetary value of all the finished goods and services produced within a country’s border, generally per year

■    Gross National Income Per Capita (GNI):  the dollar value of a country’s final income in a year, divided by its population

●    A good measurement of standard of living

Top 5 Recipients in 2012

■    Israel

●    $3.075 billion

●    Per Capita: $388

●    GDP: $258.2 billion

●    GNI Per Capita: $28,380

■    Afghanistan

●    $2.327 billion

●    Per Capita: $78

●    GDP: $18.03 billion

●    GNI Per Capita: $570

■    Pakistan

●    $2.102 billion

●    Per Capita: $12

●    GDP: $231.2 billion

●    GNI Per Capita: $1,260

■    Iraq

●    $1.683 billion

●    Per Capita: $52

●    GDP: $210.3 billion

●    GNI Per Capita: $5,870

■    Egypt

●    $1.557 billion

●    Per Capita: $19

●    GDP: $257.3 billion

●    GNI Per Capita: $3,000

** Of the top five, there’s only one in Africa!

Can we afford to be so generous?

●    $37 billion dollars is…

○    1% of Total US Budget

■    20% – Social Security

■    19% – Defense

■    15% – income security

■    13% – Medicare

■    10% – health

■    6% – net interest

■    6% – other

■    4% – education & training

■    3% – veterans

■    3% – transportation

■    1% – foreign aid

Sources:

http://gbk.eads.usaidallnet.gov/docs/foreign-aid-intro.pdf

http://www.foreignassistance.gov/web/default.aspx

http://data.worldbank.org/

http://www.usdebtclock.org/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GNI_(nominal,_Atlas_method)_per_capita

NEW "VA" MEDIA PACKAGE - 25 pages in real life

Friday, July 4, 2014

FIXING THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS     

PROPOSALS AIMED AT STRUCTURAL AND CULTURAL REFORMATION OF A DEPARTMENT ON THE BRINK OF IMPLOSION

Author:

Hutch Dubosque, Vice President

PTSD Veterans Association of Northport, Inc.

PO Box 194, Northport, NY   11768

Changing the Department of Veterans Affairs Structure and Culture to enable the timely and efficient delivery of services to its clientele.

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1)         CHANGING THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS STRUCTURE AND CULTURE TO                    ENABLE TIMELY AND EFFICIENT DELIVERY OF SERVICES TO ITS CLIENTELE.

2)         OPENING STATEMENT: HOUSE SUB-COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS – STAFF                          DIRECTOR AND ASSISTANT DIRECTOR.

3)         SUMMARY AND LIST OF PROPOSED LEGISLATION, TO DATE.

4)         HUTCH DUBOSQUE – CV

Changing the Department of Veterans Affairs Structure and Culture to enable the timely and efficient delivery of services to its clientele.

Tuesday, June 10, 2014

- A Good Place To Start

PREAMBLE:

¶1           Now that the Federal Government knows what Veterans have known for quite some time, it is appropriate to set an outline of structural and cultural changes to this bureaucracy that are long overdue. There are just a few things to keep in mind when tackling this problem, and maintaining simplicity is a must. The firing of a number of key personnel at the Federal and local level is only a very small part of this equation. The passing of “accountability” legislation is only a very small part of this equation. The further involvement of the “private sector” in plugging and/or enhancing gaps in the system is something that should  be a secondary part of this equation. The enlistment of Veteran Service Organizations should not need to be a part of this equation. If the Department of Veterans Affairs was doing the job they claim to be doing, the need for massive, over-indulgent VSO’s would be non-existent.

¶2          What will be laid out here is a blueprint for effecting true change inside this Department. Change that will ensure that each, and every, member of our Armed Services receives the respect, benefits and treatment they have so dearly earned. This outline will consider the fact that the Department of Veterans Affairs is operating  with a departmental structure that is from the 1950’s, and has not yet evolved into the twenty-first century. This very structure has led to a culture within the Department’s personnel that breeds inefficiency and disrespect toward the Veterans it claims to be in business to help. This structure and culture have been insidious for decades, and has led to the crisis point we find ourselves at today. To reiterate, keeping this exercise as simple as possible is the only way to tackle the behemoth known as the Department of Veterans Affairs.

§ SECTION 1

¶ 1         Leadership does make a difference. To this end, more weight needs to be given to hiring qualified managers, instead of appointing retired Generals who may, or may not, possess the qualifications to actually run and manage more than their own bank account. Whether you consider the Medical delivery capabilities, or the Benefit delivery capabilities, of the Department, the need is to hire people who are qualified in delivering these services regardless of what “sector” they come from. The management vetting process needs to be upgraded to one that reflects the ability of the Department to deliver its promised products. This step need not be held for only the leadership of the Department, but also for the VA facilities Nationwide. All management personnel must be held to new, stricter job descriptions and performance matrix. Also, if lower management personnel do not receive bonuses, then upper management personnel do not qualify for bonuses either; no exceptions. The Department of Veterans Affairs is a non-profit / not for profit entity, and to offer bonuses to a select number of upper management employees is obscene, if not illegal.

§ SECTION 2

¶ 1         If you accept the premise that the “private sector” needs to be employed to augment services of the Department, then the structure of the Department needs to be on a compatible working plane with the “private sector”. The current “silo” structure of service delivery must be rolled over into one of defined product delivery. To site one example of this that I am personally experienced with: In the Mental Health service delivery of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder ( PTSD) treatment, the current structure dictates that each medical discipline is accountable not to the head of the specific program, but to the supervisor of their particular medical discipline. This translates into an absolute inability of the program head/director to formulate, mold, and run his/her program in a best practices modality. In order to effect any change whatsoever, in even daily routines, the program supervisor/director must first involve the supervisors/directors of each discipline to get their blessing and approval of the change at hand. This protocol is very time consuming, inefficient, and prone to allowing personalities the chance to negatively affect positive change based on their own whims, or desires. No Hospital, Clinic, or Doctor in the

private sector would even dream of structuring their practices in such a manner. The Department of Veterans Affairs need not continue operating in this “silo” mode of service delivery. This change will also positively affect the current problem of accountability down through the ranks of service personnel, and, in doing so, will change the culture of disrespect, arrogance, and correspondence from the VA’s employees, as experienced by Veterans.

§ SECTION 3

¶ 1         In light of current affairs, the systemic problems that have been uncovered recently are not solely those of the Phoenix VA, or a select few installations Nationwide. The problems that have come to light need a global resolution, not a case by case Band-Aid fix. To focus on just the small number of incidents so far, is to ignore and neglect a system that has been in need of drastic overhaul for many years. It is also a conflict of interest when the VA’s own Inspector General takes on the task of policing its own Department. That has been shown not to work in many, if not all, governmental audits and inspections, and for obvious reasons. There are three distinct areas in need of audit and inspection. Number one is the administrative structure. Number two is the benefits structure. And, number three is the medical structure. In each case, a sector specific audit team from outside government should be employed to come up with solutions that will best restructure this entire Department. If you change the structure, you change the culture. This auditing needs to be goal driven and be given an exact time frame for completion. This operation cannot take more than one year. Veterans are dying because of the current ineffectiveness of the VA in dealing with the very clientele they claim to be in business to serve.

§ SECTION 4

¶ 1         The medical capabilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs need to be brought into the twenty-first century. There is, apparently, plenty of money being appropriated by Congress to run  modern, efficient government medical facilities. By fixing the aforementioned structural problems, the allocation of funds toward the capital improvement of medical equipment can be a fast and efficient turn around. Once this part of the equation is taken care of, the proper staffing requirements will not be difficult to meet. At present, who in their right mind would be enthusiastic about working with a structure and equipment from the Dark Ages?

§ SECTION 5

¶ 1         To stay current on medical issues, forming outside partnerships with private sector medical operations is an efficient way to draw highly qualified medical personnel into the system and at the same time offer Veterans top quality medical care similar, if not better, than they can find in the private sector. This can work beautifully if there are medical practices that don’t cross the line of appropriate doctor-student-patient interaction. The use of standard protocols used in the private sector medical market, that are proven, are highly recommended.

§ SECTION 6

¶ 1         Shifting from the medical realm to the area of Veteran benefits, there are a set of initial changes that would be easy to implement, and breed some confidence into our Veterans view of how they are, and will be, treated by the Nation that made them Veterans in the first place. The following represents a summary outline of how the “benefit” structure should look like at the time of transition from active duty to civilian life. This is an initial financial benefits package that will not only create a smooth transition, but also give all Veterans a sustainable lifetime financial base to work off in recognition of their service to this Country. All of what is listed will be automatically put in place before any service member sets foot out of the Military door.

¶ 2                       I.    The Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs will be joined at the hip and                                    mandated to enroll all personnel in the needed transitional, medical, and financial programs and                                           benefits automatically prior to discharge. A

¶ 3                       II.   All active duty, reserve, and national guard personnel will be automatically  enrolled in the VA                                          medical system for full medical and mental health benefits, as  would be available with premium style                                private sector medical insurance plans, prior to discharge. These medical benefits will also be afforded                              the Veteran’s immediate family. This full medical benefit will be at no charge to the Veteran, or his/her                                immediate family.

¶ 4                       III. These automatic medical and mental health benefits  will be given automatically regardless of the                                  type of discharge the Veteran receives, with the exception of a Dishonorable Discharge. The very fact                                  that he/she volunteered to wear the uniform dictates that he/she has earned these benefits.

§ SECTION 7

¶ 1         This section will deal with the automatic compensation due the Veteran. As with the medical benefits, this will be set up automatically prior to separation from service. Unlike the prior benefit package this compensation benefit will be linked to the type of service performed during active duty.

¶2                        I.    Served in combat                                    ___________________________100%

¶3                        II.   Served in a combat zone/theater         ___________________________90%

¶4                        III.  Served in a time of combat, no in a combat zone/theater                              80%

¶5                        IV.  Served at any time in any branch of service, including Coast Guard

                                   and Merchant Marine                                  __________________________70%

¶ 6         The maximum amount (100%) of automatic compensation will be $36,000.00 per year for life. Payment methods will be set up prior to discharge with automatic electronic deposit the preferred method. Any further disability compensation will be over, and above, this automatic compensation. Disability compensation will be determined as it is currently through the VA’s P&C qualifying and rating system through the VA Health System, and will not affect the aforementioned automatic compensation. One example: Veteran qualifies for and receives 100% service compensation for $36,000.00 per year, for life, and also qualifies for and receives 100% disability rating from the VA Health System which, at current levels, can be as high as $34,800.00. Neither of these amounts will be taxable by either the Federal government, State government, or local government and will not affect any other tax obligation the Veteran may incur.

§ SECTION 8

¶ 1         This section will deal with Federal income tax relief based on income over and above the aforementioned compensation and disability payments from the VA, which could total a maximum of $70,800.00 per year for life tax free. If the Veteran were able to be employed in the private, or public, sector, any income from that employment would be subject to a progressive, flat tax as follows:

¶2                        I.    Up to $40,000.00 per year income the tax liability would equal O%.

¶3                        II.   From $40,001.00 to $80,000.00, the tax liability  would equal 2.00% flat rate.

¶4                        III.  From $80,001.00 to $120,000.00, the tax liability would equal 3.00% flat rate

¶5                        IV.  From $120,001.00 and up, the tax liability would be 5.00% flat rate.

¶ 6         All current and anticipated standard and itemized deductions will hold for the Veteran’s  income tax liability above and beyond his/her automatic compensation and any disability payments from   the VA as is standard IRS law.

¶ 7         To pre-qualify for the stated tax relief, above, the Department of Defense will be responsible   for filing the proper paper work with the IRS;  to include the service member’s DD-214 prior to the service member’s discharge.

§ SECTION 9

¶ 1         All fifty United States, all U.S. Territories, and all U.S. Protectorates will be obliged to offer all Veterans a standard package of tax relief at their level, as follows:

¶ 2                       I.    States, Territories and Protectorates will set their income tax rates at the same levels as detailed in                              the Federal relief plan, above.

¶ 3                       II.   As it may be difficult to pre-determine the State, Territory, or Protectorate the  Veteran will chose to                                reside in, it will be the Veteran’s responsibility to register in  his/her place of residence upon separation                              from the military. The only form of proof to qualify for this level of benefits will be the Veteran’s own DD-                              214. The type of discharge, better than a Dishonorable Discharge, has no bearing in this level of                                          benefit.

¶ 4                       III. Also at this level, the Veteran will be free from any local real estate taxes.

¶ 5                       IV. Local school taxes will apply only if there are school age children in the Veteran’s place of residence.                              If no school age children are present then an enhanced STAR program, or its equivalent, will be applied                              as a form of relief.

§ SECTION 10

¶ 1         This section will deal with employment opportunities for Veterans.

¶ 2                       I.   All government Defense contractors and Defense sub-contractors will be required to hire a Veteran                                applicant, even with minimal qualifications for a specific job opening.

¶ 3                       II.  All non-Defense contractors and non-Defense sub-contractors will be required to give preferential                                  consideration to any Veteran applicant.

¶ 4                       III. All private sector employers will be strongly encouraged to hire Veterans on a preferential basis                                      regardless of current Federal tax incentives.

CONCLUSION (for now):

¶1          In all instances, there is no need to reinvent the wheel. Solutions to the VA’s problems are nothing unique, or out of the ordinary, and, above all, are not “complex”. The fact that a civilian volunteers to serve in our Nation’s military is indicative of a very strong commitment to their Country, and, as such, they should be duly rewarded. The proposals, above, are only a starting point at which to honor our Veterans for their service. These benefits can easily be expanded. Our Veterans deserve no less. It might be of some benefit to keep the fine hand of lawyers at bay for as long as possible in this process. As Veterans, we know what our Nation should be providing in the way of Veteran’s benefits. It is up to us to make our voice heard loud and clear, and let those in the halls of power know that we are not going to back down from our demands for respect and honorable treatment by the Country whose wars we fought.

¶2          There are a handful of Nationally recognized Veterans Service Organizations (VSO’s) that are currently putting forth their own set of proposals to deal with the VA situation. From the newsletters and press releases available, it appears they are addressing only the short-term solutions to a problem that is begging for long-term solutions. As mentioned previously, short terms fixes are not going to solve the systemic, insidious cancer that is fast consuming the Department of Veterans Affairs.

¶3          It is said that a Nation is known by the way it treats its Veterans. Word on the street is that our Nation isn’t doing so well. But, by working together in the same direction, Veterans and law makers can get this done; keeping in mind that we don’t have an endless amount of time for discussion, panels, investigation, et al. This task needs to be completed, and it needs to be completed now.

Changing the Department of Veterans Affairs Structure and Culture to enable the timely and efficient delivery of services to its clientele.

 

Opening statement

House Sub-Committee on Veterans Affairs

Wednesday, May 28^th @ 10:30 am

Cannon House Office Building

Washington, DC

I am a Veteran and Vice President of a small VSO on Long Island, New York, and a consumer of the VA’s Mental Health system. With the help of my family, I come before you today to address the apparent willful mistreatment of our Nation’s Veterans by the very government that sent them off to foreign lands to fight wars in our Nation’s name. My focus for this meeting is on the newest generation of Veterans you have produced, and the degree of mistreatment that touches not only the lives of our Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans, but also the lives of their families, as it did mine.

I have been personally involved with our newest generation of Veterans as the Vice President of the PTSD Veterans Association.  Having been through a lifetime of neglect by the Department of Veterans Affairs for my generation’s Veterans, I refuse to stand idly by and watch as the same fate is being forced down the throats of these brave, dedicated men and women who were and still are willing to die for the Country they love.

I have become distressed, as a Vietnam Veteran, in bearing witness to the ways in which you, my Nation’s “leaders”, have found to effect the mistreatment, disrespect, and even deaths of my fellow Brothers-in-arms in an aggressive, virulent manner not seen since the Vietnam Veteran community was so mistreated and disrespected by an ungrateful Nation and an ungrateful Government.

This statement is not about me and my generation of Veterans. This is about a whole new generation of Veterans, and their families, who are experiencing the physical and mental ravages brought on by Military Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Military Traumatic Brain Injury. This is about their families not understanding and being torn apart by these invisible injuries. This is about our Nation’s youth who are willing to lay their lives on the line for their Country. This about our Armed Service members being “kicked to the curb” by an seemingly uncaring, disrespectful government.

We older Veterans are now partnering with younger Veterans to re-join again in battle.  You have, for decades, demonstrated your total lack of ability and concern to clean up the mess you leave behind the wars you so quickly commit us to. Not only have you failed the American Veteran miserably, you have also failed their families. Our new battle will be won.

The demonstrated inability of The Department of Defense, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and the Legislative Branch is leading to the death of our Veterans and the destruction of their families. Let me place just a few facts and figures on the table:

1)   From the Huffington Post online, using government figures – It is reported that there are 18 Veteran suicides per day which equals 6,570 Veteran suicides per year (this number is for all Veterans)

2)  From the web site PTSD Combat . Com, using government figures

     a)   In the age range of 20-24 years old: our civilian suicide rate equals 8.3 per 100,000; our Veteran  suicide                         rate equals a minimum 31.9 per 100,000, with one of your studies quoting a rate as high as 46 per 100,000.

     b)    In 2008, OEF/OIF personnel killed in action equaled 469. Included in that number are 184 suicides. That is                      28% of those deaths.

     c)    Also in 2008, 55,000 calls were placed to the VA suicide prevention hot line. 22,000 of those callers were                      identified as Veterans; the remaining 33,000 calls were from family members with nowhere else to turn.

You apparently choose not to see the trail of destruction you have left effecting our Veterans and their families. All this does not need to happen. I have a newspaper article written by my friend, Martin Evans of Newsday. I would like to share it with you, as it shows just the tip of the iceberg that is the personal and family tragedy of all this neglect, and I would like to submit this article into the record.

I will also offer you an initial jumping off platform of policies aimed at correcting this suffering. These tax relief and transition proposals are by no means the be-all and end-all of solutions. They are a starting point from which you can build and earn the respect of your Nation’s Veterans, and at the same time help save their families from finding their Veteran dead with a needle in their arm, an empty pill bottle by their side, and an empty bottle of liquor on the floor. I would like to submit these proposals for the record, also.

From my experience with fellow Veterans on Long Island, New York, a number of issues have become painfully clear. Today’s Veterans have a remarkably hard time searching out and receiving treatment for PTSD and TBI from any provider, public or private. The Department of Veterans Affairs acts as if their clientele don’t really deserve treatment and/or compensation for PTSD and/or TBI. It seems to me that the VA would rather have private sector mental health providers take care of both the Veteran and their families, thus washing their hands of the financial and liability responsibilities of the very clientele they are supposed to be serving.

No one seems to be asking this question;

“ If the Federal and State governments deliver the services they claim to, then what need do organizations like The Wounded Warrior Project, The Soldier’s Project, the PTSD Veterans Association, and all the rest of the 501(c)’s have to exist?”

The answer is that they shouldn’t need to exist at all; the government should be there picking up the pieces when their Soldiers return home – no matter the cost; no matter the effort.

This is not a situation that can wait a month, or two... a year, or two.. This is a situation that has to find a solution in the immediate future; next week sounds like a good time-frame for me.  So, please understand that this seemingly willful mistreatment is where our anger, frustration, and desperation comes from. The Veteran Community is demanding your action to clean up the mess we call the Department of Veterans Affairs, and it needs to be done now.

You will be hearing from the Veteran community in this Country because we are ready, willing, and able to make change happen, as we have a string of very important election years coming up. Remember this: Veterans vote, and they vote in vastly larger percentages than do the general public.

I penned a letter to my family, friends, and past co-workers, because of what Acute PTSD has done to my life and my family. And, I would like to submit a copy of this letter for the record. I would like to submit the PTSD Veterans Association’s pamphlet for the record, as well.

That concludes my opening statement. I will be happy to entertain your questions; keeping in mind that I am not a “numbers” guy, nor am I certified in the Mental Health sector. I am simply a Veteran who is witnessing a grave injustice being played out. It must stop, and it must stop now.

Thank you

Changing the Department of Veterans Affairs Structure and Culture to enable the timely and efficient delivery of services to its clientele.

 

PROPOSED LEGISLATION:

MANDATORY TRANSITION/REINTEGRATION PROGRAM FOR ALL MILITARY PERSONNEL SEPARATING FROM SERVICE

Committee(s): _____________________________________

Principle Author(s): ________________________________

Bill No.: __HD1__

Delegation(s): ______________________________________

Title of Bill:

Mandatory Separation Transition/Reintegration Program

Be It Enacted By The United States House Of Representatives

Preamble:

Whereas the United States Department of Defense has no mandatory program for the transition of separating Service Members back into the ranks of civilian life, and since the United States Department of Defense‘s current Transition Programs are not being used one hundred percent by the Service Members who need it the most,

SECTION 1:        Let the United States Department of Defense, in concert with Private Sector Employment Agencies and qualified Private Sector Mental Health Agencies under contract arrangement with the Department of Defense, set up a fully operational and mandatory Transition/Reintegration Program to last at least, but not limited to, thirty (30) days prior to the Service Member’s date of separation from the United States Armed Services.

SECTION 2:        Let this mandatory Program include screening and testing for the Service Member’s career abilities, and simultaneously full screening for all Medical and Mental Health categories.

SECTION 3:        Let this Transition/Reintegration Program run for more than the prescribed minimum of thirty (30) days upon determination that the Service Member in question is deemed to need more time to complete this Program.

SECTION 4:        Let the United States Department of Defense and the United States Department of Veterans Affairs set up and complete automatic enrollment in the Service Member’s local, State, and/or Federal employment Agencies and the Department of Veterans Affairs Benefit and Medical Programs for all Service Members all within thirty (30) days prior to their separation from Service obligation, regardless of type of Discharge received, as follows.

              Sub-SECTION A: applicable employment search programs in the Private Sector as are available in proximity to               the Veterans place of residence at no cost to the Veteran

              Sub-SECTION B: qualifying Medical and Mental Health Programs as prescribed by the Transition                                         Medical/Mental Health Team, either in the Veterans Affairs Medical System, or in the Private Sector Medical                     System, whichever serves the Veteran the best at no cost   to the Veteran                                              

              Sub-SECTION C:  all applicable Department of Veterans Affairs Benefits as allowed Veterans by Law,                               Resolution, or Decree at no cost to the Veteran

SECTION  5:      Let the qualified Service Member’s immediate Family members be included in these Programs without exception and at no charge to the Family. And, allow for the addition of new Family Members as the Service Member’s / Veteran’s Family increases in number, also at no cost to the Veteran

SECTION 6:        Let the Veteran be responsible for going to the prescribed, predetermined benefit Agencies to appear in person and be signed-in using his/her DD-214 document, or equivalent. This will be done only once for the lifetime of the Veteran with the exception of the Veteran moving to a location that necessitates the use of other Federal or Private Sector Agencies or Departments.

SECTION 7:        Let Sections 1-6 hold for Service Members with a better than Dishonorable Discharge.

SECTION 8:        This Bill shall go into effect ninety-one (91) days after passage.

Changing the Department of Veterans Affairs Structure and Culture to enable the timely and efficient delivery of services to its clientele.

 

Veteran’s Lifetime Compensation/Pension

Committee: _____________________________________________

Principle Author:_________________________________________

Bill No.: __HD-2__           

Delegation: _____________________________________________

Title of Bill:

Veterans Automatic Pension

Be It Enacted By The United States House Of Representatives

Preamble:

Whereas our Nation’s Veterans are struggling to adjust to civilian life after their terms of Service, and since there is no uniform, mandatory, and automatic assignment of compensation/pension upon a Service Member’s separation from Service to deal with reintegration, and since the United States Government single-handedly created these Veterans, and since the Department of Veterans Affairs has demonstrated their inability to deliver proper, livable pensions and compensation to all qualified Veterans,

SECTION 1:        Let the United States Department of Defense and the United States Department of the Treasury qualify and set up automatic annual compensation/pension payments for Service Members within thirty (30) days prior to their separation from Service obligation.

SECTION 2:        Let the qualifying amount of compensation be no less than $36,000.00 per year for life.(based on 2014 dollars)

SECTION 3:        Let there be an automatic annual increase of the initial award in the amount of three (3) percent (%), or the annual cost of living increase, whichever is greater regardless of the Nation’s financial status.

SECTION 4:        Let these Benefits accrue to the Veteran’s immediate Family if the Service Member/Veteran becomes deceased for whatever reason and at any time during or after Service. This is to ensure the quality of life for the deceased Veterans spouse, partner, significant other and all unemancipated offspring of any of these relationships.

SECTION 5:        Let this lifetime annual compensation not be altered, or affected, by any further income in the form of, but not limited to, physical and mental health disabilities granted through the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, or by any additional income from employment or assets that may be earned during the lifetime of the Service Member/Veteran, or any form of award from Medicaid, Medicare, Social Security, or any other supplemental Government Program the Veteran and his/her Family may be entitled to.

SECTION 6:        Let Sections 1-5 hold for Service Members with a better than Dishonorable Discharge.

SECTION 7:        This Bill shall go into effect ninety-one (91) days after passage.

Changing the Department of Veterans Affairs Structure and Culture to enable the timely and efficient delivery of services to its clientele.

 

FAMILY INCLUSION  IN THE COMPLETE RANGE OF VETERAN’S BENEFITS

Committee(s): _________________________________________

Principal Author(s): _______________________________________

Bill No.: ___HD-3____

Delegation(s): ____________________________________________

Title of Bill:

Veterans Benefits and Family Inclusion

Be It Enacted By The United States House Of Representatives

Preamble: 

Whereas the United States Department of Defense and the United States Department of Veterans Affairs do not afford the Families of either Service Members, or Veterans, complete access to all benefits afforded their Service Member, or Veteran, and since the Families of OIF/OEF Service Members, specifically, are at a loss of how best to deal with and help  their Service Member or Veteran in need, and since these Families do not currently have easy and full access to Private Sector services, and since these Families and their Service Members, or Veterans, should never have to pay out-of-pocket for any qualified service,

SECTION 1:        Let the definition of “immediate Family” include the spouse, partner, or significant other of the Service Member, or Veteran, and the unemancipated offspring of the Service Member, or Veteran.

SECTION 2:        Let the definition of a Family’s complete access to all Service Member, or Veteran, benefits mean that the aforementioned immediate Family Members have the identical access privileges to all benefits afforded the Service Member, or Veteran, without exception, and without cost to the Veteran or his/her Family.

SECTION 3: Let the immediate Family Members of Service Personnel be duly signed up to receive these benefits in the same manner as are the Service Members during their mandatory thirty (30) day Transition Program.

SECTION 4:        Let the immediate Family Members of the Veteran be duly signed up to receive these benefits as they become the Veteran’s spouse, partner, or significant other, or the offspring of the Veteran.

SECTION 5:        Let unemancipated offspring of the Service Member, or Veteran, remain entitled to these benefits to the age of twenty-six (26) years.

SECTION 6:        Let the Service Member’s, or Veteran’s spouse, partner, or significant other remain entitled to these benefits for their natural life.

SECTION 7:        Let Sections 1-6 hold for Service Members with a better than Dishonorable Discharge.

SECTION 8:        This Bill shall go into effect ninety-one (91) after passage.

Changing the Department of Veterans Affairs Structure and Culture to enable the timely and efficient delivery of services to its clientele.

 

VETERAN’S POST-SERVICE JOB AND EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY STATUS

Committee(s): _____________________________________________

Principal Author(s): _________________________________________

Bill No.: ___HD-4___

Delegation(s): ______________________________________________

Title of Bill:

Jobs For Veterans

Be It Enacted By The United States House Of Representatives

Preamble:  

Whereas The United States Department of Defense and the United States Department of Veterans Affairs has no current standard, or operating procedure for securing gainful employment for the Service Members they separate back into civilian life, and since the unemployment rate for OIF/OEF Veterans is hovering around 25%, and since all our Veterans have job skills needed in both the Public and Private Sectors,

SECTION 1:        Let the United States Department Of Defense, through Legislation passed in the United States Congress and signed into Law, designate three distinct categories of preferential hiring treatment to be afforded all Veterans from all Eras and Theaters of War.

              Sub-SECTION A: All United States Government Defense Contractors will be required, by Law, to hire a Veteran               for any job opening that exists within that Contractors Company/Corporation, and for which the Veteran has                     only the minimum qualifications, or credentials, for said job   opening

              Sub-SECTION B: All United States Government Contractors will be required, by Law, to give   preferential                         treatment to all Veterans applying for job openings at the Contractor’s Company/Corporation even if the                           Veteran possesses the minimum qualifications, or credentials, for said job opening 

              Sub-SECTION C: All Companies/Corporations, foreign and domestic, doing business within the borders of                       the United States will be required, by  Law, to give preferential treatment to all Veterans applying for their job                     openings given the applicant has the necessary qualifications, or credentials, for said job opening

SECTION 2:        Let Section 1 and Sub-Sections A-C hold for Service Members with a better than Dishonorable Discharge.

SECTION 3:        This Bill shall go into effect ninety (90) days after passage.

Changing the Department of Veterans Affairs Structure and Culture to enable the timely and efficient delivery of services to its clientele.

 

VETERANS FEDERAL TAX RELIEF

Committee(s): ____________________________________________

Principal Author(s): _______________________________________

Bill No.: ___HD-5___

Delegation(s): ____________________________________________

Title of Bill:

Automatic Tax Relief Schedule for all Veterans

Be It Enacted By The United States House Of Representatives

Preamble:

Whereas the United States Government, the United States Internal Revenue Service, and the United States Treasury have the authority, if granted by the United States Congress and signed into Law, to restructure the way in which the Nation treats its Veterans regarding relief from certain tax obligations, and since there exists no current structure, or protocol, to address this issue, and since the United States needs to show more respect and honor to the Nation’s Veterans, and since granting such relief will help the Nation’s Economy, and since these actions will help rebuild and recover the Nation’s Middle Class,

SECTION 1:        Let the United States Congress mandate the Internal Revenue Service to enact the following structure of tax relief for all Veterans regardless of type of Service, or type of Discharge better than a Dishonorable Discharge.

SECTION 2:        Let the Federal income tax for earned income, above that of compensation and disability payments from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs and the United States Treasury, be levied as a flat tax, in the following amounts and percentages:

                             Sub-SECTION A:                            $0.00-$40,000.00 taxed at 0%

                             Sub-SECTION B:                         $40,001.00-$80,000.00 taxed at 2%

                             Sub-SECTION C:                            $80,001.00-$120,000.00 taxed at 3.5%

                             Sub-SECTION D:                            $120,001.00 & above taxed at 5%

                            

SECTION 3:        Let the Internal Revenue Service allow for all standard deductions and other standard adjustments to earned income as per normal Federal income tax filing criteria.

SECTION 4:        Let it be the responsibility of the United States Department of Defense to provide the Internal Revenue Service with a copy of the Service Member’s Separation Document DD-214, or equivalent prior to separation from the Service while the Service Member is attending the thirty (30) day mandatory Transition Program.

SECTION 5:        Let it be the responsibility of the Internal Revenue Service to effect the Veteran’s tax status immediately upon separation from the Service, with the documentation mentioned above, only once for the natural lifetime of the Veteran.

SECTION 6:        Let Sections 1-5 and all Sub-Sections hold for Service Members with a better than Dishonorable Discharge.  

SECTION 7:        This Bill shall go into effect ninety (90) days after passage.

Changing the Department of Veterans Affairs Structure and Culture to enable the timely and efficient delivery of services to its clientele.

 

REFORMATION OF THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFIARS

Committee(s): ____________________________________________

Principal Author(s): _______________________________________

Bill No.: __HD-6__

Delegation(s): ____________________________________________

Title of Bill:

Restructuring the United States Department of Veterans Affairs

Be It Enacted By The United States House Of Representatives

Preamble:

Whereas the current structure and resultant culture of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs has become unwieldy to the point of collapse, and since the current silo structure of service management is failing the very Veterans the Department of Veterans Affairs claims to serve, and since this silo structure negatively affects the culture within the Department, and since this culture creates personnel who are apathetic, condescending, arrogant, and unprofessional, and since the Department needs to exist to serve our Nation’s Veterans, and since recent (April, 2014) developments within the Department point to corruption, abuse of power and, possibly, criminal acts against the Nation’s Veteran Population,

SECTION 1:  Let the United States Department Of Veterans Affairs be referred, hereafter, to as the Department.

SECTION 2:  Let the root cause of the Department’s current problems be discovered and acknowledged as being antiquated, inefficient, and over burdensome.

SECTION 3:  Let there be a full, independent Audit done of the Department’s entirety by some other entity than the Department’s own Inspector General, as this leads to a totally corrupted Audit, based on the methods employed in conducting said Audit. A qualified Auditor from the Private Sector should be contracted to undertake this Department’s system-wide inspection.

                             Sub-SECTION A: Let there be an end to the current pre-audit practice of “cherry-picking” respondents                                to the auditor’s inquiry and questions in order to achieve a higher rating than is actually deserved

SECTION 4:  Let it be known, as a part of Public Record, that any Audit of the Department, by the Department, is preceded by a vetting process that involves choosing interviewees on the basis of their positive feedback and answers to questions that will be asked by the official Audit Team. Anyone who might offer constructive criticism is locked out of the process by design. This practice will no longer be tolerated at/in any of the Department’s Facilities for the purposes of site-wide audit, or any other audit, or accrediting institution.

SECTION 5:  Let the current structure of silo management be abandoned in favor of a modern product management structure, as is used by every other Medical delivery system in the Country.

SECTION 6:  Let be upgraded to twenty-first century standards of Medicine and Mental Health.

SECTION 7:   Let the United States Congress appropriate sufficient funds to upgrade the Department’s Medical Centers practices and equipment, to include all diagnostic equipment in every VA Medical Center, and Clinics, nationally.

SECTION 8:  Let the United States Congress appropriate sufficient funds to modernize/upgrade all Medical and Mental Health protocols at all Medical Centers, and Clinics, nationwide.

SECTION 9:  Let the United States Congress appropriate sufficient funds to engage the removal/demolition of all of the Department’s contaminated buildings, and erect new, modern facilities in their place.

SECTION 10:  Let the Department recognize and acknowledge the gross inadequacy of parking spaces at the most heavily used Medical Centers, and receive sufficient funding from the United States Congress to construct appropriate parking facilities.

SECTION 11:  Let the United states House of Representatives and the United States Senate include Veterans, from outside Government, on a newly created Veterans Advisory Board, attached separately, one each, to both the House and Senate Sub-Committees on Veterans Affairs.

SECTION 12:  Let there be a sufficient number of Veterans, from outside Government, involved in any Oversight Committee, or Oversight process conducted by the United States Congress.

SECTION 13:  This Bill shall go into effect ninety-one (91) days after passage.

Changing the Department of Veterans Affairs Structure and Culture to enable the timely and efficient delivery of services to its clientele.

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Hutchinson Dubosque, Jr.

10 Woolsey St., Huntington, NY  11743-2641

(631) 470-0958 / (631) 223-6107

hutch.dubosque@live.com

B.A./Communications – Hofstra University

A.A.S./Energy Technology – NYIT

Manufacturing Engineer/Mechanic – 40 yrs.

Vice President / PTSD Veterans Association of Northport, Inc.

PO Box 194, Northport, NY  11768

(631) 223-6107

ptsdalumni@yahoo.com

www.ptsdveternasassociation.com

Organization Memberships:

DAV, VVA, VFW, IAVA, American Legion

Soldiers Project, Concerned Veterans for America, Wounded

Warrior Project, Military Order of the Purple Heart, 27th Inf. Reg.

Hist. Society, 25th Inf. Div. Hist. Society, Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund,

Long Island Veterans Initiative, PTSD Alumni Association/Northport,

U.S. Navy Memorial, National Society of Political Science, U.S. House Veterans Affairs Council

Military

Vietnam Veteran, 1967 – 1970; 1 year in Vietnam, 25th Inf. Div., 27th Inf. Reg., 1st Bat., Combat      Infantry Medic, 1 ½ years in Germany, Nike-Hercules Missile Batteries