VA "Shreddergate" story about veterans is growing larger

[kpete]

VA "Shreddergate" story about veterans is growing larger & Call for Action
by testvet6778
Sun Nov 09, 2008 at 08:35:30 AM PST

Despite the Veterans Administration to paint this episode as a few "bad apples" destroying claims paperwork and evidence that is needed for veterans or their surviving spouses to obtain earned veterans benefits, the fact that this is now known to have occurred at 41 of the 57 Regional Offices across the nation and territories, show this is a system wide practice, that has been known for decades (they first fired people (lawyers) for this in 1987.

My friend Larry Scott broke this story October 13, 2008 and the VA has been in reaction mode ever since, even to the extent to refuse to allow him to participate in a conference call with new organizations on October 18, 2008

At 9:30am (EDT) on Thursday, October 23, 2008, the Department of Veterans' Affairs (VA) held a conference call with the major veterans' service organizations (VSOs). The purpose of the call was to update the VSOs on documents found in shredder bins at VA Regional Offices (VAROs) run by the Veterans' Benefits Administration (VBA) of the VA. Complete background here...
http://www.vawatchdog.org/...

The conference call was moderated by Adm. Patrick W. Dunne, VA's Acting Under Secretary for Benefits. Most of the speaking was done by Mike Walcoff, the Deputy Under Secretary for Benefits.

VA Watchdog dot Org made a formal request to be included in that call. The VA denied the request.

Up to this time, the VA had said they had found 10 documents in shredder bins that were critical to a veterans' claim with the VBA. These documents came from just four VAROs.

.....................

Yesterdays The State Chuck Crumbo wrote another story about the VA shredding mess
http://www.thestate.com/local/story/582624.html

The shredder incident could have widespread impact in South Carolina, home of more than 413,000 former members of the military services.

One of those veterans wondered just how many records have been wrongly destroyed before the shredding incident came to light.

"How long has this been going on, and how many veterans and their families have been deprived of benefits they have earned?" said Army veteran Mike Bailey of Springdale.

The House Veterans Affairs Committee, which includes Rep. Henry Brown, R-S.C., plans to summon VA leaders to Capitol Hill in mid-November to explain the shredder incidents, an aide said. Representatives of veterans’ service organizations also are expected to join in the discussion.

more at:
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/11/9/103042/865/5/657996

[HopeFor2006]

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