Happy Veterans Day: VA CARES - An Orwellian Thank You to the Troops/Military Families

[CorpGovActivist]

Some of you know, by now, that I have worked as a proposal manager for Federal proposals.

Doing this sort of work during the Bush 43 era has been like working on the inside of an Orwell novel. The way that language is twisted on these Government bids is - well, you have to limber up before you look beyond the cover page, or else you're going to get brain sprain.

On this Veterans Day, I urge all Americans to demand that Congress take a good, hard, and overdue look into the inner machinations that led to one of the most Orwellian Request for Proposals (RFP) ever to cross my desk: the RFP to "sell" and "market" veterans groups on the "virtues" of the VA CARES program.

VA CARES stands for:

Captial
Asset
Realignment for
Enhanced
Services

The bait? That new VA Medical Centers (VAMCs) will be built.

The switch? In order to build these new VAMCs, older VAMCs will be closed (primarily in blue states), and shiny new ones will be built (primarily in red states).

The political strategy behind this isn't hard to figure out: reward those areas of the country that were deemed most likely to support the President's military misadventures, even after misgivings set in, and punish those areas of the country that were most likely to upbraid him the loudest.

Hanging in the balance, though, were the amputees, burn victims, and psychologically scarred veterans of Bush's aforementioned military misadventures. These brave veterans want access to gleaming new facilities and state-of-the-art care near their homes - be they in red, purple, or blue states. They deserve that much, at the very least.

The military families of this nation should not have insult added to injury. As part of the Federal Government recovery against Halliburton, I vote that we earmark a substantial portion of those fines, penalties, and outright recovery for the VA budget - with a new head of VA who actually cares.

- David A. Smith, Editor of www.HALwhistleblowers.org and www.BushBunglesBrigade.org
(not to be confused, ever again, with David R. Smith, the as-yet-unindicted VP of Tax at Halliburton)

P.S. My grandfather taught fighter pilots in the Army Air Corps during WW II - and spent the last few years of his life in and out of the VAMC in Beckley, WV, which was initially on the chopping block: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=byrd+rockefeller+rahall+vamc+beckley

He cherished the camaraderie he found there, and I cherish the stories I heard there. On this - and every - Veterans Day, I miss him, and can't help but chuckle at some of those stories.

[ShortnFiery]

1. Truly show that The American People Care - keep *all* these Vet facilities open. n/t

[CorpGovActivist]

4. Some Consolidation...

... isn't a half-baked idea. For example, if you've got 5 older facilities within a reasonable radius, it could make sense, from everyone's perspective (including the veterans'), to build a new regional facility.

Keep the older ones open while the new one is being built.

Open the new one.

Close the old ones.

Proceeds of all real estate sales of the old facilities - done via open, competitive bids - earmarked for the VA budget (not sweatheart dealed to a BushCo. backer).

- Dave

[stepnw1f]

2. My GOD That is Outrageous

Thank you for this.... I will pass this on.

Also, Happy Veteran's Day vets!!!!

:patriot:

[CorpGovActivist]

5. Thanks, and ...

... this is a very easy way for the new Democratic Congress to show that they truly do care about veterans issues.

The VA CARES Commission is a "dirty word" among many veterans' groups:

http://www.carescommission.va.gov/default.asp

These groups are loud and proud when "marketing meetings" are held in each VISN: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=cares+visn

- Dave

[pecwae]

9. During my 12 years with the VA

at various medical centers I saw those acronyms come and go and they usually spelled trouble for the vet. I also saw such waste in contract awards that it still sickens me. Being a veteran myself I could see the results from both angles.

Thanks for the post.

[CorpGovActivist]

13. You Bet, and Thanks...

... for your time at those VAMCs!!!

As I'm sure you know better than most, they really do become a sort of "club" for ailing veterans, where they can share war stories, and find companionship - sometimes while undergoing frightening procedures.

- Dave

[lazyriver]

3. Kicked and Recommended

My grandfather served in WWII and survived the Normandy landing on D-Day. He worked the rest of his life in various capacities for the military and for agencies that supported the military. He died two years ago after a very long illness that sapped all his savings. He was on a waiting list for admission to a VA hospital when he died. It's a crying shame because he didn't tell the military or this country to wait when they asked for him to risk his life to defend this country.

[CorpGovActivist]

7. I Want a President...

... who understands what military families go through.

- Dave

[IndyOp]

6. David - I really want to see *much* more funding for psychological

care - the people returning from Iraq are suffering terribly.

Have you worked with Larry Scott of VA Watchdog -- http://vawatchdog.org/ -- he is non-partisan in regards to being willing to beat the pulp out of anybody who isn't looking out for veterans.

He speaks with great knowledge about the funding games and what the vets need in terms of medical and psychological support.

[CorpGovActivist]

8. Thank You!!!

I appreciate that tip. I kept all of the RFP documents, and have shared copies with key lawmakers.

- Dave

[CorpGovActivist]

11. P.S.

My sister is a social worker, and sees many of the cases that result from underfunded VA mental health care.

- Dave

[acmejack]

10. My man Jim Nicholson

What a jerk. He needs to get his own special place in hell for what he has done to his fellow Vets while he has been the head of the VA.

[CorpGovActivist]

12. Think He's Going to Enjoy...

... the oversight hearings?

- Dave

[acmejack]

15. I look forward to hearing him explain "adequately funded"

If he hadn't been a combat Marine it would be easier to understand.

[CorpGovActivist]

16. Agreed...

... that's going to be an interesting set of oversight hearings, all right.

- Dave

[CorpGovActivist]

14. Veterans Day Turnout Near You?

How was the parade turnout today near you?

The mood?

- Dave