Thank you for your service... (Part 2)

[kentonio]

Calling bull**** considering the bulk of your posts on this forum are lamenting American conservatives. You clearly care a great deal about the politics of a country you don't live in or have any connection to whatsoever.

I draw the line at the inner workings of the VA.

Incidentally how do you know what countries I have connections with?

[-Jrabbit]

Buster's got it right -- the VA has been overworked and incompetent for decades.

The waiting list scam to cash in on an ill-considered bonus trigger (presumably a job evaluation metric) is borderline criminal, but I doubt it's making anyone wait longer than they already were.

Firing the head guy seems pretty far removed from the issue at hand, but OTOH he's certainly not making things any better.

[Buster Crabbe's Uncle]

Buster is my niece - she's ten, and I doubt she has on opinion on the state of the VA.

[-Jrabbit]

And yet I'm willing to bet that everyone knew exactly to whom I was referring.

[Buster Crabbe's Uncle]

You mean everyone here knows my niece? Pardon, gotta log off, load my gun and do some drivin'...

[-Jrabbit]

Careful; you're approaching BK-type levels of misapprehension.

[Lancer]

Lancer: At least 40 people so far are alleged to have died due to the conduct of the VA.

Yes I know. My point is that I got good service. Also, lifelong medical is nice but its not why I joined. Before I knew about the VA I paid my own way. Had I died during that time, or while waiting for the VA I still wouldn't have died "because" of the VA. People die. Had I served and gotten nothing in medical care it would have met my expectations because I had no expectations except serving my country.

[DaShi]

So this is about Obama, huh?

[DinoDoc]

How so?

[DaShi]

I'm not convinced you can understand it.

[Buster Crabbe's Uncle]

Careful; you're approaching BK-type levels of misapprehension.

I'm going to need a street address for that crack.

[DinoDoc]

Indeed, sacking the head of a department who the president himself had previously nominated is a great way to make the administration look better.

Well this took long enough: Shinseki Resigns as Veterans Affairs Chief Amid Furor Over Hospitals

I just have 2 questions: Why not make this change last week, instead of waiting nine extra days to hear the blindingly obvious? Why hold last week’s presser?

[The Mad Monk]

VA spending has not increased to match defense spending on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. If you don't want excessive waits at the VA, you have to increase spending in proportion with your war time activity (with a few years lag).

Depends. We've been losing WWII, Korea and Vietnam vets by the millions in recent years, that should more than cover the gap.

[Patroklos]

VA spending has not increased to match defense spending on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. If you don't want excessive waits at the VA, you have to increase spending in proportion with your war time activity (with a few years lag).

You are right, they don't match. VA spending has risen much more, upwards of 250% over its budget at the start of the century.

[MrFun]

It doesn't take long for DD to score political points from the deaths of veterans.