Is Mission Inaction the True Cost of War?

COL Mikel J. Burroughs They know what the issues are, "According to ABC News, the Committee Chairman Bernie Sanders of Vermont stated in an interview just prior to the confirmation hearing.
"Planes and tanks and guns are a cost of war. So is taking care of the men and women who fight our battles." "He went on to say, “How do we continue lowering the claims backlog?
How do we make sure that the numbers that are coming out are accurate? How do we develop accountability at the VA? How does the VA—among other things—provide timely, quality health care? These are very difficult issues”. Will they give the new Secretary of the Department of Veteran Affairs the support he needs? Will he issue directives to fix the problems within the V.A. or will they all continue to pass the buck?

The Department of Veterans Affairs is the one subject that I truly allow myself to Rant on. It's a relief valve of sorts. It's a subject I truly get angry about. Because we are truly the greatest nation in the world, and we should be able to do better than this.

I track this subject closely and those I blow off steam ranting about the organization, I do try to be fair. I have come to their defense when it is not their fault. I do point out systemic issues as compared to political realities. I highlight what they are doing right, as well as what they are just not capable of doing.

Sec McDonald is a Good Man. I cannot give him higher praise than that. I saw him give his personal cell phone number on a live teleconference, because he does want to fix this system. He didn't hem, he didn't haw. He just gave it when some reporter jokingly asked. And I've heard of folks using it.

He's not a "politician" in the way we use the word. He's an "expediter" in that he is rooting out the underlying cause of the problem, and trying to cure the cancer, not treat the symptoms. The problem is that the VA has had cancer for a long time, but it's been living on a steady stream of Motrin, water, and fresh socks. Doc McDonald isn't going to fix that in one or two years.

The article highlights that he needs Congress. Hell, he needs a blank check, and A LOT of authority to "chemo" this cancer out.

I've said before that I don't think the VA is actually capable of doing what we're asking. But I'm rooting for Sec McDonald, because I believe he really is trying. When we get folks like Sen. Sanders talking about the true cost of war, I scream a little "hell yes" even though I disagree with him on nearly everything else.

I don't know how long this is going to take... but we have to dismantle the currently non-functional system, and rebuild it into something sustainable.

Sir, I can't see the article being I'm at work and social networks are blocked, so I'm going to take a SWAG at this. He has a monumental task ahead of him, but he doesn't have much time to get it done. With the new elections coming, the new president will want his people in there, and what this gentleman would want done might not be on par with what the future president wants. Until someone wants to take a hard look at the bureaucratic mess that the VA is, and actually do something about it, things are going to stay the same. They've done firings just to have them overturned in court. What message is that sending to the troops? Congress has had this problem for decades and no one has bothered with it seriously. I'm in DC and you would think with the sheer number of bases/posts. service HQ's in this area, we would have the best hospitals. We don't. Ft. Belvior is the flagship hospital and is very nice in appearance and conduct, but the DC VA hospital is the exact opposite. It makes you feel bad before you even enter it. It's old, smelly, and run down. It's truly an embarrassment to go there in my opinion. We deserve better being we put into this system with blood, sweat, and tears. Not to mention the lives lost. Until the vet community is willing to put it's foot down in a collective mass on congress throat, we'll get what we give. We need representation that doesn't care about career progression, but taking care of troops as his/her only mission. Then we'll see results. If I could be king for a day with this, I'd get a ton of E-9's and have them sit with the Secretary and hammer out short and long term solutions focused on the needs of current vets and future vets who don't even know they're joining the military yet. These SNCO's know what it takes when dealing with people on the personal level, and know the in's and out's to get a mission accomplished. They were all E-4's at one point; probably the best rank in the military. I'd task them with the mission with the secretary and fall back knowing it would be done.