Does the VA care?

2014-04-12T13:06:37-04:00

Just sent this to my one of my senators about my IRR muster today.  Senator Donnelly, First, allow me to thank you for your continued service in the Senate.  I appreciate your willingness to work in tough position with so much division in our country at this time.  Today, I was required to show up for an annual IRR(Individual Ready Reserve) Muster for the United States Marine Corps.  As I have just come off of 7 years in the reserves, this was my first opportunity to be a part of this annual event.  While it is often a, get your check in the box and give me my 200 bucks and I'll be on my way sort of event, there were many different organizations represented from the Wounded Warrior Project to the VFW to several employers and universities.  Each of these organizations were looking to serve this group of men and women, who have given, some who have given so much to this great country of ours. However, there was a glaringly obvious absence in the midst of all this service. While there were representatives from the VA, who came to sign up individuals who were not already signed up,  there was no representative to talk to this group to outline the benefits offered. Instead, one of the officers running the event went throught those benefits.  He did make a point to mention that the VA was too busy to come talk with us that day.  With the Indiana VA being ranked one of the worst in the nation,  one would think that they would want to improve the external view of the organization.  Instead of showing us their desire to fix this problem, they decided it would be better to tell us that they don't care at all.  By sending people just to sign more up, they showed they are more concerned about numbers than delivering adequate care.  Just last week, I called to set up an appointment and was told that I wouldn't be seen for nearly 2 months, nothing special, just a basic check up.  Is this what we can expect with the nationalizaiton of our healthcare? I appreciate you taking the time to read my concerns with what is often seen as a broken system servicing one of our most valuable resources.  God Bless and Semper Fidelis, Sgt. Andrew Hindal

Response by SGT Thomas Lucken made May 2 at 2014 2:09 PM

2014-05-02T14:09:32-04:00

Check with the various Service Officers at each clinic and hospital. Every one of these have service officers there.

Response by SSG Mike Angelo made Jun 28 at 2014 8:44 AM

2014-06-28T08:44:37-04:00

Sgt Andrew,

Yes the VA does care here in MN. They recruited volunteers to help veterans get to their appointments, directing and wheeling those to their final destinations. Lots of renovations going on too. Starbucks is there as an outlet storefront.

Response by MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca made Jun 29 at 2014 8:06 AM

2014-06-29T08:06:32-04:00

I believe the VA does care on the inside but because it's held in a congressional chokehold for funding and its hands are tied by so much over-regulated red tape, that it comes across as not caring.

Response by Cpl Michael Jadrnak made Jul 8 at 2014 11:07 AM

2014-07-08T11:07:58-04:00

I'm sure you got a generic response from Donnelly. I left a voice mail and got no response. Coats gave me the generic message. I don't think they care VA or politicians. They'd rather move you in and out like a revolving door. I have a torn meniscus from boot camp 2005 and supposed to get surgery in Sept up in Chicago. I will only meet the surgeon once before he starts as well as the anesthesiologist. Took 16 months to get a rating back, and every visit to see some paper reader? has been pretty wasteful IMO.

Response by CPL Annette Bryant-Grimenstein made Jul 22 at 2020 7:23 PM

2020-07-22T19:23:26-04:00

Not in Alabama