Posted on Apr 3, 2016
In order to fix the VA crisis, would it help to hire Veterans and make VA centers 24-hrs?
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Over the last few years the VA system has been plagued with negative attention in terms of healthcare provided to vets. I think hiring vets to assist and making ALL VA centers 24-hrs will help reduce backlogs, ignored patients, and expedite claims. This would also benefit in terms of jobs to help reduce the unemployment rate and disenfranchised vets and communities.
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)
Government
Congress
Healthcare
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 15
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WoW! That is an intriguing plan of action. I would hope that someone higher up than my rank would look at this plan and implement this. This would benefit the guys who so desperately need behavioral health help.
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SFC Randy Purham
To think a lowly SSG thought of it. LOL. But, yes I think it would help significantly.
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MAJ Rene De La Rosa
SSG Randy Purham Oh ye of little faith. Many ideas I have encountered have come from the ranks: I find they have time to think and implement some of these new fangled ideas. An enlisted man's thought will go a long way, I have found if listened to by the right officer. There are problems that exist that are rank irrelevant; if we can implement your idea for the good of the population, I don't care who gets the credit, as long as we take care of those poor souls who need it. It saddens me to hear that there are some who get frustrated, hang up, and then off themselves. There simply has to be a better way to the madness.
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SFC Randy Purham
MAJ Rene De La Rosa - I agree Sir. I care less about credit. I just want things to get fixed.
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SGT Stacy Moody
WASHINGTON – Thirty percent of employees of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) are veterans – the second highest ranking among cabinet departments after the Department of Defense -- and nearly 8 percent of VA employees are service-connected disabled veterans. But the VA intends to increase the number of disabled veterans who obtain employment in its workforce.
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If I'm not mistaken the 1-800 crisis/suicide hotline is manned 24/7. It may be just my area, but I do know for a fact it has been used at 0200 in the morning for a Soldier, and the Soldier was taken care of at the VA within a matter of hrs of the phone call. No it wasn't me. Yes it was a Soldier of mine, and I actually drove him to the VA in the wee hours of the morning.
Again it may be the area I'm in??
Again it may be the area I'm in??
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SFC (Join to see)
Ok. Couple of points here. 1. In SOME areas it sucks. We all know that, but in same token in SOME areas it is outstanding.
I got it the VA needs work. We've been at some kind of war/steady deployment cycle over the last 15 yrs. Should some of these high dollar beaurocrats had done some forward thinking on this, and realize that Soldiers, Marines, Seamen, and Airmen were going to need help and assistance when the dust settled? Yes they should have, but they didn't and we have the mess that we have now. How will it be fixed? Who knows time will tell. There's is enough PR out there now that it is a high visible topic that will eventually get fixed(IMO) just not overnight like we all would like.
I got it the VA needs work. We've been at some kind of war/steady deployment cycle over the last 15 yrs. Should some of these high dollar beaurocrats had done some forward thinking on this, and realize that Soldiers, Marines, Seamen, and Airmen were going to need help and assistance when the dust settled? Yes they should have, but they didn't and we have the mess that we have now. How will it be fixed? Who knows time will tell. There's is enough PR out there now that it is a high visible topic that will eventually get fixed(IMO) just not overnight like we all would like.
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PO1 (Join to see)
SFC Randy Purham - Did you read about the soldier being routed thru to the answering machine? What's that deal with the executives receiving bonuses for.........?
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SFC Randy Purham
PO1 (Join to see) - yes, I heard about that and he subsequently committed suicide. Execs get bonuses for "quality" performance of their centers, travel, and etc.
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SFC Alfredo Gonzalez
"Yes it was a Soldier of mine, and I actually drove him to the VA in the wee hours of the morning." Glad to know there are still outstanding leaders out there such as yourself, who continue to take care of soldiers regardless of the DTG... HOOAH!
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I would imagine that there would be a ton of vets willing to spend a weekend manning the phones to talk to other vets in need!!!
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SFC Randy Purham
You're right. It already exists with Warrior Pointe and National VetSAR. Those are two orgs with vets that do this already.
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SFC Randy Purham
SSG James Elmore - I believe so. There are literally hundreds out there. US Veterans Foundation is another one I worked with.
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