Posted on Oct 12, 2015
COL Mikel J. Burroughs
21.3K
142
85
13
12
1
90f99ea7
9a2676a8
9eaf5a36
VA spent $6.3 million on sculptures and fountains for their hospitals. Should they have?

RP Members what do you think? Could this money have been put to better use for veterans or decrease backlogs with additional resources?

https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/federal-eye/wp/2015/10/09/the-va-spent-6-3-million-on-sculptures-and-fountains-for-their-hospitals-should-they-have/

There’s a $483,000 rock sculpture that’s layered into cubes outside the mental health center at the Department of Veterans Affairs hospital in Palo Alto, Calif., that’s meant to evoke “a sense of transformation, rebuilding and self-investigation,” according to designers. It’s part of a renovated $1.3 million courtyard.

There’s an art installation on the side of a parking garage that displays quotes by Abraham Lincoln and Eleanor Roosevelt in Morse code, at a cost of $285,000. It lights up.
Avatar feed
Responses: 54
CSM Michael J. Uhlig
1
1
0
Looks like they are putting a fresh coat of paint on a turd....goes back to the old adage "If it don't run, you paint it!"

For those looking at the article, I suggest you listen to the video clip of Congressman Jeff Miller (FL). The money spent on the art could have been spent to hire folks to serve our Veterans!
(1)
Comment
(0)
Avatar small
MSG Intermediate Care Technician
1
1
0
Well, the money they didn't want to spend on vets had to be spent somewhere somehow.
(1)
Comment
(0)
Avatar small
Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS
1
1
0
I'm torn on this issue. I think the VA should have "art" however I don't think the VA should be the one controlling the funds for it. I think this should be something more akin of a tenant/landlord relationship with the Smithsonian (Government Administered Organization) just like the VA shouldn't actually own the land they sit on if that makes sense.

If they want Art, they should "borrow" or "lease" it.
(1)
Comment
(0)
Avatar small
LTC Stephen F.
1
1
0
Edited 10 y ago
If they were hiring local veterans to produce the sculptures it may have been money well spent.
However, COL Mikel J. Burroughs I suspect very few if any veterans were involved in the process to develop the sculptures except for manual labor perhaps.
(1)
Comment
(0)
Avatar small

Join nearly 2 million former and current members of the US military, just like you.

close