Posted on Jul 26, 2016
Trump pledges to reform VA, not eliminate it
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Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump promised a massive overhaul of the Department of Veterans Affairs during his appearance at the Veterans of Foreign Wars convention Tuesday but also pledged that the government-backed veterans health care system will not be dismantled.
“Our debt to [veterans] is eternal,” Trump told a largely supportive crowd at the event in Charlotte, North Carolina. “Yet our politicians have totally failed you. Our most basic commitment, to provide health and medical care to veterans, has been violated completely.
“The VA scandals that have occurred are widespread and totally inexcusable. Many have died waiting for care that never came, a permanent stain on our government.”
Trump’s remarks, largely a repeat of the 10-point veterans reform plan he laid out earlier this month, came less than 24 hours after Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton spoke at the same event and less than a hour after VA Secretary Bob McDonald addressed the crowd. Both Clinton and McDonald offered a distinctly different view of the department today, calling it a troubled system on the path to reform.
Trump called it a disaster.
“When I get in the White House, you’ll see a change in VA and the whole of the government system, which is a mess,” he said. “A change in attitude and a change in results will absolutely take place so fast.”
That will include firing problematic VA employees, installing a hotline in the White House to field veterans’ complaints, rooting out waste and abuse in the VA budget and massively expanding health care options outside VA for all patients.
Critics have labeled that last proposal a privatization of the department, but Trump pushed back on that idea.
“The veterans health system will remain a public system, because it is a public trust,” he said. “But veterans will have the right to see a private doctor or clinic of their choice … There will be no more five-day waits in line.”
Unlike Clinton, who spent most of her Monday speech attacking Trump, the GOP nominee largely avoided targeted attacks against his rival, save for a few references to “crooked Hillary.” Instead, he attacked the “rigged system” and media for downplaying the populist message of his campaign.
“We can’t fix a rigged system by electing the people who rigged it in the first place,” he said. “Let’s reject the doubters and cynics, and choose again to believe in ourselves.”
Convention attendees offered a much warmer reception for Trump than for Clinton, chanting “U-S-A” and “lock her up” at several points during the Republican nominee’s speech.
The Democratic convention continues throughout this week in Philadelphia, with Clinton expected to address the country on Thursday, the event’s final night.
Follow @LeoShane
Leo Shane III covers Congress, Veterans Affairs and the White House for Military Times. He can be reached at [login to see] .
“Our debt to [veterans] is eternal,” Trump told a largely supportive crowd at the event in Charlotte, North Carolina. “Yet our politicians have totally failed you. Our most basic commitment, to provide health and medical care to veterans, has been violated completely.
“The VA scandals that have occurred are widespread and totally inexcusable. Many have died waiting for care that never came, a permanent stain on our government.”
Trump’s remarks, largely a repeat of the 10-point veterans reform plan he laid out earlier this month, came less than 24 hours after Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton spoke at the same event and less than a hour after VA Secretary Bob McDonald addressed the crowd. Both Clinton and McDonald offered a distinctly different view of the department today, calling it a troubled system on the path to reform.
Trump called it a disaster.
“When I get in the White House, you’ll see a change in VA and the whole of the government system, which is a mess,” he said. “A change in attitude and a change in results will absolutely take place so fast.”
That will include firing problematic VA employees, installing a hotline in the White House to field veterans’ complaints, rooting out waste and abuse in the VA budget and massively expanding health care options outside VA for all patients.
Critics have labeled that last proposal a privatization of the department, but Trump pushed back on that idea.
“The veterans health system will remain a public system, because it is a public trust,” he said. “But veterans will have the right to see a private doctor or clinic of their choice … There will be no more five-day waits in line.”
Unlike Clinton, who spent most of her Monday speech attacking Trump, the GOP nominee largely avoided targeted attacks against his rival, save for a few references to “crooked Hillary.” Instead, he attacked the “rigged system” and media for downplaying the populist message of his campaign.
“We can’t fix a rigged system by electing the people who rigged it in the first place,” he said. “Let’s reject the doubters and cynics, and choose again to believe in ourselves.”
Convention attendees offered a much warmer reception for Trump than for Clinton, chanting “U-S-A” and “lock her up” at several points during the Republican nominee’s speech.
The Democratic convention continues throughout this week in Philadelphia, with Clinton expected to address the country on Thursday, the event’s final night.
Follow @LeoShane
Leo Shane III covers Congress, Veterans Affairs and the White House for Military Times. He can be reached at [login to see] .
Trump pledges to reform VA, not eliminate it
Posted from armytimes.comPosted in these groups: 
Donald Trump
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)
Donald Trump Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 6
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Thanks SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL for letting us know that Donald Trump promised a massive overhaul of the Department of Veterans Affairs during his appearance at the Veterans of Foreign Wars convention Tuesday but also pledged that the government-backed veterans health care system will not be dismantled.
I realize liberals and progressives will do their best disrespect what Donald Trump wants to do as well as his character. I look at his family and am very impressed with how his children from what would be considered to be a dysfunctional family.
On July 11, Donald Trump presented his 10-point plan to improve the VA.
1. I will appoint a Secretary of Veterans Affairs who will make it his or her personal mission to clean up the VA. The Secretary’s sole mandate will be to serve our Veterans – not bureaucrats, not politicians, but Veterans. Amazingly, President Obama’s VA Secretary recently downplayed concerns about waiting times by saying that people also wait in line at Disneyland.
2. I am going to use every lawful authority to remove and discipline federal employees or managers who fail our Veterans or breach the public trust.
3. I am going to ask Congress to pass legislation that ensures the Secretary of Veterans Affairs has the authority to remove or discipline any employee who risks the health, safety or wellbeing
of any Veteran.
4. I am going to appoint a commission to investigate all the wrongdoing at the VA and then present those findings to Congress as the basis for bold legislative reform.
5. I am going to make sure the honest and dedicated people in the VA have their jobs protected, and are put in line for promotions.
6. I will create a private White House Hotline – that is answered by a real person 24 hours a day – to ensure that no valid complaint about VA wrongdoing falls through the cracks. I will instruct my staff that if a valid complaint is not addressed that the issue be brought directly to me, and I will pick up the phone and fix it myself, if need be. That’s a promise.
7. We are going to stop giving bonuses to people for wasting money, and start giving bonuses to people for improving service, saving lives and cutting waste. If an employee finds a smart way to save a large amount of money that also creates better outcomes for our Veterans, then a small, responsible portion of the money saved will be given as a onetime bonus and the rest will be returned to taxpayers.
8. We are going to reform our visa programs to ensure American Veterans are in the front, not back, of the line.
9. We are going to increase the number of mental health care professionals, and increase outreach to Veterans outside of the system.
10. We are going to ensure every Veteran in America has the choice to seek care at the VA, or to seek private medical care paid for by our government. Never again will we allow a Veteran to suffer or die waiting for the care they so richly deserve.
COL Mikel J. Burroughs LTC Stephen C. LTC Thomas Tennant MAJ Ken LandgrenCapt Seid Waddell CW5 (Join to see) SMSgt Minister Gerald A. Thomas SGM David W. Carr LOM, DMSM MP SGT1stSgt Eugene HarlessSFC William FarrellSSG Leo Bell SSgt (Join to see) Sgt Joe LaBranche SGT (Join to see) SGT Forrest Stewart SrA Christopher Wright PO3 Steven Sherrill PO1 John Miller Kim Bolen RN CCM ACM
I realize liberals and progressives will do their best disrespect what Donald Trump wants to do as well as his character. I look at his family and am very impressed with how his children from what would be considered to be a dysfunctional family.
On July 11, Donald Trump presented his 10-point plan to improve the VA.
1. I will appoint a Secretary of Veterans Affairs who will make it his or her personal mission to clean up the VA. The Secretary’s sole mandate will be to serve our Veterans – not bureaucrats, not politicians, but Veterans. Amazingly, President Obama’s VA Secretary recently downplayed concerns about waiting times by saying that people also wait in line at Disneyland.
2. I am going to use every lawful authority to remove and discipline federal employees or managers who fail our Veterans or breach the public trust.
3. I am going to ask Congress to pass legislation that ensures the Secretary of Veterans Affairs has the authority to remove or discipline any employee who risks the health, safety or wellbeing
of any Veteran.
4. I am going to appoint a commission to investigate all the wrongdoing at the VA and then present those findings to Congress as the basis for bold legislative reform.
5. I am going to make sure the honest and dedicated people in the VA have their jobs protected, and are put in line for promotions.
6. I will create a private White House Hotline – that is answered by a real person 24 hours a day – to ensure that no valid complaint about VA wrongdoing falls through the cracks. I will instruct my staff that if a valid complaint is not addressed that the issue be brought directly to me, and I will pick up the phone and fix it myself, if need be. That’s a promise.
7. We are going to stop giving bonuses to people for wasting money, and start giving bonuses to people for improving service, saving lives and cutting waste. If an employee finds a smart way to save a large amount of money that also creates better outcomes for our Veterans, then a small, responsible portion of the money saved will be given as a onetime bonus and the rest will be returned to taxpayers.
8. We are going to reform our visa programs to ensure American Veterans are in the front, not back, of the line.
9. We are going to increase the number of mental health care professionals, and increase outreach to Veterans outside of the system.
10. We are going to ensure every Veteran in America has the choice to seek care at the VA, or to seek private medical care paid for by our government. Never again will we allow a Veteran to suffer or die waiting for the care they so richly deserve.
COL Mikel J. Burroughs LTC Stephen C. LTC Thomas Tennant MAJ Ken LandgrenCapt Seid Waddell CW5 (Join to see) SMSgt Minister Gerald A. Thomas SGM David W. Carr LOM, DMSM MP SGT1stSgt Eugene HarlessSFC William FarrellSSG Leo Bell SSgt (Join to see) Sgt Joe LaBranche SGT (Join to see) SGT Forrest Stewart SrA Christopher Wright PO3 Steven Sherrill PO1 John Miller Kim Bolen RN CCM ACM
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SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
LTC Stephen F. clear, consistent and concise response, well articulated and conveyed.
LTC Stephen C. SSG Derrick L. Lewis MBA, C-HRM SSG Warren Swan SFC William Farrell PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
LTC Stephen C. SSG Derrick L. Lewis MBA, C-HRM SSG Warren Swan SFC William Farrell PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
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SFC William Farrell
You have an excellent point about Trump's children LTC Stephen F.. My wife, very much a Democrat (our votes cancel each other out) said that the other day when she was watching the RNC. She thoughts Trump's children were very articulate and impressive. She doesn't think the same of Mr. Trump! I'm not crazy about him either but he's a better choice than the lying, cheating, stealing Billary!
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SGT (Join to see)
Yay! I'm with you SFC William Farrell. He may not be a genius, but he's smart enough to get the nomination for POTUS.
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SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL ,
This I gotta see...Do you know how many empty pledges were made with the same exact vision? Frustratingly shameful. Thanks for the share.
This I gotta see...Do you know how many empty pledges were made with the same exact vision? Frustratingly shameful. Thanks for the share.
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So let's see. He said crime will end the day he is inaugurated. He said he will defeat ISIS completely and so quickly we won't believe it. And now, " “A change in attitude and a change in results will absolutely take place so fast.” at the VA. Soooooo fast! Believe him.
He can solve crime, war and healthcare so quickly because he has a good brain, and consults himself for advice. And oh yeah, he will end crime, war, and fix healthcare AND cut your taxes and business taxes by a lot. So not only will he end crime, defeat ISIS and fix healthcare for free, you will actually get money back too!
Just don't ask him how. He doesn't want to spoil the surprise everyone will have after the election. So he's waiting until then to tell us how. Because he loves us and knows how much we like surprises!
He can solve crime, war and healthcare so quickly because he has a good brain, and consults himself for advice. And oh yeah, he will end crime, war, and fix healthcare AND cut your taxes and business taxes by a lot. So not only will he end crime, defeat ISIS and fix healthcare for free, you will actually get money back too!
Just don't ask him how. He doesn't want to spoil the surprise everyone will have after the election. So he's waiting until then to tell us how. Because he loves us and knows how much we like surprises!
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SFC William Farrell
Its estimated that Trump's IQ is between 125 and 156 LTC (Join to see). While I am a Republican, I think he a buffoon but the better choice than the lying, cheating, stealing Billary.
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