VAOIG-statement-20190509-missal.pdf

Thank you MSgt Danny Hope for posting the "Statement of Michael J. Missal, Inspector General, Department of Veterans Affairs, Before the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity and ... Affairs, United States House of Representatives, Hearing on Examining Ongoing Forever GI Bill."
I receive official emails for DoD, DHS and the VA and received this via email a few days ago.
"It underscores the challenges VA continues to face in developing the information technology (IT)
systems needed to effectively carry out its mission."
1. I had to chuckle briefly while reading "In November 2018, VBA acknowledged implementation challenges with two key requirements of the Forever GI Bill related to the housing allowance (sections 107 and 501). The effective date of section 501 was January 1, 2018, while the effective date for section 107 was August 1, 2018. These two sections fundamentally redesign how VBA pays monthly housing allowances to veterans using the Post-9/11 Educational Assistance Program, including changing the base for the calculation of monthly housing stipends to the location of the campus where the student attends most classes, instead of the location of the main campus of the institution. VA’s failure to properly implement these requirements led to the delivery of inaccurate and/or delayed housing stipend payments to eligible GI Bill recipients."
a. Comment. the VBA is challenged on many fronts. I learned a couple months ago, that each and every disabled veteran who is included in the VA disability processes is subjected to periodic reviews at the 5 and 10 year mark based primarily on a record review. Although my health has deteriorated over the past few years, the VBA reduced my disability from 80% to 50% and wanted me to prove otherwise. I learned they used the last VAMC heart data from 2015 because they don't have access to military cardiology files [2016 to 2018 I was treated by the military medical system for cardiology]. I went back to the VA doctor and told him I wanted to resume care under him. I had been seeing him twice a year anyway but stress tests and echocardiograms where performed in the military system.
b. DoD and VA have been working on improving access between their record systems. For medical, that is very challenging since both the VA and DoD medical systems are based on geographical areas. The VA has better access across the VAMC system. The military is still stove-piped unsurprisingly. My care in the Washington D.C area at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Fort Belvoir Community Hospital and Walter Reed National Medical Center are generally accessible within the region. However my records form other posts are not visible within that system.

2. The bottom line is unsurprising and is in common with many Federal Agencies which are stove-piped and over-sized and charged with keeping systems current. Budget priorities don't support ready solutions all too often.
"The OIG has continually identified systemic problems that VBA needs to address when implementing new initiatives and policies, including a lack of IT system functionality, poor planning, and inadequate program leadership."
What do you think? LTC Orlando Illi Maj Bill Smith, Ph.D. Maj William W. "Bill" Price CPT Jack Durish Capt Tom Brown CMSgt (Join to see) MSG Andrew White SFC William Farrell SGT (Join to see) Sgt Albert Castro SSgt Boyd Herrst] SSG Ray Adkins SGT Charles H. Hawes SSG Martin Byrne PO1 William "Chip" Nagel CPT Gabe SnellLTC Greg Henning

They do a lot of work to explain a failure

I read: The VA failed to plan, properly oversee, or even properly identify the desired outcomes for this project. As a result, the rollout was a complete disaster. But, because there was no one actually in charge, there is no one to blame or hold accountable. OOPSIES!