Hello.

I want to take a moment to thank those of you who contributed to VA’s round-the-clock efforts serving and protecting our Veterans in the path of Hurricane Florence.

Without a hitch, you were able to evacuate patients out of the danger zone. You provided fuel, food, and oxygen to hospitals we had to keep open, in spite of extreme dangers. You were a major part of the federal government’s emergency response – setting up incident command centers and sending doctors, nurses, and engineers – plus mobile pharmacies, clinics, and nutrition centers – into the hardest hit areas.

I know many of you suffered damage to your homes, and yet you continued caring for America’s Veterans. That is the spirit of our nation. Americans everywhere should be proud of your efforts. I know I am, and I intend to make that sure your story is told. Congratulations on an outstanding job.

Thank you, and God bless your every effort

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8 Comments

  1. Shauna L. Harris October 7, 2018 at 17:47

    I have a host of illnesses that developed after desert storm and during service that not being recognized or accounted for. I have plenty of evidence relating to back pain, swollen lympth nodes, breathing issues, heart issues and most of the issues I hadnt realize was found while serving but never addressed. Now my quality of life has deminished greatly! I wear a back brace, a knee brace and carry a cane. I also have a fancy F22 wheel walker that has a seat since standing in line causes great pain. Comp and pen refuses to connect to service. I complained of back pain since the 4th year of service. I received a punch to the eye but wasnt told that punch caused permanent vision problems till 2017. The military and Dallas VA claimed was from unknown source or stress. Dr. Rodriguez biggest concern was I most likely suffered from a concussion but again this has been silenced under VA bureacacy. I was also sexually assaulted while in AIT and harrassed most thru out my 12 plus years. In 1999 PTSD was not out but in 2009 I filed and the DALLAS VA MENTAL HEALTH threw every obstacle in the way than properly diagnose my person. I been given numerous diagnosis from adjustment disorder to Great Depression to the biggest insult a personality disorder. I am being blamed or us females in service are to blame for being insulted and stalked by guys in leadership to give or have our sex taken! Mental Health was told by a military doctor in Texas ro even stop giving that diagnosis but give Adjustment disorder instead. In 1998 I went thru a horrific birth due to the ill wrong guidance of the nurse at Blanchfield hospital that almost cost my son and my life. Then DALLAS VA and Ft. Campbell, Ky hospital covered that up to. I do have the outpatent records given to me in 1998 so when Dallas VA records stated vaginal birth NO COMPLICATIONS! I was LIVID to say the least. I have been trying to get my recirds to reflect what is actually wrong with me but the Dallas VA and its partners are making that very hard. The system to not properly diagnose after leaving service in 1999 has caused my person great financial stress with josiptal visits for my self and son who was born with severe asthma or breathing issues. I applied again this year thru comp and pen to get my back issues, that eye misdiagnosis and mental health diagnosis to be given correctly. It shouldnt take a veteran over 18 years to get properly diagnosed and compensated. It seems like the DALLAS VA is still up to their games of painting a false campsign against my person. I received a date for an eye exam then the exam was canceled and rescheduled then he other day I received a letter stating I should call and make an appointment since they couldnt get in contact with me. The veterans have a motto that applies to Comp and Pen and VA continued ineptness as DELAY, DENY , UNTIL WE DIE!

  2. June Marie Sherwood October 5, 2018 at 09:41

    I had a physical done at a VA Clinic in Newnan, GA. My PCP gave me a referral through Choice to see a doctor at Atlanta Gastroenterologists for a colonoscopy. Pursuant to the consultation, I was informed I needed an an upper endoscopy. I was not informed that I needed another referral from my PCP, so now I am on the hook to pay the bill for the upper endoscopy procedure. I have written the civilian doctor and copied my PCP on the letter, but have not heard back from them. Can we please ensure that veterans (especially ones who have not been through referrals before) are told not to have anything done but what is on the referral so that other veterans are not stuck with thousands of dollars in bills? Thank you.

  3. ARNOLD CABRAL September 29, 2018 at 09:51

    My firm as a Concernd Veteran a Disabled Veterans is 100 percent cannot go any a Medical Centers he or she chose to at the expense of the Veteran Affairs Administration .

  4. Darin S September 28, 2018 at 17:17

    Do you know what a failure Choice is? At the Salisbury, NC VA that have 1 person that pays providers for services for Veterans. 1 person! No wonder why it takes 90-120 days for Providers to get reimbursed for services provided to Veterans. This is a huge reason why the pool is so small for outside care. I waited almost 5 months for some specialty BH care that the VA couldn’t/still can’t provide. Finally the VA employee that is in charge told me the truth and said “we just don’t have the providers in the CLT area willing to participate in Choice.” Well, no wonder. I am sure they have family’s to care too. The worst part is the almost 5 month run around I got before someone just told me the truth. Veterans can always handle the truth, it’s when we are mislead or lies too when the frustration sets in. So much finger pointing with the failure of Choice!!! I think only having 1 person to pay providers could be a huge reason for the failure.

  5. Darin S September 28, 2018 at 17:08

    Have you ever noticed that every Friday is 1/2 day (at best). It’s like a ghost town. If you go to any VA facility around 10 am on Fridays and 3pm M-Th you will see the start of a mass exit of employees. I am sure there are some that work more than the 40 hrs they are paid for, but my “guess” is that many VA employees (same in many government jobs) are getting paid for hours they are NOT working. Problem is ….. this is health care, not some other government agency. If wait times were compared to civilian counterparts, the VA would be out of business! Why do many supervisors avoid or refuse to engage Veterans?

    I challenge you to put your hat as a Veteran and try to contact a director at any facility with a serious concern. You will see the delay and deflect game they play.

  6. Darin S September 28, 2018 at 16:54

    I asking for a response on the censorship and flat out dishonest responses during Yesterdays attempt to allow veterans to be heard.
    1. Only one day of notice given before the event .
    2. The moderator censored the question I submitted after he used my name at the beginning.
    -yes, my question started off with thanking the VA secretary for offering a forum for veterans to be heard , but the moderator completely stopped reading the question that followed . Please help me understand how the VA feels it is OK to miss lead veterans and our legislator on access to care ? The VA has a website called “access to care” that is supposed to tell veterans what the current weight times are for appointments ( initial or follow up) at every VA facility. Even as of yesterday just before your for him started , that website says it takes five days for a follow up appointment for the PCM , but when a veteran calls to make that appointment, like I did yesterday, The wait is five weeks. This same grossly in accurate information about wait times for appointments has been going on for well over a year and at every VA I have dealt with. The data generated is 100% FALSE and used for the VA and VSO to report to our legislators . Wait times for BH are 9 wks or more, wait times for for dental are 5-6 months, wait times for podiatry is 4-5 months. That VA website says 10 days! It is outrageous.

    This is just the tip of the iceberg.

    I have asked several times for someone at the top level to answer those questions and they just refuse

  7. Debra Eggeman-Steffen September 28, 2018 at 03:27

    For years I have been treated like a 3rd class citizen! I have had my civil rights tramped by the VA, I suffered more physically by the VA hand and yet hand my pain medication taken away from me to make me suffer and bend to the will of the VA in San Diego, CA! I was told if I wanted my pain medication I was to sign a health care agreement, which no other veterans had to sign, according to the members Services at the VA! I have been medically negligented! It all came to a climactic end when I was wrongfully beaten up by VA Police and permanently injured! Prior to being beaten up I was confirmed to be a victim when sa veteran harassed me there the same day! The VA police only assumed I was the perpetrator when I was actually the victim twice, once by the veteran and again by the two VA assailants (VA Police)! My medical Bill’s keep mounting and the VA refuses to give me a fair investigation into what happened to me! I feel very betrayed by my country!

  8. Laura Laureano September 27, 2018 at 13:30

    Hmmm? I signed up two days ago for the Live Stream with Secretary of State Wilkie. Yet cannot log in. go figure.

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