Printer Friendly Page

VBA EMPLOYEES AND VETERANS' SERVICE OFFICERS

SPEAK ABOUT "THE PROCESS" -- Veterans' Advocate

Jim Strickland shares "Insider" correspondence

from both sides of the VA claims process.

 

Veterans' Advocate Jim Strickland provides regular columns for
VA Watchdog dot Org.

If you would like to contact Jim about his columns, you can email him here...

The archive of Jim's articles is here...

---------------

Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) employees and Veterans Service Officers (VSOs) from various places email me. A few write regularly and I get random mail from others. As I started to hear more from "Insiders", I noticed that within the VBA I didn't hear any rants. I'm frequently fussy about the VBA process so I expected more indignation. I've been harshly criticized by some VSO's.

I've not received any "disgruntled employee" tirades from either group. I hope I'll hear from more Insiders as 2007 moves on. I'll share a few facts you should know when you email me.

Don't write to me from your computer at work. For that matter, don't use your work computer to surf the Internet, ever. I'm not paranoid, this is reality. Your Internet usage at work is being watched by your employer. IT guys are amazed at how naive some employees are about privacy issues. If you're at work, whether a government job or the private sector, do your job and leave your personal Internet surfing at home.

I won't reveal you to anyone. My email is secure. I change passwords often and if I use a quote from you I'm cautious that it's "clean" and doesn't have any source information embedded. I have nothing to gain and a lot to lose if I'm not trusted. My health care background has included a lot of HIPAA training so I understand privacy laws. (Visit http://www.hipaa.org/  for more information about HIPAA.)

I may quote you anonymously. I reserve the right to clean up your spelling and grammar to make it more readable. If you write to me to express your opinion, I may share your opinion and my reaction to it with others. I'll do my best to be fair. Neither this column nor the VA Watchdog site exist to bash VBA or any Veterans Service Organization. I'll stick to facts and offer my opinion. I won't engage in a flame war with you. You tell me how you feel, I'll tell you my opinion and that pretty much wraps it up.

 

Here are a few "quotes from Insiders". I'll add my comments to theirs.

--------------------------------------------------------

From a VBA Veterans Service Representative (VSR) about his job and co-workers:

"I love this stuff...they're all really good people."

I hear this a lot. Many VBA staff are vocal about their desire to assist Veterans.

--------------------------------------------------------

VBA again:

"I also agree that VSO's are often hardworking, sincere professionals. Still, their approach to claims advocacy mimics VA's to the degree that they are no longer distinguishable from VA's own employees."

Some VSOs don't "advocate" for the Veteran client. They complete the initial paperwork, cross their fingers and hope for the best. For example, I believe DAV supports VBA policy too often for me to think they're on my side of the fence.

--------------------------------------------------------

I get a lot of mail like this (the following is printed exactly as received):

"just found your site , great. i am county veterans sevice officer new to job -- have a tough question .va has take away clints claim to in county for vietman saying he was not htere. was ther tdy(airforce) records no longer exsist, have pay records showing combat pay for two months,also has VSM,Republc of Vietman metal of Gallantry (was given i quote "for sevice in VIETNAM. ) This was ignored information. We have requested a hearing, how would you advise here/ any suggestions appricited."

This troubles me. I make mistakes while writing. I may misspell or get punctuation wrong. Typos happen. It's said that as we adopted email we lost the ability to spell and that it's OK, we can still communicate. I disagree. Communication about a Veterans claim is critical. We must deliver our message accurately with no misunderstandings.

The VSO is a professional with an obligation to turn out professional work. If that note had come to me from the Veteran, it's then my job to work with it. When that comes from one professional to another, I see a big problem.

--------------------------------------------------------

A VSO writes:

"I resent the inference about VSOs not being able to do their jobs and veterans suffer for the reasons you state. Maybe you need to contact some American Legion full-time VSOs to find out first hand what they do, how they operate, and how qualified they are. It appears you have no clue. And to infer an attorney will do a better job is ludicrous, in my opinion."

American Legion is in trouble with shrinking membership and a sagging image. The accreditation procedure to become a VSO is a joke. American Legion VSO's are not licensed, not required to hold any state or federal certificate to practice and not required to maintain any nationally accredited training or continuing education hours.

Think this over when you compare a VSO and an attorney; In my military and civilian career, I was a very good medic and hospital based technologist. I worked for 3 decades in cardiac cath labs, open heart surgery suites, intensive care units and radiology departments. I didn't attend medical school but I assisted countless fine surgeons and I know my stuff. I have more experience in some complex cases than many physicians do. When next you need surgery, why not give me a call instead of that Medical Doctor? He's just going to gouge you for a huge fee. You can trust me, I'm almost a doctor.

--------------------------------------------------------

From a DAV VSO who launched numerous emails my way:

"I suggest that before you go ranting in a public forum you engage your thought process before your mouth. It has been my experience that NSO's do the best with what is provided of them from the veteran. It is each of or (sic) own ultimate responsibility to submit evidence to the VA...unfortunately many people do not take this responsibility on, and expect others to do it for them."

When a Veteran comes to a VSO for help, he should expect that the VSO will "do it for them" by filing the appropriate forms, gathering medical records and guiding our hapless Veteran through the VBA maze. If it's true that, "It is each of or (sic) own ultimate responsibility to submit evidence to the VA...", why do we need the VSO?

--------------------------------------------------------

This isn't from an Insider but seems appropriate:

"I also have one of the DAV lifetime memberships. I am still waiting for the DAV rep to return my calls for assistance from July of 2000 so far no contact. I finally just won the claim all by myself."

I tried for 18 months to get my VSO at the office I dealt with to return a call to me. At first, he was helping another Veteran. Then he was away at a national conference. I called on Thursday to discover that every Thursday is a training day, no Veterans allowed on Thursday. Then he no longer worked there, VSO John Doe was now my representative. But he's with another Veteran right now. We can't use their email. They won't use voice mail to take messages. They don't make appointments to see Veterans. If I were willing to drive 4 hours, they would try to see me on a first come, first served basis. My request was simple, a few minutes every couple of months to reassure me that my case was in a line somewhere, marching toward a conclusion. That arrogance spoke loudly to me...like the fellow said, "I finally just won the claim all by myself."

--------------------------------------------------------

I get great tips from Insiders like this Service Officer:

"In today's VA Watchdog news mention was made of veterans' harrowing experiences of retrieving lost DD214's from St. Louis. I have found, over the years of working as a VSO to ask ALL the vets to take their Separation Papers to the County Court House..."

Many Insiders have been helping Veterans for years, even decades. They've seen the changes in procedures and they know any shortcuts. This page is better for the kindness of these dedicated people. They share with me, I share with you.

--------------------------------------------------------

A VBA employee responds to a recent email and comments:

"I'm frustrated with the old timers there...many of them seem like they're just not there to really help any vets."

In any business there's always a cadre of folks who have been there forever. I saw it in health care. I've watched nurses and doctors resist computerization when a computerized record is proven to prevent errors. I saw nurses retire because digital devices were being used...but they clung to their jobs until the bitter end. Those VBA old-timers may be responsible for your C-File traveling in a beat up grocery cart rather than on a local area network.

--------------------------------------------------------

A County Veterans Service Officer (CVSO) writes venting his displeasure at a recent column:

"I found your comments about V.S.O.s to be inaccurate and misleading. I have been a County Veterans Service Officer for 18 years in (City, State). I have received extensive training from the (State) Department of Veterans Affairs and the National Association of County Veterans Service Officers. In addition I have taken course from the National Veterans Legal Services Program. I think you have done a disservice to all of dedicated, hard working, V.S.O.s of my State. I am also a 100% permanent and totally disabled Veteran of the United States Marine Corp (sic), I have paid my dues."

Pardon me? You're writing me, of all the people you could write to, to tell me you're Permanently and Totally disabled and you're a full time, salaried VSO? It's fantastic that a Veteran who waves his 100% P & T flag in my face would tell me he's also well employed at a good job. He enjoys great benefits while other deserving Vets get nothing. The Code says, "The disability rating of a qualified veteran who begins to engage in a substantially gainful occupation after January 31, 1985, may not be reduced on the basis of the veteran having secured and followed a substantially gainful occupation unless the veteran maintains such an occupation for a period of 12 consecutive months." I'm guessing that means if you're employed full time more than a year, you aren't eligible for "100% Permanent & Total" disability from VA. I've recently met another individual employed at a high salary with a good benefits package who also claimed 100% Permanent & Total VA disability. He too was a Veterans Service Officer.

--------------------------------------------------------

A friend who had just been hired by VBA kept me informed while training:

"First of all...the people that I've talked with so far are all about the veteran...it amazes me to say that. I would never have thought so...but my trainers so far have all been very clear on pointing out that we're there to get the vets benefits...not deny them."

I've said it before, it isn't the individual within the VBA who is out to get the Veteran, the system is broken and needs repair.

--------------------------------------------------------

I'll wrap this up with the finest Freudian slip sent my way recently:

"I can't believe a 'veterans advocate' would write such a broad condemnation of a profession which has so many dedicated people who serve the veterans across this nation. Your advice to seek benefits without help from a accredited VSO is like telling some one to go to court without an attorney."

We sure agree on that last remark! But why is it Vets can't have an attorney in VBA "court?" You know the answer, I won't insult you. He later suggests all VSOs are created equal and demands that I retract my words. In an April 2005 McClatchy Washington Bureau report; "The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has admonished the Military Order of the Purple Heart for obtaining accreditation for employees who didn't meet federal standards for helping veterans apply for VA benefits. Regulations require (VSOs) to accredit service officers to ensure that veterans receive 'responsible, qualified representation'... But Knight Ridder's investigation, published last month, revealed the VA does little more than rubberstamp names submitted by veterans groups. The VA's rules are vague as to what's considered adequate training or experience. Leonard...received VA accreditation in the fall despite minimal knowledge about the claims process. Knight Ridder found that many VA-accredited service officers receive minimal training and are rarely tested to ensure they're qualified. The Purple Heart case is the latest to illustrate the lax nature of the VA's accreditation system."

You can read the report here...
http://www.realcities.com/mld/
krwashington/news/special_packages/
veterans/past_coverage/11395663.htm. 

--------------------------------------------------------

You make the decision if you'd like "help from a accredited VSO" or are you better off doing this yourself? Or maybe, just maybe, you would rather have a real attorney at your side?

---------------

Larry Scott  --