  The American Veteran's On-Line News Magazine Click here to make VA Watchdog dot Org your homepage VA NEWS FLASH from Larry Scott at VA Watchdog dot Org -- 12-04-2008 |
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The American Veteran's On-Line News Magazine Click here to make VA Watchdog dot Org your homepage VA NEWS FLASH from Larry Scott at VA Watchdog dot Org -- 12-04-2008 |
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MESSAGE -- In the wake of the shredder scandal, manager of the Cleveland Vets' Service Center gets promoted to VA's Central Office.
For all articles about VA's mishandled documents
and the shredder scandal... go here... Your comments accepted at bottom of page.
------------------------- by Larry Scott
In October of this year, we reported about
documents critical to veterans' claims found in shredder bins at the
Detroit Regional Office (VARO) of the Veterans' Benefits Administration
(VBA), the benefits arm of the Department of Veterans' Affairs (VA).
That story here... Later we learned the problem was much more
widespread as shredding was stopped at the VAROs and managers searched for
critical documents. That story here... 41 of 57 VAROs found critical documents in shredder bins. The three worst offenders were Columbia, SC (105 documents), St. Louis, MO (96 documents), and Cleveland, OH (58 documents).
But, before any official investigation has been released, the VA has begun to get those in charge out of harm's way. Christine Alford, the Manager of the Veterans' Service Center at the Cleveland VARO is being promoted to a position at the VA's Central Office (VACO). This might seem like a strange time for a promotion. And, it is. Why wouldn't the VA wait for the outcome of the VAOIG report on the problems at Cleveland before issuing a promotion? Unless, they already know the outcome and are sheltering Ms. Alford. Ms. Alford will be the new Assistant Director of Veterans Services in the C&P Division at VACO. Nice move! The memo is below... click it for a larger view...
This sends a bad message to all veterans. It is suggestive of the "Peter Principle," simply put, "Screw Up, Move Up." At the very least, VA should have waited for the VAOIG report on shredder bin documents and any hearings that might be held by Congress before giving a promotion to a manager at the center of some very serious problems. But, we have come to expect nothing less from the VA. -------------------------
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