A nice title and a good salary have turned Tammy Duckworth into the VA's "yes-woman."

by Larry Scott, VA Watchdog dot Org

Definition: SHILL -- (noun) -- a person who publicizes or praises something or someone for reasons of self-interest, personal profit, or friendship or loyalty.

The Tammy Duckworth, helicopter pilot, who came back from Iraq with both her legs blown off, is not the Tammy Duckworth of today.

An article from a little over two years ago explains it well:

When Tammy Duckworth toured Hines VA Hospital in Maywood in late 2005, she had no desire to return.

In an interview on the Dr. Phil Show, Duckworth talked about having to strip down and show a VA doctor that she really was an amputee ... the doctor wouldn't believe her military records.  (Watch Part 5 of video series)

Duckworth, prior to coming to the VA, was the head of the State of Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs, appointed by then governor Rod Blagojevich.  Duckworth was so angry at the VA that she started her own TBI screening program:

Frustrated with the federal government’s response to the mental health needs of soldiers, Illinois officials announced on Tuesday that members of the state’s National Guard would be routinely screened for traumatic brain injuries after serving in Iraq or Afghanistan.

And, there's more.

So, given all this ... why is Duckworth suddenly singing the praises of the VA?  Because she's employed by the VA ... a shill.  Tammy Duckworth is now the VA's "yes-woman" ... the face of the "new VA" ... except, it's the same as the old VA and Duckworth knows it.

Below is an embedded video from CNN.  The interview was done on Wednesday, July 1, 2009.  Duckworth minimizes PTSD by constantly talking about getting a correct diagnosis because it might be TBI.  She ducks the issue of contaminated equipment.  She glosses over the homeless veteran issue and claims that the VA is doing a good job of caring for those in need.  She talks about "transparency," but it the least transparent of all.

Even CNN didn't believe it, and titled their report:  No Veteran Left Behind?  (Note the question mark.)

Tammy Duckworth will do her job at the VA ... spin the truth to make it look good ... try to impress the public that the VA is doing all it can for veterans ... and then move off to a high-paying position in the private sector when her tour at the VA is done because she has been a "team player."

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TOPICS: veterans, veterans' benefits, VA, Department of Veterans' Affairs, Tammy Duckworth