Problems continue to plague the Veterans Health care System with recent revelations of abuses in the employee transfer and relocation program. The January issue of the American Legion magazine carries an article by Tom Philpott on the topic. The VA Office of Inspector General (IG) found irregularities in promotions, transfers and using the Appraised Value Offer (AVO) of Senior Executive Service (SES) employees. The report prompted the resignation of VA Undersecretary Allison Hickey according to the article. With the VA, it seems before one deficiency is fixed another springs up. Instead of placing veterans health care first, they are looking out for number one, namely themselves, by taking a slice of the pie.

The Inspector General found some senior executives creating positions they were interested in filling themselves. The executive then volunteered themselves to fill the position although it was of a lower level on the SES pay scale and responsibility level than they presently held. Not only did they maintain their higher salary, but also took advantage of the AVO program for their home and transfer expenses. In one instance, the SES employee benefited by $288,000 in relocation expenses. This was just one of 21 instances in 23 cases of benefiting from promotions and transfers found by the IG. The VA has temporarily halted the use of the AVO program, although it was only meant for involuntary transfers anyway. Shameful behavior out of people supposedly there to help sick, injured and disabled veterans.

There is no room in the Veterans Benefit Administration (VBA) for individuals with this proclivity.  As a matter of fact, no one should hold a position within the VA administrative departments except veterans, and preferably veterans with service during wartime. The practice of appointing a new top man occasionally is not working out. Where is the Congressional oversight on this department?  Congress and the President should work together to pass and sign legislation making it easier to fire VA employees who misuse their positions of trust and service.

As the new American Legion National Commander Dale Barnett suggests, privatizing the health care of veterans may not be the answer. However, it is for sure things need to change in the broken down system. This thing is so broken I‘m not sure it can be fixed with all the government bureaucracy, entrenched civil service and non-veteran employees. It is so bad, private nonprofit organizations have sprung up taking up the cause and providing care and rehab of destitute military personnel returning from the battlefields. It is clearly the government’s responsibility to provide this care, and do so skillfully and timely.

Memo to the President and Congress, if you can’t take care of the men and women you send off to war, don’t send them.