Veterans

Tx4obama

(36,974 posts) Sun Nov 11, 2012, 06:08 PM Nov 2012

Eric Shinseki, VA Chief, Charts Solid Gains For Veterans

Eric Shinseki, VA Chief, Charts Solid Gains For Veterans

WASHINGTON -- After Eric Shinseki took over a sleepy Department of Veterans Affairs four years ago, he decided some change was due. For one thing, those 154,000 homeless veterans living as beggars on the streets.

After some study, Shinseki, a decorated Vietnam veteran wounded twice in battle, ordered that the VA would not just reduce veteran homelessness -- it would end it. And end it by 2015.

The bureaucrats of the VA, a sprawling $140 billion empire that operates the nation's largest integrated health care system, sends veterans to college, insures their lives, guarantees their home mortgages and manages their burials, weren’t used to having someone over their heads barking orders. They certainly weren’t used to publicly announced deadlines.

"When I put that out, there was a lot of wind being sucked through teeth," Shinseki told The Huffington Post during a rare interview.

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Full article here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/11/eric-shinseki-veterans-affairs_n_2110080.html

p.s. The full article is long and interesting.

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Eric Shinseki, VA Chief, Charts Solid Gains For Veterans (Original Post) Tx4obama Nov 2012 OP

I am a huge fan of the VA Victor_c3 Nov 2012 #1

I can say one thing for the VA, it has impressed a lot of old timers WooWooWoo Nov 2012 #2

Victor_c3

(3,557 posts)

1. I am a huge fan of the VA

Reply to Tx4obama (Original post)

Sun Nov 11, 2012, 07:49 PM

Nov 2012

I remember hearing a lot of horror stories about how bad the VA was and the healthcare that our veterans were receiving. Little did I know that I'd become one of those veterans myself. I got out of the Army in October 2007 and, long story short, I found myself really needing the VA's help in summer/fall 2008. The VA, the care I received, and the people who advocated for me at the clinics I went to changed the world for me. I love the VA and I am so grateful for what they have an continue to do for me. Our VA system is something that all Americans can be proud of

<--- This one (broken) veteran is so grateful for it.

WooWooWoo

(454 posts)

2. I can say one thing for the VA, it has impressed a lot of old timers

Reply to Tx4obama (Original post)

Sun Nov 11, 2012, 09:57 PM

Nov 2012

I was doing staff duty a few weeks ago and this old veteran walks in. He chit chats for a little bit and the subject of Obama and politics comes up - and he prattles on about the ususal RW stuff, but then at the end he says "I'll give Obama this, since he put Shinseki in charge of the VA things have gotten so much better. it's the best its ever been."

And then he said he wasn't going to vote for him, but anywhoo. At least people, in their hearts, are recognizing the job Obama has done for veterans.

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