Have to give a "shout out" to the VA Employment Commission in Culpeper.

Each time I've talked to someone there, he or she has been very pleasant. On the other hand, when (and if I can ever get through to the local office (Richmond) where I am), the woman who answers the phone is usually rude. Today, I swear, she sounded like she was sucking on a lollipop. She didn't seem to want to help me. The lady I called in the Culpeper office at least asked me for my SSN and tried to help me.

I also have had bad experiences with this one lady in the Charlottesville office. She put me through to someone and it immediately went to "this person's mailbox is full" voice mail. I called back, and she was no help. She said, "All I can say is to keep calling back and hope they pick up." I said, "You don't understand. That person needs to clear his or her mailbox so people can leave messages." She didn't care.

I understand the people at the VEC offices are probably over-worked, but some of them need to really need to show some compassion to those of us who are out of work and who are very frustrated. I told the lady in Culpeper I would be happy to take the woman's job in Richmond. I would be pleasant and would be happy to assist people who are looking for a job. She said the people in her office have experienced rudeness from the Richmond office as well. Why don't they complain?

I'm not sure about VA but here the "Department of Employment Security" is self-perceived as a place folks just collect government money, and they don't really help in providing employment assistance. At least I was told once flat out: "We are not an employment agency". Apparently people who need help are just seen as people seeking handouts. I took a skills class the gov paid for once and, again, it was just about the training facility getting government money, but they really had little concern for helping me land a job. It's an atrocious way of looking at things, and I don't know how such a culture is ever tolerated. (Actually I think I do know... their hiring practices are screwed up...) I hope your experience in Culpeper is a growing trend.