Even though I’m eligible, the sentiment expressed on the hoodie/sweatshirt is the primary reason why I won’t go anywhere NEAR them!
I lost BOTH my father and my wife’s father to incompetent VA treatment.
Having been in healthcare for 45+ years and having dealt with the VA system from time to time it has been obvious that the VA system does NOT attract competent people. Most probably because the Federal bean counters aren’t interested in paying for competent people. What do you call the guy who graduated dead last from the worst medical school on the planet? DOCTOR! And they tend to work for the lowest paying healthcare systems….like the VA.
Nightmare. Went to local VA in mid 80’s to get medical records. They told me my records were lost in fire in DC. ( I had records already but just making sure I had all.) Being a Nam Vet just marked it off as another kick in the nuts. Went back couple years later and they had “found” them. Tried to get help with my PTSD and they had lady there that would give me books of poetry and pictures. She’d sit with me for awhile and mention I looked more tense this week or visa versa, more relaxed. She kept telling me she was the one that would judge my rating of disability. That turned out to be a lie. Finally saw person that gave me the diagnosis of “ you have PTSD but not bad enough.” Also, my hep-C was because of me “ using drugs” and not the shitty water I had to drink while in the field. Quit seeking their “help” and lived life as a recluse, hiding from society, 2021, I met an Afghan Vet and he hooked me up with Viet Nam Veterans of America and they helped change my life. They got me rated for PTSD and gave me counseling. Turned my life for the better. PTSD never leaves you but knowledgeable folks give guidance on how to better cope. Thanks VVA but a pox on the uncaring VA for over fifty long years of abandonment. 1st ANGLICO
I use the VA in Fresno, mexafornia. Every time I needed to use their facility it was very good care. Even when I would show up early, half an hour to three hours early, most of the time I was taken in before the appointment was scheduled.
So far, I am having very good care there.
The only complaint is their parking not enough spaces to park the car.
Navy vet here. VA paid for my education and 1st house and did very well by me. I am appreciative forever.
I was always scared of the medical system having heard so many horror stories over the years. My son did a rotation there while in med school and convinced me to sign up.
I’ve not gone to a non-VA doc in 15 years. The level of care, courtesy and treatment has been nothing short of fantastic. They follow up and schedule appointments almost to the point of stalking. That’s a good thing.
I had a heart episode last summer and spent 10 days in hospital. I’ve had 2 operations since at a high-end non-va heart center. So far I’ve paid about $350 including hospitalization, meds and ops and specialists. Not retired no service injuries. Just a vet paying out of pocket.
I understand that there is a lot of variability between VA facilities. But I’ll put the San Juan hospital and Ceiba satellite clinic against any Healthcare provider anywhere.
Moved going on 8 years ago and had my records transferred from Michigan beforehand.
Called to get a clinic and appointment, was too much for three different levels of diversity hires to understand, and I get a “Welcome to the VA” brochure sent in the mail.
I try to deal with any medicos as little as possible, I’ll take eating moldy bread outside as more effective than anything besides fracture repair.
Will say a prayer for all of you veterans. God Bless
I worked at the VA for almost 10 years. there are two kinds of people that work there. clock watchers and people who care. problem is as always with anything having to do with “uncle sam” is the clowns in charge. and the very fact that the people who do care get burned out fast. they the ones doing the job. not watching the view or some other shit on the tube. docs seem to be hit or miss a lot of the time. I have worked with some really good/great ones, and a few I wanted to toss out the fucking window ! but rule of thumb might be any big city medical center, you take your chances. as for getting surgery done there, make damn sure who is cutting on you. as all of the medical schools run their students thru the VA. if there is any doubt about the doc, go somewhere else.
but there are some, granted not enough good people that work there.
for what it worth.
btw, I went to work there so I wouldn’t be the crazy guy in the room anymore.
a long time ago, A co. 1/503 PIR.
Dave I thank you and all veterans for their service and your double service. Have a friend who went to med school via the service and eventually went to work at the Va. I know he is one of the good guys there.
Did one hitch, discharged from ACDU 1973. Since 1997 have had nothing but VA health care. It was sometimes frustrating at first, mostly because I was unfamiliar with navigating the VA bureaucracy, yet the health care itself was first-rate. Over the last ten years the VA bureaucracy has improved markedly. My current VA primary health care team – with them since 2017 – has been aces at problem-solving, at bureaucracy-navigating, and at prompt consultation and scheduling with specialists, and the team’s good people have given me the absolute best medical care I’ve ever been blessed to have received.
Join me and our fellow Legionnaire vets in the American Legion whose Veterans’ Service Officers, trained in all sorts of VA benefits, help vets a lot with navigating the VA system. Plus the Legion is fun for us vets – always welcoming, always something to do, something to enjoy from fish fries to meat shoots, from weekly Bingo to the ordinary monthly post meetings – and you can always belly up to the bar.
And the few American legion Halls I have visited that is all they do, belly up to the bar. Quite a few bellies in that group.
Maybe my Legion post is an outlier as most of our members are not drinkers. Maybe has something to do with the older age of the members, many of whom are on meds whose function would be affected, cancelled by alcohol intake. Plenty of guests who dine at our fish fries do partake of alcohol, yet that’s limited almost entirely to a couple of beers. At ordinary monthly meetings about 20-25% of attendees drink a couple of beers, but hard liquor drinking is conspicuously absent.
ACDU? Adult Chemical Dependency Unit? Australian Collection Development Unit? Alert, Confused, Drowsy, Unresponsive? Area Clearance Diving Unit? Air Combat Development Unit?
During my hitch ACDU was the term for active duty.
I was giving you a ration of snark… I too was in the service, Army (1975)and I knew what it meant but I haven’t seen anybody use that acronym outside of the service.
Well, I’ve got two legs, dear, so whenever you’re ready you can go ahead and pull the other one. (!)
Nope, I got my snark off this morning. Anybody who is analog is okay in my book.
During my last VA pri-care visit, I related to the doc that I was walking three miles/day. Her response “You don’t need to be walking that far.”
I’m sure that my VA cardiologist would agree that it was a good thing.
As others have said, There’s good ones and bad ones at the VA.
When Obozo care came in, which mandated all kinds of extra charting and graphing that didn’t mean shit to patient care, most of the good ones either retired or left for positions in non-VA health care. I’ll never forget the first time I was subjected to the interrogation mandated by Obozo care. Half the questions they asked didn’t have fook all to do with health care and I reused to answer those.
I’ve read recently that VA is going to start “investigating” vet’s firearm ownership and usage and reporting the results to ATF.
That oughta be a hoot when we respond to “do you own firearms” with “THAT’S NONE OF YOUR FOOKIN’ BUSINESS.”
Absolutely nothing pisses me off more than seeing endless commercials on TV begging money for our Veterans. The MF’ers in Washington couldn’t give a rats ass about them but have the balls to send boatloads of money to the Ukraine or anyplace else that hates us.
Would someone please start the revolution before I become to infirm to participate?
US Navy ’65-’69
Even though I’m eligible, the sentiment expressed on the hoodie/sweatshirt is the primary reason why I won’t go anywhere NEAR them!
I lost BOTH my father and my wife’s father to incompetent VA treatment.
Having been in healthcare for 45+ years and having dealt with the VA system from time to time it has been obvious that the VA system does NOT attract competent people. Most probably because the Federal bean counters aren’t interested in paying for competent people. What do you call the guy who graduated dead last from the worst medical school on the planet? DOCTOR! And they tend to work for the lowest paying healthcare systems….like the VA.
Nightmare. Went to local VA in mid 80’s to get medical records. They told me my records were lost in fire in DC. ( I had records already but just making sure I had all.) Being a Nam Vet just marked it off as another kick in the nuts. Went back couple years later and they had “found” them. Tried to get help with my PTSD and they had lady there that would give me books of poetry and pictures. She’d sit with me for awhile and mention I looked more tense this week or visa versa, more relaxed. She kept telling me she was the one that would judge my rating of disability. That turned out to be a lie. Finally saw person that gave me the diagnosis of “ you have PTSD but not bad enough.” Also, my hep-C was because of me “ using drugs” and not the shitty water I had to drink while in the field. Quit seeking their “help” and lived life as a recluse, hiding from society, 2021, I met an Afghan Vet and he hooked me up with Viet Nam Veterans of America and they helped change my life. They got me rated for PTSD and gave me counseling. Turned my life for the better. PTSD never leaves you but knowledgeable folks give guidance on how to better cope. Thanks VVA but a pox on the uncaring VA for over fifty long years of abandonment. 1st ANGLICO
I use the VA in Fresno, mexafornia. Every time I needed to use their facility it was very good care. Even when I would show up early, half an hour to three hours early, most of the time I was taken in before the appointment was scheduled.
So far, I am having very good care there.
The only complaint is their parking not enough spaces to park the car.
Navy vet here. VA paid for my education and 1st house and did very well by me. I am appreciative forever.
I was always scared of the medical system having heard so many horror stories over the years. My son did a rotation there while in med school and convinced me to sign up.
I’ve not gone to a non-VA doc in 15 years. The level of care, courtesy and treatment has been nothing short of fantastic. They follow up and schedule appointments almost to the point of stalking. That’s a good thing.
I had a heart episode last summer and spent 10 days in hospital. I’ve had 2 operations since at a high-end non-va heart center. So far I’ve paid about $350 including hospitalization, meds and ops and specialists. Not retired no service injuries. Just a vet paying out of pocket.
I understand that there is a lot of variability between VA facilities. But I’ll put the San Juan hospital and Ceiba satellite clinic against any Healthcare provider anywhere.
Moved going on 8 years ago and had my records transferred from Michigan beforehand.
Called to get a clinic and appointment, was too much for three different levels of diversity hires to understand, and I get a “Welcome to the VA” brochure sent in the mail.
I try to deal with any medicos as little as possible, I’ll take eating moldy bread outside as more effective than anything besides fracture repair.
Will say a prayer for all of you veterans. God Bless
I worked at the VA for almost 10 years. there are two kinds of people that work there. clock watchers and people who care. problem is as always with anything having to do with “uncle sam” is the clowns in charge. and the very fact that the people who do care get burned out fast. they the ones doing the job. not watching the view or some other shit on the tube. docs seem to be hit or miss a lot of the time. I have worked with some really good/great ones, and a few I wanted to toss out the fucking window ! but rule of thumb might be any big city medical center, you take your chances. as for getting surgery done there, make damn sure who is cutting on you. as all of the medical schools run their students thru the VA. if there is any doubt about the doc, go somewhere else.
but there are some, granted not enough good people that work there.
for what it worth.
btw, I went to work there so I wouldn’t be the crazy guy in the room anymore.
a long time ago, A co. 1/503 PIR.
Dave I thank you and all veterans for their service and your double service. Have a friend who went to med school via the service and eventually went to work at the Va. I know he is one of the good guys there.
Did one hitch, discharged from ACDU 1973. Since 1997 have had nothing but VA health care. It was sometimes frustrating at first, mostly because I was unfamiliar with navigating the VA bureaucracy, yet the health care itself was first-rate. Over the last ten years the VA bureaucracy has improved markedly. My current VA primary health care team – with them since 2017 – has been aces at problem-solving, at bureaucracy-navigating, and at prompt consultation and scheduling with specialists, and the team’s good people have given me the absolute best medical care I’ve ever been blessed to have received.
Join me and our fellow Legionnaire vets in the American Legion whose Veterans’ Service Officers, trained in all sorts of VA benefits, help vets a lot with navigating the VA system. Plus the Legion is fun for us vets – always welcoming, always something to do, something to enjoy from fish fries to meat shoots, from weekly Bingo to the ordinary monthly post meetings – and you can always belly up to the bar.
And the few American legion Halls I have visited that is all they do, belly up to the bar. Quite a few bellies in that group.
Maybe my Legion post is an outlier as most of our members are not drinkers. Maybe has something to do with the older age of the members, many of whom are on meds whose function would be affected, cancelled by alcohol intake. Plenty of guests who dine at our fish fries do partake of alcohol, yet that’s limited almost entirely to a couple of beers. At ordinary monthly meetings about 20-25% of attendees drink a couple of beers, but hard liquor drinking is conspicuously absent.
ACDU? Adult Chemical Dependency Unit? Australian Collection Development Unit? Alert, Confused, Drowsy, Unresponsive? Area Clearance Diving Unit? Air Combat Development Unit?
During my hitch ACDU was the term for active duty.
I was giving you a ration of snark… I too was in the service, Army (1975)and I knew what it meant but I haven’t seen anybody use that acronym outside of the service.
Well, I’ve got two legs, dear, so whenever you’re ready you can go ahead and pull the other one. (!)
Nope, I got my snark off this morning. Anybody who is analog is okay in my book.
During my last VA pri-care visit, I related to the doc that I was walking three miles/day. Her response “You don’t need to be walking that far.”
I’m sure that my VA cardiologist would agree that it was a good thing.
As others have said, There’s good ones and bad ones at the VA.
When Obozo care came in, which mandated all kinds of extra charting and graphing that didn’t mean shit to patient care, most of the good ones either retired or left for positions in non-VA health care. I’ll never forget the first time I was subjected to the interrogation mandated by Obozo care. Half the questions they asked didn’t have fook all to do with health care and I reused to answer those.
I’ve read recently that VA is going to start “investigating” vet’s firearm ownership and usage and reporting the results to ATF.
That oughta be a hoot when we respond to “do you own firearms” with “THAT’S NONE OF YOUR FOOKIN’ BUSINESS.”
Absolutely nothing pisses me off more than seeing endless commercials on TV begging money for our Veterans. The MF’ers in Washington couldn’t give a rats ass about them but have the balls to send boatloads of money to the Ukraine or anyplace else that hates us.
Would someone please start the revolution before I become to infirm to participate?
US Navy ’65-’69