When The Shooting Stops: California Congressman Rips VA Over Claims Backlogs

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

California Congressman Rips VA Over Claims Backlogs

In a meeting last week of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, Rep. Bob Filner (D-CA), the ranking member of that panel, ripped the Veterans Administration for their huge backlog of claims and the glacial pace at which America's Vets are getting needed services.

Filner, said that the system for handling Veterans' claims is hopelessly broken and has called for a stringent audit process similar to what is used by the Internal Revenue Service to ensure faster and more accurate handling of VA disability and pension claims.

“This is disgraceful and an insult to our veterans,” Filner said. “Somebody has to take responsibility for this and try something new.”

The San Diego Congressman appeared on MSNBC's Rachel Maddow Show Tuesday to discuss the problem, saying "... people die before they get final adjudication or may commit suicide."

"It's so bad that these things occur," he said. "And I think it's a bureaucracy that has been in charge for decades that doesn't want to do anything differently."

"We want to talk about the glory of war, how patriotic it is. And we don't want to focus on the cost of war, what happens when the young men and women come back."

Representative Filner has some good things to say on the subject and is showing much-needed leadership right now. Have a look at the full clip from last night:

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Why This Blog?

I spent a lot of the last decade pissed off -- really pissed off. And my writing at the time reflected it: Angry, pointed and focused like a laser on everything I did not like about the previous administration and, in particular, the war in Iraq, which as a military Veteran, left me fuming more days than not.

My opposition to the Iraq war was specifically because of having been in the military and my unshakable belief that our men and women in uniform were serving honorably and with tremendous courage in a war that was not worthy of their sacrifice. I stand by every word I wrote during that time, but I would be lying if I said there were not some things that I wish I could take back. Thus is the lot you draw for yourself when you are angry and where most of what you care about is what you are against, rather than what you are for.

This web site and my upcoming book, When The Shooting Stops, will be all about what I am for: Our newest military families who have sacrificed so much over the last 10 years, the people who served in Iraq and Afghanistan and our duty as a nation to see that what they gave -- and what they risked -- is honored and never forgotten.

I can't promise I will never take a political tone -- can any of us ever swear to that these days? What I do promise is that I will damned well try to keep this blog about the people who are wearing the uniform, those who have served and their families. I may call some people out, but I will try to make the criteria for that criticism what they do for or against the interests of our military people and Veterans and not what political party they belong to.

After feeling at odds for so many years with my more conservative friends, it feels good to come back to something that, at its core, is something most people can agree with -- our military families and Veterans gave to us and we must remember to give back to them.

Thanks for reading.