Veterans for Common Sense agrees with The American Legion - VA should be overhauled so it can meet veterans' needs.  VA should not be carved up and given to contractors who place corporate greed above veterans' needs. 

August 26, 2008, Phoenix, AZ - Any plans the Department of Veterans Affairs has to hire outside contractors to launch a new GI Bill, or to bring in outside companies to inspect state veterans homes, will face fierce objection from the world's largest veterans organization. The American Legion, meeting here for its 90th National Convention, passed resolutions Monday to head off any intentions VA has to outsource either the new GI Bill or the inspections.

"Our newest generation of veterans deserve the benefits administered by the Dept. of Veterans Affairs, not outside contractors," said Marty Conatser, national commander of The American Legion. "Patients, critics and most media all cite the outstanding job the VA is doing. Outsourcing is not the answer."

Reports are circulating that VA is planning to hire an outside company to implement the Post 9/11 Veterans Education Assistance Act - the new GI Bill - which was signed on June 30 and is expected to take effect Aug. 1, 2009. The new bill dramatically improves education benefits for veterans and their families, eliminates a $1,200 buy-in now charged to military personnel and expands services for members of the National Guard and Reserve components.

Rep. Harry Mitchell, D-Ariz., told Legionnaires he was surprised and disappointed that VA may be looking to outsource the GI Bill project. "I just cannot believe that we'd ever allow this to happen," Mitchell told The American Legion on Saturday. "The level of service won't be the same."

In the resolution opposing outsourcing the new GI Bill, The American Legion argued that VA should hire the staff necessary to fulfill the law's requirements. The Legion, which strongly opposes the movement toward outsourcing critical services that could be handled internally at VA, also passed a resolution opposing efforts to hire outside companies to perform inspections on state veterans homes which have always been performed by trained VA staff.