October 15, 2008 - For the past two days we've been reporting about the disability claims and other critical documents found in shredding bins at the Detroit Regional Office (VARO) of the Department of Veterans' Affairs (VA).

The response to these two stories in our "comments" area (at the bottom of the page) has been overwhelming.

Anger, indignation and frustration are just a few of the words to describe our readers' comments.

But, through all of this, we aren't asking the questions that need to be asked.

When the VA changed the rules and cut out "Blue Water Navy" veterans from presumptive Agent Orange benefits, we didn't ask the questions.  More on this here...
http://www.yourvabenefits.org/sessearch.php?
q=blue+water+navy&op=ph

When the disability claim process became so backlogged that we passed the half million mark for claims waiting to be processed, we barely blinked an eye and we didn't ask the questions.

When it comes to the VA claim process, veterans are fond of saying:  "Delay, deny and hope that I die."

So now, with an obvious claim processing crisis staring us in the face, and with evidence mounting that the VAROs of the Veterans' Benefits Administration (VBA) have a "timeliness" problem and may have been destroying documents, it's time to ask the questions:

1.  Who got delayed?

2.  Who got denied?

3.  Who died?

These are questions the VA does not want asked.

These are questions Congress does not want asked.

For, these are questions that the VA won't answer and Congress won't investigate.

Whose disability claim got delayed to the point where they had to file bankruptcy or, perhaps, lost their home?

Whose disability claim got denied and had to go on the welfare roles to put food on the table or get medical care?

Who died with no benefits, leaving nothing for the family?

It's time for VA Secretary Peake and the executives of the VBA to come forward and take full responsibility for the "timeliness" issues and the allegations of destroyed documents.

It's time for Congress to not only demand action, but to put in force a system of oversight that demands compliance and serves up stiff penalties for non-compliance.

And, it's time to seriously consider the concept forwarded by Prof. Linda Bilmes of Harvard University.  Bilmes feels the VBA should approve all claims as they come in the door and then spend their energies auditing the claims for accuracy and to weed out fraud.