Which way, VA?

I’m sure that my fellow veterans would expect the Veterans Administration to operate in an efficient, transparent, and compassionate manner, but the agency isn’t run by angels.

The following is a quote from the May 17, 2024, issue of News Bytes:
“The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Office of the Inspector General (OIG) released a report – with criminal referrals – stating that in 2023, the VA improperly awarded $10.8 million in bonuses intended for high-demand healthcare and benefits support staff vital to VA operations following the implementation of the PACT Act (Public Law 117-168). Instead, these bonuses went to senior executives at the VA central office. In September 2023, the Chairmen and Ranking Members of the House and Senate Veterans Affairs Committees sent a joint letter to Secretary McDonough on this issue, which can be found here.*”
*https// www.votervoice.net/broadcastlinks/1tNj1908N56s8amYp5V8w “

NewsBytes is a news outlet sponsored by the Fleet Reserve Association. In spite of the above alleged picadillo, the VA has greatly improved their services during the past decade.

My last chance to advertise: Post 41 in Houston will be serving Freedom Dogs at the Lone Star Plaza before, during and after the Independence Day Parade on Saturday, June 29. The all-beef hotdogs, famous-brand chips and ice-cold bottled water will be free of charge for all comers until we run out.

Hope to see you there!

Texas County veterans organizations:
•Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 473 meets at 6 p.m. on the last Thursday of each month at their Post Meeting Hall on Highway 63 north of Cabool.
•American Legion Post 559 meets at 6 p.m. on the second Tuesday of each month at the VFW Post 6337 meeting hall in Licking. Post 559 has been revitalized by past members and will be looking for new ones.
•Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 6337 in Licking meets at 5:30 p.m. on the third Monday of each month at its Meeting Hall on Main Street just south of Highway 32.
•Fleet Reserve Association Branch 364 meets at 2:30 p.m. every fourth Sunday of each month at the American Legion Post 41 meeting hall in Houston. The FRA exists to serve all veterans and active-duty members of the U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Coast Guard.

•Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7222 meets at 6 p.m. on the first Thursday of each month at their meeting hall just east of Summersville.
•American Legion Post 41 meets at 6 p.m. on the second Thursday of each month at its meeting hall on the west end of Chilton Oil Company in Houston, (just north of Pizza Hut.) Changes to membership eligibility now allow U.S. veterans of all branches and periods of service to join the American Legion.

Houston resident Robert E. Simpson is a retired U.S. Navy chief electronics technician who served from 1969 to 1990. Email gfjjkaa@gmail.com .

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