Greetings,
On behalf of all Veterans I want to thank you for just rolling over and caving into the White House yesterday and not even asking the tough questions that should have been asked of Bob McDonald that I and many others have raised since his name was put forth by the White House.
I was so ashamed of my fellow Republicans in not standing up for Veterans yesterday. Yes we need to install a new leader to take charge of a totally broken VA agency but with someone who is obviously more qualified and prepared to assume those leadership responsibilities without having to hire/engage outside consultants to guide his decision making process from Day One.
Really Sen. Burr, you stated: “It’s hard to know why anybody would take this job.” To which McDonald responded: “If not me, who?” For us that was a simple answer, someone who is more qualified and capable than you Bob McDonald. A candidate like our Major General Robert Catalanotti who was ready and desirous of serving in this new capacity and had a team that was prepared to collectively enact the necessary changes Day One that could have made a measurable difference right away and not months down the road as will be the case with a new McDonald VA administration.
What part of McDonald’s commentary yesterday did not scream at you that he is totally unaware nor ready to assume control of the VA and enacted measurable changes Day One did you all not comprehend when he clearly stated that he would have to study the situation, immediately engage consultants and establish new review boards to study what should be done to overhaul the entire VA system that he was not the kind of individual that would best serve the interests of all Veterans from Day One.
This should have told you that because he is not up to speed with the workings of the VA that this will cost tax payers additional money (tens of millions) to educate Bob McDonald before he is prepared to begin making the adjustment and personnel changes necessary to correct the current dysfunctional operations hindering the proper level of care our Veterans deserve.
It has been announced that the Committee will vote on this nomination and you all will most likely confirm and pass it onto the full Senate to vote upon next week. Which unfortunately once more Veteran care and real reform will continue to be kicked down the road and we will not see the kind of leadership we have sought until we get a new Republican President in 2016.
That being said our Alliance will once more focus on the need for meaningful legislation that not only addresses VA reform but new program and funding authorization for Veteran Transitional considerations that the Senate and House have as yet to authorize since DOD force reduction programs began in Oct 2012.
A consideration that has resulted in an overall unemployment rate of 43%, 25 deaths daily due to improper PTSD/TBI programs being provided while still on active duty and then followed through with more holistic programs as those called for by the GETI Alliance that could better mitigate these considerations.
We look forward to working with you all and Chairman Miller’s committee in the House to remedy these considerations in the weeks and months to follow. Any questions on these considerations please do not hesitate to call me. Remember our Veterans deserve better than they are currently receiving.
Warmest Regards,
Len Swanson
USAF Vietnam Veteran
CEO – GETI Alliance
