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Friday, November 14, 2008

New York Chief of Veteran's Affairs suspended after investigation

Nov. 13: VA Employees Suspended in Widening Shredder Scandal
Scott Waldman
Times Union

Nov 13, 2008

November 13, 2008 - A high-ranking U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs administrator from Guilderland has been placed on paid leave in the wake of an investigation into his office.

Joseph Collorafi was suspended last month as chief of veterans affairs at the New York City regional VA office, said Keith Thompson, acting director of the office.

The investigation revealed that someone in the regional office intentionally entered claim documents from veterans with incorrect dates — called "backdating" — into an internal database, VA spokeswoman Alison Aikele said Wednesday.

"They would make it look like they were processing claims faster than they really were," said Aikele, who works in Washington, D.C. Changing the dates made it appear that the management was not "severely underperforming," according to Aikele.

She said the leadership of the office in Manhattan was replaced and the individuals who left would not be returning. She maintained that no veterans were affected by the backdating.



In recent weeks, 41 of 57 regional VA offices across the country have come under scrutiny over the possible shredding of supporting evidence in claims filed by veterans. Next week, the Democratic chairman of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, U.S. Rep. Bob Filner of California, will hold a hearing on the destruction of the records.
go here for more
http://www.veteransforcommonsense.org/ArticleID/11628

2 comments:

  1. I'm asking the Gulf War Vets who are suffering infections and undiagnosed illness to COME BACK.
    Gulf War Veterans Illness is Real.
    This Committee is asking for written comments for Veterans

    This Committee is allowing Vets to speak before them, during Public Coment Sessions.

    This Committee is allowing Vets to Teleconferece - hearing sessions by telephone.

    Why are vets taking part ? Silence is not an Option ! http://www.va.gov/gulfwaradvisorycommittee

    VA - Advisory Committee on Gulf War Veterans

    Department of Veterans Affairs

    Office of Policy and Planning (008A1)

    810 Vermont Ave, Washington, DC 20420

    202-461-5758 Lelia P. Jackson, Policy Analyst ,lelia.jackson@va.gov

    Additionally, the Committee will meet with a panel of Gulf War veterans who reside in the Baltimore area. Gulf War veterans living in the Baltimore area who served in the Southwest Asia theater of operations during 1990-1991 wishing to participate in the panel should contact Lelia Jackson

    Public comments will be received on November 19, from 1 p.m. until 1:30 p.m. and on November 20, from 11:15 a.m. until 11:45 a.m. Individuals wishing to speak must register not later than November 14 by contacting Ms. Jackson and by submitting 1-2 page summary of their comments for inclusion in the official record. Public comments will be limited to five minutes each. A sign-in sheet will be available each day. Members of the public may also submit written statements for the Committee's review Interested parties may also listen in by teleconferencing into the meeting. The toll-free teleconference line will be open from 10 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. on November 19 and from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. on November 20. To register for the teleconference, contact Ms. Jackson. Any member of the public seeking additional information should contact Laura O'Shea,
    http://www.gulflink.org

    ReplyDelete

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