An unusual new Reno Dispatch article by award-winning journalist and frequent veterans’ issues writer Jamie Reno, “Stepping Into The Fire: Veteran Advocates & Pols Sound Off On Obama’s Choice To Lead Scandal-Plagued VA”, provides an array of veteran advocates’ commentary regarding this week’s nomination of former Procter & Gamble executive Robert McDonald today as the next secretary of the embattled U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Veterans for Common Sense Board member Anthony Hardie, “a Gulf War veteran and advocate who has spoken before Congress numerous times on issues related to veterans,” is quoted in the article:
“I think the last thing VA needs is another General or symbolic war hero. What VA needs is a complete Operation Cleansweep. I hope with Bob McDonald’s experience catering to stakeholders rather than employees that he will be able to clean house at VA and completely shift its focus. VA needs to be a service-oriented organization that goes above veterans’ expectations to serve and help and heal them, rather than continuing to work against so many of the veterans it is supposed to be serving in VA’s benefits, healthcare, and research silos.”
“To retain credibility,” Hardie added, “one of the first goals he must achieve is to utterly destroy VA’s current culture of delays, denial, and retribution against those who speak up and out.”
Read the full article here:
http://therenodispatch.blogspot.com/2014/06/stepping-into-fire-veteran-advocates.html
