'Cash strapped' VA forgot it had $43.1 Million stashed away

Investor's Business Daily ^ | 06/29/2015 | John Merline

[IBD editorial writer]

When not pleading poverty, the Department of Veterans Affairs can be awfully careless with its money.The latest example: In 2011, the VA set $43.1 million aside to produce brochures informing veterans about their benefits, then forgot about it. The money went unspent for three years and now might be lost for good.

[RJS1950]

B.S! Bet are that this was a slush fund, one of many, set up to funnel to democrats.

[matt04]

If a business misplaced $40million dollars, heads would roll.

[RIghtwardHo]

Well I’m sure going through my couch cushions today!

[ClearCase_guy]

My town has done this repeatedly (at least three times) — they push for a property tax incease because “we’re totally broke”. The vote fails. PANIC! And then they “find” a million dollars.

[Politicalkiddo]

Words to be redefined this week: “Forgot”.

[SMARTY]

“The VA is the only Cabinet-level agency in the federal government that is entirely devoted to helping one specific population in the U.S. The fact that it can be so irresponsible, wasteful and cavalier in this mission is a disgrace.

But it’s also an indictment of claims that the federal government is better suited for helping people than the private sector.”

[Starboard]

All agencies have money set aside as a sort of “reservations” fund. They always have more money available than they say, and they go on spending binges before the fiscal years end so they can dump unspent monies. This is an annual game that every agency plays. They ALWAYS spend their money every hear so they can justify the need for more.

[Sacajaweau]

The new “My dog ate it”.

[M Kehoe]

VA forgot it had $43.1 Million stashed away

Great, now hire a competent exterminator to handle the rats at VA Haley.

5.56mm

[oh8eleven]

$43.1 million set aside to produce brochures informing veterans about their benefits
What the hell were the brochures printed on - gold leaf?
I have tinnitus as a result of 3 years in artillery, specifically, 13 months on an 8" howitzer in 'Nam.
Just a week ago I went to the VA to have them provide a therapy device - the Neuromonics Oasis.
The VA claimed they:

• had no knowledge of the device
• couldn't order because they were over-budget
• so under staffed (and overworked) they had no time for proper product use training.

All very interesting since the Neurmonics website shows the local VA as only one of two places to get the device in NY State.
I called the company and they said they have worked with my local VA before and that the extremely high VA employee turnover rate is probably responsible for all the ignorance.

[TheConservator]

Thank you for your service!

[oh8eleven]

Thx ...

[RJS1950]

Well aware of that. The point is, they wouldn’t forget about this stash if it was unspent FY dollars and I don’t believe that it was an EOY reserve fund. Those dollars are generally operational(supplies, infrastructure) or personnel administration dollars that are allocated, but not spent. This money is from an entirely different pot from what I can see.

[blueunicorn6]

How many of the leaders in the VA have been fired?

They don’t care. They don’t have to.

[Greysard]

The money went unspent for three years and now might be lost for good.

What kind of an accounting system allows the funds to disappear in three years? Is the VA making records with disappearing ink?

[Bob]

The records were probably stored on hillary’s private server.

[Old Sarge]

Great, now hire a competent exterminator to handle the rats at VA Haley.

Now that The Bride is no longer there, weapons free!!

[hal ogen]

The bums in the VA executive branch are untouchable and unaccountable. They just keep murdering-by-neglect many Veterans each year. However, the executives do have nicely furnished offices and great lawns to overview.

[beelzepug]

I have a couple of health issues the VA might be able to help me with but I've never bothered to ask. I don't need the aggravation.