I am retired US Army. I have been to the VA horse-pittle in Birmingham, AL, ONE time, and that was to take the physical for by VA disability. That is the only time I even wanted to go in that dump. I’d rather die in the car on the way to Dr. Pol’s Vet Clinic up in Mee-chee-gin, than use that dump. You wait for hours and hours for an appointment that you had that morning at 9 a.m. and they finally saw me in the middle of the afternoon. I feel for any veteran that has to use that place. I haven’t heard reports of any deaths from there, but I know many a person that has gone there and seen a doctor, and needed follow up care and instead of getting any appointment within the month or so, they waited six, eight, ten or more months for a follow up!!! That is simply outrageous!!! Do they think the condition will some how improve by the time the person gets the appointment??? Reminds me of the murderers out in Arizona at the VA where those people died WAITING for an appointment!!! In this veteran’s humble opinion the Veterans Administration, especially the medical side, is a national disgrace. Even the disability side is a JOKE, yes yelled and in all caps!!! You file for your disability at the time of retirement or when you leave the service after your enlistment is up. I had to wait almost a year to get my appointment for my VA disability. That started my TWENTY-YEAR FIGHT with the VA to get my puny 10% VA disability raised where it should be for someone filing for a damaged spine, gun-shot wound in Vietnam, two bad knees, both shoulders with rotator tears, which resulted in my having to have two back (with the 2d one a spinal fusion), three right knee (with the last one a knee replacement), both shoulders cut on, and other assorted surgeries, which resulted in me having 10 surgeries from 2008 thru 2019. That goes with the three I had while in the Army for a grand total of 13. Thankfully these 10 were in civilian doctors and hospitals and not with the stinking VA. I’d take my chances with a guy and a coat hanger in a back alley before I’d let VA touch me.
These places def need fixing, just do not mess with the ones that do work sufficent. We totally agree all is not Well fix those like Years ago this is not right.