Management
Lawmakers press VA to report on the delays in its burn pit registry revamp
An October 2022 report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine said VA should “initiate a new phase” of its Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry to make it “a user-friendly, efficient and effective resource.”
Workforce
VA employees warn of stark consequences from hiring restrictions
New memorandum entrusts local VA leaders to make "difficult staffing decisions" as department looks to shed employees.
News
On 80th anniversary of D-Day invasion, Biden and Macron honor WWII veterans at Normandy
Veterans, families, political leaders and military personnel are gathering in Normandy to commemorate D-Day, which paved the way for the Allied victory over Germany in World War II.
Pay & Benefits
Lawmakers blast VA over executive bonus scandal, but secretary declines to offer any heads
Many Republicans called for VA to fire top officials after it improperly approved $11M in bonuses for senior executives.
Management
House committee chair applauds suspension of three top VA cops amid harassment allegations
House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Chairman Mike Bost, R-Ill., said in a statement that whistleblowers at the Atlanta VA Medical Center informed the committee of claims of sexual harassment, retaliation and misconduct within the center’s police department.
Management
VA's tech training program for vets is up for renewal, but backers want more accountability
A provision in a recently introduced legislative package would extend VA’s VET-TEC training program through September 2026 while seeking to address employment disparities.
Pay & Benefits
New bill would task VA with more actively promoting veteran transition assistance
The Informing VETS Act would require the department to regularly promote programs designed to assist veterans leaving military service and offer more comparison of information on educational benefits.
Tech
DOD, VA need more data on how their toxic exposure tracking app is used, watchdog says
A report from the Government Accountability Office found that oversight of the joint system for centralizing toxic exposure records has fallen off, despite a growing influx of PACT Act-related claims.
Management
VA says it's seeing more patients than ever and cutting wait times for them
Staffing and productivity gains will allow VA to continue functioning more efficiently while avoiding burnout, official says.
Defense
More military veterans and active duty service members are dying by suicide than in battle. Understanding why can help with prevention
Active duty service members and veterans experience unique stresses that can lead to suicide.
Defense
Memorial Day: A Reminder of Sacrifice and Vigilance
COMMENTARY | "It's not just a time to remember those who have died in service to our country; it is a time to reflect on the principles they fought to protect," writes one veteran.
Management
Biden to announce 1 million claims granted for VA benefits under toxic exposure law
The law has also led to more than 145,000 people enrolling in health care provided by the Veterans Affairs Department.
Workforce
VA’s AI model to prevent suicides is a 'game changer,' official says
The REACH-VET program identifies roughly 6,700 retired servicemembers per month, according to a top lawmaker.
Pay & Benefits
VA to review more previously awarded bonuses after improperly doling out $11M to execs
The department has used an “improper and overzealous application” of new authorities to give extra pay to certain employees, IG says.
Pay & Benefits
Exposed to Agent Orange at U.S. bases, veterans face cancer without VA compensation
Mounting evidence shows that as far back as the 1950s, in an effort to kill the ubiquitous poison oak and other weeds at Fort Ord, the military experimented with and sprayed the powerful herbicide combination known colloquially as Agent Orange.
Workforce
VA employee discipline back in the spotlight as lawmakers move new bills
Another measure would provide VA managers with more training on disciplining employees.
Management
Senate Veterans’ Affairs chair calls for more mental health care providers in rural areas
Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., asked VA Secretary Denis McDonough to increase the number of providers and ensure they are “in locations where veterans need them most.”
Pay & Benefits
VA is trimming its PACT Act claims backlog, but enrollees may be on the ‘low side’
Veterans Affairs Secretary Denis McDonough says that the department is quickly processing new claims made by veterans exposed to toxic substances during their military service, thanks, in part, to robust hiring, but warns that those claims may not have hit their peak yet.
Pay & Benefits
Bill wants to solve the coverage gap for National Guard and reservists by extending VA eligibility
Legislation from Rep. Joe Neguse, D-Colo., proposes to expand VA health care benefits to personnel in the reserve components when not on active duty to help ensure “force readiness.”
Oversight
VA claims appeal board errors are the target of a new House bill
The Veterans Claims Quality Improvement Act seeks to mitigate errors made by the Board of Veterans’ Appeals with new training, performance evaluations and required reports to Congress.
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