Friday, March 9, 2018

Letter to the Editor: Another Scandal Under Shulkin

Scandal at VA in Media


Even after an investigation conducted by VA Central Office (Office of Accountability Review) was done, Veterans disability benefits are still being unlawfully denied at Salt Lake City VA. Please the 2 BVA remands I sent you for proof of that. 

The Central Office investigation unsubstantiated the allegation that Bennion (then Chief of Administrative medicine- compensation/pension) was making his subordinates unlawfully deny Veterans' benefits to cover it up. 

Wrongdoers in management such Bennion/Gribbin/ Stovall are being protected promoted and rewarded. 

Although Bennion was technically demoted to become Director of Employee Health (tier 2 salary), Stovall gave him a tier exception so that he could keep his previous higher tier 3 salary. He is still being allowed to unlawfully deny Veterans' disability claims despite substantiated anti-Veteran bias during investigation. 



Gribbin appears to be unscathed as she continues to remain the Chief of Staff.

Stovall was promoted from Acting Director to Director though Andrew Kalinen's testimony in investigation shows that she was aware of the problems with Bennion all along but she only protected Bennion/Gribbin and retaliated with disciplinary actions against whistleblowers (upheld admonishments against both Kulkarni's despite no faults found in their work), and asked both the Kulkarnis to resign in EEO settlement counteroffers. 

When we asked the Central Office for copy of the Investigation report, they suppressed it from us. In collusion with Central Office, in an unsolicited email to us Stovall covered up the 2 substantiated findings of mismanagement of compensation and pension by Bennion and Gribbin. The report was later made available to us when the House Committee of Veterans affairs got involved. 

On the other hand, whistle-blowers like us (Kulkarnis) are being forced out and made to suffer. Stovall upheld admonishment against us though no faults were found in our work. She asked both of us to resign in EEO settlement counter-offer. She also demoted us from higher pay table 2 to lower pay table 1 without justification. 



On the other hand, VA secretary Shulkin is wasting taxpayer money on himself , his wife, and his crony VA bosses, while Veterans' benefits are being unlawfully denied under his watch. 

Utah has the 2nd highest Veteran suicide rate, after Montana. Unlawful denial of their benefits surely does not help decrease Veteran suicide. How many Disabled Veterans could receive food clothing and shelter with the tax payer money wasted on Shulkin's recreation and tier 3 exception given to the mismanager Bennion by his accomplice Stovall?

Recently Shulkin wanted to take unemployment benefits away from older Veterans. Media is the only way to hold these misbehaving VA bosses accountable!!! Will you help our Veterans get what they have earned and deserve.....

S. and A. K. (Writers asked for anonymity, since they have multiple retaliation efforts)

No comments:

Post a Comment