GAO Testimony before the Subcommittee on oversight and investigations released their testimony on Thursday, May 18, 2000 concerning "problems and challenges facing disability claims processing". This is available on the internet by simply doing a search. In this report on page 9, it states, "According to VBA, it takes 2 to 3 years of experience for claims decisionmakers to achieve a fully productive level of expertise. In GAO's September 2003 Report to Congressional Requestors--Improvements needed in the reporting and use of data on the accuracy of disability claims decisions, also on the internet, it stateson page 9, second paragraph, "Also as noted earlier, VBA did not make rating accuracy a prerequisite for receiving a performance award. Three of the four critera for cash awards were based on production and timeliness and one on accuracy; a bonus could be received without meeting the accuracy critera". Well, they decided to turn that around for the convenience into their pockets, and denying veterans.

GAO directs VBA, who directs all Regional offices who directs C&P employees on "what to say, and how to say it" when a veteran goes for a C&P exam ordered by a Regional office. This is so those employees can receive a "employee performance bonus" of approximately $300.00 when the veteran is denied a claim, or an appeal. When a veteran is mailed the appeals papers, the VBA states word for word "what wording to use, how to use it, what to say, in order for adjudicators to deny veterans claims/appeals.

On the internet is also an article "Disgraceful conduct at VA Regional Office Pittsburg", dated Thursday, May 26, 2009. The website is www.pittsburglive.com/x/valley...nt/print_627154.html. In this article, second paragraph it states, "Clerks are accused of deliberately delaying 10 veterans' benefit claims so that about 120 VA employees could get $300.00 performance bonuses in 2008. By postpoining $4,028 in claims payments, the VA employees pocketed $36,120.00 from a bonus program that's intended to ensure the prompt handling of claims."

The VA Regional Office in Montgomery, AL lost a personal friend of mine service medical record on the second floor after receiving my friend's service medical rcords from St. Louis, MO. My friend is a female veteran. My friend's name was hand-written with her name at the top, with the social security no. on top of a descriptive male veterans records who was in his 60's, one leg amputee with issued a prosthetic leg. This Regional office has made my veteran friend go completely through 2 full C&P exams, which she began her claim in 2002 and her appeals are still "in the processing". Directly from the VBA, it was directed in various paragraphs, "The examiner is asked to EXPRESS AN OPINION AS TO WHETER ANY OTHER DISORDER IS FOUND IS AT LEAST AS LIKELY AS NOT RELATED TO THE VETERAN'S MILITARY SERVICE; THE EXAMINER IS ASKED TO COMMENT ON THE 2003 C&P EXAMINATION; IF THE BENEFITS SOUGHT ON APPEAL REMAIN DENIED THE VETERAN SHOULD BE PROVIDED A SSOC; TE EXAMINER IS ASKED TO EXPRESS AN OPINION; OPINION ABOUT THE IMPACT; THE EXAMINER SHOULD NOTE IN THE EXAM REPORT". The examiner's opinion is their opinion (ONLY an opinion). The VBA tells the examiner what to express, what to note, then states to give the veteran a SSOC (Supplemental Statement of the Case) form if the veteran has have to appeal. That is SOOOOO nice of them.

This is why veteran's claims and/or appeals are denied over and over and over and over and over and over again, so the employees can give themselves a so called "performance bonus" and put it in their pocket, when they were not even born when the baby-boomer veteran was serving their country.

There are many thugs and just plain old trash employed by the VA. Also, it's about the color of your skin wheather you get treated fair or not.That by the way,is going to get much worse.