Comments on: Major House Cleaning Needed at the Los Angeles National Veterans Home

By: Jerry Schwartz

Jerry Schwartz — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 20:40:12 +0000

I am a 100% disabled Viet Nam vet. I am generally treated at VA Sepulveda, unless I need an MRI.

I agree with every word you say, but cannot send this to Senator Fienstien. A few months ago, I forwarded a letter to her, and received a response that she would not respond to letters from “third party organizations.” When I asked her if this meant labor unions, political parties, lobbyists, and other such groups, she did not reply. Appearantly, she only wants to hear from those who contribute to her re-election campaign.

By: Jerry Schwartz

Jerry Schwartz — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 20:40:11 +0000

I am a 100% disabled Viet Nam vet. I am generally treated at VA Sepulveda, unless I need an MRI.

By: D.L.Gordon

D.L.Gordon — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 16:30:46 +0000

Gary Sinise, Executive Producer of “Brothers at War” to be released soon portrays what current war is like. Suggest Wilshire uppities view it.

By: Francisco Juarez

Francisco Juarez — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 00:13:37 +0000

Yvonne, Military Brat, get’s the cupie doll for hitting the proverbial “nail on the head”! VA, WLA, and, VA, SEPULVEDA in Los Angeles, CA, make buku bucks from film companies, millions we are told. However, there is no transparency for the community it is supposed to serve, the Veteran community! Quite the reverse! The film companies are given access, within 24 hours from applying in some cases, to VA facilities where Veterans, attempting to use a lawn area to celebrate the 121St Anniversary of the signing of the Grant Deed in 1888, are made to wait. In Sepulveda facility (not campus), the film companies have been given buildings “carte blanche” at the expense of removing a successful program that provided a day center for aging Veterans and their spouses, go figure!
I guess the “accounting” that Richard Berger is calling for is as far away as finding out what Yvonne is calling for, after all, we are just Veterans and friends of Veterans calling for some honest reporting, transparency and to save the precious few land resources for today’s and tomorrow’s Veteran patients (not public parks and film crews). The elected officials that facilitated their being on our land, actually, like being closer to the glitz than to America’s heroes.

By: Yvonne

Yvonne — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 05:05:28 +0000

why are they so short on money? Afterall they charge ny WWII Veteran husband and arm and a leg for the little care they provide.

I understand that all monies gained from land lease or for leased to the movie studios is money in the Directors pocket? Please correct me if I am wrong.

Respectfully,

Military Brat

By: DA White

DA White — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 18:37:50 +0000

Get a movement underway to replace waxman, California has a lot of veterans and if the veterans in that district vote as block, they can get rid of him.

By: Robert Rosebrock

Robert Rosebrock — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 13:43:17 +0000

“We the Veterans” have Resolutions in opposition to the public park and other misuse and abuse of Veterans land from the California American Legion (150,000 members), The Gathering of Eagles (35,000 members) The American GI Forum of California (5,500 members), National Veterans Coalition (4,000 members), Veterans United For Truth (1,700 members) and several other organization, including the Veterans Caucus of the California Democratic Party, (Bobby has endorsed this), the Progressive Democrats of Los Angeles, The Los Angeles Democratic Central Committee, Santa Barbara County Democratic Central Committee, and the San Fernando Valley Republican Club. Our support continues to grow and as we move forward, it’s probably not a good idea to be on the wrong side of this very responsible and patriotic mission.

When Sue Young, the executive director of Veterans Park Conservancy, not even remotely a Veterans organization but a wealthy homeowners group that is hell-bent on taking Veterans land for their own use, was essentially asked in the November 2007 issue of the “Brentwood News” how she was able to expropriate a 16-acre parcel of Veterans land for a public park that is “rent-free,” and she responded: “Because this arrangement was unprecedented, it required lengthy discussions and compromises with Veterans Administration in Los Angeles and Washington. The agreement also called for approvals at the highest levels, i.e., Secretary Nicholson, and the involvement of the Congressional delegation.”

Congressman Henry Waxman of the 30th District and a powerful member of the aforementioned “Congressional delegation” that facilitated these “unprecedented / compromises,” is the responsible steward for protecting this sacred trust that is within his District. However, the Congressman supports the public park and other land lease abuses, including the 21 acres of Veterans land for the wealthiest private school in the nation, and is “off limits” to America’s Veterans.

As a Congressman and a lawyer, why does Waxman facilitate these unprecedented compromises against the legal Deed of 1888 that is also backed up by an Act of Congress?

The Veterans Caucus of the California Democratic Party, the Congressman’s own political Party, have a “Resolution to Protect a National Sacred Trust,” yet he refuses to support the Resolution and America’s Veterans within his own political Party? Why is that?

Nicholson was another facilitator of these land grabs during the GW Bush years. In fact Veterans Park Conservancy claims on their website that their “government supporters” include former Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, Senator Feinstein, Congressman Waxman, Governor Schwarzenegger, former VA Secretary’s Nicholson, Principi and others who have put Veterans last and their special interests and politics first.

This is an enormous opportunity for the Obama Administration and his Secretary of Veterans Affairs to break rank and show new leadership by respecting and honoring both Veterans their Deeded land.

By: Robert Rosebrock

Robert Rosebrock — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 13:41:27 +0000

As a Congressman and a lawyer, why does Waxman facilitate these unprecedented compromises against the legal Deed of 1888 that is also backed up by an Act of Congress?

This is an enormous opportunity for the Obama Administration and his Secretary of Veterans Affairs to break rank and show new leadership by respecting both Veterans their Deeded land.

By: michael sedano

michael sedano — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 12:28:21 +0000

What a travesty! If I hadn’t seen similar reports from Mr. Rosebrock’s keyboard, I’d appreciate his latest report as a bit of surrealist literature. I’m surprised the VA didn’t call out the SWAT squad to teach these uppity vets a lesson in humility.

That the Veterans Administration would treat veterans this poorly–delaying the permit, denying access to bathrooms, converting a day of celebration into one of humiliation–would have been SOP under the previous Administration. I look to the Obama/Shinseki administration administration to step in immediately and clean house at West LA.

Folks, don’t just read and be mad. Take action. Send this VeteransToday.com article to your Senators and Representative. Send a letter to the editor of your local newspapers, attach a link to Rosebrock’s article. Write Obama. Write Shinseki.

Raise a ruckus!

Obama: http://www.whitehouse.gov/CONTACT/
White House: Comments: 202-456-1111
Switchboard: 202-456-1414
FAX: 202-456-2461

TTY/TDD

Comments: 202-456-6213
Visitors Office: 202-456-2121

Shinseki: Go through the Inspector General’s Abuse Reporting system:

Write the VAOIG Hotline:
VA INSPECTOR GENERAL HOTLINE (53E)
P.O. BOX 50410
WASHINGTON, DC 20091-0410

E-mail the VAOIG Hotline: vaoighotline@va.gov

FAX the VAOIG Hotline: (202) 565-7936

By: Richard Berger

Richard Berger — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 12:12:53 +0000

The public demands an audit. It’s simple…people who feed at the public trough are accountable to those who provide the feed. Where does the money for all of those “managed assests”, go, and are they offered at fair market value? The VA is short of money for healthcare, for services, for personnel…and yet they make what appear to be sweetheart deals with special interests and people who are politically connected. It’s taxpayer money. Open the books.

By: Francisco Juarez

Francisco Juarez — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 10:14:15 +0000

The 2nd annual celebration in recognition of the Signing of the Grant Deed of 1888 was, this year, named “Veteran Appreciation Day” and will, going forward, be referred to as such.
The actions and intentions of the organizing committee are honest, specific (SAVE THE HOME) and without any individual agenda.
Mr. Rosebrock is right on target in that the bureaucrats, including the newly appointed director, co-director and Vision 22 Manager/Director, Mr. Norby, need to “embrace” Veteran advocates and address, head on, our concerns, not, as before, put us on “ignore”.
Thanks to the Veterans Revolution and We The Veterans, these last two, most important, recognition of March 3, 1888 signing of the Grant Deed, and, the March 2, 1887, act of congress recognizing the importance of the “Home”, would not be brought to public attention, especially by the people who are trying to steal this land from Veteran patients.