By Dorothy Meindok
The Post Newspaper Veterans’ Consultant
These past two weeks have been a roller coaster ride. The various needs of veterans are a cornucopia really, everything from claims issues, administrative & logistics failures all the way to third party corruptions that frustrate our Veterans Administration in meeting her mission. We’ve certainly got a problem, Houston and the worst of it all is that it’s not only Houston that has been infiltrated with bad actors. All across our nation, the military family community is seeing the uncovering of these individuals; we see the fallout resulting in the fallen of wars after the war, here at home. It lends to the reality that some of our most decorated warriors never actually get to come HOME at all.
That’s where our veteran voices come in and stand up united to demand transparency, accountability, damage control and refocus on mission is paramount. Some people may call it time “to cut the fat,” “clean house” or some other colloquialism, but the time has come to get on with troubleshooting, correct course and carry on the mission. Many veterans, active duty and civilian leaders, blue collar workers, white collar workers and industry moguls have literally had enough of it all, and that is beneficial to all Americans because most recently, the Governmental Accountability Office — as reported by Military.com — found that at least 227 known medical doctors that were FIRED by our VA were then somehow re-hired as contractors, and third-party providers for veterans in community care.
When one thinks about how bad a job performance has to be to be fired from any federal job, it begs the question of how these persons where even allowed to apply. Further, many people misunderstand that VA community care practitioners, as well as those contractors that get paid to evaluate service-connected disabilities like traumas are one and the same, treating Americans in Medicare/ Medicaid and dependents in TriCare programs. Some of these persons really shouldn’t be practicing medicine at all.
I hope you will give it some thought and support our veterans’ initiative to address them on the floor of Congress; it’s important and affects someone you love.
Talking about love, I am pleased for you to meet United States Army veteran Claudia Duran from Hitchcock. She is joining Law 4 Warriors legal advocacy nonprofit to help in our mission. She is a Hitchcock native who graduated from Hitchcock High School in 1975. After her Honorable service to our nation at Camp Casey in Korea, 13 miles from a DMZ, she continued her mission serving as a Texas Registered Nurse in hospice service.
Currently retired, she still gives in so many ways, and her special non-profit helps brings smiles worldwide, even to Ukraine. The charity is called Donations with a Charitable Heart, Inc. a 501(c)3. They provide handmade fabric items to veterans and foster homes, those in nursing care, cancer centers, homeless shelters and NICU units. Most recently, her nonprofit joined with 18 other knitting groups nationwide via a Facebook group called Knitting for Ukraine, that to date have knitted & crocheted over 2,700 warm items for those trapped during war, many losing everything they own.
It’s cold over there weatherwise as well as in environment, and receiving some love is priceless medicine. Please below see her fantastic works of art in specialized crochet quilts she makes for surviving military family members of our fallen. Learn more about her, welcome her to our Veterans Corner family and friend her on Facebook. To donate to her inspiring charity or just to say hi, you can email her at AlleyWays2001@yahoo.com .
Just a reminder that Valiant Church of Galveston Island and the Galveston Parks Board are having a 20,000 Easter egg hunt on Easter Sunday where all are welcome to the 2nd Annual Salty Easter Bash. come out and enjoy the community family celebration. https://www.valiantchurch.com/events
May the Lord Bless & Keep You this Glorious Sunday. He is RISEN! Happy Easter America!
Until next time – Dorothy
Dorothy Meindok is the Veterans Consultant for The Post Newspaper. She served in the United States Navy and is currently a lawyer advocating for the rights of our nation’s veterans. Her column appears on Sunday.
