ERIC SHINSEKI = HONEST MAN WHO EXPECTED HONESTY IN A FAKING WORLD

38 years he served in US Army
Widely known as deeply honorable and passionate about serving fellow veteran
Fought to keep veterans off the streets
Believed in military culture of truth-telling
Brutal honesty
Cool under fire
Revered by colleagues
A great guy
Enormous values
Family-oriented
Embodies the Army
Shies away from publicity
Visibly uncomfortable at congressional hearings
No one punished for telling the truth
Facts show systemic VA dishonesty, cheating and dysfunction
Civilian Department of Veterans Affairs =Truth Telling was punished by mid-level
VA Middle-Mgt proudly reported 93% of veterans saw a doctor within 14 days
Civilians lied about Horror stories of veterans waiting for months to receive care
VA civilians are willing to cheat with false information to get performance bonuses
Acute shortage of qualified medical and mental health staff
VA Layers of LYING middle management = aging, overpaid time-servers
Scarcity of funds to modernize VA facilities
Endless waitlists for appointments

President Obama accepted Shinseki’s resignation

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/05/30/eric-shinseki_n_5413776.html#comments

Shinseki at the VA = Isolation from TRUTH by middle managers
Insisted veteran get a medical appointment within 14 days – Impossible to meet
SHORTAGE of Medical staff and Doctors – AT MANY FACILITIES! NOT ALL!
GOP = STRANGLING GOV = MAIN GOAL OF GOP
Bad news was systematically stifled by mid-level VA management.
Boehner (R-OH) “is him resigning going to get us to the bottom of the problem?”

“My heart goes out to him because he is a good man. He doesn’t deserve this.”
VA Resources/Tools strangled by GOP GOV GOALS = PRIVATIZED GOV FRAUD
VA over 50 years = Fix “backward-looking” mgt with “more positive leadership”
1993 Wait times were “unacceptable” + backlog “unacceptable delays” for Vets
2007 VA’s problems so deep they called for “fundamental changes.”
VA MANAGEMENT = Simply failed veterans
Rising demand of new combat vets for mental health services
VA currently has 1,465 unfilled mental health job openings.
Of 22 veteran suicides/day – 17 Never sought care at the VA
Post-traumatic stress disorder recognized in 1980 = VA blocked for 8 Years
1,892 flags representing veterans who have died by suicide to date in 2014
2009 Shinseki reform the institution with tough new standards = within 14 days
Set up software to run checks verifying that electronic waiting lists kept up to date.
Shinseki + Ex-military men at top of VA went after VA bureaucracy with vengeance
MGT seminars + Leadership programs were instituted
They shook up senior staffs and tried to streamline a NEW culture of management.
14-day goal impossible with the shortage of doctors and staff at many VA centers
Scheduling clerks compelled to fudge the numbers = VA inspector general report
Middle managers = Fudging to get Bonuses or FEAR? IG’s investigation
VA’s 2014-2020 Strategic Plan = Workforce swollen with aging mid-level mgrs/adms
332,000 employees are eligible for retirement = 50% of VA’s senior executives.
VA clinical workers on front lines = Afraid to speak despite whistleblower protection
“There is no such thing as ‘No Fear’ at the VA.” — VA psychiatric nurse
“I’ve been retaliated on…People…send in a complaint, and the next thing… fired.”
Shinseki pleaded with VA MGT to be honest about any problems…standards
“You plant a flag, make a commitment. If it isn’t perfect, tell us what we can do.”
Shinseki = driven by a hunger to know how well veterans are being served
Vincent Kane + Shinseki designed VA’s highly successful Vet homeless programs
“He wanted to know…what…works (to make) a difference in people’s lives.”
2012 Shinseki was beginning to sense the enormity of trying to transform the VA
“I had no idea what I was getting into” = hammering at problem in debt of honor
“This is a chance to take care of them when they come home…(NOT) walk away..”
Army’s failure led to a renewed emphasis on truth-telling.
Every action would be scrutinized to find out what went wrong+right+needed fixing. Shinseki ACCEPTED CRITICISM from staff that plans were flawed
It was expected that each member of the unit speak honesty without recrimination
Within military culture Shinseki was able to effect a major transformation of Army
Introduced the Stryker-wheeled combat vehicle used to great effect in Iraq
“If you are going to make a change make it big and bold.”
“Walk up to the biggest guy on the block, stand in his face and get it started.”
Shinseki set same high standards + listened carefully to VA feedback=NONE CAME
“You gotta just fight through it I’m not leaving.” = POLITICIANS PRESSURED!