Local Cable TV Shows Lights, Camera, Outreach — Page 10
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VAnguardU.S. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2000 Local Cable TV Shows Lights, camera, outreach — page 10 Inside: VONAPP, 4 ✩ VA Knowledge Network, 6 ✩ 20th Wheelchair Games, 8 CONTENTS ❏ Electronic VA 4 NTRODUCING Veterans applying for benefits online I Sharon Draves ❏ ITC Conference 6 Nearly 3,000 attend in Austin, Texas With nearly 30 percent of its work the mission of VA and the LEAD force eligible for retirement in the program helped her crystallize that ❏ HR LINK$ Update 7 next few years, the Veterans Benefits passion and put it to effective use.” Two phases now fully implemented Administration (VBA) is taking steps After completing the program, ❏ not only to hire new employees, but Draves began eyeing her next 20th Wheelchair Games 8 also to develop the professional and challenge—the Deputy Secretary’s Athletes, staff mark milestone in Texas leadership skills of existing younger One VA Mentoring Program. Cre- employees who may ultimately ated by former Deputy Secretary ❏ Local Cable TV Shows 10 move into vacant management (now Acting Secretary) Hershel Reaching veterans from the studio positions. One of those is Sharon Gober, the program allows VA Draves. Central Office employees, grades 9- ❏ Culture of Quality 12 She joined VA while in her mid- 15, to gain insight into the highest Tampa wins President’s Quality Award 20s as a claims examiner at the levels of VA management by follow- Chicago VA Regional Office and in ing the Deputy Secretary through his ❏ 1998, made the move to VA Central workday for a two-month period. Former POWs 14 Office to take the position of project After a rigorous application and Seminar highlights successful initiatives manager of the Deci- interview process, Draves was sion Review Officer selected to fill one of 17-20 Test in Compensa- four slots in the COLUMNS tion and Pension mentor program. (C&P) Service. By February On the Cover: “This was a pilot 2000, her position created to mentoring experi- Gerry Culliton, host of “VA improve the ence with the Insights,” a locally-produced claims process,” Deputy Secretary cable television show that airs she explained, was underway. She twice a month throughout New “so I was very attended conferences York City, Long Island, N.Y., New eager to take on at the State Depart- York’s Hudson Valley, and most the challenge.” ment and other of New Jersey, interviews Dr. Shortly after federal agencies, sat in Carol Allen, a physician at the arriving in on closed-door Bronx, N.Y., VAMC, on the Washington, D.C., she meetings with mem- subject of diabetes during a applied for and was selected to bers of Congress and taping of the long-running show. attend VBA’s six-month Leadership even attended the Memorial Day Enhancement and Development Breakfast at the White House where VAnguard (LEAD) program. “I was thrilled to she met President Clinton. VA’s Employee Magazine be selected,” she recalled. The LEAD But, she says, perhaps the most September/October 2000 program helps identify and develop rewarding experience was simply Vol. XLVI, No. 8 the skills of high-performing em- observing the Deputy Secretary. Printed on 50% recycled paper ployees in preparation for future “Watching him, I got to see the leadership positions. “I gained so genuine interest he has in helping much from that program; with the veterans and I learned how to Editor: Lisa Respess assistance of a mentor, I created an balance individual interests with the Editorial Assistant: Matt Bristol individualized development plan to interests of the Department.” help me address my weaknesses and Looking back, Draves says the Published by the I gained a clearer understanding of LEAD and One VA mentoring Office of Public Affairs (80D) the VBA mission and our role within programs had a big impact on her Department of Veterans Affairs the Department.” professional development. Next, she 810 Vermont Ave., N.W. While in the LEAD program, she hopes to be accepted into the Leader- Washington, D.C. 20420 had the opportunity to shadow Nora ship VA program and ultimately (202) 273-5746 Egan, VBA’s Deputy Under Secretary return to one of the VA regional E-mail: [email protected] for Management. “Sharon exempli- offices where she can hone her www.va.gov/pubaff/vanguard/ fies the ideals promoted through the leadership skills. ❏ index.htm LEAD program,” Egan said. “She has an understanding of, and passion for, By Matt Bristol 2 VAnguard Outlook Hershel W. Gober, Our One VA is Making Acting Secretary of Veterans Affairs Great Strides for Veterans When I came unparalleled system of long-term adjudicating claims than we had in to VA nearly care services for our aging veterans, 1999. And by 2002, we will have eight years ago including nursing home care, private more than 6,000 employees working as Deputy residential care and assisted living on claims, more than half of the Secretary of programs. The Veterans Millennium Veterans Benefits Administration Veterans Health Care and Benefits Act, passed work force. Affairs, I came by Congress in 1999, focuses on these Separating service members can as part of a issues. now file claims for disability com- team of veter- The Act stipulates that veterans pensation and receive physical ans advocates requiring nursing homes due to examinations during their separation with definite goals designed to help service-connected disabilities or process. This has significantly VA become better by serving veter- veterans with a high disability rating, reduced the time it takes to get them ans better. Achieving those goals be guaranteed long-term care. We into our system, and to adjudicate required a true team effort—a One are in the process of establishing their claims. VA effort—which I am proud to pilot programs to determine the It is critical that our national have been part of, along with you effectiveness of different long-term cemeteries meet the expanding need and every VA employee. models of care delivery. for additional burial space for We have transformed VA health We have worked in earnest to veterans. Last year, 561,000 veterans care. Eight years ago, VA treated 2.7 reduce homelessness among veter- died—more than 1,500 a day. VA has million patients; last year, that ans, made great strides in caring for opened four new national cemeteries number was 3.6 million. In 1993, we Gulf War veterans with undiagnosed in the past two years, and we are operated 182 outpatient clinics; today illnesses, and now provide compen- planning new cemeteries in six we have 689, and we are adding new sation for 13 illnesses related to states: Georgia, Michigan, Florida, clinics at a rate of more than one a Agent Orange exposure in Vietnam, California, Oklahoma and Pennsyl- week. as opposed to only four in 1993. vania. We are in the midst of the More than four million veterans Claims processing today is more greatest expansion of our national are enrolled in VA’s health care complex. The level of effort required cemetery system since the Civil War. benefits plan—a plan that has given to evaluate a veteran’s claim for My time with VA has gone by every honorably discharged veteran benefits is much greater, and our much too quickly. I am proud of the the opportunity to be treated at a VA decisions are reviewed judicially by great strides our One VA has made facility. In a recent national survey of the Court of Appeals for Veterans on behalf of veterans. We are going veterans, 80 percent of those sur- Claims. This has created expanded in the right direction, and I know veyed said that they are more procedural requirements. that momentum will be maintained satisfied with the health care they We are aggressively hiring new by employees charged with the most receive from VA than they were two veterans service representatives noble mission in government … to years ago. (adjudicators). By the end of 2001, we care for those who have borne the In addition, we have created an expect to have 1,000 more employees battle. ❏ Senate Confirms President’s Nominees to Head VHA, NCA The Senate confirmed President position last May, the new Under Emergency Management Agency. He Clinton’s nominees for two key VA Secretary for Health had served as has served as Assistant Secretary of executive leadership positions on Deputy Under Secretary for Health the Army for Installations, Logistics, September 8. Deputy Under Secre- since 1995. Walker was nominated as and Environment; Army Acquisition tary for Health Dr. Thomas L. Under Secretary for Memorial Affairs Executive; and Under Secretary of Garthwaite moves into the top job in last December. the Army. He was Acting Secretary the Veterans Health Administration, Garthwaite’s VA career includes of the Army during the first six and Robert M. “Mike” Walker is nearly 20 years of experience as a months of 1998. VA’s first Under Secretary for physician and clinical administrator Walker’s career also includes 25 Memorial Affairs. Both had served in at the Milwaukee, Wis., VA Medical years of work in various staff posi- acting capacities in those respective Center. He served as the medical tions on Capitol Hill. He is a former positions during the months leading center’s chief of staff for eight years. enlisted soldier in both the Tennessee to confirmation. Walker most recently served as and District of Columbia Army Before being nominated for the deputy director of the Federal National Guards. ❏ September/October 2000 3 Electronic VA New Project Allows Vets to Apply for Benefits Online that would guide a layperson through the process of filling out a form on their computer and filing a claim electronically,” he said.