Secretary McDonald Announces VA Overhaul – Let Your Voice Be Heard!

VA Secretary McDonald recently announced the largest reorganization in VA history. To be known as MyVA, the new VA system will be designed to make it easier for veterans to access all of the VA departments and their deserved benefits.

 

One key feature of the reorganization will be a VA-wide customer service system, led by a Chief Customer Service Officer who will report directly to the Secretary. As part of this system, there will be general customer service representatives who will be able to help veterans with any VA service. Community veteran advisory councils will also be established to work with communities and public entities to coordinate the delivery of care and services to our veterans.

 

 

Also as part of the reorganization, the regional divisions of the VA will be consolidated so that all VA services—health care, benefits, mortgages, cemetery and funeral concerns, etc.—will be under one roof. In addition, Secretary McDonald plans to have just one website with one user name and password where veterans can access all VA services, making it easier for veterans to get the help they need. Hopefully they’ll design it after our website where simplicity and clarity are the most important elements.

 

 

The VA is now preparing to hire the Chief Customer Service Officer, and while Secretary McDonald hopes to have the reorganization completed in a year, he cautions that this is a long-term process. There is no roll-out date for MyVA at this time.

 

LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD

 

The proposed overhaul may very well be able to fix many of the serious issues that the VA now faces, like the backlog, but it is really far too early to tell.  While it sounds great and has definite potential, there aren’t enough specifics available at this time to really know how this will ultimately affect the problems you are currently facing.

 

Now is the time, however, to let the VA know what you all need. We will be preparing a proposition to pass along to Secretary McDonald with recommendations for their new system. Let us know now what issues you need resolved, including suggestions on how to improve the system to make your lives easier, and we’ll make sure to include them in our proposition. Whether it’s information, scheduling, organization, transportation, etc., we want to know. Let’s make change happen!