In January 2015, the Office of Inspector General (OIG) for the Department of Veterans Affairs received an anonymous allegation that the Los Angeles VA Regional Office staff members were shredding mail related to veterans’ disability compensation claims.
At the time, according to the OIG, it was difficult to substantiate the claim, but further investigation and the addition of random, unannounced spot checks at 10 other VA Regional Offices (VARO) led to a shocking discovery. As Stars and Stripes reported, staffers at the VAROs were “systemically shredding documents related to veterans’ claims, some potentially affecting their benefits.”
The spot inspections were held on July 20, 2015, and it is reported that over 438,000 documents awaiting destruction at the regional offices was sorted through by investigators. Out of 155 claims-related documents discovered, 69 were found to have been incorrectly placed in shred bins at six different VAROs, reports Fox News.
The six regional offices were located in Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, New Orleans, Philadelphia and Reno, Nevada. Of the 69 documents found, two were directly related to veterans benefits and nine others had the potential to, said Fox News.
The OIG report said that not only was the problem systemic but it was very serious. “The potential effect should not be minimized,” the report concluded. “Considering that there are 56 [VA regional offices], and if weekly shredding is conducted, it is highly likely that claims-related documents at other VAROs are being improperly scheduled for destruction that could result in loss of claims and evidence, incorrect decisions and delays in claims processing.”
This finding is yet another black eye for the Department of Veterans Affairs. It has been embroiled in scandal since early 2014 when it was learned that waiting lists at the VA were so long that they were being manipulated. Some patients waited for months, and even years for an appointment. Sadly, some veterans even died before receiving the care they deserved.
