Barack Obama

VA here rated among worst in U.S.

Wednesday, April 6, 2005

Chicago Sun-Times
BY CHERYL L. REED

Illinois veterans have rated the Chicago regional office of Veterans Affairs among the worst in the nation, according to the VA's annual survey of veterans' satisfaction.

Among Illinois veterans' biggest complaints: It takes too long for the VA to decide a disability or pension claim, and then the ruling is not fair, according to the 115-page survey report, obtained by the Chicago Sun-Times.

Although the survey was conducted by an independent contractor, analyzed in January and printed in February, it has not been officially released. VA officials say they are waiting for a final review by "senior leadership" before making the findings public.

The survey shows that from 2003 to 2004, the Chicago VA's handling of veterans' disability and pension claims declined in 31 service areas and improved slightly in 15 others. Other fluctuations were considered neutral or not service-related, such as a decline in the number of those who consider the VA office conveniently located.

'Unacceptable,' says Obama

The report characterizes at least 11 of the declines as significant -- the most of any of the VA's 57 regional offices. The Chicago's most significant improvement was a 9 percent increase in those who thought VA employees were courteous on the phone.

Presented with the findings, Sen. Barack Obama, who serves on the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, said the survey opinions were similar to those he has heard from veterans around the state.

"It's completely unacceptable," Obama said. "It indicates a general lack of regard for our veterans when they have to continually wait or are unable to get claims processed or discover that their disability benefits are lower than other states."

Obama wants VA Secretary Jim Nicholson to investigate the Chicago VA office: "He needs to shake up a regional office that clearly isn't working effectively."

Neither Chicago VA regional director Michael Olson nor Vice Adm. Daniel Cooper, the VA's undersecretary for VA benefits, returned phone calls regarding the survey. But Bill Fillman, the VA's central area office director, said he had not received a copy of the survey nor had the Chicago VA office.

Fillman said he would be surprised if Chicago had fared the worst in the country in the survey. "I know the employees in Chicago, and they are very hard-working and dedicated," he said.

But veterans in the Chicago area say they are not surprised by the survey results.

Jim Heier, 79, of Vernon Hills and a World War II veteran, says he has been trying to get his disability level raised from 40 percent to 50 percent for decades. Heier says during the war he was injured in the head and leg and his hearing was damaged.

"You know damn good and well that people like myself are suffering from a number of things, and all we are trying to get is compensation for what we served," Heier said.

No sympathy

Bernard Williams, 58, of Chicago's Bronzeville neighborhood and a Vietnam-era veteran, has been trying to get disability for years regarding injuries he suffered during a parachute jump. Williams has yet to get a dime, even though VA doctors have operated on his wounds several times and told him he should be getting disability, he said.

"This place is notorious for turning people down," Williams said. "The guy I talked to at the VA -- one of the VA representatives -- said I should feel privileged to have served. He let me know he didn't have any sympathy for anybody getting disability, unless it was somebody who lost limbs."

The scientifically designed survey of veterans opinions has been conducted since 1996 as part of a government mandate. On Sept. 30, 700 Illinois veterans who have filed a disability or pension claim received the survey. Fifty-seven percent responded by Dec. 7.

Among the biggest declines in the Chicago VA's performances:

*40.1 percent said they were kept informed of the status of their claim -- a 12.4 percent drop since 2003.

*50.3 percent said they had a claim granted -- a drop of nearly 11 percent since 2003.

*47.6 percent said the VA's evaluation of their claim was very or somewhat fair -- a drop of 9.5 percent since 2003.

The worst decline for the Chicago office -- and the worst score of any regional VA office -- was 45.1 percent who thought the amount of time spent waiting for a claim decision was reasonable -- a decline of 17.1 percent from last year.