Ch-ch-ch changes, and the VA Part Deux
Lots of changes in my life going on right now, and many of them are good. One in particular may be incoming, and if it happens I’ll have tons of interesting stuff to write about. But, on to my second visit to the VA…
I had to make another trip over to the VA today and once again I encountered The Creature from the VA. Luckily, I didn’t have to deal with this Gatekeeper for long since the people I needed to see were in a different part of the building. I was there for the second part of my Compensation & Pension exam, and I must say once again I was struck with the incongruity of personalities within the VA. The receptionist in this part of the building was polite and helpful. The nurse practitioner who conducted the physical exam was likewise courteous and easy to deal with. The shrink (yeah, yeah, I know, but I’m not completely crazy I swear!) was a young guy, but he too was pleasant and took extra time to explain the process.
These people went out of their way to make me feel special just for being a vet. I am not the kind of guy who expects to be treated a certain way just because I served in the military, and I generally frown on people who demand “respect” just because of their service. That’s not the point I’m trying to convey. But when your job is to deal with vets, some of whom have problems or issues that are a little bit unique because of their service, it’s helpful when you treat your “customers” decently. Going for a physical exam is stressful to many people (me included). Going to see a shrink to discuss things that normally aren’t discussed is super-stressful. Why, then, would the VA permit people to work for them that add an unnecessary level of discomfort to the process?
Take the receptionist that was on duty when I went to leave. I walked up and politely told him I thought I was finished. Keep in mind there are no signs or directions explaining what one does when the exams are over. I didn’t know if I was supposed to check out, or what. Anyway, this guy looks at me and in response says “yes?” The attitude was “so what?” and was designed to make me feel stupid for not knowing what to do next. I asked him if I needed to check out, and the answer was ‘No?” Now, the reason I put a question mark on the end of that “no” was because that’s the way he said it – with a lilt at the end, as if the answer “no” was a question being asked of me. I asked him about a travel voucher, and I received an exasperated response from the guy. Again, the tone was condescending and the guy seemed aggravated because I was making him work. I said to myself “fark it” and just left in the middle of the conversation without a travel voucher. It just wasn’t worth the $40 bucks or whatever to have to deal with this useless stereotypical low-level government employee.
Now I was probably already hypersensitive because I had just come out of the shrink’s office and had to dredge up some stuff I don’t normally bring to the forefront of my mind, but dammit (damnit? I am never sure about the correct spelling of this curse) this dude was less than three feet from the shrink’s office. So this guy is probably condescending and unhelpful to vets of all ages and all levels of crazy on a daily basis. Man, that’s just sad. Dealing with this turd really pissed me off and put me in a bad mood, but I’m a big boy and will get over it. But what about the poor vet who is mentally in worse shape. Shouldn’t the VA be a place where vets feel like they are important and worthy of help?
If you haven’t guessed, I have a real pet peeve for people who suckle from the government teat and don’t perform their duties at 100%. I hold those people to a higher standard because I help pay their salary and if I don’t get a proper level of service I can’t vote with my checkbook by shopping at a competitor. If one is going to feed from the public trough then one should earn the feed. Unfortunately, while in the military I was exposed to far too many government employees who treated their position as a form of welfare. Most work hard at their jobs, but the losers are the ones who stick in my memory and the system as designed really fosters them.
Okay, that’s a topic I could go on and on about, but I should probably get off my soapbox now. Instead, I’ll post this Happy Halloween photo!
Why yes, the pumpkin on the right DOES say “Go F**K Yourself.”
-Dacker
I know what you are talking about. For the most part I know they are there and just ignore them. What else can you do without making a scene? However I did have a similar experience in my doctors office. He was transferring me to a specialist and I need a referral and the name of the doctor. I told the lady at the desk and she gave me a ration of shit about she couldn’t give me a referral if I didn’t know the doctor’s name. I told her I didn’t know the name; that my doctor told me to see her. She started to say something when my doctor happened to come out of a room. I turned to him as ask him where he got this lovely bit of sunshine. I told him about the conversation while she kept trying to interrupt and give excuses. My doctor apologized to me and look straight at her and told her to do what ever she had to do to find any doctor who took my insurance and had an opening. That was her job and she would do it. And he wanted to talk to her when he got caught up. I got my referral for THAT AFTERNOON but she sure had an attitude the whole time.
I agree with Hope, I would like to see you post more because you seem to have a wealth of stories to tell. See ya next time.
hey Dac…man I’d love to have had a few moments with that douche. I’m sorry he was such an oxygen thief…
All of us, including non-veterans, are burdened with both public and private workers who are unmotivated and seem to think we owe them something for the privilege of being “served.” I try to remember that I don’t know what they have going on in their lives, and think that maybe I would be sympathetic if I knew.
HOWEVER I believe that anyone who won’t rise above their own problems to be cheerful and helpful to a veteran — that person is an extract from an especially low-caliber slice of the human race.
@Walt Eldredge
I worked a lot of really menial jobs before and during college. As a result, I really empathize with people who hold jobs in, for example, fast food and retail (not that those are menial jobs – believe me, I had worse). I can’t stand someone who sends Wendy’s french fries back because they aren’t perfect, or chews out the poor clerk because of some store policy (Hope, I LOVED your story about standing up for that store clerk!!).
You hit it right on the head, though – it’s the person who acts like they’re doing me a favor for allowing them to serve me. I hate that person. I hate the sense of entitlement some government employees have. I served in a training unit towards the end of my service and I saw first hand how crippled a military organization can be due to the inclusion of lazy civilian employees. I also saw how effective it can be when the unit has the stability and consistency of good civilian employees.
Sadly, many of these worthless government employees I speak of are retired or former service members.
I’m not upset merely because VA employees were mistreating vets. I’m upset because people who suck off the tax payers were mistreating customers. At the local courthouse we have some of the same types. Some of the court personnel treat the citizens who have business there with the same sense of job entitlement, and it infuriates me. What infuriates me even more is that management, who gets paid more to monitor and manage problems such as customer service, doesn’t deal with it quickly and harshly.
Everyone has a bad day, and I recognize that. But I can recognize the difference between someone who is having a bad day and someone who is just plain useless.
Thanks a lot for stopping by, Walt. I’m checking out your website. Your book looks interesting and I think I’ll go ahead an order a copy. You don’t have it in hard back do you?
-Dacker