According to Treseder, recently, a lot of veterans are entering the halls of Congress and are running on reform platforms that call attention to their record of military leadership and service (2014). Currently, the Department of Veteran Affairs is comprised of three entities, The Veterans Health Administration (VHA), The Veterans Benefit Administration, and the National Cemetery Administration. The VHA being one of the largest and effective research organizations in the United States. The growth of the Department of Veteran Affairs, according to Korb, is attributed to support from voluntary public organizations and fellow veterans, like the American Legion, Disabled American Veterans, Veterans of Foreign Affairs etc.., as they have had a lot
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The VFW has significant influence on Capitol Hill and the political system, as the VFW has played a substantial role in most veterans legislation since the 20th century. One major legislative bill that is very influential in serving veterans, is the GI bill. The GI bill is a benefit that aids service members and veterans in covering the costs associated with getting an education or training. Recently, new veteran organizations have been created and with the use of technology, it has increased connectivity among veterans. New veteran groups, made up of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF), veterans have turned away from the using the American Legion or Veterans of Foreign Affairs to make a political statement, instead they have turned to using the internet, which serves as a strength for veterans …show more content…
The budget has recently increased in the past decade to accommodate to the returning veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan. According to Korb, between 2007 and 2008 the VA budget has increased by 10%. However, in response to this veteran groups have argued that the VA budget has not risen quick enough to meet the increased demand for medical issues, making this a weakness in policy development. Even though the VA is one of the largest health care systems in the United States, the system is rarely mentioned in national health policies (Lasker). However, according to Treseder, recently there is a gridlock at Capitol Hill, as they have passed fewer laws in favor of veterans since record keeping began.
Another weakness in policy development regarding veterans is the systemic weakness. In the article, It’s Not Just the VA: Systemic Weaknesses Plague Government Agencies Across the Board, Jones discussed how in April 2014, 40 veterans died waiting for appointments at the Pheonix Veterans Affairs Health Care System. Jones attributed this to outdated information systems, lack of workplace force, and the benefits taking the form of entitlements, ultimately reducing the discretion that policy makers can exercise when adjusting benefits to accommodate emerging needs and changing costs
The VFW has significant influence on Capitol Hill and the political system, as the VFW has played a substantial role in most veterans legislation since the 20th century. One major legislative bill that is very influential in serving veterans, is the GI bill. The GI bill is a benefit that aids service members and veterans in covering the costs associated with getting an education or training. Recently, new veteran organizations have been created and with the use of technology, it has increased connectivity among veterans. New veteran groups, made up of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF), veterans have turned away from the using the American Legion or Veterans of Foreign Affairs to make a political statement, instead they have turned to using the internet, which serves as a strength for veterans …show more content…
The budget has recently increased in the past decade to accommodate to the returning veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan. According to Korb, between 2007 and 2008 the VA budget has increased by 10%. However, in response to this veteran groups have argued that the VA budget has not risen quick enough to meet the increased demand for medical issues, making this a weakness in policy development. Even though the VA is one of the largest health care systems in the United States, the system is rarely mentioned in national health policies (Lasker). However, according to Treseder, recently there is a gridlock at Capitol Hill, as they have passed fewer laws in favor of veterans since record keeping began.
Another weakness in policy development regarding veterans is the systemic weakness. In the article, It’s Not Just the VA: Systemic Weaknesses Plague Government Agencies Across the Board, Jones discussed how in April 2014, 40 veterans died waiting for appointments at the Pheonix Veterans Affairs Health Care System. Jones attributed this to outdated information systems, lack of workplace force, and the benefits taking the form of entitlements, ultimately reducing the discretion that policy makers can exercise when adjusting benefits to accommodate emerging needs and changing costs