The new secretary of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs came to Levittown on Friday afternoon and said the embattled agency is working to turn itself around.
Credit: Tom Sofield/LevittownNow.com
Robert McDonald, who was appointed by President Barack Obama and confirmed to his post by the Senate on July 29, visited the Philadelphia Stand Down event that is being hosted at the Bucks County Government campus next to the Levittown Library in Bristol Township. The event brings together about 100 mostly homeless military veterans. The former service men and woman camp out and work toward a brighter future.
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McDonald has been tasked with fixing the broken Department of Veterans Affairs that has come under fire recently after years of mismanagement and long patient wait times were revealed. Media reports also showed falsified appointment records were filed by VA officials.
Credit: Tom Sofield/LevittownNow.com
“We got everyone to recommit to the mission,” McDonald said when asked what he was doing to change the VA. He also said there is going to be a “top to bottom reorganization.”
Across the department and nation, there is an increased focus on increasing resources, McDonald said. Vans, mobile units and military doctors are being brought to local VA hospitals to assist in treating those who served in a timely matter.
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“We’ve got to focus on serving veterans,” he told reporters after speaking at Stand Down.
McDonald, a West Point graduate and former CEO, said there has been a increase in access to care for veterans. He added that the department is working to help veterans first and then sort out the technicalities.
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The secretary said he is working to meet Obama’s pledge to rid the nation of its homeless veteran problems. He cited the Philadelphia Stand Down’s dwindling turnout as proof efforts are working as there are less and less homeless veterans every year.
When asked by an Iraq War veteran what he is doing to combat the nearly two dozen veteran suicides that happened each day, McDonald said it is an issue the department is tackling.
“One (veteran) suicide is too many,” he said.
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The Philadelphia Stand Down was the first of its kind McDonald has attended as VA secretary. He said he was “thrilled” by the way the event was run and said it’s important for veterans to come together to help one another.
Credit: Tom Sofield/LevittownNow.com
Before coming to Levittown, McDonald visited the VA hospital in Philadelphia and also celebrated the birthday of VA life insurance, which has its office based in the city.
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While speaking with veterans on Friday in Levittown, McDonald slipped VA “challenge coins” to some veterans. The coins have been an important part of military tradition and represent exemplary service.
“Wow,” one veteran said after meeting the secretary. “I can’t believe the VA secretary came to see us.”
