Veterans outraged after investigation finds VA gave $10.8 million in bonuses to senior executives

[Valletta]

“This money awarded by Congress was specifically to help ease the backlog and make it easier for the men and women who served our country and became injured or disabled to receive the compensation they deserve,” she said in a statement. “To instead see that money go toward lining the pockets of execs and not help those who served should upset a lot of people.”

Veterans outraged after investigation finds VA gave $10.8 million in bonuses to senior executives - Washington Examiner

Veterans expressed outrage after an investigation found the VA gave out $10.8 million in bonuses to senior executives.

www.washingtonexaminer.com

The Biden administration will do what they wish with the money.

 

[Fantine]

How many people received bonuses? The VA probably has hundreds of thousands of employees.
VA salaries are lower than in corporate America. My husband's VA chiropractor said his salary was lower but his student loans--$200k--would be forgiven if he worked for the VA ten years.

 

[Vambram]

How many people received bonuses? The VA probably has hundreds of thousands of employees.
VA salaries are lower than in corporate America. My husband's VA chiropractor said his salary was lower but his student loans--$200k--would be forgiven if he worked for the VA ten years.

How many senior executives of the VA received parts of the $10.8 million of bonuses? I don't know. But I sure would love to find out.

 

[Vambram]

The article states that 182 senior executives took part in those bonuses. However, the VA says that they are still in the process of recouping those bonuses back from those 182 senior executives. Unfortunately for the Secretary of the VA, congress had earmarked those almost $11 million to be used to in the critical skill initiatives created through the PACT Act..... there is more explanation about all of this in the op article.

 

[iluvatar5150]

The Biden administration will do what they wish with the money.

“The Biden Administration” were the ones who caught the payments and stopped them. Under Secretary Elnahal is the one who issued them and Secretary McDonough (both Biden appointees) is the one who stopped them and clawed them back.

But then, you’d have to read the actual report to know that.

 

[Vambram]

According to the Executive Summary in this .pdf report, the Assistant Secretary of Management & CFO, Jon Rychalski alerted the VA Secretary that the Office of Management had detected unusual payment activities relating to senior executives.

In my opinion, this kind of unusual payments happens very often within our bureaucracy inside federal and also state governments. I don't believe that this stuff is a new problem at all. I believe that the example in the op article is more evidence of the long, long standing greed of the people in governments.

 

[iluvatar5150]

According to the Executive Summary in this .pdf report, the Assistant Secretary of Management & CFO, Jon Rychalski alerted the VA Secretary that the Office of Management had detected unusual payment activities relating to senior executives.

In my opinion, this kind of unusual payments happens very often within our bureaucracy inside federal and also state governments. I don't believe that this stuff is a new problem at all. I believe that the example in the op article is more evidence of the long, long standing greed of the people in governments.

There are way more controls and way more oversight of executive compensation in the federal government than there is practically anywhere else. These payments had only been in the wild for a few weeks before somebody put a halt to them. Had this happened in the private sector, nothing would have been clawed back and nobody would have been the wiser.

 

[Fantine]

The article states that 182 senior executives took part in those bonuses. However, the VA says that they are still in the process of recouping those bonuses back from those 182 senior executives. Unfortunately for the Secretary of the VA, congress had earmarked those almost $11 million to be used to in the critical skill initiatives created through the PACT Act..... there is more explanation about all of this in the op article.

That amounts to an average of $59,340. per executive. If they want to attract top talent, they have to compete.

My husband has a 100% VA disability rating. (It started a 20% but worsened over the years.) It has been a blessing to us and I don't begrudge them reasonable bonuses.

 

[Vambram]

There are way more controls and way more oversight of executive compensation in the federal government than there is practically anywhere else. These payments had only been in the wild for a few weeks before somebody put a halt to them. Had this happened in the private sector, nothing would have been clawed back and nobody would have been the wiser.

Your comparison might be correct. Do you believe that this comparison also holds true when it comes to the delay and problems in recouping bonuses from people who were not earmarked to get those bonuses?

 

[AlexB23]

How many people received bonuses? The VA probably has hundreds of thousands of employees.
VA salaries are lower than in corporate America. My husband's VA chiropractor said his salary was lower but his student loans--$200k--would be forgiven if he worked for the VA ten years.

By the way, the director of the VA himself (Secretary Denis McDonough) only has a net worth of $3M, according to Forbes, as of 2021. Yes, $3M is a lot, but is not in the 10s of millions range thankfully.

Here’s How Much VA Secretary Denis McDonough Is Worth

Like a lot of people who have served in both the Obama and Biden administrations, McDonough made a fair amount of money during the four years Trump was in charge.

www.forbes.com

 

[AlexB23]

The article states that 182 senior executives took part in those bonuses. However, the VA says that they are still in the process of recouping those bonuses back from those 182 senior executives. Unfortunately for the Secretary of the VA, congress had earmarked those almost $11 million to be used to in the critical skill initiatives created through the PACT Act..... there is more explanation about all of this in the op article.

Well, on average, we can do some armchair math, if I understand this correctly: $10.8 million / 182 executives = ~$60,000/yr per executive bonus approximate, assuming all executives get equal bonuses.

 

[AlexB23]

That amounts to an average of $59,340. per executive. If they want to attract top talent, they have to compete.

My husband has a 100% VA disability rating. (It started a 20% but worsened over the years.) It has been a blessing to us and I don't begrudge them reasonable bonuses.

We both did the math. But, more importantly, I will pray for your husband. May I ask what happened to him? Which war did he serve in?

 

[Valletta]

That amounts to an average of $59,340. per executive. If they want to attract top talent, they have to compete.

My husband has a 100% VA disability rating. (It started a 20% but worsened over the years.) It has been a blessing to us and I don't begrudge them reasonable bonuses.

The money was not supposed to go to senior executives, that's the point. They were not complying with the law. There were multiple people who should have spoken up but did not. The Secretary is not even a veteran, nor did he work his way up through the agency--it's a political appointment. The Inspector General just leaves any punitive action up to the Secretary, not even a minor recommendation. That's why we have corrupt agencies, a lack of accountability.

 

[iluvatar5150]

Your comparison might be correct. Do you believe that this comparison also holds true when it comes to the delay and problems in recouping bonuses from people who were not earmarked to get those bonuses?

They were earmarked to get them by people with authority to do so. The problem is that the people who made the decision didn’t follow the rules in deciding who should be earmarked for the bonuses. This wasn’t a payroll mixup. The under secretary decided to hand out bonuses across the board (most everybody got them, not just execs - afaik, they’re only clawing back the bonuses of the execs) when he should have been more selective.

 

[iluvatar5150]

By the way, the director of the VA himself (Secretary Denis McDonough) only has a net worth of $3M, according to Forbes, as of 2021. Yes, $3M is a lot, but is not in the 10s of millions range thankfully.

Here’s How Much VA Secretary Denis McDonough Is Worth

Like a lot of people who have served in both the Obama and Biden administrations, McDonough made a fair amount of money during the four years Trump was in charge.

www.forbes.com

View attachment 347954

It's pretty unremarkable for somebody in their mid-50's who's been working six-figure jobs for the last 30 years. Responsible spending and consistent retirement savings will get you that far.

 

[AlexB23]

It's pretty unremarkable for somebody in their mid-50's who's been working six-figure jobs for the last 30 years. Responsible spending and consistent retirement savings will get you that far.

True that.

 

[Belk]

According to the Executive Summary in this .pdf report, the Assistant Secretary of Management & CFO, Jon Rychalski alerted the VA Secretary that the Office of Management had detected unusual payment activities relating to senior executives.

In my opinion, this kind of unusual payments happens very often within our bureaucracy inside federal and also state governments. I don't believe that this stuff is a new problem at all. I believe that the example in the op article is more evidence of the long, long standing greed of the people in governments.

Do you have any data to back your opinion up?

My only federal experience was in the military but I can tell you that in 25 years at the local government level I find the idea this happens frequently highly unlikely. My name and every cent I have earned is information readily available on the web as it is for every government employee. I regularly fulfill FOIA requests and know that any data requested which is not sensitive is available for public scrutiny. I can't even buy my team lunch on the public dime. Any celebration for a project completed or job well done comes out of my own pocket.

So unless you have same data I don't think you opinion is correct.

 

[Belk]

By the way, the director of the VA himself (Secretary Denis McDonough) only has a net worth of $3M, according to Forbes, as of 2021. Yes, $3M is a lot, but is not in the 10s of millions range thankfully.

Here’s How Much VA Secretary Denis McDonough Is Worth

Like a lot of people who have served in both the Obama and Biden administrations, McDonough made a fair amount of money during the four years Trump was in charge.

www.forbes.com

View attachment 347954

My wife and I are approaching 3 million and we are both solidly middle class who were studious in our saving. Heck, to retire comfortably these days you need about 2 million if you are going by the 4% rule.

 

[Fantine]

The money was not supposed to go to senior executives, that's the point. They were not complying with the law. There were multiple people who should have spoken up but did not. The Secretary is not even a veteran, nor did he work his way up through the agency--it's a political appointment. The Inspector General just leaves any punitive action up to the Secretary, not even a minor recommendation. That's why we have corrupt agencies, a lack of accountability.

Nothing new. DeJoy is still running the USPS (to the ground) and there is another 5% increase this June.
I need more info on the VA Sec'y.

We both did the math. But, more importantly, I will pray for your husband. May I ask what happened to him? Which war did he serve in?

Vietnam. Like many veterans of Vietnam and the Gulf and Iraq/Afghanistan wars,the problems were due to chemical exposure. Thank you.

 

[AlexB23]

My wife and I are approaching 3 million and we are both solidly middle class who were studious in our saving. Heck, to retire comfortably these days you need about 2 million if you are going by the 4% rule.

My parents are that way as well.