Letter From V.A.

[carolinarider09]

I know there are lots of veterans on here.  So today I got a letter from the VA signed by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the Acting Under Secretary of Health. 

What the letter is asking is did I get the COVID-19 vaccine (which I have because of my age) and to contact them and get my records updated to show that I got the shots.

The question I have is that I have never interacted with them and I don't know that I have any health records in their custody. 

So, my initial thought is to ignore them since the information about my vaccination is between me and my doctor of which the VA is not a participant. 

Any reason this is not a correct response?? 

[Jess from VA]

I'm a veteran, and I never filed any kind of VA disability claim, and have no service connected disability, and am not enrolled in the VA healthcare system, and have never been treated at a VA facility.  (I did get one VA home loan guarantee in 1992, long paid off)  I worked at HQ VA for 18 years.

My only contact with them (ever) has been them telling me my military and civilian personnel records were compromised.  Twice.  Nice work there fellas.  

I haven't got such a letter.  

If I do, I think I'll toss it.  As opposed to returning it with a note that says none of your business.  

I mean, there are good and legitimate reasons for VA record keeping, but the covid and vaccine have become so politicized, I'm not sure I would want to participate in that record keeping.

Unless I'm missing something (which is possible).

PS:   Curious, despite any signatories, was the return address DC, or the SC VA Regional Office in Columbia?    

[carolinarider09]

My thoughts also Jess.

The Return address is U. S. Deparment of Veterans Affairs.     That is all.

The headline on the letter was

The Secretary of Veterans Affairs
Washington

[Jess from VA]

The Secretary of Veterans Affairs Washington

I wonder who appointed him?        

With a negative reply of any kind (in your file), you never know what petty functionary with a clipboard (or sitting US Secretary) could later fail to notify you of something important, or reply to your letter, or lose your letter, or deny you a service or claim, just because you did.

Many years ago, I wrote two letters of resignation; one that said my experience at that firm was the worst thing that ever happened to me in my life (that I desperately wanted to give), and the other that said thanks for the good experience but I have an offer to work in something that I feel better suited to. It's a good thing I used the second one, because within the year, I needed a small reference from them, and got a good one.

Burned bridges might never be crossed again.

My new boss wanted me to come to work right away, but I insisted it was professional to give two weeks notice.  The day they got my resignation with two weeks notice, I was given two weeks pay and told not to return to that office.  (two weeks pay was about a buck two ninty-eight) 

Maybe this is the reason for the letter (I dunno).
https://www.va.gov/health-care/covid-19-vaccine/  

[carolinarider09]

I think you are correct Jess.  They know I am a veteran.  Don't remember how they might have gotten my address but it might be through the IRS since they have my most recent mailing address. 

[Jess from VA]

I'll report back if I get that letter.  I'm only 15 miles from VA HQ.

I would not go into DC or the VA Medical Center there for a stubbed toe (or anything else).

Many VAMCs are very professional outfits.  But not all of them are. 

[Top Cat NJ]

I'm in the VA health care system, it was about a month ago that they finally called me to ask if I was vaccinated or wanted one. Jeez

[Andy Cote]

My suspicious nature (trust but verify) wonders if this might be a scam.

 "Just go to this link and give us your social security number."

Anyway, sounds like you're going to trash it whcih is probably best.  Some details on scams: https://blogs.va.gov/VAntage/83137/veterans-avoid-covid-19-vaccine-scams/

[The emperor has no clothes]

My suspicious nature (trust but verify) wonders if this might be a scam.

 "Just go to this link and give us your social security number."

Anyway, sounds like you're going to trash it whcih is probably best.  Some details on scams: https://blogs.va.gov/VAntage/83137/veterans-avoid-covid-19-vaccine-scams/

My thoughts exactly. I’m a veteran and have never received any letters from the VA.

[Ramie]

Same here, no letter.

[semo97]

Disabled vet and use the clinic and hospital, never got a letter. I would pitch it. Once you served they can find you. You do not have to use there services. They found me in the 80s on a remote high desert ranch. Thought I was off the grid.

[old2soon]

          When they queried me about the arm poke I got a text. I lined everything up before I retired. social insecurity and my V A services. And jiust recently I got the amount well not charged I guess what you'd pay without insurance on mt catarat surgery. Almost 19 G. When I went down in 16 and busted up my left ankle I had NO/NONE/NADA copay. Same for the eye work. I've got like Zero complaints far as my V A med "stuff" goes. Just wish they'd pay fer Dental But I was Not injured in the Nam Combat Zone. Lookin back shoulda walked into an A/C or fell down a ladder with jaw injuries!  THEN it would have been All Covered!  RIDE SAFE.

[Jess from VA]

Dennis, the VA has never covered (paid disability or fixed) ordinary dental work as attributable to service.

Except residuals of face/head/teeth injury (or possibly a disease) incurred in service.  And if you had that, they would only fix the teeth related to that injury or diseases, and no others.

On active duty they fix you up, and after you're on your own.

Just like the military, VA has always had more trouble getting dentists than doctors to serve. (My wife got a lot of great dental work overseas while I was on active duty, but once back in CONUS, she was only space A as a dependent wife, and there was never any space A at the base dental clinic for dependents, period.)

Who has insurance while serving on active duty?  Unless your dependent spouse had it with her own employment.  Mine didn't.

[scooperhsd]

Dennis, the VA has never covered (paid disability or fixed) ordinary dental work as attributable to service.

Except residuals of face/head/teeth injury (or possibly a disease) incurred in service.  And if you had that, they would only fix the teeth related to that injury or diseases, and no others.

On active duty they fix you up, and after you're on your own.

Just like the military, VA has always had more trouble getting dentists than doctors to serve. (My wife got a lot of great dental work overseas while I was on active duty, but once back in CONUS, she was only space A as a dependent wife, and there was never any space A at the base dental clinic for dependents, period.)

Who has insurance while serving on active duty?  Unless your dependent spouse had it with her own employment.  Mine didn't.

That is exactly how I got orthodontic work done - through the wife's dental insurance. The Navy did an awful amount of maintenance on my teeth - double appointments for cavities was the norm for me . Afterwards, the braces sure helped reduce the amount, but now, I'm back with (IMO) way too much work.

[old2soon]

        Preciate the heads up Jess. And Had I been injured on the ship or a shore base The Navy would have taken care of it Then. Guessin here and Not dissin the Fine V A Folks at The John J. Pershing V A Hospital in Poplar Bluff Mo. But if the memory circuits ain't fried someone couple years back had mentioned had I been injured in the face in the Nam Combat Zone the care would have been ongoing. Again Jess Thnks fer clarifying that.  RIDE SAFE.

[semo97]

I spoke to soon, got the letter today. Nothing different from the emails sent from Overton Brooks VA Hospital in Shreveport that I get twice a day. I signed up for them, lots of good info about the system and benefits. I have had good care from the VA. Sometimes you get the run around, but I have been in the system long enough to figure it out. Nobody will tell you how long natural immunity lasts in your system, and how it would react to the shot. They may try and pull some sort of threat that  they would drop some of you disability %.  Nothing would surprise me. Mine is total and permanent but they can do anything they want.

[old2soon]

          And "my letter" arrived today and as signed as posted by the O P. The date on the top is June 21 2021 over a month ago sent from Wahington D C and no cancellation mark on the postage. With the slick folder splainin "stuff"! But as I've staed earlier I've alrady started the poke protocol. And I M H O-Former P O T U S TRump had it Right from the gitgo-whuhan virus china virus. RIDE SAFE.

[Oldfishguy]

Same here, my letter came today too; it is also dated June 21.  I have never been on a VA health care plan, very odd.

[Jess from VA]

And here you guys thought they didn't give a damn about you.  

I didn't get no letter.  

BTW:  US Dept of Veterans Affairs becomes 1st federal agency to enact COVID vaccine mandate.

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/veterans-affairs-covid-vaccine-mandate-health-care-personnel

[Tundra]

Same here, my letter came today too; it is also dated June 21.  I have never been on a VA health care plan, very odd.

Same here, received last night. Never been back since discharge, never filed or claimed anything. Just moved on...they found me. hahaha

[old2soon]

       Fellow Veterans. Fer most of us here It's been a day or three since we filled out All that Military paperwork. I believe I was also being vetted for Secret clearance. Something tells me that paperwork was NOT destroyed. Think about it!  RIDE SAFE. And The Navy also took my fingerprints. 

[scooperhsd]

Secret ? - I had an investigation for Top Secret once - but the billets I was in didn't require it, so it was "Administraively downgraded without prejudice" to Secret again. Also, while was the CIC officer on the frigate, one of my collateral duties was Secret Control Officer. Holy cow - I got message traffic like crazy - I saw everything secret that came to our ship and made sure it was sent to the appropriate parties (usually CO, XO, department heads, other division officers (and for some divisions - this could have been CPO, SCPO, MCPO ).

[Jess from VA]

I only had a secret too.  And after I saw all the trouble top secret caused everyone around it, and few people get hammered for forgetfulness or very minor deviance from rules, I did my best to never need or get a TS.

I also got a real laugh out of all the stuff classified Secret, like how tall the grass was.

Two times overseas, I was working on things when the security manager (with the combination to the safe) went home before I did, so I had to stay there all night to protect my materials (as opposed to locking them in my desk, or hiding them in the ceiling, or taking them home, which will all get you in big trouble).  Allowed no firearms, this stuff was safer in the ceiling than out on my desk with bright red Secret cover sheets (on a machine gun guarded facility), but rules was rules.  And it was not operational stuff, it was mostly contract shyster stuff.  

Being the worker bee on an overseas Foreign Claims Commission  (with single service jurisdiction over all claims against all branches of service for Turkey, Egypt, Israel, Syria, USSR, India and some of Africa), I had to deal with some classified matters.  And had to decide all claims by Turks against the USAF, which are mostly governed under NATO SOFA under host nation law.  There was not one set of Turkish Law books in English, so I worked closely with our good young Turkish attorney.  As a matter of custom and courtesy, we forwarded copies of all foreign claims across town (Ankara) to another USAF headquarters, for review and return.  When they came back, they had been classified Secret NO FORN (no foreign nationals, including my Turkish attorney).  I had to tell the USAF Lt Col if he kept doing that, he wasn't ever going to get to see that work again.  My Col trumped him.  My Turkish was good enough to get out and around and find the banyo, but not to do contract and claims law.

Typical, was the claim from a Turkish shepherd who had the Army at Sinop (on the Black Sea) run over 4 of his sheep with a truck.  Because he allowed them unsupervised on the highway, the claim was not payable under Turkish law.  But I got a call from the commander up there who said I didn't understand; that shepherd owned property abutting the Army base, and if we didn't pay him, he would throw rocks over the fence and break all the windows out of the motor pool inventory.  So we wiggled the paperwork and paid him anyway.

I also spent one day with an NCO who killed a little old lady crossing the street with his car.  Yes, it was in the middle of a city block with no crosswalk, but it was very bad form.  I had earlier talked with the Turkish police captain on scene commander to find out what they were thinking.  Later, I told the NCO to look over at the three junior policeman standing across the street staring at him.   See those guys over there?  Yeah, what's up with them?  The lady you killed was their mother, and they'd like very much to skin you alive.  We paid that claim too.  (At the time, they lost around 90 pedestrian fatalities a month in Turkey, because they never heard of crosswalks)