Research - Rehabilitation - Re-Employment

Sgt. Shaft 01/28/2002

Dear Sgt. Shaft:
Over the past several years, there has been an on-going dialogue concerning the transition of our Nation's separating veterans into the civilian workforce. With the development of the President's fiscal year 2003 budget, we now hear that the talk has turned into action. Unfortunately, it's the wrong move.

We recently received word that the President's fiscal 2003 budget will incorporate an Office of Management and Budget proposal to restructure the Veterans Employment and Training Service and relocate it to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) from the Department of Labor (DOL).

While formalizing the proposal into a President's budget is a first, the proposal itself is not new. In fact, the Report of the Congressional Commission on Servicemembers and Veterans Transition Assistance," headed by current Secretary of Veterans Affairs Anthony Principi, makes the recommendation that the Congress study "the feasibility and desirability of consolidating into a single organization entity the administration of veterans' employment and training programs," now divided between DOL/VETS and VA's VR&C.

The new management team at DOL, appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate, has barely had time to locate the light switches let alone implement the changed necessary to restore VETS to he level of prestige it once enjoyed.

I submit now is not the time to perform a radical amputation of VETS from the Labor Department. Let Labor implement the necessary corrective action with appropriate congressional oversight. Don't dismantle a program that was built out of necessity to ensure that veterans are not burdened with unemployment. And, especially, don't hand it off to VA, presently working hard to straighten out its own management challenges of providing veterans healthcare and servicing disability claims.

On a second matter, Secretary Martinez of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) continues to remain silent concerning the long-suffering issue of categorizing Disabled Veterans Compensation as income for access to HUD's low-income senior assisted housing programs. Since you last addressed this issue in your December 27, 1999 column, HUD officials have remained unresponsive to veterans' organizations efforts to seek resolution. It is incomprehensible that this administrative matter continues to block improvement in the quality of life for America's aging disabled veterans. And, it is outrageous that HUD bureaucrats have entrenched themselves and refused to act on the legitimate concerns that have been raised.

It is my understanding that the relief sought can be implemented by a simple administrative decision to change a regulation. Mr. Robert S. Kenison of the Office of HUD General Counsel agrees and is on record saying, "The immediate step, if this is the Department's desired position, is to get a regulation in gear." There is a precedent for such action. Since there is no apparent forward movement on this matter, I can only conclude that Secretary Martinez has elected not to exercise his authority to eliminate thai artificial barrier. And, that is a travesty.

Robert L. Jones
AMVETS, National Executive Director

Dear Bob:
I totally agree with you that transferring the Veterans Employment and Training (VETS) Program from the Department of Labor (DoL) to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is ludicrous. We veterans all agree, however, that drastic improvements must be made in the very important employment training program for veterans.

In a recent hearing of the House Veterans Affairs Subcommittee on Benefits, Chairman Mike Simpson (R-ID) and other members of the subcommittee highlighted the GAO report "Veterans Employment and Training Service: Flexibility and Accountability Needed to Improve Service to Veterans" which recommended adjusting the Disabled Veterans' Outreach Program (DVOP) and Local Veterans' Employment Representatives (LVER) programs grant funding cycle to a program year basis and combining both programs into one funding program. GAO also recommended increasing flexibility to states on the location and status of DVOP and LVER staff; establishing a performance measurement system; and creating rewards for success and penalties for failure.

Chairman Simpson emphasized, and I concur, "The Department of Labor, Veterans Affairs, and state and local employment services have got to take a long, hard and fresh look at how effective they have been in helping our nation's veterans transition to the civilian job market. We have got to thing 'outside the box' as we review all of our employment and training programs to ensure that our emphasis and resources go to helping veterans find meaningful employment." 

Congressman Silvestre Reyes (D-TX), the Ranking Democratic Member of the subcommittee, said, "At some point, very soon I hope, our military servicemembers will return home. Because of this our focus on employment assistance for these heroes is entirely appropriate. It is our clear responsibility to provide the tools and help necessary to maximize opportunities for job-seeking veterans."

Regarding you comment on HUD's low-income senior assisted housing program, let me shaftly restate my position. It is despicable that the current administration is continuing the unfair Clinton/Cuomo policy towards disabled veterans by administering the means-test. The meany-test is a far cry from the Bush concept of compassionate conservatism. I urge the President and the 107th Congress to promptly eliminate HUD's inclusion of VA compensation as income determining eligibility for HUD housing programs.

SHAFT KUDOS
The sarge is looking forward to joining other members of the National Press Club (NPC), their guests and members of the public at a NPC luncheon featuring Homeland Security Chief and friend, the Honorable Tom Ridge. Former Governor of Pennsylvania, and fellow Vietnam combat veteran, continues to unselfishly serve our country. This luncheon will take place on February 7, at noon. For additional information, contact Pat Nelson at (202) 662-7500.

Send letters to Sgt. Shaft, c/o John Fales, P.O. Box 65900, Washington, D.C. 20035-5900; fax to 301-622-3330; call 202-462-4430 or email sgtshaft@bavf.org.

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