Part II: Swindling Veterans by Arkansas Veterans Administration

Arkansas Veterans Home, Little Rock, AR
Vets IGNORED by contracted physician,
AR Veterans Admin and Gov. Beebe

"In 2010, inspectors found no evidence that the chief medical director for the Little Rock Veterans Home had even been in the facility in over a year!"

Dr. Bill Smith: In what may become a series of articles on the abuse of Veterans by the administrators of the Arkansas Veterans Administration, we share more bad news beyond those at reported in the first article: Swindling Veterans - The Arkansas Department of Veterans Affairs - In summary, Arkansans have been shorted $780,000 in mismanaged or vanished money at the Arkansas Department of Veterans Affairs!

As stated in the first article, "I am very concerned with this 'culture of mismanagement.' Have Arkansas veterans and their families experienced or may they yet experience real physical harm or loss due to a lack of responsible or available services? Has the Governor and therefore the State of Arkansas negated its responsibility of oversight, accountability and protection of Arkansans?"

We now learn hat veterans were both ignored and harmed. In a podcast titled Arkansas Government Neglects Arkansas Veterans, Curtis Coleman reported:

According to a recent story by Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reporter Amy Schlesing, in 2010 no evidence could be found that Dr. Robert Nayles, the medical director for the Arkansas Veterans Home had even been in the facility for over a year. Because of his alleged negligence, Arkansas veterans were improperly medicated and not properly cared for.

Despite the fact that the Dr. Nayles’ contract obligated him to spend at least 20 hours per month in the facility at a pay rate of over $100 per hour, Ms. Schlesing reported that VA inspectors had found that, “Clinical records revealed the State Physician of the facility had not signed 60-day orders, phone orders, provided physician visits or recorded medical information in the progress notes for a period of up to a year.”

And in spite of the fact that both state and federal inspectors had cited Nayles for violations every year for the last five consecutive years, Nayles continued to be re-hired by the State every year. Incredibly, it was Nayles who terminated his contract with the State, not the other way around!

I agree with Coleman's final conclusion, "This is maltreatment of Arkansas’s most treasured citizens at its worst and malfeasance by State government at its most intolerable. Not Robert Nayles nor any official of State government related to this disgusting and sickening situation should be allowed to walk away without consequence."

This second report on malfeasance connected with the Arkansas Veterans Administration. In the first article, the focus was on misappropriated and missing money and the potential threat to the proper treatment of veterans.  As stated, "As fellow Arkansas Veterans, we need to join all other Arkansas citizens in demanding an accounting for these lost / misappropriated funds. This is not a political issue, and there is no time-limit on holding elected officials accountable! We must not forget, please share this information, and join me in holding our Governor accountable. We must protect the resources for our veterans."

Now, we see our worst fears being manifested. Veterans residing in the Arkansas Veterans Home were abandoned by management of the Arkansas Veterans Administration and by the very doctor contracted to for their care. Both management and Governor Beebe were informed of this problem at the Veterans Home. "Both state and federal inspectors had cited Nayles for violations every year for the last five consecutive years, Nayles continued to be re-hired by the State every year." But as identified, they evidently did not care.

Gov. Mike Beebe must be held accountable. This is gross negligence of the physical care of veterans combined with the reported gross misappropriation of funds under the former director of the Arkansas Veterans Administration evidence again a major FUBAR!

Not to chase rabbits, but I find it disturbing that Mr. Beebe wishes to push Obamacare on the state of Arkansas while at the same time evidencing a willingness to allow the physical care veterans to be neglected. First, he ignored the theft of funds, second, he allowed veterans to languish in pain or to even die without appropriate care in the Arkansas Veterans Home and and now three, he want to implement ObamaCare. Can we surmise, the whiff of a willingness to support Obamacare "death panels" in Arkansas?

While remaining concerned for Arkansas Veterans, I now fear also for lack of services for the elderly and the in-firmed under any program managed or directed by State of Arkansas especially when governed by mismanagement as evidenced by the present administration. God Help Us!

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Tags: Arkansas, Department of Veterans Affairs, mismanagement, vanished money, corruption, misused funds, veterans, veterans families, Bureaucrats, Governor Mike Beebe, Arkansas Legislature, Taxpayer, Amy Schlesing, Arkansas Legislative Council, Attorney General, Democrat-Gazette, disabled veterans, Robert Nayles, VA Inspectors, Veterans Affairs, Veterans Home, war-wounded To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!