When Vet Asks for Help, Clinton Defends VA: We Need ‘All Hands on Deck Program’

UNKNOWN MALE: “I was very glad to hear you talk about the New Hampshire not having a full service hospital. First of all, a lot of us have been fighting that for many years, many years. Secondly, as a Vietnam veteran who filed a claim for an increase in my service connected disability, six years ago, and it’s still pending. I was at the V.A. Medical Center, yesterday. My 4th — 4th examination. Six years, and it still going on. I tell people there is on the outside and they think I’m crazy. They said how can the V.A. take 6 years to process a claim? There is — I’ll show you the facts. So, I’m very happy to hear you talk about those two things for sure.” 

CLINTON: “Well. I want to — we’ve made a little progress in the last two — year or two in processing claims we still have a big backlog, as you know personally. And we’re getting an increasing backlog in appeals from denials, with only partial approvals. I think we need a kind of all hands on deck program, where I’d be — I’d be open to working with V.S.O. and others. Let’s recruit people who have some accounting, some legal, some other experience and let’s put them to work on this. You know, we’re not going to be able to hire the numbers of people we need to deal with this. It’s not just a question of getting everything, you know, on the computer, which we need to do also. But, while we’re dealing with all this paper, let’s get more hands and eyes to help us. And that’s one of my goals, is let’s just tackle it like we would tackle any serious challenge facing our country and get everybody who can, to participate. So, that’s what — maybe the next time I see you will make some progress, Bob.” (Laughter)

UNKNOWN MALE: “I hope so.”

CLINTON: “Yeah, me too, me too.”

UNKNOWN MALE: “I hope that we don’t have to wait until January —“

CLINTON: “Yeah.” 

UNKNOWN MALE: “— 2017” (Laughter)