VA Announces Largest Reorganization in Department History
The Department of Veterans Affairs announced on Monday that the organization would be restructuring into a simplified, 5-region national framework as part of a large-scale effort to improve veterans services and decrease the level of bureaucracy in the VA.
The five regions will apply to all of the different sections of the Department, including the Veterans Benefits Administration, the Veterans Health Administration, the National Cemetery Administration, the Office of General Counsel, and the Office of Information and Technology.
Previously, the different branches of the VA worked under nine different geographical maps, which divided the country into dozens of regions. The organizational structure was exceedingly complicated. For example, the Veterans Benefits Administration is made up of four regions, while the Veterans Health Administration has 152 medical centers spread throughout 23 districts. Under the new plan, called MyVA, every organization will have the same five regions.
The VA hopes that the simplified organization will allow veterans to have a more seamless experience when they are working with different departments of the VA.
The VA announced its plan for new district boundaries in September, but only released its map with the geographic changes this week. All of the details of the reorganization, including how the change will affect local VA centers or call centers, will not be ironed out until the end of June.
While VA officials could not give many details about the changes, the director of the MyVA program said that employees would begin to feel positive impacts from the new districts in the not too distant future. The VA said that cutting jobs was not part of the reorganization process.
The MyVA approach was specifically designed to rebuild trust with veterans and the public after a myriad of VA scandals last year. VA Secretary Bob McDonald stated that the goal of the reorganization was for veterans to know who to contact, know where to go on the websites, and know what benefits are available so that they can easily connect with us to get the benefits and the services that theyve already earned and deserved.
Any major changes to an organization as large as the VA will take time. Hopefully, the new organization will give veterans the help they need to navigate the complicated system.
If you or your loved one is having difficulty understanding how to receive benefits from the VA, or if your benefits claim was denied, Vets National Advocates is here to help. Our advocates will help you file your appeal at no cost to you, and will help you get the benefits you deserve.
Use our case evaluation form or call 877-777-4021 to discuss your appeals claim today.
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