VFW Applauds President’s Executive Order
VA employee accountability and whistleblower protections improved
WASHINGTON (April 28, 2017) — President Trump yesterday signed a new executive order that will help the Department of Veterans Affairs hold its employees accountable for their actions or inactions, and better protect whistleblowers.
The executive order creates a VA Office of Accountability and Whistleblower Protection to identify statutory barriers that currently prevent the VA from properly disciplining or terminating employees, as well as hinders the department’s ability to recruit, reward and retain high-performing employees. The new office will report directly to VA Secretary Dr. David Shulkin, and work closely with existing VA offices to ensure all incidents of wrongdoing are properly investigated and corrected, as well as protect those employees who disclose the wrongdoing from retaliation.
“The VA was created for one purpose: to care for our nation’s wounded, ill and injured veterans,” said Brian Duffy, the national commander of the 1.7 million-member Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States and its Auxiliary. “The VFW applauds this action, which we hope will soon be bolstered by the passage of the VA Accountability First Act, because Secretary Shulkin must have the authority to manage his people in a manner expected of all senior executives, public or private.”
Read the executive order, here.
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ABOUT THE VFW: The Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S. is the nation’s largest and oldest major war veterans organization. Founded in 1899 and chartered by Congress in 1936, the VFW is comprised entirely of eligible veterans and military service members from the active, Guard and Reserve forces. With nearly 1.7 million VFW and Auxiliary members located in more than 6,500 Posts worldwide, the nonprofit veterans service organization is proud to proclaim “NO ONE DOES MORE FOR VETERANS” than the VFW, which is dedicated to veterans’ service, legislative advocacy, and military and community service programs. For more information or to join, visit our website at www.vfw.org.