Week 11 Assignment 6

Analysis of the Selected Agency

Lauren Riley

Dr, Angela Smith

Public Administration Capstone

February 2, 2020

History of the Department of Veteran Affairs

The United States of America is well known for its expansive and generous support to war veterans, more so than any other nation in the world. The history of this support can be dated back to 1636 at the time when the Pilgrims of Plymouth Colony engaged in warfare with the Pequot Indians. During that time, the Pilgrims constituted that all the victims of the war that have been injured either physically or emotionally should be given support by the government (Lipschitz et al., 2017).

During the Revolutionary War, the 1776 Continental Congress passed laws to give benefits such as pensions to the soldiers that became disabled during the war. During the younger days of the republic, various states came up with rules that called for the provision of hospital care and other medical services to the injured soldiers. In the year 1811, the United States federal government authorized the initial domiciliary and medical facility that catered to the needs of veterans. Going into the 19th century the program received major boosts when both veterans and their families, along with other dependents were included in the benefits plans (Affairs, 2015).

After the Civil War, a large number of veteran homes were created. Medical care was available full-time for U.S. veterans for injuries and diseases acquired from service or any other origin. Disabled and indigent veterans of the Indian War, Civil War, Spanish-American War and Mexican Border period and other members of the Armed Forces that were discharged from service received care nondiscriminatory.

In 1917, the United States debuted World War I and this called for Congress to create laws that cared for the need of veterans. Services such as compensation, insurance, and rehabilitation for affected soldiers. In 1920, the United States had already initiated three different agencies that took care of the different needs of the Veterans. The departments were Veterans Bureau, the National Home for the Disabled Volunteer Soldiers and Pensions of the Interior Department.

Goals and Objectives of establishment

The main aim for the establishment of the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs was to create a haven for the American soldiers who went through a lot fighting the great wars that the United States has been involved in from the time immemorial. The VA was created to provide medical, psychological and emotional support to the veterans of war while showing love and care simultaneously. The extension of this care to their immediate families and other dependents shows how they were important in fighting for the liberties of America.

Mission Statement

To honor the promise by President Lincoln of taking care of the survivors of the U.S. soldiers, their widows, and their dependents.

Vision Statement

To provide excellent medical services and other benefits to veterans for the services they diligently provided to the American people. In doing this, the department strives to attain the highest possible standards of commitment, compassion, excellence, integrity, professionalism, stewardship and accountability.

Core Values

· Commitment

· Integrity

· Advocacy

· Respect

· Excellence

Organizational Chart

Figure 1: VA department organizational structure.

The Veterans department is headed by Secretary of Veteran Affairs (SECVA), an appointee of the President with the approval of the U.S. Senate. The secretary has a deputy (DEPSECVA) who is the second in command. Under the deputy, there is the chief of staff (COSVA) who coordinates the policy guidelines from the secretary of the VA with other Staff Offices, VA’s Administration and other key officials.

Staff Offices and Administrations- The department is made of three administrations (Veteran Health Administration, Veteran Benefits Administration, and National Cemetery Administration) that oversee benefits and services delivery as well as seven Assistant Secretaries who provide support and advice to the SECVA. It also has Administration and Staff Offices whose main role is offering specific support to the SECVA. The heads of the three departments provide important information to the SECVA through the DEPSECVA.

The elaborate organizational structure of the Department of Veteran Affairs creates an equitable power distribution that ensures power is distributed to the grassroots (Department of Veterans Affairs, 2019). The leaders at these grassroots are ensured that all the beneficiaries of the program are reached and that the critical services are given to them. Moreover, the functional organizational structure distributes power effectively from the top-level employees to the low-level employees ensuring an effective making of policy decisions that affect service delivery to the intended recipients.

Assessment of Organizational Design

Without a doubt, the organizational structure of the Department of Veteran Affairs illustrates a considerable high level of effectiveness. However, further assessment revealed there is a significant level of bureaucracy brought on by several levels of power distribution. In my opinion, for instance, I believe that the office of the Chief of Staff needs to be completely removed. Through this, the secretary of the Veteran Affairs will work directly with their deputy as well as the Assistance Secretaries, which helps removes the bureaucracy involved with the provision of services to the Veterans and their families. This will not only reduce the bureaucracy but also ensure that the change made does not jeopardize the functionality of the organization as a whole.

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Evaluation of Planning and Implementation

Since inception, the Department of Veteran Affairs has seen notable milestones, which have contributed massively to its operations. One particular milestone is March 15, 1989 when the organization became the 14th department to become apart of cabinet of the President. This was a major step as far as the reputation of the organization is concerned. The change affected elements such as organizational design, decision-making, and implementation. Another boost has been identified as the contribution of various U.S. Presidents including the former President as well as the current one, President Trump. In 2011, Obama's government acknowledged the effort of the veterans after 150 years of actively honoring the veterans by approving direct compensation to the family caregiver of a veteran.

Chain of commands creates significant impedance to the implementation of the organization's policy, as well as strives to meet its goals and objectives. The chain creates bureaucracy that makes service delivery channels a bit longer, hence escalating the challenges faced by veterans before they receive assistance. Another significant impedance to the working of the Veteran Affairs department is a reform that has been proposed for a long time now. The reform suggests the changing of the department allowing veterans to make use of some amount of private care at the expense of the taxpayers' money. The issue has been a central point of unending debates that contribute to the ineffective working of the organization.

Recommendation for Planning and Implementations

To bring improvement to the Department of Veterans Affairs, I have two strategies to expedite the process. One is that the department must stand strong to support programs aimed at improving female veterans. While this may appear as an added weight to them, it will also serve as a means through which they can build their reputation consequently culminating in their overall improvement.

Another area that the organization needs to work on is the constant updating of its medical record-keeping system. This system acts as a critical interface between the agency and veterans and this calls for proper and frequent updates of the system. The updates make the system faster and this is critical in improving the organization's planning, decision-making, organization, and implementation.

References

Affairs, D. of V. (2005, January 1). Veterans Affairs. Retrieved from https://www.va.gov/about_va/vahistory.asp

Lipschitz, J. M., Benzer, J. K., Miller, C., Easley, S. R., Leyson, J., Post, E. P., & Burgess, J. F. (2017). Understanding collaborative care implementation in the Department of Veterans Affairs: core functions and implementation challenges. BMC health services research, 17(1), 691.

Rodriguez, A., & Brown, A. (2016). Conceptualizing leadership psychosis: the Department of Veteran Affairs scandal. International Journal of Public Leadership.

Department of Veterans Affairs, (2019). Veterans Benefits Administration, Office of the Associate Deputy Under Secretary for Management, & Office of Facilities. (n.d.). VA.gov: Veterans Affairs. Retrieved from https://benefits.va.gov/benefits/

Office of Enterprise Integration

Office of information and Management

Office of Management

Off. Of Inspector General

Veterans Experience Office

Off. Of Acquisition, Logistics, and construction

Office of General Counsel

Off. Of Human Resources, Security and Preparedness

Off. Of public and intergovernmental affairs

Off. Of Accountability, and Whistleblowers protection

Off. Of Congressional and Legislative Affairs

Board of Veterans Appeal

Veteran Cemetery Administration

Veteran Health Administration

Veteran Benefits Administration

Secretary of the VA (SECVA)

Deputy SECVA