VA Moves are 'An Insult and a Disgrace' says Legion Commander

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Nov 20, 2015, 06:08 ET

WASHINGTON, Nov. 20, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The head of the nation's largest veterans service organization reacted with disappointment about VA's refusal to terminate two senior executives that were at the heart of the latest scandal involving exorbitant relocation allowances.

"After the congressional hearing investigating the matter, I believed that VA was finally understanding the need to hold people accountable," said American Legion National Commander Dale Barnett. "Principal Deputy Under Secretary Danny Pummill admitted that VA had an accountability problem, and, as they say, the first step in rehabilitation is admitting that you have a problem. But now we find out that VARO Directors Diana Rubens and Kimberly Graves are not being terminated, but are just being demoted. After embarrassing the department and, according to the IG, inappropriately using their positions of authority for personal and financial benefit, they are still allowed to draw generous paychecks and continue employment in an agency that was created to serve veterans. This is an insult and disgrace to all veterans. Any promises that VA officials make about accountability in the future need to be taken with a grain of salt."

With a current membership of 2.2 million wartime veterans, The American Legion was founded in 1919 on the four pillars of a strong national security, veterans affairs, Americanism, and youth programs. Legionnaires work for the betterment of their communities through nearly 14,000 posts across the nation.

Media Contact: Andrea Dickerson, (202) 263-2982 / cell (202) 417-4090 [email protected]; John Raughter, (317) 630-1350 / cell (317) 441-8847, [email protected]

SOURCE The American Legion