The problems in the VA are just the tip of the iceberg in governmental agencies. All cabinet appointees are temporary, at the pleasure of the president. Career employees are there forever. It is nearly impossible to fire career employees, due to the union and protective regulations.

VA Secretary Eric Shinseki was working against an engrained system. It will be very difficult to change it until the whole governmental bureaucracy employee protective regulations are changed. As and Air Force officer, one of my assignments was at a DOD organization. Some employees told me they would still be there after my three assignment was over, so change was nearly impossible. To replace my retiring deputy, I was forced to take an incompetent employee who received every promotion by challenging every non-selection to a promoted position. So you also have to deal with some incompetence.

Civilian governmental employees know how to work the system to get their promotions and bonus. Most career employees want to and do a good job, but many just want to milk the system because it is the government and very little accountability. With a new secretary of the VA, let’s see how many senior executives get fired over this scandal.

Larry Brickman, Bellevue