I think one’s experience with the VA system entirely depends on where they are.
My dad lives in Arizona, which is apparently “ground zero” for bad VA service: long wait times, poor service, crappy employees, etc.
Up here in Washington state, after being out of the Navy for about ten years, I had a bit of a medical issue (really bad asthma attack that landed me in a hospital). I was treated and released by a regular hospital, and referred to the local VA hospital for a follow-up.
I went to the appointment a couple days later, where I met a rather on-the-ball social worker who asked me a few questions, had me fill out a couple of forms, and explained that she was putting me on a Section 8 housing list for veterans (the HUD-VASH program).
I didn’t think much of it at the time, because I knew that Section 8’s waiting list was huge, and I went on to see the other folks at the hospital that needed to see me.
During that hospital visit, I was provided with the appropriate medication for my asthma, given a complete physical, including an eye exam, and was told to pick out my new frames for the new prescription I needed.
I picked them out, and a couple weeks later, they arrived in the mail … but unfortunately, I somehow managed to scratch one of the lenses as I was cleaning them after opening the box they were in … and the VA hospital sent me another pair.
For free.
A couple months later, I got a call from that on-the-ball social worker. She told me that my housing had come through, and to go out and find a one bedroom apartment to move in to
I liked the first place I looked at, but I was looking at a two bedroom, and I only qualified for a one bedroom apartment, which, they told me, would be vacant in a week or so.
When I went back a week later to see the one bedroom, I said I would take it, and the apartment complex’s assistant manager and I went back to the office, where I was told they had actually just rented that particular unit … so instead, they gave me the two bedroom I had looked at originally.
All that from my first trip to the VA hospital.
Sorry about the length!