THE REAL ISSUE: NONE OF THE LEADERSHIP AT SOUTHERN NV VA ARE VETERANS OR DOCTORS!

June 6, 2017

After last week’s story about how the VA is failing to pay outside Health Care providers and the failure of the leadership to even take the calls of Veterans having issues, the real problem became apparent. None of the top leadership at the Southern Nevada VA are Veterans or Doctors. The leadership are all career bureaucrats. All of whom get their health care insurance from the Federal Health Insurance system and not from the VA.

The Director of the Southern Nevada VA is Peggy W. Kearns, a career bureaucrat. Peggy started out as a dietetic Intern at the VA.

Direct from Peggy’s Webpage:

“Ms. Kearns began her career with the VA as a Dietetic Intern at the Hines (Ill.) VA Medical Center in 1983 and, prior to her current appointment, served as Director of the Aleda E. Lutz VA Medical Center in Saginaw, Mich. She has a Master’s Degree in Adult Health Education from Indiana University, a Master’s Degree in Organization and Management from Capella University and a Bachelor’s Degree in Nutrition from Purdue University. Ms. Kearns is also board certified as a Fellow in the American College of Health Care Executives and a VA Certified Mentor.”

The #2 person- Mr. John Stelsel Acting Associate Director

Mr. John Stelsel was appointed as Acting Associate Director, VA Southern Nevada Healthcare System (VASNHS) in September 2012. No mention if he ever served but Mr. Stelsel holds a Bachelor and Master’s Degree in Occupational Safety.

The # 3 person- April R Creed Acting Assistant Director

Ms. Creed began her VA career as Laboratory Manager at VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System in 2012. Prior to beginning her current acting assignment, she spent four years as the VA Southern Nevada Healthcare System’s Laboratory Manager where she oversaw the establishment of both inpatient and outpatient Laboratory operations at the North Las Vegas VA Medical Center when the facility opened in 2013.

Isn’t time our VA was lead by people who know what it means to at least go through basic training? Isn’t time our VA was lead by people who know what it means to stand guard all night, alone thousands of miles away from family and loved ones? Isn’t time our VA was lead by people who are Doctors and or nurses working on the front lines with Veterans?