Billboards in Indianapolis : “VA is lying, veterans are dying”

By Bennett HaeberlePublished: October 13, 2015, 8:22 pm  Updated: October 13, 2015, 8:28 pm

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Two billboards challenging the care provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs have popped up in Indianapolis this week.

The billboards read: “VA is lying, veterans are dying” and are the product of Ron Nesler, a southern Indiana Vietnam veteran whose Facebook group “VA is lying” now has more than 19,000 followers.

The digital billboards, which were placed near the Indiana State Fairgrounds and at Interstate 465 and Michigan Road, were paid for through donations and can cost about $1,000 a month, according to Mike Stinfer, a former Marine associated with Nesler’s group.

“It came about as way to voice our concerns. (It’s) a movement – a peaceful movement to show that us veterans have kind of had enough of the rhetoric with Veterans Affairs,” Stinfer said in an interview Tuesday.

Stinfer, who lives in Warsaw, Ind., has his own issues with the VA. He says after his tour in Iraq in 2003 he had trouble obtaining his medical records and has since had issues obtaining the VA benefits he’s earned.

“Quite frankly, let’s just call it what it is – these are atrocities to veterans,” Stinfer said referring to issues surrounding the VA.

The group has financed similar billboards in Arizona, Minnesota, Illinois, Georgia and Florida. Indiana is just the latest state to earn them.

“We feel that Indiana is a place that needs to get better. Not just operational wise for the VA but care-wise,” Stinfer said.

The VA has been riddled with criticisms in recent years from allegations of mismanaged care, to long wait times, to poor record keeping.

VA Secretary Robert McDonald toured Indianapolis’ Roudebush VA Medical Center in July touting its improvements. Just a year ago, Roudebush VA Medical Center was among a handful of VA facilities under investigation for its care and long wait times. An I-Team 8 review of the recent data shows while most veterans are being seen within 30 days of scheduling their appointments, there are 140 vets who haven’t been seen in more than three months, according to data from the Veterans Health Administration.

Nationwide, 40,000 veterans have waited more than three months to seen. That’s up from 25,000 this time last year.

After repeated attempts seeking a comment about these billboards, Pete Scovill, a spokesman for the VA’s Roudebush facility, released a statement that read:

“The Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center works tirelessly to provide the very best, most appropriate healthcare for our Veterans.  While we respect the freedom of speech rights of those who may not agree with laws and regulations which govern our health care system, we do regret the negative atmosphere they have created.”

Each year the Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center provides service to over 62,000 Veterans.  The vast majority of the Veterans we serve  are proud to receive their health care in our Medical Center.

VA employees are servants of our nation’s heroes.  We are not perfect but we truly respect an honor our Veterans. We appreciate the help , WISH-TV and their colleagues in the Indianapolis media provide to communicate with Veterans and ensure they know we are here to provide service they have earned and deserve.”