Things voters should know about Mike Thompson, our Senator for Lake, Mendocino, Napa Counties and many others. In 1959 I was honorably discharged from the Army Ready Reserves, I did not ever talk to the VA prior to 2011. After about 60 days into 2012, I wanted to know what was going on with myself and the VA.
The VA puts you on the back burner and does not even want to talk to you or waste their time talking to you. But I was persistent and kept hammering them. They sent me letter after letter saying they were reviewing everything.
One day I was in a bad mood, went down to the VA in Lakeport and spoke with Saeul, a very nice fella and very, very knowledgeable regarding the VA and their activities. I asked him what I could do to shake up the VA and he said several things. I said Mike Thompson was in Clearlake last week and I should have talked to him. Saeul said ”do you want to talk to him right now?” Yes, I said. He grabbed a form from his desk, asked me what I wanted to say. I told him; he put it in the VA system direct with a copy to Mike Thompson”s office in Napa. That was approximately 9:30 a.m. That same day around 2:30 p.m. my cell phone rings with an unfamiliar number, it was a representative from Mike Thompson”s office. He said ”Mr. Rose we have a copy of your activities today and we called the VA in Oakland to find out what the hold up was,” that I should receive a letter from the VA in the next couple of weeks. Within four days I received a letter from the VA, stating they were working on my case, they would get back to me soon, again.
Now the representative from Mike Thompson”s office said if you do not hear from them promptly to call him back. He gave me his direct number. I did not hear from VA; I went back to the VA in Lakeport and was told they needed hospital records and that is what they told Mike Thompson”s office was the delay. They were requesting from Lakeside Hospital records, which was a stall tactic they used. One problem: three months prior to that I took 18 pages to Saeul in Lakeport; he put them directly into the computer to the VA in Oakland. They did have in their hand the identical paperwork they were requesting for at least three months earlier.
Now I am waiting, but I know how to grab the problem by the neck and I wanted every other voter and VA person to know exactly what it takes to wake up the VA with horsepower. This is why Mr. Thompson gets elected time and time again because he does a total job for all his constituents.
Ron Rose, Lakeport
