re: Yet another reason why this vet doesn't do the VA....

I'm not a vet but I have done some legal work with vets and the VA

My takeaway was that the VA is a typical, mismanaged bureaucratic institution capable of egregious errors and with government inefficiency in everything - including hiring. BUT, there are also some absolute passionate and diligent medical professionals who believe in the mission and can deliver outstanding care when the mechanisms of the institution aren't in their way. It's like public schools, for example.

Which likely explains why there is a subset of vets who've had an excellent experience and would never go anywhere else (my uncle was like this).