VA Philadelphia Regional Office

Same as it always is just be prepared and they close at 4pm which is code we stop doing anything at 2:30pm.

Don't expect this place to pick up the phone or call you back if you call their HR department for assistance or finger printing.

The system is broken and i have not found one person in the decision making position who is willing to fix it. I am a veteran I've been retired since August 1, 1991 i am 70% disable with Bilateral knee degenerated arthritis condition i have been wearing bilateral metal brace since my retirement, the orthopedic and my primary doctor sent me to the prosthetic clinic to be fitted for the metal brace and the prosthetic clinic order the metal brace from an outside company, i also was fitted for a soft wrap around brace, that i wear when lying down. i have been wearing these brace for the pass twenty years, all of this information is in my medical records and on the prosthetic clinic computer, and that i am service connected for this disability. last year September 24, 2020 i went to the prosthetic clinic here in Philadelphia Pa, on 3900 block of Woodland av. to have my metal brace adjusted and fitted to my leg and knee because of wear and tear and use, this year i was deny my clothing allowance because i was issue a new pair of soft brace by the therapist at the prosthetic clinic Mr. Ronald Upshur doing my visit. i ask the Chief of Prosthetic why ? was i deny, he informed me he did not make the decision to deny my clothing allowance. so i ask him to look at my record or file and did he see, that his office order the metal brace in year 2012 and did he see that my brace had been repair and adjusted to my knee last year 2020. Mr. Bud Johnson the chief of prosthetic told me he could see all that, but he could not help me and that i would have to put an appeal in through his office to be sent to the Board of Veteran Appeal. again i ask him why? This is wast of money and time by the system. the hospital, and VHA Veteran health Administration, has all of this information about my metal brace so why is it necessary to force the veteran to write a appeal about information you already have. i thought the hole process was to take care of the Veteran, not to create havoc and harassment. I ask to speak to the Patient advocate, the asst director office, the director office, the chief of staff, and the VHA call center, no help everybody felt that i should put the appeal in, so i put the appeal in through the prosthetic clinic four weeks later i ask Mr. Bud Johnson about my appeal because i have not heard anything, he told me that once he turn the appeal in he wish his hands of it, so how do i know that he turn it in no-one has contacted me. so this is how you take care of the veteran i am still looking for my clothing allowance benefits and i don't have a reason why i was deny for having soft brace, when i wear both soft and metal brace. my claim number is 26566607

My Veteran spouse died in December, 2020. I have been trying FOR MONTHS to get his month of death check. I submitted my claim in January, have made 5 calls since then - asking why there is such a delay. Was just told I'd be getting a letter - mailed on May 24th. Cannot tell me what the letter states, cannot tell me if a check was issued. Horrible, incompetent service.

the workers are nice and educated. the pure volume of purple make it hard to know how far back you are in line. It would be better if they gave you a line number. i was denied my first claim even though i had every bit of documents needed and doctors vouchers. been waiting almost 2 years still waiting. last time i called the people couldn't tell me how long just that I'm down to the last checkpoint.

Security guards all have an attitude and do not know their own policy. Will not accept any form of government issued identification to enter a government building, only a state drivers license. They demand you to take off your belt, when the sign in the lobby says you don't not have to take your belt off. When I asked about the sign the security guards tried to deny me entry. Just another way to keep vets aggravated and hope they quit. I was allowed to enter after speaking to a lieutenant. Not the first time dealing with these security officers. It has been this way for years.

Custem service when checking in for tax exempt the gentleman was rude an unprofessional with he had a name tag on so I could mention it

the Voc Rehab counselors here are clearly not serving in veteran's best interest. They are always seeking reasons to deny veterans during the initial interview to decrease their workload. They will discriminate a veteran on many factors including their disability, age, and possibly race. Phone calls and emails to the voc rehab counselors will remain unanswered. The regional officer their supervisor and who happens to be a veteran himself doesn't care about this and there is no accountability for their actions. Know what you are walking into and who you are dealing with. and remember, You are your own best advocate.

As far as comparing this regional office to other regional offices, I cannot. I do know that this regional office has always been to the detail when concerning my own particular service connected needs, etc, etc, etc. It's a very very large machine and system. It may have some weak spots that need re-calibrated but the overall system, as it shows by record, is effective when considering it over all. If you follow protocol and procedure, you have no problem navigating it.

Went today with a buddy to get him help. As we waited for security screening, another Veteran was ahead of us. He had a cane, after his cane was searched and screen, they put this man through an additional screening once through the x-ray machine. They made this Vet, Try and balance himself on his cane while holding out his arm to run the stupid wan. They could have easily put him in a chair for the additional check. So undeserving this Vet had to perform this feat, when clearly he was disable....terrible security guards.