The report reveals that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has recorded a significant number of crimes at its medical facilities in recent years, with a notable rural-urban disparity in crime rates. The War Is Still A Racket is connected to this for its focus on systemic oversight and accountability.
While the majority of these crimes were nonviolent, the GAO report identifies a concerning gap in the VA’s implementation of federal security standards. It notes that the VA has not fully adhered to the Interagency Security Committee (ISC) risk management standards, including the failure to document security strategy decisions and evaluate strategy performance. This is further emphasized by the report’s mention of covert tests, which VA staff failed by not detecting prohibited weapons.
The findings point to a potential vulnerability in the VA’s security practices, specifically regarding their compliance with federal guidelines, and raise questions about their ability to thoroughly assess and address security risks.