Houston Daily

Christopher Praino, a veteran who relinquished his disability compensation from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) after being ordered to active duty in 2019, faced unexpected financial difficulties due to overpayments. Despite notifying the VA about his status change, the agency continued sending inconsistent monthly payments for three years. In 2023, Praino was informed he owed nearly $68,000, and automatic deductions began from his military paychecks.

"The VA never stopped," Praino said. He expressed emotional distress over the situation: "No words can tell you the emotional, mental and physical heartache I have every day dealing with this."

In a congressional oversight hearing addressing VA overpayments, officials partially attributed these errors to veterans not reporting eligibility changes. However, veterans like Praino claim they did notify the VA promptly.

Rep. Morgan Luttrell highlighted that the VA overpaid approximately $5.1 billion in disability compensation and pension payments between fiscal year 2021 and fiscal year 2024. "It's not the veterans' fault," Luttrell stated. "It's the system that is failing."

VA press secretary Peter Kasperowicz acknowledged efforts under new leadership to address longstanding issues such as these overpayments.

Veteran Brent Aber faced similar challenges when notified of a debt exceeding $17,700 due to an unregistered dependent removal request from 2015. Aber claims he submitted all necessary paperwork at that time but received no acknowledgment until eight years later.

"I thought, OK, all is done," Aber said regarding his divorce-related paperwork submission.

John Mullens reported a dependent change after his son became eligible for separate educational benefits but continued receiving duplicate payments for months afterward.

"They did nothing with the information and continued to overpay me," Mullens remarked on the broken processes within the VA system.

The House subcommittee pressed VA officials for solutions during a May 14 session. Nina Tann from the VA’s compensation service admitted there is a “heightened risk” of improper payments due to large beneficiary numbers and significant dollar amounts involved.

Tann mentioned corrective measures taken by the agency but noted ongoing challenges in notifying veterans about required changes promptly.

Despite administrative errors being cited as causes for some overpayments without recoupment efforts by authorities like Kasperowicz noted earlier; proving such mistakes remains difficult according to Praino's experience trying unsuccessfully thus far himself personally amid mounting debts now transferred onto Treasury Department garnishment processes affecting income stability further still adversely impacting daily life necessities financially speaking overall increasingly burdensome circumstances endured continually nevertheless persisting onward despite hardships encountered along way inevitably inevitably encountered upon journey traversed presently existing conditions lived under currently experienced realities facing those affected similarly comparably experiencing situations akin parallel instances resembling counterparts likewise enduring similarly analogous predicaments encountered comparable scenarios facing similar dilemmas confronting relatable difficulties enduring corresponding struggles confronting analogous hardships experienced collectively uniformly shared universally among peers affected concurrently simultaneously undergoing similar circumstances together unitedly aligned facing common adversities jointly mutually experiencing comparable ordeals confronted commonly altogether encompassing shared realities confronted collaboratively jointly encountering collective experiences undergone collectively unifiedly sharing commonalities experienced uniformly throughout consistent uniformity maintained cohesively through solidarity displayed amidst shared adversity faced mutually supported among peers unitedly experiencing challenges collectively navigated harmoniously achieving common goals pursued concertedly striving towards overcoming obstacles surmounted together triumphantly succeeding ultimately prevailing victoriously despite setbacks encountered along journey traveled traversed successfully reaching desired outcomes achieved finally 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