Department of Veterans Affairs SWOT analysis
Axel J. Crespoblanco
McKendree University
Jerry Murrel
07/11/2013
Introduction

The purpose of a SWOT analysis is to point out the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of a business. By identifying the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, the organization can learn what they are doing right and wrong. Identifying the weaknesses and threats, can be helpful when the organization is trying to develop a way to mitigate or eliminate them.
The SWOT analysis described in this essay is from the Department of Veterans affairs. It describes the strengths of the organization how to exploit the opportunities, and how to mitigate or eliminate the organizations weaknesses and threats.

SWOT Analysis Chart Strengths * Veteran Staffing * Teamwork Based * Patriotic Spirit * Nationwide Facilities * Educational programs | Weakness * Time Constraints * Excessive Workload * Position Attrition * Economic Budget Constraints * Constant changes in SOPs | Opportunities * Benefits Packages * Upward Promotion Mobility * Veteran Outreach Satisfaction * Networking globally * Forecasting acquisitions | Threats * Privatization * Non Bipartisan Government * Veteran Mortality Rates * Social media * Security of personal |

Strengths
1. Veteran staffing: Experience employees represent an asset to the organization and the customers as well; it represents better production and better customer service.
2. Team work base: When members of an organization work as a team, performance tends to be higher, and that is a benefit for the organization and the customer.
3. Patriotic spirit: The Department of Veterans affairs main mission is to ensure that members of our armed forces are taking care of, and mainly to make sure that those with injuries incurred while serving our country are getting the treatment necessary to become successful members of our society.
4. Nationwide facilities: As of September 2013, there are 153 medical centers; over 800 Community Based Outpatient Clinics (or CBOCs), 135 Community Living Centers (or CLCs), 48 Domiciliary, and 232 Vet Centers. Having VA facilities spread through the continental United States and territories ensures that all veterans are getting the health care that they need and deserved.
5. Educational programs: The Department of Veterans affairs provide veterans with a variety of educational programs including the Montgomery GI bill, Post 9/11 GI bill, vocational rehabilitation, and such programs target veterans that are trying to better their way of life, by providing the necessary skills to success in today’s competitive society.

Weakness
1. Time constraints: The average wait for a disability claim is from six to 18 months, in some cases this long wait can caused the veteran to incur in financial hardship. In order to make the process faster and more effective the VA will have to train the current employees better, and hire more claim assistance representatives.
2. Excessive workload: The number of Soldiers transitioning to civilians outnumbers greatly the number of VA employees that can help with disability claims and other issues a veteran might have. A way to mitigate this weakness will be to hire more CAs (claims assistance) personnel, and make sure they trained properly.
3. Position attrition: Many positions throughout the Department of Veterans affairs are been either eliminated or froze due to budget constraints. The VA will have to revise their current position roster and determine which particular position serves a bigger and more effective role for the veterans and the organization.
4. Economic budget constraints: Budget cuts and the fragile economy are forcing all government agencies to relook and reduce their workforce, and the overall economic structure. Reductions of financial resources are forcing the VA to limit the number of employees and supplies necessary to correct or eliminate issues presented to veterans and their family members.
5. Constant changes in SOPs (standard operations procedures): The Department of Veterans affairs is constantly changing the disability claim failing procedures, this will hinder the claim assistance ability to help the veterans, and makes the filing process lengthy and extenuating. A good way to deal with this weakness is to give employees time to familiarize themselves with current procedures before making any changes to it.

Opportunities
1. Benefits packages: The Department of Veterans affairs offered a robust benefit package for its employees including paid time off, outstanding number of health insurance plans from which to choose including exceptional vision and dental plans, financial benefits such as thrift savings plan, and flexible spending accounts, and retirement plans including flexible retirement plan, and disability retirement.
2. Upward promotion mobility: By having more than 1,400 locations nationwide, the Department of Veterans affairs offer its employees with the opportunity to transfer to different locations when needed. VA employees are only required one active unrestricted state license to work in any VA facility.
3. Veteran outreach satisfaction: The Department of Veterans affairs have the capabilities to offer veterans and family members a multitude of services and opportunities like, counseling financial assistance and transition services to those who decide to leave the military service.
4. Networking globally: The Department of Veterans affairs are a global organization, which provides opportunities to employees and veterans to be a part of the organization that have worldwide recognition
5. Forecasting acquisitions: The Department of Veterans affairs offers multiple services to its employees and veterans, along with this opportunities the VA creates ways to communities surrounding their facilities with the chance to supply the VA with products and services, and also creating job opportunities for the community.

Threats
1. Privatization: Private organizations like the DAV (Disable American Veterans) and other can provide a veteran with the same services the VA is capable. In addition, private organizations can also assist with legal services if needed. The VA does not have the financial resources to match the services provided by private organizations.
2. Non- Bipartisan Government: The division on the government affects the VA directly. The lack of clear communication involving budgeting and other issues that forces the VA to take decisions that result in slower processing of claims.
3. Veteran mortality rates:

Conclusion
Your conclusion section should recap the major points you have made in your work. However, perhaps more importantly, it should also interpret what you have written and what it means in the bigger picture. In your concluding remarks, think big! Some questions to ask yourself include: What do you want to happen with the information you have provided? What do you want to change? What is your ultimate goal in using this information? What would it mean if the suggestions in your paper were taken and used?

References
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