By: Laura Geller

A U.S. senator is responding to a 13News Now investigation, which exposed the VA giving local veterans the runaround. Virginia Senator Mark Warner is stepping in to see what he can do to help.

We brought this story to Senator Warner, who has been an outspoken critic of the VA, because we didn't only want to expose the problem, we wanted to get our local vets some answers and some help.

Warner told 13News Now Thursday, there are many examples similar to what happened to the Parinases. He's looking at the need to change the culture at the VA.

SSG Roderick “Aerock” Parinas expressed his frustration with the lack of information from the Hampton and Richmond VAs.

“It's more than a slap in the face, like, they're stomping all over us,” he said.

His wife, Renatta fears what the issue could mean for their family.

“I'm concerned about the future of my daughter,” she explained.

Their feelings have led to the outrage of Sen. Warner.

“It makes my blood boil when I hear these kind of stories,” Warner reacted. “I give you guys credit for exposing what the Parinas family went through.”

Aerock and Renatta Parinas have been struggling to get health information from the VA hospital. A complicated series of medical issues leads the couple to believe Aerock has a Traumatic Brain Injury following two tours in Iraq. (Credit/Family Photo)   (Photo: WVEC)

But Warner says it shouldn't take the media to bring stories like this to the attention of lawmakers in order to finally get some help.

“I have very little patience for a VA then that doesn't respond quickly,” he exclaimed.

So we wanted to know what the Virginia senator can do to get the VA to a place where vets can expect and get the very best care.

This is no longer a problem the country can just throw money at. Already, Congress has passed legislation to give the VA additional resources. Lawmakers have appropriated around $18 billion of additional resources to clean up an agency Warner believes is overly bureaucratic.

“We've put more money into the VA in the last few years than almost any other agency in government,” he explained. “We just need to make sure those dollars are well spent.”

That could mean some differences vets will be able to see when they visit local VAs.

“If we don't see changes in some of the bureaucracy, if we don't see changes in some of the attitudes of people in terms of treating our veterans with respect, then I've continued to call on Secretary McDonald to make personnel changes,” Warner warned. “We've given them the ability now to change out leadership.”

Warner vows the issue, affecting thousands of vets here in Hampton Roads, will get constant attention from his office.

“I'm going to stay on it until the Parinases and every other family is treated in a way that's both respectful and timely and they get the benefits that they have earned in terms of defending our country,” he added.

Within a few days of showing Warner's office our story, a staffer was able to get the Parinases the report they had been trying to see for six months.