"Hi, this is a call for portablezombie from the VA trying to schedule an appointment. Call xxx-xxx-xxxx [said so quickly that I had to listen to the message three times to get the number] and dial extension 5304 or 3885 to contact us before August xx or we will cancel."

Weird - I have no idea what this appointment might be for. So I call the number and enter the first extension. It rings forever, with nobody picking up.

I dial the number and the second extension. It rings five or six times and I get the automated response "Extension 0000 has not been activated. Press 0 to transfer to the operator."

So I call the main line and get the operator, who asks "What department was it for?" I respond that I have no idea, because they didn't tell me in the message. So the operator asks for my PCP location, and (presumably) connects me to that facility (which is not the facility that was calling to make the appointment.)

Next person picks up and asks for my info, then asks who called to make the appointment. Again, I respond, I do not know. So they also ask for the extension, which I tell them, and as I'm stating that nobody picks up/it's not a working extension, they just immediately transfer me to that extension.

WTF VA? Why is this so difficult? I fortunately do not have a life-threatening condition, but I can imagine someone (especially an older, less tech savvy vet) having to try to navigate this infuriating bullshit and possibly having their appointment cancelled because someone couldn't be bothered to say what department they were with and then not being able to get a hold of anyone.