Comments on: It’s the tip of the iceberg http://blog.psaonline.org/2007/03/05/its-the-tip-of-the-iceberg/ Wed, 08 Feb 2012 08:45:45 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Jim Pankey, USN (Ret.) http://blog.psaonline.org/2007/03/05/its-the-tip-of-the-iceberg/comment-page-1/#comment-38164 Jim Pankey, USN (Ret.) Thu, 08 Mar 2007 22:43:47 +0000 http://blog.psaonline.org/2007/03/05/its-the-tip-of-the-iceberg/#comment-38164 Looking at the obvious doesn't always reveal what else is affected. Please look at the Armed Forces Retirement Home management for the immediate blotch, then delve deeper into the structure of the Defense Department for more. We would be better off divorced from the DOD and granted the land and building to run by ourselves, authorized by Congress and helped by sponsorship of military members and organizations. I'm sure we would do a much better job! By the same token, the premier hospitals caring for veterans and retirees would benefit as a separate entity and we would not have to beg for good leadership. Looking at the obvious doesn’t always reveal what else is affected. Please look at the Armed Forces Retirement Home management for the immediate blotch, then delve deeper into the structure of the Defense Department for more. We would be better off divorced from the DOD and granted the land and building to run by ourselves, authorized by Congress and helped by sponsorship of military members and organizations. I’m sure we would do a much better job! By the same token, the premier hospitals caring for veterans and retirees would benefit as a separate entity and we would not have to beg for good leadership.

]]> By: Jim Pankey, USN (Ret.) http://blog.psaonline.org/2007/03/05/its-the-tip-of-the-iceberg/comment-page-1/#comment-36536 Jim Pankey, USN (Ret.) Tue, 06 Mar 2007 04:55:38 +0000 http://blog.psaonline.org/2007/03/05/its-the-tip-of-the-iceberg/#comment-36536 I can personally attest to the facts as described above in the post of LtCol Wendy VanDyke, who was the Deputy Director of our Armed Forces Retirement Home in Gulfport, Mississippi...and was unjustly accused and railroaded out of the position; they selected a civilian RN, to be in position for the Directorship, normally a promotion from the Deputy Director to that post. The entire episode would be almost comical, had it not had so tragic a result: No one stood up for LtCol VanDyke except a few residents and some employees including a Department Head. The Chief Operating Officer did what he wanted, aided and abetted by the DOD. Neither the Navy, the Air Force, nor the Defense Department did anything to prevent her continued humiliating and demeaning mistreatment that lasted for 60 days of onboard torture--she was banned from the Resident Tower and her office; she had to have a security escort whenever she retrieved her mail; her cellphone and computer were taken from her; she was a virtual prisoner in her home with her 4 kids and husband (on site)...she complained to the Navy JAG office and submitted an Article 138, UCMJ, which was her right to do. The gutting of the AFRH was done long before Katrina arrived in August, 2005; it was done in the name of saving money and the way it was done was rapid, with no quarter given to employees who were kept dancing on their toes until some were 'baited and switched' then forced to accept retirement or firing. Dedicated personnel and services were terminated while 'favorites,' including one financial person, was kept on until February 4, 2007, being flown back and forth between Gulfport, MS and Washington, DC by the Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer. The shameful condition of Walter Reed Hospital and treatment of the brave wounded warriors there deserves much more media attention--and by the same token, the shameful treatment of our active duty administrators and military retirees and veterans who served their country when their country needed them, most in theatres of war, can not be forgotten. They have undergone tremendous shock, first with the drastic, incompetent 'leadership' of the Chief Operating Officer, who has just tried to maintain his status quo by sending a REPORT TO CONGRESS, in which no mention is made of DOD IG H05L95546042 dated 26Sep05, but mentioning other less provocative investigations by the DOD IG office to boost his position. He does not want any military presence, especially one that abides by Senator Lott's bill which puts the COO position under a military FLAG OFFICER as oversight protection. The tip of the iceberg has just been mentioned; Senator Lott's office, and Congressman Gene Taylor's offices are overloaded with complaints filed by the residents and employees prior to Katrina. I have a personal email from the Chief Operating Officer asking me to stay on as Editor of the official Gulfport AFRH publication but that I would have to print a 'poem' that would have embarrassed me. He laid out the reasons: as a person who served in the Armed Forces, I fought for the freedom of speech; he wanted me to create a special place for the residents. I refused. I have seen the official AFRH newspaper, the COMMUNICATOR--laughingly referred to as 'THE COOMUNICATOR'--and there is no indication of any resident input there, absolutely no controversial comments. It's a one-sided show. LtCol VanDyke included residents in the beautification projects and listened to ideas to improve areas ranging from health to communications and more. All her efforts were arbitrarily refused by the Director and the Chief Operating Officer. It was planned that she was not going to go anywhere nor have any input into the AFRH decisions. What a shame...I am writing my Senators (Feinstein, Boxer) and making a correction to Senator Barak Obama's Dignity for Wounded Warriors Act of 2007...it should read, Dignity For Past, Present, and Future Warriors--Veterans and Retirees. We've all been wounded by this administration. I can personally attest to the facts as described above in the post of LtCol Wendy VanDyke, who was the Deputy Director of our Armed Forces Retirement Home in Gulfport, Mississippi…and was unjustly accused and railroaded out of the position; they selected a civilian RN, to be in position for the Directorship, normally a promotion from the Deputy Director to that post. The entire episode would be almost comical, had it not had so tragic a result: No one stood up for LtCol VanDyke except a few residents and some employees including a Department Head. The Chief Operating Officer did what he wanted, aided and abetted by the DOD. Neither the Navy, the Air Force, nor the Defense Department did anything to prevent her continued humiliating and demeaning mistreatment that lasted for 60 days of onboard torture–she was banned from the Resident Tower and her office; she had to have a security escort whenever she retrieved her mail; her cellphone and computer were taken from her; she was a virtual prisoner in her home with her 4 kids and husband (on site)…she complained to the Navy JAG office and submitted an Article 138, UCMJ, which was her right to do. The gutting of the AFRH was done long before Katrina arrived in August, 2005; it was done in the name of saving money and the way it was done was rapid, with no quarter given to employees who were kept dancing on their toes until some were ‘baited and switched’ then forced to accept retirement or firing. Dedicated personnel and services were terminated while ‘favorites,’ including one financial person, was kept on until February 4, 2007, being flown back and forth between Gulfport, MS and Washington, DC by the Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer. The shameful condition of Walter Reed Hospital and treatment of the brave wounded warriors there deserves much more media attention–and by the same token, the shameful treatment of our active duty administrators and military retirees and veterans who served their country when their country needed them, most in theatres of war, can not be forgotten. They have undergone tremendous shock, first with the drastic, incompetent ‘leadership’ of the Chief Operating Officer, who has just tried to maintain his status quo by sending a REPORT TO CONGRESS, in which no mention is made of DOD IG H05L95546042 dated 26Sep05, but mentioning other less provocative investigations by the DOD IG office to boost his position. He does not want any military presence, especially one that abides by Senator Lott’s bill which puts the COO position under a military FLAG OFFICER as oversight protection.

The tip of the iceberg has just been mentioned; Senator Lott’s office, and Congressman Gene Taylor’s offices are overloaded with complaints filed by the residents and employees prior to Katrina. I have a personal email from the Chief Operating Officer asking me to stay on as Editor of the official Gulfport AFRH publication but that I would have to print a ‘poem’ that would have embarrassed me. He laid out the reasons: as a person who served in the Armed Forces, I fought for the freedom of speech; he wanted me to create a special place for the residents. I refused. I have seen the official AFRH newspaper, the COMMUNICATOR–laughingly referred to as ‘THE COOMUNICATOR’–and there is no indication of any resident input there, absolutely no controversial comments. It’s a one-sided show. LtCol VanDyke included residents in the beautification projects and listened to ideas to improve areas ranging from health to communications and more. All her efforts were arbitrarily refused by the Director and the Chief Operating Officer. It was planned that she was not going to go anywhere nor have any input into the AFRH decisions.

What a shame…I am writing my Senators (Feinstein, Boxer) and making a correction to Senator Barak Obama’s Dignity for Wounded Warriors
Act of 2007…it should read, Dignity For Past, Present, and Future Warriors–Veterans and Retirees. We’ve all been wounded by this administration.

]]> By: Wendy Van Dyke, Lt Col (ret) USAF, NC http://blog.psaonline.org/2007/03/05/its-the-tip-of-the-iceberg/comment-page-1/#comment-36514 Wendy Van Dyke, Lt Col (ret) USAF, NC Tue, 06 Mar 2007 03:50:01 +0000 http://blog.psaonline.org/2007/03/05/its-the-tip-of-the-iceberg/#comment-36514 As stated, this is but the tip of the proverbial iceberg and maybe the sinking of the "Titanic" composed of years of corruption, turning the other cheek, coverups, etc., all in the name of protecting those who can return the favor. It's time this country woke up and smelt the cappucino. If you think this is bad, read my story on the DoD IG website under Publications and the Reading Room. The URL is: http://www.dodig.osd.mil/fo/foia/ERR/H05L95546042.pdf This report, ordered by Senator Trent Lott (MS) is a small portion of what was uncovered by the investigators. In addition, a suit was filed by the Armed Forces Retirement Home Veterans against Rumsfeld that was dismissed. This suit detailed atrocities the residents were suffering at the hands of the administration of the AFRH. Yet, what happened?? Heads tunred the other way as those in control continued their blissful abuse of every veteran and staff member in the name of "cost cutting." Well, I stood up and spoke out, but I paid a steep price. A price that cost me a promotion to Colonel in the Air Force. It was a price worth paying because the cause was and still is a noble one: to restore honor and dignity to a Home for Heroes...those who paid a price in wars past and now are paying a price again in substandard living conditions under the management of Timothy Cox and Steve McManus who should have been fired a long time ago...Yes, the AFRH is the Walter Reed for Veterans, and I challenge every member of Congress to delve into the darkness to reveal the truth. What happened to me during the process is abhorable enough, but the fact that it continues to occur and Cox is still employed there despite the DoD IG report is unexcusable. We got rid of a General who was only on the job 6 months and here our Nations Veterans and an Active Duty Military officer who served as a White House Nurse under the Clinton administration from 1993-1996 was literally fired from a job for taking a stand. I plead with you to look into this fiasco as soon as possible. As a new veteran now myself (1 Mar 2007), I am now able to finally speak out without fearing further retaliation and humiliation...your help is desperately needed to add to my ongoing fight for justice! Will you help?? As stated, this is but the tip of the proverbial iceberg and maybe the sinking of the “Titanic” composed of years of corruption, turning the other cheek, coverups, etc., all in the name of protecting those who can return the favor. It’s time this country woke up and smelt the cappucino. If you think this is bad, read my story on the DoD IG website under Publications and the Reading Room. The URL is:

http://www.dodig.osd.mil/fo/foia/ERR/H05L95546042.pdf

This report, ordered by Senator Trent Lott (MS) is a small portion of what was uncovered by the investigators. In addition, a suit was filed by the Armed Forces Retirement Home Veterans against Rumsfeld that was dismissed. This suit detailed atrocities the residents were suffering at the hands of the administration of the AFRH. Yet, what happened?? Heads tunred the other way as those in control continued their blissful abuse of every veteran and staff member in the name of “cost cutting.” Well, I stood up and spoke out, but I paid a steep price. A price that cost me a promotion to Colonel in the Air Force. It was a price worth paying because the cause was and still is a noble one: to restore honor and dignity to a Home for Heroes…those who paid a price in wars past and now are paying a price again in substandard living conditions under the management of Timothy Cox and Steve McManus who should have been fired a long time ago…Yes, the AFRH is the Walter Reed for Veterans, and I challenge every member of Congress to delve into the darkness to reveal the truth. What happened to me during the process is abhorable enough, but the fact that it continues to occur and Cox is still employed there despite the DoD IG report is unexcusable. We got rid of a General who was only on the job 6 months and here our Nations Veterans and an Active Duty Military officer who served as a White House Nurse under the Clinton administration from 1993-1996 was literally fired from a job for taking a stand. I plead with you to look into this fiasco as soon as possible. As a new veteran now myself (1 Mar 2007), I am now able to finally speak out without fearing further retaliation and humiliation…your help is desperately needed to add to my ongoing fight for justice! Will you help??

]]> By: Citizens Party | David Isenberg on Military Healthcare and Lack of Readiness of the National Guard http://blog.psaonline.org/2007/03/05/its-the-tip-of-the-iceberg/comment-page-1/#comment-36391 Citizens Party | David Isenberg on Military Healthcare and Lack of Readiness of the National Guard Mon, 05 Mar 2007 17:52:05 +0000 http://blog.psaonline.org/2007/03/05/its-the-tip-of-the-iceberg/#comment-36391 [...] David Isenberg on Military Healthcare and Lack of Readiness of the National Guard We have known and read David Isenberg for years, he is one of the most objective and honorable analysts we admire. http://blog.psaonline.org/2007/03/05/its-the-tip-of-the-iceberg/#more-241 [...] [...] David Isenberg on Military Healthcare and Lack of Readiness of the National Guard We have known and read David Isenberg for years, he is one of the most objective and honorable analysts we admire. http://blog.psaonline.org/2007/03/05/its-the-tip-of-the-iceberg/#more-241 [...]

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