As I researched for this book I discovered the treatment of veterans and employees appalling! As an employee I
witnessed harassment, unfair hiring practices, misappropriation of funding, wasteful government spending, nepotism,
favoritism, unsafe working conditions and double standards regarding rules and regulations. I was bound however,
by their rules and regulations to voice my concerns. I was forced to resign after publishing this book due to the
unwanted attention management at the Bath VA received.
I am now being denied services because I am considered a threat to management. I was even called at 7 in the
morning by Doc Schmidt, a representative for Congressman Eric Massa and threatened with assault and being shot.
They have even shut down the VA on my account and told all visitors that the FBI was searching for me. They chose
to slander my name in hopes of discrediting my findings. Fortunate for me, every person who questions me on this
soon discovers the truth of the matter. It is because I asked for an investigation regarding the cover up of a death of
an elderly veteran residing at the VA. This death was completely avoidable but management chose to ignore the
warnings.
My forced resignation also allows me to publish some of my findings. Management has allowed Bill Didas, an
abusive and unstable VA employee to retain his job due to his connections with past facilities manager Robert K.
Wheeler. Mr. Didas has a long history of verbally and physically abusing fellow employees, filing false reports,
perjury, theft and wasteful spending. Rather than enforce the zero-tolerance policy, management allows this loose
cannon to seek treatment at the Canandaigua Psych Ward after these incidents and then announce he is better.
This individual will undoubtedly experience another incident and I pray it will not involve an elderly veteran whose
only crime is thinking he can safely enter the VA for services.
Robert Wheeler was allowed to remove all books from the patient’s library and not produce any records of their
whereabouts. Those books were worth thousands of dollars.
Management has also created jobs for family members, friends and folks with strong ties to political parties. One
high paying position was created for former congressman’s aide Brandon Gardner. This non-veteran beat out
qualified veterans for the position which is not surprising since no other qualified candidates were interviewed for the
job. This favor has cost the VA over $80,000 in annual salaries! Another civilian employee, Valerie Tyler, was given
a control of EMS after being hired for another created position of Interior Decorator. Her only qualifications were her
connections to high ranking VA employees and personal liaison with aforementioned Robert Wheeler. Ms. Tyler has
instructed members of her department to file false charges against veterans and employees and even instructed
staff members to call security on certain veterans she does not like.
Intentional understaffing is common practice. This allows the upper echelons to receive larger year-end bonuses
for money saved on salaries. The VA even rented out part of the hospital to a company which offers a 28-day detox
service to non-veterans. This had been in the planning stages for five years with no concern to the impact it would
have on surrounding areas.
When questioned why the VA rented out part of a facility which was built for veterans the past Public Affairs
Officer Carl Haneline answered it was because they needed the money. Go figure. Management needs to remember
that if it were not for the VETERAN they would not have a job. We DO NOT owe jobs to the politically connected and
unqualified individuals. I think the plight of the veterans can be summed up best by a directive put out by Robert
Wheeler (he was forced to retire in 2006 when it was found out he was completely unqualified for his position) stating
that employees can longer acknowledge being veterans because Mark Allen, a non-veteran employee working in
food service, is offended by that term and status. Now that is outrageous!
witnessed harassment, unfair hiring practices, misappropriation of funding, wasteful government spending, nepotism,
favoritism, unsafe working conditions and double standards regarding rules and regulations. I was bound however,
by their rules and regulations to voice my concerns. I was forced to resign after publishing this book due to the
unwanted attention management at the Bath VA received.
I am now being denied services because I am considered a threat to management. I was even called at 7 in the
morning by Doc Schmidt, a representative for Congressman Eric Massa and threatened with assault and being shot.
They have even shut down the VA on my account and told all visitors that the FBI was searching for me. They chose
to slander my name in hopes of discrediting my findings. Fortunate for me, every person who questions me on this
soon discovers the truth of the matter. It is because I asked for an investigation regarding the cover up of a death of
an elderly veteran residing at the VA. This death was completely avoidable but management chose to ignore the
warnings.
My forced resignation also allows me to publish some of my findings. Management has allowed Bill Didas, an
abusive and unstable VA employee to retain his job due to his connections with past facilities manager Robert K.
Wheeler. Mr. Didas has a long history of verbally and physically abusing fellow employees, filing false reports,
perjury, theft and wasteful spending. Rather than enforce the zero-tolerance policy, management allows this loose
cannon to seek treatment at the Canandaigua Psych Ward after these incidents and then announce he is better.
This individual will undoubtedly experience another incident and I pray it will not involve an elderly veteran whose
only crime is thinking he can safely enter the VA for services.
Robert Wheeler was allowed to remove all books from the patient’s library and not produce any records of their
whereabouts. Those books were worth thousands of dollars.
Management has also created jobs for family members, friends and folks with strong ties to political parties. One
high paying position was created for former congressman’s aide Brandon Gardner. This non-veteran beat out
qualified veterans for the position which is not surprising since no other qualified candidates were interviewed for the
job. This favor has cost the VA over $80,000 in annual salaries! Another civilian employee, Valerie Tyler, was given
a control of EMS after being hired for another created position of Interior Decorator. Her only qualifications were her
connections to high ranking VA employees and personal liaison with aforementioned Robert Wheeler. Ms. Tyler has
instructed members of her department to file false charges against veterans and employees and even instructed
staff members to call security on certain veterans she does not like.
Intentional understaffing is common practice. This allows the upper echelons to receive larger year-end bonuses
for money saved on salaries. The VA even rented out part of the hospital to a company which offers a 28-day detox
service to non-veterans. This had been in the planning stages for five years with no concern to the impact it would
have on surrounding areas.
When questioned why the VA rented out part of a facility which was built for veterans the past Public Affairs
Officer Carl Haneline answered it was because they needed the money. Go figure. Management needs to remember
that if it were not for the VETERAN they would not have a job. We DO NOT owe jobs to the politically connected and
unqualified individuals. I think the plight of the veterans can be summed up best by a directive put out by Robert
Wheeler (he was forced to retire in 2006 when it was found out he was completely unqualified for his position) stating
that employees can longer acknowledge being veterans because Mark Allen, a non-veteran employee working in
food service, is offended by that term and status. Now that is outrageous!
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |