I really liked Lily and do feel that she is concerned about the employees but perhaps she isn't informed by the back office. I mentioned this during my exit interview with her but did not go into such detail as here. I decided to post this just in case Mark Daniels gave her a different story and to let everyone know what you are in for there. I for one won't hide behind a pseudonym but then again I don't risk reprisal like all of you still working there.

I remember when I first started at the VA I thought of it as another job. When the director, Lily Fetzer, would ask what brought me to the VA and I would reply that I tried going into business with a friend and it didn't work out. She would correct me and say, "What brings you to the VA is to serve our Veterans." To devote ourselves to the service of the men and women who are protecting our freedom.

Also I remember Mark Daniels would constantly ask us if we have any suggestions on how to improve things. How deserving our veterans are in receiving the best possible service from us. So I took all this to heart and was 100% on board in devoting all my skills and efforts in my job. I've always been the type of worker who can't just do my job. I need to go up and beyond. I was accustomed to achieving.. to receiving awards and outstanding performance reviews. Previously when I was with immigration, I solved a 20 year problem they had with the verification of Affidavits in less than a year and a half. I created a 4 part test for the verification of affidavits that was used in an adjudication memo (equivalent to a Fast Letter) because it met with the 9th Circuit Court's ruling on affidavits being evidence and therefore they cannot be summarily dismissed. Also the various forms and macros I created to improve the job was used on a national level and distributed through the academy and the intranet.

This same enthusiasm and dedication I applied to my duties as a VSR in service of the Veterans and my fellow co-worker. I created a macro that greatly assisted the VSR in Pre-D because it would scan the letters and automatically make changes in the appropriate places. It also provided for consistency. I even created smart documents that would allow a VSR to input data for hearing opinions. Once the information was inputted the macro would construct the opinion text that was grammatically correct, gender specific, and location focused. This greatly streamlined the process and set up a standardized format that would pass review. I was in the process of creating other utilities that would allow faster and more accurate claims processing.

Well a few months into the job and we were called into meeting regarding the Dinges Hartman requirements for notice. Because of my computer skills, my coach sent me to the Dinges Hartman taskforce. As I went into the meeting, I overheard Mark tell Dawn Provost, "No one better complain about these changes." Mark told us about the required changes for each team and how he expected the changes to be implemented in like a week. Within a day the Pre-D team was up on running with the changes in effect because I incorporated them into the macro complete with pop-up questions to determine which modifications would need to be made and then made the changes to the letter.

A few days later Lily Fetzer returned to the office and came down to praise me for my efforts. She came to my cubical and said, "There's the Dinges Hartman Hero." She wanted to see a demonstration and I also used this time to show her all the other time and error saving utilities I created for the Pre-D Team. Lily was impressed and was going to send me to Los Angeles to implement the utilities there to better serve the Veterans. Also when Admiral Cooper, the Undersecretary of the VA, did his site visit, Lily introduced me and told him directly that part of the VARO's success was directly due to my efforts in make time saving macros and utilities. She even mentioned that they might create a national program of VSR utilities. I was also received nomination for Employee of the Quarter three quarters in row (heck I have every small promotional item in the Human Resources grab bag)

Well this really pissed Mark off. I ended up receiving a phone call from Dawn Provost to report to Mark's office. When I arrived in Mark's Office Dawn was there. Mark asked me if I wanted Union representation. I asked him if I needed it. I ended up choosing no representation. Mark was hammering me with, "John I'm concerned about your focus...." "Are you happy here?" "You make pretty good money as a VSR" "You were hired to be a VSR not a program analyst" "If they ever make a program analyst position here in San Diego... Maybe you should apply" (I can't put the proper emphasis on the words Mark used but it was a hint for me to start looking for another job). I was totally flabbergasted, all I was doing was to make the job easier and more efficient while making work flow faster and of better quality. I was actually serving not only the Veteran's interest but also management's.

A few days later, I received a phone call from Mark that he wanted to meet with me and told me that he wanted me to have Union Representation. I asked him what it was about and he wouldn't tell me. Both reps were on leave so he wasn't going to schedule the meeting until they returned the next week. I still did not know why he wanted to talk with me only that I was going to be officially reprimanded. I can only assume that he did not want me to be prepared for the meeting and to instill anxiety over the upcoming meeting. Shortly thereafter, the notebook computer was stolen from the VA and I became inconsequential or maybe Kathy Hurst, our Union Rep that I spoke to, calmed Mark down. I was placed on the PCGL Update Special Project by Erica Worthington (the other assistant manager) but was later yanked from the project by Dawn Provost.

Well it doesn't end there... a few months later I was getting hammered on Quality review. I went from 90-100% quality review to a failing 26%. For a couple of months I would argue away some of the errors called. But finally the review process was so technically correct that I couldn't argue them away even though I know that others were not being called on such errors. This was a purposeful attack on my performance standard. I do not blame the Senior for this since I know it came from up top. I've always gotten along with my Seniors and being hammered like this was not characteristic of him. To make matters worse, when applying for other federal employment they will often ask about your performance review or how your manager would evaluate you or if you were ever given special projects. According to VA Management, I was a failing employee who did sloppy work. Mark really put me down and made my look professionally undesirable. Luckily my worth and value was known by immigration in Los Angeles and I was hired back in the same position and the same office I had previously left.

One other gripe... with all my experiences.. my education (Juris Doctor)... my achievements... my potential did not matter as evident by my experience of never being selected for a special project (I almost forgot I was selected but later dismissed from the PCGL Letter Update project that involved changing the PCGL Macro text) and in applying for a Rating position.

A rating position opened up about a month or so after I started. I applied for the position and submitted copies of my various awards including a letter of recommendation from associate counsel for USCIS that credited me with the creation of Agency wide policy. I received notice that I did not meet the requirements for competition for the position. I was told that I had to wait a minimum of 3 months as a VSR. Well some time afterwards I went to a happy hour and Jeff Meyers was with us. At the time I had no idea that Jeff was Mark's son. Jeff proceeded to tell us how he was a VSR for only 3 weeks before he was promoted to the Rating board. I was surprised that he was promoted in 3 weeks while I was told I had to wait a minimum of 3 months.

Because I was not authorized to achieve and did not favor any career assistance I left. I went back to an Agency that I know I can fairly compete. I would never receive the assistance that Elyce, Bridget, Jeff, Maria and other have received. However I know that I now have a fair chance for promotion and career development.

I’m still debating whether I should join Gi Jane’s cause and lodge a complaint with OSC and write to my congressional representative. I’m out now and it’s really no longer my fight. However for all of you out there who have a law suit against the San Diego VA it would be in your best interest to things documented in an official investigation - then it can be used as evidence in your case. Until then much of what you will present will be excluded from evidence based on hearsay.

John Tucker

Hello John,

I remember hearing that you were reprimanded for trying to do something good for your co-workers. It is really sad that you were not rewarded instead. I had the chance to see what you did and I was really impressed by it. From what I heard from the people in Pre-D who used them they were very helpful and many people there are still using your macro. That goes to show you that Mark Daniels is the one who is really in control of things here. If he doesn't approve of something then it will get squashed regardless of what the Director thinks of it.

So many people have tried to make utilities or some other improvements and Mark has shut them down that is unless you are a favored one, unless you are authorized to achieve. I like that term and it accurately describes what is going on here. Those who are "authorized to achieve" are Maria, Elyce, Bridget, John, Donna, Jeff, and Kristina. Those in the catagory of unauthorized to achieve are the seniors with GS-12 step something and any of the Veterans who applied for those positions.

Well we lose yet another quality person. I hope you will go forward and help bring attention to the corrupt regime we have here. A Federal Agency should not be ran like a merry little family business. But then again ... it's no longer your fight but so many of us here are trapped because of how few years we have until retirement so we grind it out here.

There is always www.usajobs.com I think it's time for me to start looking.

In Unity,

Gigi Jane

Thanks for being so candid John. And GI Jane I think it's time WE start looking at USAJobs. I actually have been looking already.

Thanks GiJane and GIPat,

I'm much happier now. The good thing about this blog is if people who are applying for work there in VARO San Diego and come across the postings they will know what they are getting into. I know that many people have turned down other job offers when they first started there - to their regret. I know I would have turned down a different agency's job offer when I first started. Luckily I had only applied to the VA and one other position.

All the people at my new job when I tell them about what is going on there according to the blogs and my personal experience - they are absolutely shocked. It just shocks the conscience that it is so absurd. At first they don't believe me that such things can be going on in a Federal Agency. When they read and see how specific the details are they know it's not just employee grumbling. But then ... nothing really changes because nepotism and violation of protected personnel practices are very hard to prove and take a very long time.

From what I hear the only thing that is going on is a Witch hunt to find who the people are that are posting. I will assume that you will see Management will be up to their old tricks of ruining peoples careers with bogus quality review procedures. Under such a system, one never truly has any protections or job security. You are only there at the whims of management's favor. So many people are not willing to come forward after they leave. There is a big difference between speaking out as a citizen and speaking out as a public employee.

Bottom line you have people in charge who don't care about the people they serve because they will not put people in charge that merit to be in charge based on their own personal experience and skills.

John