Trying to help Veterans

I have been trying to calm the way the VA in Harlingen treats veterans for a few decades.

For the most part, the VA employees do not like to be singled out in the newspaper, which I have done in the past.

My purpose is not to upset any one or get anyone into trouble; it is simply to ask the VA Clinic in Harlingen McAllen Corpus Christi and outpatient clinics where the setting may be in a hospital.

My purpose of writing is to help Veterans who have no voice in the system.

This new Administration wants to help and we can do our part.

I have been available to as many veterans as possible with claims or with issues in the clinics. John Cortez a Veteran from Brownsville has called me in the past and asked me to help him with our clinic.

John needed a stent for his heart and no one would listen to him I called and spoke to Hugo Martinez and he was called the next day. That was about a year ago.

Not long ago the same situation the same result. Why should John have to call me?

Because I will write about these situations.

I have been trying to get travel pay for a trip to San Antonio in January of 17, I am still waiting.

I almost got it but then instead I received a letter from Fred Lane our VA employee here in Harlingen.

Fred Lane sent me a form letter stating I needed a doctor's excuse stating that I had in deed been to San Antonio. I called San Antonio (Brook Army Base Medical Center) and a lady named Tina said Mr. Rendon I will sent it to them right now.

The next day I called again and asked Hugo if he had received the letter of excuse and I also mentioned that an excuse had been delivered to Fred Lane and of course they both denied it.

Then Hugo called and verified that I had in deed been in there. So then Hugo called me and said he got verbal OK.

So again I asked when I would received my travel pay and he said it would be Friday April the 7th 2017 today's date.

I'm waiting patiently. The letter Fred Lane sent me about not having a doctors excuse was dated March 7, 2017.

Now it is either non training or plain simple retaliation against me because I help veterans. Either way it should not be done.

I was in San Antonio again this past week end and I got all of the paper work Fred Lane needs in order to keep his job.

The irony is that as of today the VA does not fire employees. They switch them to another place.

Irma Rangel is one of the clerks who will get to know veterans and helps then within her capacity.

The new young lady Sarah is also going to be an asset to our clinic. The VA was created by Abraham Lincoln not for Hugo or Fred Lane to harass veterans but to help us.

It is going to be up to us to fix our VA's or when the firing starts we will have some names to give the Administration.

In the mean time please call me and be ready to give me your name and get the name of our VA employee and I will follow up with news paper or TV.

If you are having problems call me. The newspaper has my contact information.

The media will help us because everyone has a veteran relative or friend.

Fred Rendon Jr.

Harlingen