From VVA National President John Rowan
Posted: Fri Aug 26, 2016 8:34 am
From VVA National President John Rowan
Elizabeth's back story, to be sent to ? . . .
Rick:- Here's the back-story behind this letter.
Ten years ago, the late Steve Robinson came to our offices with two people in tow: Tom Whiteside, a Marine veteran who served in Vietnam, and his daughter, Elizabeth. He looked concerned; she looked like a zombie. He explained:
Elizabeth, an Army lieutenant in hospital administration, had been working at the old Walter Reed Army Medical Center when she volunteered for a tour of duty in Iraq. After several months working at a medical facility I believe in Balad, she suffered a psychotic breakdown. She fired a round from her revolver into the ceiling while with a senior officer; then she fired point blank into her chest. Luckily for her, medics and docs saved her her dad joked that it's a good thiing the Whitesides are such poor marksmen. She was sent then to Landstuhl in Germany, then here to Walter Reed.
The leadership of the Washington Military District, however, rejected the diagnosis that she had suffered a meltdown. This young lieutenant, who had received uniformly excellent performance reviews while at Walter Reed and in Iraq, was put into the psych ward and was told she had two choices: either resign her commission and leave the Army with an other-than-honorable discharge entitling her to no veterans benefits; or face a court martial and potential prison. She called her father; he came to us.
We were appalled at the Army's position. We wrote a letter supporting Elizabeth. Mokie Porter welcomed her into the office whenever she had free time. Rick Weidman introduced Elizabeth and Tom to a lawyer who had done some pro bono work for VVA. He and one of his partners, a former JAG attorney, listened to their story, read the documentation, and agreed to represent them should the Army go through with its threat of a court martial. Perhaps most significantly, we introduced the Whitesides to the two reporters for the Washington Post who had broken the story about the fetid conditions at Walter Reed, the so-called crown jewel of the Army's medical facilities. They wrote a page one story about the Army's persecution of this young officer who had been harassed by her executive officer to the point she attempted to take her own life. Four days later, the Post wrote an editorial supporting Elizabeth.
Still, despite their embarrassment, despite an evaluation from the head psychiatrist at Walter Reed who determined that Elizabeth had in fact suffered a war-related psychological impairment, it took almost five months, capped by another suicide attempt, before the Army relented and did what the Army should have done in the first place: given Elizabeth Whiteside the honorable discharge she had earned, making her eligible for the medical and psychiatric benefits she so badly needed. As Rick put it, Sometimes we really can make a difference.
Bernie Edelman
From: Thomas Whiteside
Sent: Wednesday, August 03, 2016 1:06 PM
To: Rick Weidman
Subject: Elizabeth Whiteside, Status, 3 Aug 16
Dear Mr. Rick,
It is that time of year again so thought I would take a few minutes to bring you up to date on Elizabeth's situation.
She completed her Masters in Nurse Practice on 12 Jun 16. She is now a Nurse Practitioner and is studying for her Board Certification. She plans to take the test before 28 August 2016. On 27 June 2016, she started the first quarter of her Doctorate of Nursing Practice (DNP) program. This quarter will be devoted to developing and gaining her advisors approval for her DNP project and doing the initial research to ensure it meets the scope and degree of difficulty the program requires. She has been accepted at one of the local Portland hospitals for her two days a week Practicum starting the end of September 16 and ending the week or so before she graduates in June of 2017.
After the second quarter, Elizabeth may try to work a day two each week. Working will depend on how much time her DNP project takes.
I wanted to thank you for all you and VVA did for my daughter. I do not think it is an exaggeration to say without you and VVA we would not have survived the ordeal at Walter Reed. My daughter is leading a happy, successful life because of VVA. When you called David Cynamon up and told him the work needed to be pro bono that was critical to dealing with the Army. I would have sold borrowed whatever to get the money. But I could not have come up with sufficient money to mount a comprehensive court case. As David said during our first conversation every time, you mention me you say Pillsbury and that it is pro bono. That tells the Army they cannot buy the decision. They are going to have to go to trial. It will have to go to court, and Pillsbury will hire whatever service you need for the court. Again thank you for caring about my daughter. I know you and VVA care about all Veterans, but I am very lucky my daughter was able to find you.
If you get close to Vegas, stay at my place and let me take you to dinner.
tom
--
Thomas M. Whiteside
Elizabeth's back story, to be sent to ? . . .
Rick:- Here's the back-story behind this letter.
Ten years ago, the late Steve Robinson came to our offices with two people in tow: Tom Whiteside, a Marine veteran who served in Vietnam, and his daughter, Elizabeth. He looked concerned; she looked like a zombie. He explained:
Elizabeth, an Army lieutenant in hospital administration, had been working at the old Walter Reed Army Medical Center when she volunteered for a tour of duty in Iraq. After several months working at a medical facility I believe in Balad, she suffered a psychotic breakdown. She fired a round from her revolver into the ceiling while with a senior officer; then she fired point blank into her chest. Luckily for her, medics and docs saved her her dad joked that it's a good thiing the Whitesides are such poor marksmen. She was sent then to Landstuhl in Germany, then here to Walter Reed.
The leadership of the Washington Military District, however, rejected the diagnosis that she had suffered a meltdown. This young lieutenant, who had received uniformly excellent performance reviews while at Walter Reed and in Iraq, was put into the psych ward and was told she had two choices: either resign her commission and leave the Army with an other-than-honorable discharge entitling her to no veterans benefits; or face a court martial and potential prison. She called her father; he came to us.
We were appalled at the Army's position. We wrote a letter supporting Elizabeth. Mokie Porter welcomed her into the office whenever she had free time. Rick Weidman introduced Elizabeth and Tom to a lawyer who had done some pro bono work for VVA. He and one of his partners, a former JAG attorney, listened to their story, read the documentation, and agreed to represent them should the Army go through with its threat of a court martial. Perhaps most significantly, we introduced the Whitesides to the two reporters for the Washington Post who had broken the story about the fetid conditions at Walter Reed, the so-called crown jewel of the Army's medical facilities. They wrote a page one story about the Army's persecution of this young officer who had been harassed by her executive officer to the point she attempted to take her own life. Four days later, the Post wrote an editorial supporting Elizabeth.
Still, despite their embarrassment, despite an evaluation from the head psychiatrist at Walter Reed who determined that Elizabeth had in fact suffered a war-related psychological impairment, it took almost five months, capped by another suicide attempt, before the Army relented and did what the Army should have done in the first place: given Elizabeth Whiteside the honorable discharge she had earned, making her eligible for the medical and psychiatric benefits she so badly needed. As Rick put it, Sometimes we really can make a difference.
Bernie Edelman
From: Thomas Whiteside
Sent: Wednesday, August 03, 2016 1:06 PM
To: Rick Weidman
Subject: Elizabeth Whiteside, Status, 3 Aug 16
Dear Mr. Rick,
It is that time of year again so thought I would take a few minutes to bring you up to date on Elizabeth's situation.
She completed her Masters in Nurse Practice on 12 Jun 16. She is now a Nurse Practitioner and is studying for her Board Certification. She plans to take the test before 28 August 2016. On 27 June 2016, she started the first quarter of her Doctorate of Nursing Practice (DNP) program. This quarter will be devoted to developing and gaining her advisors approval for her DNP project and doing the initial research to ensure it meets the scope and degree of difficulty the program requires. She has been accepted at one of the local Portland hospitals for her two days a week Practicum starting the end of September 16 and ending the week or so before she graduates in June of 2017.
After the second quarter, Elizabeth may try to work a day two each week. Working will depend on how much time her DNP project takes.
I wanted to thank you for all you and VVA did for my daughter. I do not think it is an exaggeration to say without you and VVA we would not have survived the ordeal at Walter Reed. My daughter is leading a happy, successful life because of VVA. When you called David Cynamon up and told him the work needed to be pro bono that was critical to dealing with the Army. I would have sold borrowed whatever to get the money. But I could not have come up with sufficient money to mount a comprehensive court case. As David said during our first conversation every time, you mention me you say Pillsbury and that it is pro bono. That tells the Army they cannot buy the decision. They are going to have to go to trial. It will have to go to court, and Pillsbury will hire whatever service you need for the court. Again thank you for caring about my daughter. I know you and VVA care about all Veterans, but I am very lucky my daughter was able to find you.
If you get close to Vegas, stay at my place and let me take you to dinner.
tom
--
Thomas M. Whiteside