Supporting Statement For Litigation

Greetings:

This e-mail is intended as additional supporting evidence for the class action civil litigation in behalf of residents of the Armed Forces Retirement Home, also known as the "Soldiers' Home".

The web site URL for the Home is:

http://www.afrh.gov/DWP/afrh/afrhhome.htm

Martin Cody, a resident of the Home, is the initiator of that class action suit, and David Bamberger, Attorney at Law, is providing legal representation.

You can e-mail David Bamberger at:

david.bamberger@piperrudnick.com

In support of this class action litigation, I previously submitted a written statement entitled, "EROSION", dated Monday 28 March 2005.

Last week, I reported for sick call for the first time since our new clinic was opened.

My leg was in severe pain, and I could hardly use it.

The doctor wrote a prescription and gave me a referral to be evaluated for possible surgery on my back.

Because it was a holiday weekend, I could not get my prescription until the middle of the following week.

So, I went to the PX, bought the strongest stuff I could find, and repeatedly took a whole bunch of it.

It didn't completely alleviate the pain, but it made it so I could endure the long weekend.

As for the surgery, I was supposed to see my social worker, but I'm having second thoughts.

I keep hoping the pain will go away and I'll be able to move my leg.

I just don't want to leave the grounds of the Soldiers' Home to go to a hospital in Washington, D.C.

Here at the Soldiers' Home, we used to have our own hospital, doctors, pharmacy, and diagnostic facilities.

But, in the interest of saving money, all of that has been dispensed with, and most of the former staff was let go.

It's so typical of government bureaucracies that they inevitably overdo whatever it is they're attempting.

The Soldiers' Home fired so many employees that the few staff remaining are unable to cope with their overwhelming numerical caseload.

For instance, when I saw the doctor about my leg, I also wanted something done about my hiatal hernia, and I wanted my prescriptions renewed.

But, he only had time to hurriedly write a prescription and a referral.

Likewise, my assigned social worker cannot possibly handle his caseload.

In all areas of medical and dental care here at the Soldiers' Home, there is no coordination or followup.

If an appointment is missed, no one bothers to find out why, or ascertain the problem.

Another facet of the problem is the change in demographics and the suspicion of criminal corruption that accompanies it.

Most of the current residents, unlike times past, are no longer ambulatory or able to care for themselves independently.

The problem with changing the demographics is that FIRST, the physical plant should have been altered in order to accommodate the residents who are senile, on oxygen, or are in wheelchairs or battery powered vehicles.

As it is, if there's any sort of disaster here, it will inevitably result in catastrophic deaths, for most of them will be trapped in too narrow passageways, behind doors which are not wheelchair accessible, and on upper floors from which they cannot escape or be rescued.

That's why I suspect some sort of criminal complicity in all this.

How else do you explain all the multitude of repeated blatant health and safety violations, when this Home is allegedly subjected to scrutiny by official oversight?

In other words, what is the District of Columbia Fire Department's inspection team doing?

Are they accepting bribes?

Who does the medical certification here at the Soldiers' Home?

One other thing I would like, if it were possible:

I'd like the Environmental Protection Agency to inspect the air and water in my room (and all other rooms).

I want to know about levels of lead and vermin in the tap water.

I want to know about the levels of radon gas, mold, and/asbestos in the dust that is ever present in my room.

The drastic reduction in staff and the continuing violation of, or failure to enforce basic standards of health and safety is evident in all other areas of the Soldiers' Home, not just the medical aspect.

There's probably more I could write, but this will have to do for now.

Thank you.

John Robert Mallernee, KB3KWS
Official Bard of Clan Henderson
Armed Forces Retirement Home
Washington, D.C. 20011-8400

"My personal opinions are independent of my Scottish clan."