The VA Maze: One Veteran’s Fight Through Vocational Rehab

🚧Part 1: Diagnosis, Detour, and Discovery (2019–2020)

In late 2019, I was diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis, a degenerative autoimmune disorder that fuses the joints between bones. Before that, the VA had rated me for a simple “low back strain” with a 30% combined rating—but MRIs told a much darker story: sacroiliac joint fusion, herniated discs, and bulging discs.

My doctors were blunt: I could no longer work as a massage therapist. The career I had trained for and loved was suddenly over. I was lost.

During this period of uncertainty and pain, I stumbled upon the BBC series Time Team. The show featured three-day archaeological digs—but what really fascinated me was the geophysical survey work, or "geo-phys," they used to map what lay hidden underground. I didn’t know it at the time, but this fascination would become my next calling.

I discovered the VA's Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VR&E) program. I didn’t fully understand what it offered, but I knew I qualified. My GI Bill was almost used up, but if I could prove I had a Serious Employment Handicap (SEH), I might get extended benefits.

So, I applied.

🫥Part 2: The First Denial — Laughed Out of the Room

On January 27, 2020, I hobbled into the Portland VA Regional Office—cane in hand, every step painful. I joined a group of other veterans to watch a VR&E orientation video. It brought me to tears. For the first time in a long while, I felt hope: maybe there was a way to find meaningful work that wouldn’t worsen my condition.

That hope quickly disappeared.

When I met with Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor (VRC) Mark Lettiere, I told him I was interested in archaeology—though I didn’t yet know the technical term was remote sensing. He laughed at me.

“I know people with archaeology degrees who can’t even get jobs in museums,” he said.

He went on to claim I had no Serious Employment Handicap and that I was “choosing” not to work, since I could still technically practice massage therapy. Never mind the spinal fusion, the medical orders, or the unbearable pain.

He denied me entitlement to the program.

🧱Part 3: A Second Chance — and a Wall of Bureaucracy

With my VSO’s help, I appealed to his supervisor, Melissa Bay. I laid out my diagnosis, work limitations, and why the original denial was clearly wrong. Her response?

“Just apply again.”

Not only was that dismissive, but it was also false. VRCs can reverse decisions when a clear mistake is made. Still, I followed her advice.

This time, I met Tony Smouse, who found me entitled to VR&E with an SEH on April 17, 2020. He and I agreed on the placeholder occupational title "GEO Technician," since we weren’t quite sure how to categorize remote sensing and GIS work yet.

I finally began school during the summer quarter, with the support I thought would carry me through.

🤥Part 4: Denied Again — This Time, for a Desk

As COVID hit, my classes went online. I was taking full-time coursework from a coffee table, hunched over with severe spinal issues. I asked Tony for ergonomic equipment, and he said yes—pending some paperwork.

But before anything moved forward, I was reassigned to Natalie Erickson, a new counselor. She hadn’t determined my entitlement, hadn’t discussed my goals, and quickly tried to put me in a box I didn’t belong in.

She insisted I resubmit documents I had already provided to Tony, and required an “ergonomic evaluation” at the Portland VA Medical Center. But when I asked my PCP, Physical Therapy, and Prosthetics, none of them knew what she was talking about.

After weeks of hoop-jumping, she denied my request outright:

“VR&E doesn’t buy furniture for veterans. Ergonomic equipment is considered furniture.”

Let that sink in.

🧱🌫️🤢Part 5: Stonewalled and Gaslit

I knew this was false. I had done my research, and I had support from my medical team. I emailed Kevin Clayton, Natalie’s supervisor, with a detailed explanation of what had happened.

He never responded.

In fact, my email disappeared from my VR&E record entirely. I still have it in my sent folder. It’s just... gone.

From that point forward, I was simply surviving—trying to get through the program without support or respect. For two years, I felt ignored, dismissed, and stonewalled.

Then came retaliation.

🔄Part 6: Redirecting My Degree, Running Into Resistance (2022)

As I neared the end of my Earth Sciences degree, I realized something critical: all the GIS and remote sensing courses I loved were housed in the Geography department. I had been on the wrong academic track.

Had I started as a Geography major I would have taken four more GIS classes towards a degree. Meanwhile, my school also offered a Graduate Certificate in GIS—only five additional courses beyond my B.S. I knew exactly what I needed to do.

Encouraged by an employment specialist at the Oregon Employment Department, I asked VR&E for support to pursue the certificate.

Natalie didn’t make it easy.

She requested labor market statistics. I gave her federal and state data. A 10-year growth rate of 11.8% wasn’t good enough. She then claimed to already have her own numbers—so why did she send me searching for mine?

Every step, every email, every interaction—obstruction.

🚨Part 7: Enough Is Enough

After months of being ignored, misled, and told conflicting information, I went over Natalie’s head again—this time to Johnathan Penna, the VR&E Officer for the Portland office.

I told him what was happening. He acknowledged it—but didn’t intervene.

I requested a new VRC. He denied it.

Meanwhile, Natalie issued me a 30-day case closure notice—despite the fact that I had a pending request under higher-level review. She ignored letters from my PCP, chiropractor, and mental health professionals. She questioned my disabilities. She told me, directly or indirectly, that I wasn’t “disabled enough.”

Eventually, I got the chance to attend a roundtable with VA Secretary Denis McDonough at PSU in March 2023. Guess who else had name tags at the event? Natalie, Johnathan, and my newly assigned VRC (Alexandra Birmingham). I had so much to say, but I knew that this was not going to be a safe space for me to ask the questions that I had. I emailed the Secretary instead.

To this day? No response.

🤓Part 8: Doing It On My Own

In 2024, I re-applied to VR&E, now rated 100% Permanent & Total. My new VRC, Miya Athanas, initially approved my plan—until I disclosed my recent diagnoses of ADHD and autism spectrum disorder as part of my request for a Reduced Work Tolerance (RWT).

Suddenly, she questioned my feasibility for employment.

She admitted she didn’t read the materials I submitted. She claimed my reduced course load request was “too early,” then “too late.” She denied my request for a new computer. She ignored my ergonomic needs. She disregarded my success completing a bachelor’s degree in two years and enrolling in a graduate certificate.

So I made the decision for them: I withdrew from the VR&E program entirely.

This story isn’t over. I’ve filed a FOIA request for all records, communications, and internal messages regarding my case. I want to know what’s been said about me behind closed doors—and I won’t stop until I do. 

I’m a gay veteran. I was discharged under DADT. That label is on my DD-214, and I know it affects how people in this system see me.

But I see clearly now, too.

VR&E has failed me—deliberately, systematically, and without accountability.

And I’m going to make sure that story gets told.

In the words of Gym Class Heroes; This One is a Fighter! 💪

📬 PART 9: When the Follow-Up Comes Too Late: A VR&E Case Mishandled

Today, I received an email from Jonathan Penna, a higher-up within the Department of Veterans Affairs’ VR&E program. It was the first time I’d heard from him in over three months. His message was polite and formal, congratulatory even, as he explained he had just returned from paternity leave and wanted to know whether “resolution has been obtained” regarding the issues I’d raised about Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor (VRC) Miya Athanas.

The short answer? No, resolution has not been obtained.
The longer answer? I’ve already withdrawn from the VR&E program entirely—a decision I communicated directly to Miya two months ago. And that email wasn’t just a formality. It was the end of a long, exhausting battle for fair treatment and basic accountability.

⏱️ The Timeline That Tells the Story

Let’s break this down:

• February: I emailed Jonathan Penna outlining serious concerns about how my case was being handled by Miya Athanas—specifically a lack of communication, misleading information, and refusal to reasonably accommodate my service-connected disabilities.

• March: After months of being ignored and dismissed, I formally withdrew from VR&E and sent Miya a detailed email explaining why I was doing so.

• May 2nd: Jonathan replies—asking if things have been resolved.

This would be almost funny if it weren’t so familiar. This is what veterans face all too often: long silences, mismanagement, and then a delayed response that shows just how disconnected leadership can be from the real impacts of their program’s failures.

🎯 Why This Matters

When you’re navigating the VR&E program, especially with a Serious Employment Handicap (SEH), time isn’t a luxury—it’s a resource. Every week spent waiting for a callback, every email left unanswered, represents lost opportunities, delayed healing, and postponed careers.

Jonathan’s email—though courteous—felt like a reminder of just how little urgency there is inside the system when it comes to resolving serious concerns. And that’s dangerous, because veterans are often on the edge, trying to build new lives while balancing the physical, mental, and emotional challenges that come with service-connected conditions.

💥 The Bigger Problem: Systemic Disconnection

Let’s be clear: this isn’t just about Jonathan. It’s about a broken culture of inaction inside the VR&E system. I followed the chain of command. I documented my case. I exercised patience. And in the end, I had to walk away—not because I gave up, but because the program gave me nothing to work with.

Veterans deserve more than a boilerplate email months too late. We deserve timely oversight, proactive problem-solving, and above all, accountability.

✅ Final Thoughts

If you're a veteran in the VR&E program and you're being ignored, dismissed, or made to feel like a burden—you're not alone.
Keep records. Know your rights. Escalate when necessary. And if you ever feel like giving up, remember: the system might be broken, but you aren’t.

As for Jonathan Penna—yes, I did reply. I also told him to request my formal withdrawal from Miya if he wanted any more details. But at this point, I’m not asking for resolution. I’m demanding acknowledgment.

Because silence is not resolution.

📅 May 2, 2025

😵‍💫 Part 10: Ignored, Triggered, and Exhausted- The Real Cost of VR&E Neglect 

🧠 When the System Treats You Differently: The Cost of Being Ignored

There’s a quiet kind of harm that comes from being treated like you don’t matter—not through words, but through silence, avoidance, and indifference. For me, this wasn’t theoretical. It was the daily reality of trying to navigate the VA’s VR&E program while living with service-connected disabilities. And the way I was treated didn’t just slow down my progress—it exacerbated my conditions.

💭 The Feeling of Being "Less Than"

From the beginning, I noticed something wasn’t right. I wasn’t being listened to. My emails went unanswered. My requests for reasonable accommodations were downplayed or outright dismissed. I was spoken to as if I were a problem to be managed, not a veteran to be supported.

When you're disabled—especially with invisible injuries—it’s hard enough being seen. But when the very people who are supposed to help you act like you're an inconvenience, it chips away at your confidence, your motivation, and your mental health.

I began asking myself questions I shouldn’t have had to ask:

• “Am I making too much of this?”

• “Do they even believe me?”

• “What else do I have to prove?”
  
  

That kind of internalized doubt is poison for anyone—but especially for someone with PTSD, anxiety, or chronic pain. And the longer it went on, the worse it got.

🧠 The Psychological Toll

Stress, for me, doesn’t just mean feeling frustrated. It means flare-ups in pain. It means sleepless nights. It means spiraling into obsessive worry, hypervigilance, and self-isolation—hallmarks of both my diagnosed conditions and my experience as a disabled veteran.

Being ignored or dismissed by my Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor didn’t just delay my benefits. It triggered symptoms that I work every day to manage.

And let’s not forget: part of qualifying for VR&E under a Serious Employment Handicap (SEH) is acknowledging that your disabilities make it significantly harder to function in a work or training environment. So what happens when the system that’s supposed to accommodate those difficulties adds to them?

It’s betrayal, plain and simple.

😤 Treated Differently, and Not in a Good Way

I watched other veterans receive responses, accommodations, and support I was denied. I wasn't asking for special treatment—I was asking for equal treatment, adjusted for my documented limitations. But the moment I pushed back or asked too many questions, I became a problem. I could feel it in every delayed email, every brushed-off concern.

That’s the thing about discrimination in systems like VR&E: it’s rarely loud. It’s in the slow drip of neglect, the professional-sounding gaslighting, and the procedural walls built to wear you down.

🔄 The Damage Lingers

Even now, after withdrawing from the program, I still carry the weight of that experience. I question future programs. I brace for resistance. I get that tightness in my chest when filling out forms, wondering if I’ll be believed this time.

The system didn’t just fail me. It reopened wounds I was trying to heal. That’s the real damage of being treated differently when you’re already vulnerable.

🛑 No One Deserves This

If you’re a veteran reading this and you’ve felt like the system was working against you instead of for you: you are not alone. And it’s not your fault.

You have the right to be treated with dignity. You have the right to be accommodated without having to beg. And if you're being treated differently, it's not because you’re difficult—it’s because the system isn’t doing its job.

The VA talks a lot about supporting veterans. It’s time they start listening to us, too.

📅 May 4, 2025

📬 PART 11: A Conversation with VR&E Leadership – Too Little, Too Late

Today, I had another round of communication with Jonathan Penna—one of the higher-ups within the Department of Veterans Affairs’ VR&E program. Our exchange felt familiar: polite on the surface, yet ultimately hollow.

The reason I reached out was simple. There were a few key points I forgot to include in my original email to Miya Athanas—specifically, the fact that she disregarded direct instructions from Mr. Lopez to provide support during my final academic quarter. I laid out how Miya failed to fulfill her duties, ignored multiple follow-ups, and actively contributed to the worsening of my service-connected disabilities.

📨 The Response I Got

To his credit, Mr. Penna replied. He confirmed receipt of my message and informed me that my concerns had been forwarded to Miya’s direct supervisor (Mr. Lopez) for review. He thanked me for my service and offered to send information on how to reapply for VR&E.

Let’s pause right there.

⏸️ The Issue Isn’t Just Application Status—It’s Accountability

The offer to give me instructions on how to reapply completely sidesteps the actual issue. I didn’t withdraw from VR&E because I lost interest or lacked motivation. I withdrew because I was being harmed by the very people meant to support me.

What I needed from Jonathan is not directions to reapply—it was acknowledgment. Not in the form of a template email or a deferral to someone else’s inbox, but a sincere recognition of what I endured. I didn’t go through four VR&E counselors because I was difficult—I went through them because the system is.

🧠 This Isn’t Personal—It’s Systemic

My final message to Mr. Penna laid it out clearly:

"I am no longer able to continue my education under VR&E. The repeated mistreatment I experienced from multiple VRCs not only derailed my academic path but worsened my health. When your office is ready to treat veterans with transparency and respect, I’ll consider reapplying."

I was calm. I was clear. I was done sugarcoating what happened.

🎯 What Veterans Need Isn’t Lip Service—It’s Change

I’m not the first veteran to have their needs ignored, their disabilities dismissed, or their future derailed by VR&E. And I won't be the last—unless something changes. The polite email acknowledging receipt isn’t the resolution. Neither is forwarding my complaint to someone else without a timeline, follow-up, or explanation of next steps.

We need VR&E leadership to stop treating veteran concerns like administrative chores and start treating them like the serious, life-altering issues they are.

✅ Final Thoughts

If you're reading this and you've had a similar experience—know that you're not alone. You deserve support. You deserve follow-through. And you deserve to be taken seriously the first time you raise your voice.

As for Mr. Penna—I’m grateful he replied. But I’m still waiting on something more than politeness. I’m waiting on action.

Because acknowledgment without change? That’s just another delay tactic.

📅 May 9, 2025

📘 A System in Transition: What’s New with VR&E in 2025 (so far)?

Veterans across the country have long relied on the VA’s Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) program as a critical tool for reintegration—whether that means going back to school, securing a new career, or just regaining a sense of purpose. But for many of us, VR&E hasn’t always lived up to its promise. Missed emails, delayed approvals, outdated systems, and caseworkers who don’t understand (or care to understand) the diverse experiences of disabled and neurodivergent veterans have too often defined our experiences.

But change might finally be coming—and not a moment too soon.

🏛️ Legislative Winds Are Shifting

This year, Congress has introduced several bills that, if passed, could bring real transparency and structural improvements to the VR&E program:

🔹 Veterans Readiness & Employment Transparency Act (H.R. 1793)
This bill would require the VA to:

• Establish a VR&E hotline (because who hasn’t spent hours trying to get a straight answer?)

• Host monthly Q&A sessions between VR&E reps and schools

• Report annually on benefit extension requests

• Make VR&E contact info easier to find at regional offices
  
  

It’s a small, common-sense step—but for those of us who’ve spent years fighting the system, it feels like a breath of fresh air.

🔹 Informing VETS Act
This legislation focuses on making sure veterans actually know their benefit options as they transition out of the military—comparing VR&E and GI Bill options in an easy-to-understand format and requiring the VA to proactively share this info.

This one hits close to home. If someone had sat me down and clearly explained the difference between eligibility and entitlement, I might have made very different decisions about my path.

🔹 Streamlining Aviation for Eligible Veterans Act (H.R. 913)
For vets dreaming of flight, this bill would expand VR&E eligibility to include non-degree flight training programs—a major win in addressing the national pilot shortage and opening doors to well-paying, purpose-driven careers.

💰 Where’s the Money Going?

In the FY 2025 VA budget, the VA has earmarked $16.1 billion for Readjustment Benefits, including education and employment programs like VR&E. According to the VA, this funding will support 1.1 million veterans and their dependents.

That sounds great on paper—but where is the accountability? Who’s tracking outcomes? Are disabled veterans getting the adaptive support they need? And will this budget actually filter down to meaningful changes, or just more bureaucracy?

🏢 Executive Orders and New Promises

On May 9, 2025, President Trump signed an executive order establishing the National Center for Warrior Independence on the West LA VA campus. It promises to:

• House up to 6,000 homeless vets by 2028

• Consolidate services for at-risk veterans

• Redirect federal funds to support this initiative instead of non-citizen aid programs
  
  

While housing and wraparound services are sorely needed, especially in California, the politicization of veteran support continues to divide the very community it claims to protect. Are we empowering veterans? Or just using them as political pawns?

⚠️ Still Waiting for Structural Accountability

Bills and budget increases mean little without accountability. Veterans in the VR&E program deserve more than legislative lip service. We deserve:

• Caseworkers who are trained in disability and neurodiversity

• Timely, compassionate responses when we reach out for help

• Clear communication on entitlements, eligibility, and appeal processes

• Transparency on delays, errors, and mismanagement
  
  

As part of my own advocacy, I’ve started looking into how to formally request statistical data on the Portland VA VR&E office—including:

• The number of VRCs assigned to veterans

• Average caseload per counselor

• Average wait times for approvals

• Number of formal complaints filed

• Disability categories most commonly served (or underserved)
  
  

If the VA is serious about improving services, then it must be willing to open the books and let us see where the breakdowns are happening.

📝 Final Thoughts from the Field

As someone who lived through the VR&E maze, I’ll be keeping a close eye on these legislative efforts. Some of them sound promising. But policy doesn’t fix broken systems overnight.

The VR&E program still needs a cultural shift—from gatekeeping to guidance, from excuses to empathy.

To every veteran who has been ignored, delayed, misdiagnosed, or dismissed: keep fighting. You deserve better.

And to every policymaker reading this: stop asking veterans to survive a system you wouldn’t trust your own family with.

Sources available via embedded links.

📅 May 11, 2025

📬 Part 12a: Portland VA FOIA Officer Says I'm 'Not Media Enough' to Expose VR&E Patterns

When I submitted my FOIA request to the Portland Regional VA Office earlier this month, I expected some red tape. I didn’t expect to be told that my work — publishing data, analysis, and stories about VR&E program failures on my blog, having a YouTube channel, and in veterans’ Facebook groups — somehow doesn’t qualify me as “media.”

On May 22, 2025, I received their official response, which acknowledged receipt of my request and classified it as “complex.” That’s fair. I asked for a lot of data — names and job titles of all Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors (VRCs), caseloads, complaint types, and average wait times for services like supply approvals or self-employment plans. This is the kind of granular, operational data the VA rarely volunteers, especially at the regional level.

But what stood out — and disappointed me — was the VA’s claim that I should be classified in the “All Other” FOIA category instead of the “News Media” category. According to them, I didn’t prove I would be publicly disseminating the information or that it would significantly contribute to public understanding of government operations.

Let me be very clear:
I run The Vocational Rehabilitation Review, a blog and website dedicated to holding the VR&E program accountable. I produce videos on YouTube, engage with thousands of veterans through multiple Facebook groups, and now — apparently — I need to explain that yes, I publish government transparency content. Regularly. For free.

I also requested a fee waiver because I’m not using this information for commercial purposes. I’m not profiting off veterans — I’m trying to inform and protect them. But again, the VA denied that too, saying I didn’t sufficiently explain how I’d use the data or why it matters.

So I filed an appeal. This afternoon.
Because when the VA tells you that what you’re doing “isn’t media” enough, what they’re really saying is: “We’d rather you not tell people what’s really happening.”

If the data they’re holding back shows that certain disabilities are consistently underserved, or that complaints are stacking up against a few key counselors, I will share it. Not just on TVRR, but with local Portland newsrooms too.

Because if the VA won’t let in the sunshine, we’ll make our own.

🗣️ Stay tuned — I’ll be posting my full appeal letter here soon. And if you’ve had similar FOIA roadblocks with the VA, I want to hear from you.

#VeteransDeserveBetter #FOIA #Transparency #VREWatchdog

📅 May 22, 2025

📬 Part 12b: Acknowledgement & fee waiver decision letter from Portland FOIA Office and Mr. Penna follow-up

As promised, here is the acknowledgement  and fee waiver decision letter.

Like I said previously, an appeal has already been filed. On May 27, 2025 I  received an acknowledgment of receipt email from the Office of General Counsel. 

On another note; I still have not gotten a follow-up from Mr. Penna regarding my VRC complaints (since May 9th). So, I sent him a follow-up email this afternoon. Here is my email:

"Dear Mr. Penna,

I’m following up regarding your email from May 9th, where you acknowledged receipt of my withdrawal letter and informed me that it (the email) had been forwarded to Ms. Athanas’s supervisor for review.

It’s now been several weeks with no update, no confirmation, and no follow-through.

I’d like to know:

1. Has the review into Ms. Athanas’s conduct and "customer service" been completed? If so, what are the results?

2. If not, what is the current status, and what’s the timeline for resolution?

I’d also like to reiterate: I’m not seeking to reapply at this time. I’ve done more than my share of jumping through hoops, just to be told no in the end. I will not be leaping back into a program that has continuously failed to meet even basic expectations.

I’m simply asking for the respect of a proper, timely response. I trust you'll do better than radio silence.

Looking forward to your reply.

Sincerely,

Christopher"

Accountability is not hard. Admitting a mistake has been made and that actions will be taken to correct those mistakes, also not that hard. Especially when, as I have noted many times that those mistakes go against the law as describes in the M28C. This is not a simple "customer service complaint", this me reporting that VR&E employees are breaking the law!

 📅 May 30, 2025

📰 Part 13: Overloaded, Ignored, and Underserved — The VA Knew VR&E Was Broken Years Ago

If you’ve felt dismissed, delayed, or completely invisible while trying to navigate VA Vocational Rehabilitation & Employment (VR&E), I want you to know this: it’s not just your case — and it’s not just in your head.

The federal government has known for years that this system is broken.

In two major GAO reports, investigators confirmed everything so many of us have lived through. I’ve read the reports. They match my case almost line by line. What follows isn’t just my story — it’s a pattern.

📉 Caseloads That Crush Counselors (and Veterans)

In 2019, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) found that some VR&E counselors were handling over 200 cases each, nearly double the VA’s recommended maximum of 125. Unsurprisingly, they couldn’t keep up. As veterans, we paid the price with ghosted emails, months-long waits, and denied accommodations.

“VR&E’s current performance measures do not reflect the full range of services provided or their outcomes.”
— GAO-20-28, p. 17

📬 Slow, Confusing, and Poorly Tracked Services

I filed multiple FOIA requests because I couldn’t even get a straight answer on what my counselor had put in my record. GAO found that outcome tracking in VR&E is vague and inconsistent, with some veterans exiting the program without ever receiving meaningful support.

“VA lacked sufficient performance information to assess how well it is helping veterans achieve employment goals.”
— GAO-14-363T, p. 2

🛠️ Missed Opportunities, Ignored Needs

I asked for ergonomic accommodations backed by a doctor. The response? Silence, delay, and deflection. This isn’t unique. GAO confirmed that the VR&E program lacks effective tools and planning systems to support veterans with complex or long-term disabilities like PTSD, chronic pain, or neurodivergence.

📉 Bottom Line: The System Isn’t Just Underperforming — It’s Unaccountable

The VA has had nearly a decade to fix these problems. GAO made clear, direct recommendations:

• Improve tracking of veteran success (not just processing speed)
  
  

• Reduce counselor caseloads to manageable levels
  
  

• Increase accountability and oversight
  
  

• Invest in training and planning tools
  
  

Yet, here we are. The problems persist — because no one’s watching unless we speak up.

🧩 TVRR Was Built Because This Is Still Happening

I created The Vocational Rehabilitation Review to bring transparency to the failures of this program and to give other veterans a platform for their stories.

These GAO reports validate what many of us already know from lived experience: we weren’t failed by accident — we were failed by design.

📚 Sources:

• GAO-20-28: “VA Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment” (Nov 2019)
  
  

• GAO-14-363T: “Actions Needed to Improve Program Effectiveness” (March 2014)
  
  

If you’ve been failed by VR&E, I want to hear from you. Reach out. Speak up. We deserve better — and we are not alone.

🗣️ #TVRR #VREWatchdog #VeteransDeserveBetter #NeurodivergentVeteran #FOIA #VAReform

📅 June 1, 2025

VA News:🎖️ Smoke, Mirrors, and Backlogs: Is the VA Telling Us the Truth?

At The VocRehab Report (TVRR), our mission is to shine a light where others turn a blind eye — especially when it comes to the institutions meant to serve us. This week, we're confronting an uncomfortable truth about the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA): their public statements about the claims backlog don’t seem to match what’s happening behind closed doors.

📉 The Official Story: "Backlog Down"

According to a May 22, 2025 VA News Release, the VA proudly announced that it has reduced the disability claims backlog to under 200,000 — citing record-breaking processing rates and improved efficiency.

They define a backlogged claim as any that’s been pending for more than 125 days. On the surface, this is cause for celebration. Major news outlets picked it up. Headlines praised the VA’s efforts. But behind the headlines lies a very different story.

🕵️‍♂️ The Hidden Reality: 1.4 Million?

Just 10 days earlier, on May 12, an internal VA email surfaced — not meant for public eyes — that paints a drastically different picture. The message, directed to VA staff, announced voluntary overtime to tackle a “backlog” of 939,000 claims over 125 days old, plus another 463,000 expected to roll over within 30 days.

That’s not a typo. That’s a total of 1.4 million claims.

Another internal memo from May 18 authorized mandatory overtime — a clear indication of how overwhelmed the system truly is. So, the question becomes: if the definition of "backlog" is the same in both public and internal sources, why the massive discrepancy?

🎥 Watch the full breakdown of this issue in this video:
👉 The VA is NOT telling us the whole truth (YouTube)

🎭 Data Framing or Misleading the Public?

What we’re seeing is not just a clerical error — it’s framing. The VA appears to be shaping numbers to tell a more optimistic story to the public, while internally acknowledging the overwhelming reality.

This raises serious questions:

• Are they segmenting or excluding certain types of claims in public reports?

• Are they omitting HLRs (Higher-Level Reviews), supplemental claims, or dependent claims from their backlog count?

• Are regional office figures being parsed differently?
  
  

There’s more than one way to slice the data — and it seems the VA has found the slice that makes them look best.

⚖️ Why It Matters

For veterans, a delayed claim isn’t just a number — it’s rent unpaid, medication unaffordable, or a family under stress. When the VA downplays the scope of the backlog, it’s not just a PR problem — it’s a disservice to every veteran waiting on the benefits they earned.

We’re not demanding miracles. We’re demanding truth, accountability, and transparency. Veterans deserve straight answers — not spin.

📣 What Can You Do?

• Share this blog with fellow veterans and advocates.

• Ask questions when you see overly optimistic VA news.

• Contact your elected officials and demand an independent audit of VA backlog data.
  
  

And if you’ve been waiting on a claim for far too long — you are not alone. TVRR is here to amplify your voice.

Stay vigilant. Stay informed. And most importantly, stay loud.

📅 June 2, 2025

📬 Part 14a: Johnathan Penna Follow-up

As you know from my last post (Part 12b), I sent a follow-up email to Johnathan Penna on May 30, 2025. And—go figure—still no response.

At this point, things are so bad that for months I’ve had to use an email tracking service just to verify when my messages are opened or when links are clicked. So yes, I know exactly when I’m being ignored—and when I’m being deliberately ignored.

This isn’t just a communication breakdown. It’s a pattern of avoidance.
But hey, I know how to keep records, baby. 😘

📅 June 5, 2025

📬Part 14b: Johnathan Penna Follow-up – This Isn’t Just About Me

🕰️I figured a full week after my last follow-up was enough, so I sent another email this afternoon to Mr. Penna. Here’s what I wrote:

"Dear Mr. Penna, 

It has now been nearly a month since I last contacted you, and I have yet to receive a response. I am requesting an update on the status of the investigation into the conduct of Ms. Miya Athanas. 

I would also like to address your continued characterization of my concerns—as well as those I have raised about other VRCs—as not constituting a "valid customer service complaint." 

Let me be clear: The VA’s governing regulations—38 CFR Part 21—and the M28C VR&E Manual do not refer to veterans as “customers,” nor do they define or limit the scope of complaints to “customer service” matters. My complaint centers on noncompliance with policy, regulatory violations, and failure to fulfill duties required by law—not personal dissatisfaction or interpersonal conflicts. 

As a veteran with legal entitlement under Chapter 31, the actions (or inactions) of my VRC directly affect my benefits, access to services, and rehabilitation outcomes. 

Additionally, this is not an isolated or novel concern. I direct your attention to the 2015 congressional testimony of Benjamin Krause, JD, a veterans' law attorney and former VR&E participant, who documented longstanding systemic issues in the Portland VR&E office, including: 

• Delays in processing benefits 

• False or misleading information from counselors 

• Withholding of information critical to veterans’ decision-making

 These practices were publicly reported to Congress—and unfortunately, they appear to continue today. Accordingly, I request that my concerns be evaluated under the appropriate legal and regulatory framework, not dismissed under a vague or unofficial notion of “customer service.” 

📨And what happened? Less than five minutes later, I finally got a reply from Johnathan Penna. Here’s what it said:

"Christopher, good afternoon. 

Thank you for your patience as we reviewed your case file and circumstances. 

After consultation with our supervisory team here at the Portland and Anchorage VA Regional Office, it has been identified that a valid customer service complaint was identified while being served by your most recent counselor. Customer Service is considered a critical performance element for VR&E Counselors. 

Furthermore, it has been identified that your case is currently open and in Extended Evaluation Status. 

You may elect to have a change in counselor at this time, and the request will be honored. 

Alternatively, you may elect to have your case close.

 A change in counselor does not change/overturn any previously adjudicated determinations made by Ms. Athanas and/or any former VR&E Counselor. Should you wish to appeal any past determinations, you are welcome to seek your appellate rights. 

Should you disagree with any past determinations made on your case, I am providing you with clarification in regard to due process rights associated with VR&E determinations. 

If/when a person reports a disagreement with a determination made on their case, they have appellate rights which includes (but is not limited to) a Higher Level Review. One can review all “paths” available to a person seeking appellate rights which includes submitting a Supplemental Claim, pursuing a Higher Level Review (refer to attachment 1) or seeking a BVA Hearing. The 20-0998 (refer to attachment 2) is attached for awareness of these three paths. 

If anyone whether it be my team has erred in regard to a determination that has been made on the case, it will be redirected by an overturn of the decision through the Due Process procedures we have in place. 

I am cc’ing Ms. Athanas’s direct supervisor (Waiman Chan) for tracking. My Assistant VR&E Officer is also cc’ed into this communication. 

Respectfully, 

Jonathan R. Penna" 

But let me be very clear—this isn’t about customer service. And it’s not just about my benefits.

It’s about accountability.
It's about regulatory violations.
It’s about holding federal employees and the Portland VR&E office to the standards they are obligated by law to follow.

I responded with a detailed breakdown of the legal and policy violations—citing 38 CFR § 21.362, the M28C manual, and even Congressional testimony from 2015 documenting the exact same patterns of misconduct at the Portland office. That testimony came from a veterans' attorney who used VR&E himself and later exposed systemic failures. Nearly a decade later, the same issues persist.

And here's the thing:
👉 I’m not a “customer.” I’m a veteran.
👉 These aren’t “service complaints.” They’re policy failures.
👉 This isn’t just about my case. This is about how many other veterans were ignored or misled—and never had the tools to fight back.

I’ll keep documenting.
I’ll keep holding receipts.
And I’ll keep publishing until this system is held to account—not just for me, but for every veteran who’s been stonewalled, gaslit, or abandoned by the program that’s supposed to help them rebuild their future.

📅 June 6, 2025

📬 Part 14c: Gaslighting by Policy – My “Valid Complaint” That Apparently Doesn’t Exist

It’s been a long road with VA Vocational Rehabilitation & Employment (VR&E), and just when you think the contradictions can’t get any more absurd… they do.

You might remember from Part 14b, I finally received an acknowledgment from Mr. Jonathan Penna (Assistant VR&E Officer, Portland Regional Office) that I had a “valid customer service complaint” regarding the conduct of my most recent counselor, Ms. Miya Athanas.

That was a big moment—after years of being told my concerns weren’t valid, someone in the chain of command finally admitted that something went wrong.

Or so I thought.

This week, I followed up with Mr. Penna to get clarification about what that “valid complaint” actually meant. I asked specific, direct questions:

• What did Ms. Athanas do that was considered improper?

• What prompted the change in your stance?

• What corrective action was taken?

• Will any of her decisions be re-evaluated?

• Was there a formal review?

• Is your office investigating broader patterns?
  
  

You know what I got back?

A long string of denials.

According to Mr. Penna:

• No decisions made by Ms. Athanas were found to be improper.

• No reversal ever occurred—he claims the “valid complaint” wasn’t his to begin with.

• The only issue? Apparently there were some vague “areas for improvement in communication.”
  
  

Let’s break this down:

✅ I file a formal complaint.
✅ They deny it’s valid.
✅ Months later, I get an official message saying, yes, there was a valid complaint.
❌ Now they claim nothing was wrong and no one is responsible.

You can't have it both ways.

⚖️ Let’s Talk About Due Process

In that same exchange, I reminded Mr. Penna of something I’ve been saying for over a year:

VR&E implemented decisions while my appeal was still active.

That’s not just poor communication—it’s a violation of federal regulation.

Specifically, 38 CFR § 21.98 says:

“A decision shall not become final until the veteran has been informed of their rights and has either accepted the decision or had an opportunity to appeal it.”

“The veteran shall be afforded an opportunity to formally appeal the plan before further development or implementation of the plan proceeds.”

Despite this, VR&E:

• Denied accommodations I was medically entitled to

• Continued enforcing plan decisions during an active Higher-Level Review

• Reinterpreted plan terms without resolution

• And still can’t decide whether my case is open or closed—even after I formally withdrew in writing on March 23, 2025
  
  

Let me be blunt: This isn’t miscommunication. This is procedural abuse.

🧾 Their Only “Accountability”? Shrug and Move On

When I asked if any corrective action had been taken in response to these failures, Mr. Penna assured me that counselors “are held to national standards.” Translation: no action taken, no transparency, no accountability.

How can they claim to be upholding national standards while denying everything and hiding behind meaningless language like “areas for improvement”?

It’s insulting. And it’s dangerous.

Because here’s the truth: I’m not the only one this has happened to. I’ve experienced the same cycle of mismanagement with multiple VRCs, across multiple years. My experience isn’t unique—it’s systemic.

And that’s exactly what was testified to in Congress back in 2015 by veterans’ law attorney Benjamin Krause, who outlined the same patterns of delay, deflection, and denial at Portland VR&E.

Ten years later, nothing has changed.

📣 What Comes Next

I’ve told Mr. Penna I will not re-engage with VR&E until this matter is properly addressed. That means:

• A full accounting of why my complaint was both acknowledged and denied

• A formal admission that 38 CFR § 21.98 was violated

• Documentation of any review, and consequences—if any—for staff involved
  
  

And if they won’t provide it, I’ll keep building the record. This post, like the ones before it, is part of that.

This blog isn’t just for me—it’s for every veteran who’s been gaslit, ignored, or pressured into silence. The VA wants you to feel like your concerns aren’t valid.

But here’s the thing:

If they weren’t valid, they wouldn’t try so hard to ignore them.

—
✉️ If you're a veteran experiencing something similar, or you're a former VRC ready to speak out, you can reach me at thevocrehabreport@gmail.com
🗂️ Full case timeline and documentation available upon request.
#VRE #VAReform #DueProcessMatters #VeteransDeserveBetter

📅 June 9, 2025

📌 Part 15: Case Closed... or Is It? More VR&E Nonsense from Portland

Guys, I swear—this shit just keeps getting weirder.

If you’ve been following this blog, you might remember that back in March 2025, I formally withdrew from the VR&E program. I sent an email to my VRC, Miya Athanas, making it crystal clear:

“I am formally withdrawing from the VR&E program, effective immediately.”

Simple, right?

Not for Portland VR&E.

Within a week of that email, I got a decision letter from Miya, dated March 30, saying she would be closing my case in 30 days. That means by April 30, my case should’ve been closed and my relationship with VR&E—at least for the time being—should have been over.

Fast-forward to June. After a number of email exchanges, I receive not one, but two letters from Jonathan Penna:

1. One saying he’s now my assigned Voc Rehab Counselor

2. Another proposing to close my case... because I asked them to back in March
   
   

So, I have to ask:
Which is it?

• Was my case already closed by Miya back in April, as promised?

• Or did Jonathan just unilaterally override her decision—after spending months telling me he can’t overturn a VRC’s judgment?
  
  

It’s one or the other. You can’t say you're bound by a counselor’s decision one minute and then step in and reverse it the next.

This whole thing reeks of contradiction, and frankly, it looks like someone’s trying to paper over a mistake without owning up to it.

⚖️ A Breach of Trust and Policy

Let’s not forget: 38 CFR § 21.98 says that no plan or decision becomes final until a veteran has had an opportunity to formally appeal or reject it. I rejected mine. They proceeded anyway.

The VA's own documentation shows that Miya initiated the case closure as a result of my email. That was the right thing to do. But if that closure never happened, then Portland VR&E failed to implement a veteran's clearly stated decision. If it did happen, then reopening my case without my request is another violation of protocol.

🧭 Giving VR&E One Last Shot

Despite all of this? I’m giving it one more chance.

I’ve let Jonathan know I’ll re-engage—with one major caveat:
I expect to restart from the original goal I worked on with Miya—becoming a college or university professor specializing in GIS, Photogrammetry, and LiDAR. That’s what I set out to do. That’s what I want to return to.

Jonathan, don’t mess this up. Because I’m not stopping this blog, and I’m not stopping my documentation. You’re now on the record.

🧾 Final Thought

This isn’t about one mistake. It’s about a pattern of disregard for veterans’ rights and choices. The Portland VR&E office has repeatedly made unilateral decisions, ignored due process, and gaslit veterans into thinking we’re the ones who are confused.

I’m not confused. I’m just done pretending this chaos is normal.

📅 June 23, 2025

📰 Part 16: One Last Chance — But Not Without Receipts

If you’ve been following this blog, you know by now that navigating VR&E through the Portland Regional Office hasn’t exactly been a walk in the park. After months of silence, contradictions, and repeated violations of due process, I finally received a response from Jonathan Penna—now officially assigned as my VRC.

Here’s the twist: despite my formal withdrawal from the program back in March and a follow-up decision letter from my then-VRC Maya stating that my case would be closed, I’m somehow still in the system. Penna now claims my case is “open,” and I’ve been reassigned to his caseload. Whether Maya never followed through, or Penna exercised authority he previously claimed not to have, the result is the same: confusion, contradiction, and another round of bureaucratic gaslighting.

But here’s the difference this time—I’m cautiously agreeing to give the program one final chance. That decision didn’t come lightly.

As we move forward, I want to reiterate the importance of ensuring that this process is rooted in regulatory compliance, transparency, and accountability. Based on my prior experience with the Portland VR&E office, I am cautiously hopeful that working directly with Mr. Penna will offer a meaningful reset. That said, I am not re-engaging lightly or without clear expectations. I fully expect that the unresolved concerns from my previous participation—including violations of 38 CFR § 21.98 and other policy inconsistencies—will be addressed and resolved in accordance with VA regulations and legal standards.

I made that expectation clear in my most recent email to Mr. Penna, where I also pointed out that the serious concerns I raised in multiple prior emails—including due process violations, accommodation issues, and counselor conduct—still have not been meaningfully addressed. These aren’t throwaway grievances. They’re structural and legal issues that affect not just me, but every veteran trying to make this system work.

To help clarify the realities of my medical and neurodivergent conditions, I also included links to several short videos explaining ankylosing spondylitis, ADHD, and Autism Spectrum Disorder. These aren’t just buzzwords in my file—they’re conditions that affect how I work, communicate, and navigate programs like VR&E. In prior counselor relationships, they were misunderstood or outright ignored. One counselor even confused ankylosing spondylitis with spondylosis—two completely different conditions.

Let’s be clear: I’ve never lacked motivation or ability. I completed my Earth Science degree and GIS minor in just over two years. I earned a 3.94 GPA in a competitive GIS graduate certificate program. Drone mapping, 3D modeling, and spatial analysis aren’t just skills—they’re passions. This is what I do. What I’ve lacked is a system willing to listen, accommodate, and uphold the standards it claims to follow.

My hope is that Mr. Penna will review my record with fresh eyes, acknowledge the systemic failures that preceded him, and help rebuild this program into something that works as intended—for me and for the many other veterans still fighting for basic support.

But I’ll be honest: this is it. If the same patterns repeat, there won’t be another round. I’ll document every step, every email, every promise made or broken. And I’ll keep shining a light on what’s broken in Portland VR&E until someone with real authority finally does something about it.

Stay tuned—because accountability is long overdue.

#TheVocRehabReport #VeteransDeserveBetter #PortlandVRE #VAAccountability #NeurodivergentVeterans #DisabledVeterans #DroneMapping #GIS #MakeItMakeSense

📅 June 25, 2025

🚨Part 18: Feasible, but Not Funded- My Retroactive Induction Denial from VA VR&E 

On July 2, 2025, I sat down for a meeting with Jonathan Penna, the Veteran Readiness & Employment (VR&E) Officer for the Portland VA Regional Office. During that conversation, he said something I won’t forget:

“You are certain to find a job.”
“I don’t know about infeasibility.”

That meeting was meant to be a turning point. After a difficult and drawn-out battle with the VR&E program—including a counselor who reversed my feasibility status after learning I had ADHD and autism (Miya Athanas)—I was finally reassigned to someone higher up the chain who recognized that I was both eligible and capable of succeeding. Penna confirmed that I was still entitled to VR&E services and asked me to begin submitting documentation for a new plan, including an acceptance letter, class schedule, and a mental health provider’s letter affirming my career goals.

What I didn’t expect came two weeks later: a formal denial of retroactive induction.

The denial letter, dated July 17, 2025, states that VR&E cannot reimburse me for any training I undertook between August 22, 2024, and July 1, 2025. The reason? I was considered to be in “extended evaluation” status during that time, and the VA claimed that feasibility hadn’t yet been determined.

But here’s the truth: I started my GIS certificate in Fall 2023 and completed it in Winter 2025. The majority of my coursework—including the classes that proved I could succeed—took place during the exact period they now say I'm ineligible for support. I submitted letters of recommendation and medical documentation affirming my capacity to succeed. I passed my classes. I built a portfolio. I did everything right.

And still, because of a delay in formally adjudicating feasibility, I’m being told that the VA can’t (or won’t) reimburse me for the costs I incurred while completing a program they now agree supports my career goal.

This isn’t just a bureaucratic technicality. It’s a policy decision that disproportionately affects disabled veterans—especially those of us who were forced into “extended evaluation” not because of our performance, but because of how our disabilities were perceived by others. In my case, feasibility was originally granted—until I disclosed my diagnoses. That’s when the narrative shifted, and my support was withdrawn.

The irony? Today, I’m being asked to submit more paperwork in support of my Fall 2025 plans—including reimbursement forms, supply requests, and documentation for my career development. The VA is actively supporting my path forward, while refusing to honor the very work that proved I could walk that path in the first place.

I’ve submitted a formal request for reconsideration under 38 CFR § 21.282, which governs retroactive induction. I believe I meet all seven required criteria. I’ll keep you posted on what happens next.

In the meantime, this experience has made one thing painfully clear: Even when we succeed, we still have to fight for recognition.

📅 July 17, 2025

🛑Part 19: When FOIA Isn’t FOIA: My Battle to Access My Own VA Records 

If you’ve ever tried to get your own records from the VA, you probably already know: what should be a simple request can turn into a Kafkaesque maze of mixed messages, contradictions, and silence.

This spring, I submitted a request under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) to obtain my own VA Vocational Rehabilitation & Employment (VR&E) case records. I’ve done this before, as VR&E staff have consistently told me: “If you want your records, you’ll need to file a FOIA request.” I followed the same steps I always have, including submitting a signed FOIA cover letter and a request for a fee waiver.

But this time, something changed. And no one seems to be able—or willing—to explain why.

🔎The April 28 Request That Disappeared

On April 28, 2025, I submitted a new FOIA request to the Portland VA Regional Office. I never received a tracking number. No acknowledgment. No response. Nothing.

Then came the whiplash: after submitting FOIA request #25-31216-FP for my own VA case records, I was told that my fee waiver request had been submitted “too late.” In order to correct the issue, I canceled that request myself so I could resubmit it properly with the fee waiver included from the outset. Despite the request involving nothing more than my own VA case file, I had been given a stunning $2,000 fee estimate—a charge that should never have applied under the Privacy Act in the first place. 

To avoid the fee, I did what I thought was right: I started over, submitted a new request (this time with the fee waiver included up front), and waited.

And waited.

And waited.

🙈FOIA? No—Actually, That’s Privacy

Three months later, I finally received a response—not to my April 28 request, but to a follow-up email I sent demanding an update. The Portland FOIA Office informed me:

“Since you are asking for your personal information, it is not a FOIA request. The request is with the Privacy Office.”

Wait—what?

I had submitted previous requests for the same data under FOIA and been charged for it. Now, when I correctly ask for my own records and request a fee waiver, I’m told it’s not FOIA at all?

Let that sink in.

The same agency that gave me a multi-thousand-dollar fee estimate for personal data is now saying I should never have filed under FOIA to begin with. And yet… they never forwarded the April 28 request to the Privacy Office. They never told me it was a Privacy Act matter. They just let the request die in a black hole.

❓So Which Is It? FOIA or Privacy Act?

The answer, according to federal law, is simple:

• If you’re requesting government documents about general operations or public matters, you use FOIA.

• If you’re requesting your own records from a federal agency, that falls under the Privacy Act of 1974 (5 U.S.C. § 552a).
  
  

Under the Privacy Act:

• There is no fee for access to your own data.

• Agencies are required to process requests within a “reasonable time.”

• You don’t need to justify why you want your own file.
  
  

So why was I ever told to file a FOIA request in the first place? Why did the VA attempt to charge me thousands of dollars for something I legally have the right to receive for free? And why wasn’t my April 28 request forwarded to the right office once they realized it was a Privacy Act matter?

These are the kinds of questions that get lost in the VA’s bureaucratic shuffle. No one takes ownership, no one explains, and veterans like me are left in the dark, wasting months of time chasing records that should already be ours.

✨Why It Matters

I’m not just trying to look at my own file for curiosity’s sake. I’m pursuing retroactive reimbursement and appealing disputed decisions in my VR&E case. These records matter. They’re part of my legal right to due process.

The VA talks a lot about transparency and accountability, but this experience shows how the lack of internal clarity—or worse, indifference—undermines those values. I’ve followed the rules. I’ve submitted the paperwork. I’ve waited. And still, I’m forced to chase ghosts.

🫂If This Sounds Familiar…

You’re not alone. If you’ve been told to submit a FOIA request for your own records, and then told later that it “doesn’t count,” you’re experiencing the same systemic failure.

The good news: you can and should request your records under the Privacy Act, and you have the right to hold the VA accountable when they fail to respond.

The bad news: sometimes even knowing the law isn’t enough when the people enforcing it don’t follow it.

I’ll keep pushing. Because I shouldn’t have to fight this hard to read my own story.

📅 July 21, 2025

😒Part 20: VR&E Update— New Plan, Old Problems, and Eye-Opening Records

Wow—hard to believe it’s been over a month since my last update. A lot has happened, both good and infuriating, so buckle in.

🎓 Progress on the IWRP and Retroactive Induction

Let’s start with the win: I finally got an updated Individualized Written Rehabilitation Plan (IWRP) and Individualized Employment Assistance Plan (IEAP), signed and submitted by both parties. Jonathan (the VREO) agreed to for my current Master’s degree, Non-Paid Work Experience (NPWE) after I graduate, and a retroactive induction for my GIS certificate

Victory, right?

Well… as soon as the ink dried, I was assigned to yet another new VRC. That makes how many now? I’ve already emailed them three times this week. They’ve read the emails—but not a single reply. Typical.

Right now, I’m just waiting for final admission into my graduate program.

📂 Privacy Act Records: They Finally Arrived

On a brighter note, I also finally received the records I requested from the Privacy Act Office—and boy howdy, they are enlightening.

Names have been redacted throughout, so I’ll admit I have to make some educated guesses as to who's saying what to whom. And of course, the records are completely out of chronological order, so I’m going to walk you through the entries as they appear.

📝 Internal Emails: Manipulated Denials, CUE Concerns, and Disdain

Here’s a snapshot of what VR&E staff were saying behind the scenes:

• May 3, 2023: VRC Alexandra Birmingham wrote:
  
  "I am concerned about the way the final denial letter is written… If this is the final decision, then it needs to be modified… The multiple colored fonts seem unprofessional… it also needs to be resent now that 30 days have passed."
  
  

• Later that day, another email warned:
  
  "If the denial is to remain the same… VA should use the same language… He has demonstrated picking apart the denial letters because of the inconsistency… Inconsistency… can be grounds to justify the VA made a Clear and Unmistakable Error (CUE)."
  
  

• And then, in a particularly revealing message:
  
  “In my professional opinion, we need to stop moving the football and extending his time to submit evidence. Each time he gets additional time, he changes his justification. He is non-compliant… His case should be closed as such… It is time-consuming to have to keep monthly contact with someone who isn’t participating.”
  
  

(For the record: I was participating. I was just demanding they follow their own regulations.)

👀 Surveillance and Retaliation?

Back in 2023, I was invited to a roundtable discussion with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs. VR&E's internal reaction to my participation is wild:

“FYI: Christopher… confirmed he will be attending. Looks like he has been trying to dig for negative info on [redacted] (referring to Natalie Erickson) to other Vets.”

And this one, almost certainly from Jonathan Penna:

“Yes—he wasn’t too pleased with my correspondence informing him I would not be honoring a VRE Counselor change.”

Followed by:

“He is upset as he feels he has been denied twice… He is messaging other PSU students trying to gather info as armor to present to SecVA.”

And get this—when asked what I was posting, the response was:

“No, I saw the message on someone’s phone.”

The takeaway here? They were monitoring me—even when they were ignoring me.

🧾 2025: Miya Drops the Ball, Again

Flash forward to June 10, 2025.

Do you remember when I emailed VRC Miya Athanas and withdrew from VR&E? She told me the case would be closed in 30 days. Guess what? She lied.

In an email to Jonathan, Miya admits:

“I did not get the case closed per the Veteran’s request due to workload bandwidth.”

She then asks whether she should have continued monthly contact—because she didn’t know.

Jonathan responds:

“Yes, if the Veteran is in open status, we must comply with the supervision level required…”

He then informs Miya that my case is being transferred to himself.

Miya, clearly unaware that I’ve filed a formal complaint, responds:

“I’m assuming other counselors are getting similar treatment… I will audit my caseload for more cases coming due.”

Absolutely zero accountability.

🧾 Case Notes and Misrepresentation

On June 16, 2025, a case note is entered with no name attached. It states:

“The Veteran was placed in an IEEP due to severity of disabilities, history of being combative/non-participatory… and similar behaviors in current case.”

Let me pause here: asserting my rights is not “combative.” It’s protected. And I have the paper trail to back it up.

The note continues:

“VRC did not conduct monthly meetings because the Veteran was very clear he did not want VR&E contact…”

That’s a distortion. Miya literally asked if she should be contacting me—because she didn’t know. That is not “honoring my request.” That’s negligence.

🕳️ Missing Years… Literally

Here’s something suspicious: there’s a two-year gap in communication records.

I filed numerous complaints during that period. But the records show no counselor discussions for that entire time. Did the VRCs and VREO simply stop talking about me? Doubtful.

So—looks like I’ll be filing another Privacy Act request just for the missing years.

📣 Final Thoughts

The lack of accountability at Portland VR&E is appalling. They manipulate language to shield themselves from CUEs, ignore communication, retaliate against advocacy, and fail to follow federal procedure.

But I’ve got something they don’t:

Receipts. Patience. And the law.

Karma’s coming. Slowly, but surely.

📅 August 18, 2025