This is about untruths stated by Ann Brown, director of the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Martinsburg, W.Va., towards Re-Entry Associates (“Re-Entry says it can see new veterans, while others getting care at VA clinic,” March 9 Times-News).

Forty-seven West Virginia Veterans were notified in 2006 they no longer could go to Re-Entry. Veterans wrote many letters and never received answers to their concerns or needs for over a year. Hardly any received care. They decided to take a stand.

Letters were written to Fee Basis, the head of Mental Health Services and the then-acting director of VA Martinsburg.

Despite our efforts, all we accomplished was being lied to by everyone except Fee Basis. The VA promised veterans and two West Virginia senators a meeting that was never granted.

When Maryland veterans got notice about being pulled from treatment, a cry went out and VA Martinsburg reversed its decision, allowing both West Virginia and Maryland veterans to return. Maryland Senator Benjamin Cardin applauded the VA for making the right decision, but reminded them of what they were about to do.

In a press release Nov. 27, 2007, Cardin said, “This summer and fall the VA sent letters to 94 veterans in Maryland advising them their access to counseling at Re-Entry Associates, a private provider, would terminate.

Many of these veterans had been participating in this program for decades and such a disruption in longstanding clinical relationships was both counterproductive and dangerous to their mental health.”

My question to the VA is, what changed?

People at the CBOC in Cumberland and Petersburg, W.Va., are not qualified to work with veterans suffering PTSD. They have master’s degree’s, PhDs and licenses to practice clinical social work, but no credentials or experience in PTSD.

This shortcoming is evidenced by the decision to remove these men from quality PTSD care and launch a vindictive campaign of untruths against the credentialed, trained and experienced people in PTSD who have taken great care of thousands of veterans for more than 25 years.

What working knowledge or credentials of the mental health field of PTSD does Ann Brown have? She said the vast majority of veterans are being cared for by the VA. Vast majority means almost everybody. That is an outright lie, and neither Brown nor Vision 5 can back it up. She mentioned 61 CBOC Units, but her area only has six. This is another misleading statement.

As far as who is credentialed and trained in PTSD, that is revealed in the mishandling and abuse of these veterans, their families, and our region as a whole.

Re-Entry treats veterans with dignity and hard-learned skills in PTSD, something the VA should be showcasing, but is too busy tearing down.

Fifteen months ago I warned that if we did not demand an explanation of the West Virginia vets being put out, and the same attempt was launched against Maryland vets, these people would come back and do what they now have done.

I asked service organizations to help, but nobody seemed to care. As one who has not had a moment’s rest since 2006 in fighting these people, I feel abandoned. Many vets and their families feel the same, as do all of Re-Entry’s fine staff.

If you read this and care, contact your state representatives concerning this issue.

We have already had three veterans die who were terribly distraught over this. They are gone, along with thousands of returning veterans who have taken their own lives.

Stop being ashamed of your vets because of their mental needs and stand up like Americans and demand answers. We are your veterans!

Eric.L. Wooddell

Paw Paw, W.Va.