January 15, 2014
Dear Vice-President Biden,
I am a retired Air Force lieutenant colonel, 80% disabled Veteran, and service-disabled veteran-owned small business owner. I am tired of this administration's anti-Veteran/military agenda and lack of concern and response to whistleblower retaliation against me by the Department of Interior.
The fact that military retiree COLAs were targeted for 1% per year reduction until age 62 is wrong! Your retirement, the retirements of Congress, and the retirement of DoD civilians like Sharon Hallinan, the Department of Interior contracting officer who retaliated against me and ruined my business, we're not targeted, but those of us who defended our country for 20+ years were?
Why are the millions of dollars being wasted by Government agencies and contractors each year not targeted BEFORE the pensions of the brave men and women who dedicated their lives to our Nation's freedom?
I was targeted for whistleblower retaliation by the Department of Interior after reporting gross fraud, waste, and abuse in the Military Family Life Consultant (MFLC) program in the tens of millions of dollars annually. I complained to the Department of Interior Contracting Officer, Interior Business Center, in January of last year and two days later my $50K MFLC contract was cancelled. Not only did I lose much needed income, she fabricated lies, defaming my character and ruining the reputation of my business, leading to my business being ruined and the loss of our home and half of our possessions.
I filed complaints with the DoI and DoD IGs, but was ignored. My Congressman, Sam Graves, and Senators Blunt and McCaskill blew me off as did your boss President Obama.
How is it that military retires are the FIRST ONES TARGETED when it comes time to reduce spending? Why are government agencies and contractors allowed to defraud our Government and taxpayers, wasting hundreds of millions of dollars each year with impunity? How can a Government agency get away with illegally canceling a contract and ruining a service-disabled veteran-owned small business? I will continue to pursue this until those responsible are held accountable and am contacting you because I believe you are one of the few in Washington with the INTEGRITY and persistence to take action. I hope I am right Mr. Vice-President.
God bless you, your family, and our United States of America!
Chris Sorrentino, LtCol, USAF (Ret)
Submitted via the White House app and website at 4:30 pm (CST) on 1/15/2014
PostScript: Representative Paul Ryan (R - WI) and Senator Patty Murray (D - WA) initiated the bill in Congress and IN ALL LIKELIHOOD NEVER SERVED A DAY IN UNIFORM. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND that both Rep. Ryan and Senator Murray NOT BE RE-ELECTED OR ELECTED TO A HIGHER OFFICE due to their contempt for our military and Veterans and the cowardly act of reducing retiree entitlements BEFORE addressing far bigger problems such as the GROSS FRAUD and WASTE endemic in government and government contracting.
These cowards in Congress, the White House, and Pentagon whom break promises made to our military and Veterans insist that these changes "enhance readiness" WHEN IN- FACT READINESS WILL BE NEGATIVELY IMPACTED LONG-TERM! Potential recruits will choose not to serve in the military due to the broken and empty promises made to those who patriotically served before them ONLY TO HAVE EARNED BENEFITS AND ENTITLEMENTS REDUCED OR REVOKED.
Our military men and women have sacrificed life, limb, and family through over 12 years of combat only TO BE THE FIRST GROUP TARGETED when it comes time to reduce spending. "Thank you for your service"? ... You cannot be serious.
Key Words: resolution,Graves,retiree,McCaskill,disabled,joe,Biden,INTEGRITY,government,veteran,COLA,abuse,Congress,interior,Vice-president,Blunt,contractor,waste,budget,fraud
