The major points of abuse are being lost in most of the reports on this subject. For the most parts, the physical medicine at these facilities is great. It is after the patient has been released to the “residential” departments that these problems are begun. The residential programs are manned by the “Mental Health Care Lines’, this is where the apathy begins. A large percentage of those employed in these departments have nothing less than utter disdain for the men and women who serve our country honorably. There is NO WAY anyone could have been housed in building 18 without there first being absolutely no regard for the welfare of the Veteran. In most cases these individuals are guilty of no less than Depraved Indifference to human life. It has amazed me the level of complete hatred and depraved indifference to human life displayed by these individuals. I have documented my experience at the Dayton VA. I have complained, in writing, to the Inspector General to no avail. Currently Senator Sherrod Brown is looking into my allegations. Their behavior is nothing short of criminal and I reuse to stop until they have been stopped.

If Salon would like a copy of my documentation simply request one and it will be forwarded to you.

Darrell Hampton

Dayton, Ohio

As a Veteran who has received excellent “physical” medical treatment at the Dayton VA I can attest to much of what is in your column. It is after one has been released to the residential program for long-term rehabilitation that abuse and neglect begins. These programs are run by the “Mental Health Care Lines”. The MHCL is fraught with apathy and a blatant disrespect for the men and women who have served our country. For the most part employees in this department really want to do their perspective jobs but the people in charge of them are horribly incompetent and evil. Some of the things I have witnessed would make grown men cry. I mounted a massive attack to stop this mistreatment. As a result I was targeted for abuse. Unfortunately, for me, I became severally ill and was forced, because of lack of funds was forced to come back to the Dayton VA for treatment. Boy was I in for a surprise. They had not for gotten my prior acts and were hell-bent on retaliation and retribution. For over 8 months I was subjected to a level of psychological torture and abuse that was unprecedented. I documented most of the abuse. My complaints are currently working their way through the process. After being ignored for almost a year US Senator Sherrod Browns office is demanding answers. These people are entrenched in their positions. They are educated, well paid and inherently evil and should not be trusted to care for German Shepards, much less human beings.

Darrell Hampton

I was a Veteran in the Methadone treatment program at the Dayton VA. I stopped using methadone and/or heroin in December 2002. My experience left much to be desired. The person in charge, a social worker named Richard Riddle owned a civilian business in Springfield Ohio named Riddle’s Bar-b que where he sold and currently floods minority neighborhoods with cheap beer, wine a drug use equipment. At the VA he talks to Veterans as if there were his own German Shepards. HE approves or denies anyone he wants to. Your status as an honorably discharged Veteran held no bearing on your acceptance in the program. I did all that I could to have his license revoked, including writing to State of Ohio licensing board who replied, "While Mr. Riddle’s behavior is highly immoral and a conflict of interest it does not violate any of our rules.

It is my opinion that the VA hospitals in our country offer very good "physical health" treatment. It is in their Mental Health Care programs where a great deal of apathy exists. Like Walter Reed Veterans did not complain about the physical treatment, it was the residential programs where an attitude of disdain and disrespect prevails. These are issues I have repeated filed formal complaints about. As a result I have been labeled persona non-grata at the medical center. This does not stop me from coming there. I am an honorably discharged Veteran and I will come on the center whenever I want to.

The treatment given in the drug abuse programs basically consist of them trying to convince a Veteran that the remainder of his/her life will be dominated by his past use of drugs. I rejected that theory and have been clean for quite a while now.

Time would fail me to describe the level of abuse I have endured simply because I refuse to allow them to force-feed me their crap. Most of these people are so arrogant and thoroughly convinced as to their own brilliance, on this subject, they are not waste the oxygen it takes to discuss these issues. My greatest concern is for the young men and women who will need help in the future with these issues. The VA is ill prepared to deal with them and do not appear to give a damn about their future arrival.

Darrell Hampton