The Los Angeles National Veterans Home Land was donated in 1888 to be utilized solely to provide assistance to veterans suffering from physical, mental or emotional wounds of war.
Originally some 500 acres, it is now reportedly down to less than 400 as a result of leases granted by the VA — free or far below market value — for a variety of purposes other than that for which it was donated, i.e., the sole purpose of aiding veterans, not commercial interests, and not non-veterans organizations like the so-called Veterans (sic) Park Conservancy ("VPC").
Not a Veterans Organization
The VPC, which manifestly is not a veterans organization but a group comprised of wealthy Brentwood residents whose principal agent in advancing its own interests through arrogant manipulation has been the politically-connected Sue Young, that is, politically connected to the Westside machine generally and U.S. Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Westside) in particular, aided by U.S. Sens. Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer.
Waxman, aided and abetted by Feinstein’s office, has greased the way for Young’s Veterans (sic) Park Conservancy to obtain a “sharing agreement” with the VA by which the VPC has received a lease of some 16 acres, “rent free,” for “20 years,” with an option for 10 more years, to establish what the VPC’s own propaganda on its website (now shut down), and its own press release announcing the “sharing agreement,” called a “park,” which would be for the “entire community” to use, and not the purpose for which the land was donated, i.e., the exclusive benefit of veterans needing care.
The American Legion Dept. of California adopted by unanimous vote of delegates to our 2008 California Dept. Convention, a resolution I wrote and which District 21 sponsored, calling on the American Legion Dept. of California to rescind any prior endorsement of the VPC's “sharing agreement” with the VA, and mandating that the Department support only measures that would be for the sole purpose of assisting veterans, as specified by the original donors in the grant deed.
She Arrogantly ‘Refuses’ American Legion
So arrogant is the VPC’s Sue Young that when the Department sent a copy of the resolution to the VPC and notified VPC that it is to cease and desist any claim that the American Legion Dept. of California endorses the VPC sharing agreement with the VA at the Veterans Home Land, that the letter of notice was returned marked “refused.”
It was re-sent registered mail — and proof of receipt is now in hand. In light of the arrogant action of Sue Young and VPC, the resolution and notice to VPC is being sent to all members of the California Congressional delegation so no one will be further deceived and honest members of House and Senate will know what is happening at the Veterans Home at the VA in L.A., including the actions of the highly-paid VA public affairs and other bureaucrats in L.A.
We the Veterans
In regard to that, Robert Rosebrock and comrades in “We the Veterans” have exposed the manipulations of the VPC and the VA bureaucrats who are allowing the Veterans Home Land to be usurped, aided and abetted by the Westside machine's Congressman Waxman, Sen. Feinstein and others.
As a result of their whistle-blowing on the VA’s malfeasance and the VPC’s manipulations, Rosebrock has been subject to repeated ad hominem personal attacks by VA bureaucrats who have impugned his veracity, even to the point of calling him a “liar.” Their only problem: Rosebrock’s claims as to the VA’s giveaway of the extremely valuable Vets Home Land — now undoubtedly worth millions if not billions given its location — to the Brentwood VPC and others, have withstood all attack as his revelations are true in fact.
VA Must Serve Veterans
The VA is supposed to serve veterans. The bureaucrats of the VA are to serve veterans, not the veterans to serve the bureaucrats. The Veterans Home Land was intended for veterans, exclusively. “We the Veterans” are veterans. The so-called “Veterans Park Conservancy” is not composed of “veterans” and the use of the identification “Veterans” in its title is manifestly misleading. Robert Rosebrock is a veteran. Sue Young of the VPC is manifestly not a veteran.
Yet VA bureaucrats are giving away the veterans’ land at the Veterans Home to VPC and other non-veterans, and shielding the arrogant Sue Young and the VPC while attacking and impugning Rosebrock, a wartime veteran and a member of the American Legion, and “We the Veterans,” as “liars” — although the claims of Rosebrock and “We the Veterans” have been shown to be true.
Belly-crawling Bureaucrats
I believe that it is outrageous and unconscionable that highly-paid VA employees, bureaucrats, are attacking veterans like Rosebrock and We the Veterans while belly-crawling for Sue Young and the non-Veterans Park Conservancy as the express purpose of the donation of the land for the sole purpose of assisting veterans, is being violated more and more by VPC and other non-veteran interests.
It is both ironic and unconscionable that Congressman Waxman of the Westside machine has sought to create a national image as a purported defender of veterans from exploitation by 20 organizations raising funds in the name of veterans, while at the same time Waxman is the principal politician greasing the way for the non-Veterans (sic) Park Conservancy to grab 16 acres of the Veterans Home Land, rent-free, for 20 years, for what the VPC itself identified as a park to be used by the entire community and not for the “sole purpose” of assisting veterans from the physical, mental or emotional wounds of war.
VA Should Defend Veterans
“We the Veterans” are making a fight for all veterans, and should be supported by all veterans and other patriots, in their Declaration of Enforcement of the original grant deed donating the land, i.e., enforcement of the express statement that the land is to be used for sole purpose of assisting veterans, not for the purpose of beautifying wealthy Brentwood, nor handing 16 acres over to a non-veterans organization, the Veterans Park Conservancy, for a public park, nor leasing it out to commercial entities nor to please Waxman or other machine politicians greasing the land-grab that “We the Veterans” have exposed, and are fighting. There should be complete transparency in these transactions, and the VA should be fighting in defense of the veterans, not against them.
The new VA Director should investigate this matter honestly and in depth, listen to the voices of the veterans attempting to save the Veterans Home Land, not the non-veterans seeking to usurp that land for their own interests. The director should discipline, including firing, those VA bureaucrats who are attacking veterans in order to aid and abet the non-veterans who are incrementally rendering unto themselves the land which was donated solely and exclusively for assistance to veterans.
As the elected and entrusted steward of this sacred land, Waxman should be ashamed of himself.
Rees Lloyd is a civil rights attorney and past Commander of District 21 of the California American Legion in Riverside. He authored the resolution for the Legion opposing the use of Veterans Home Land for a public park or any other purpose other than for Veterans to heal from war on Veterans property. Mr. Lloyd is also Director, Defense of Veterans Memorials Project of The American Legion Dept.t of California.
