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VA Approves Dumping Ground: Disabled Vets Housed In Filth

By VVAW

Eighteen disabled veterans, ranging in age from 40-60, were found living in a rundown, filthy hotel that St Louis police admit is a major point for narcotics distribution ($2,000 per day) in that city. The vets are living there with Veterans Administration (VA) knowledge and approval.

The vets, unable to care from themselves and for the most part unaware of their situation, live amid roaches, filthy bathrooms, trash on the floors, crumbling walls and ceilings and general conditions that should mark the building for condemnation. In the past 6 months there have been 50 narcotics-related arrests, a murder, and a recent raid that netted 3,000 pills of various types and 50 packets of heroin.

When questioned, the VA's response was even more disgusting. "You and I wouldn't want to live there," said Eugene Heitman, Chief of Field Investigations Service for the VA, "but the men are comfortable." "You'd be surprised," he further stated, "but this is the kind of life that suits them." Heitman went on to say that when shocking conditions are found in vets' housing, efforts are made to move the disabled vets, "But I wouldn't call the hotel shocking," he said.

Thomas H. Simmons, Chief of Social Works at the VA hospitals in St Louis said that he is aware of the conditions at the hotel in Natural Bridge Avenue and that The VA isn't referring vets there anymore. As for the vets currently living there, Simmons said "It's and unfortunate situation. I feel bad about it. We're carefully looking into it." Simmons further admitted that social workers in his office approved the hotel and had recommended it to the legal guardians of the vets. Simmons then passed the buck of bettering lives of vets on the shoulders of their legal guardians.

This is where an elected official, St Louis Public Administrator Charles Deeba enters the picture. One of the official guardians for the vets, the "good public servant" Deeba administers heirless property and sometimes serves as a guardian for mental incompetents. Eight of the vets in the hotel never see their disability or pension checks. The checks go to Deeba who pays the men's room and board. The money left over is put into an interest-bearing account under Deeba's name.

Deeba was not available for comments, but had his secretary give his "explanation." She said that no effort has been made to move the men, "because there have been no complaints. They can't get into nursing homes. They drink and they're not clean."

Further investigation will no doubt show that Deeba has a comfortable, not to mention profitable, arrangement with the hotel owners.

VVAW's position is clear on this situation. We'd like the heads of Heitman, Simmons, Deeba and their associates--all those scum-sucking SOB's who profit from the misery of vets in St Louis.

But it doesn't stop there. There small time punks are just one local example of thousands like them around the country sheltered by the VA and the state and city governments, draining the blood out of veterans of all eras.

We're not helpless and we won't remain silent about this or any other outrage against us. We point the blame at the VA and at the rich who control it and every other part of the government. We say loud and clear that our enemy is among us, the ruling class who sent us off to fight their wars and then dump us out with the morning garbage when they're through with us.

We certainly would like to be able to "administer" to these creeps like Heitman, Simmons and Deeba ourselves; revenge would be sweet. But in the end the only real solution to this and the other rotten conditions imposed on us is when the masses of people bring down this whole rotten system that breeds rats like these guys.