Rodger Holmes died on December 20, 2014. Rest in peace.

Veterans are organizing around HCV and the VA’s treatment of the late Rodger Holmes in Colorado.  Rodger had a hard life after his service in Vietnam and he deserved better from the VA.

For an overview read reporter Nancy Lofhum’s story in the Colorado Independent (8/4/15):  New investigation: VA hospital’s “chaotic care” failed to save Vietnam veteran (LINK).

See The Remembering Veteran Rodger Holmes campaign  (LINK), The Facts  (LINK) and Expert Reports and other documents (LINK).

To sign a petition and/or leave a message for VA Acting Inspector General, Richard Griffin (LINK)

Mismanaged VA care transformed Grand Junction Vietnam veteran Rodger Holmes from an active 20-hour-a-week volunteer into a brain-damaged and critically ill man: It was 3-drug Hepatitis C treatment that ruined his health and his life, not liver disease itself. Fortunately, his former VA social worker documented the unsafe practices, poor ethics, and systemic incompetence of Rodger’s care. But despite complaints filed with the hospital safety office, the hospital chief of medicine, the hospital chief of staff, and the VA Office of Inspector General, Rodger never got the care he needed. That’s why we need you to stand up for Rodger and all veterans — sign your name to the petition today!

To spread his story, please like on Facebook (LINK).  Kudos to Rodger’s social worker, Chris Blumenstein, CSW, (LINK)  who resigned in protest over Rodger’s mistreatment and whose documentation and advocacy were exemplary yet futile.

Will post a link to the IG report when it’s published.  Update: Looking through the above documents and letters will make ones blood boil especially since the VA acknowledges that Mr. Holmes was eligible for Non-VA specialist care but no one acted.  The request for a consult is here page 2 (LINK).

(Kiedove, writing from Vermont.  We survived the arduous trip home.)