Written Correspondence Regarding The VCOEB Federal Asvosory Committee (05/01/2022 - Present) (Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration)

To Whom It May Concern:

Pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act, I hereby request the following records:

Copies of all written communications (including but not limited to emails) which were created, written, distributed, facsimiled and / or electronically transmitted between the dates of May 1st 2022 and one day before Responsive documents are provided to me in Response to this Request - regarding, whether directly or indirectly, the Veterans and Community Oversight and Engagement Board Federal Advisory Committee (aka VCOEB); wherein any one or more of the following persons are recipients, senders and / or distributors of said written correspondence:

Denis McDonough, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

Steven Braverman, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (often referred to as a VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System Medical Center Director)

Robert Merchant, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (often referred to as a VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System Executive Director)

Chihung Szeto, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Veterans Experience Office (often referred to as a VCOEB Federal Advisory Committee Administrator)

Eugene W. Skinner, U.S. Department
of Veterans Affairs (often referred to as a Defense Consultant, Federal Acquisitions Expert & Federal Advisory Committee Administrator)

Keith Harris, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (often referred to as a Senior Executive Homelessness Agent for Greater Los Angeles)

Alan Trinh, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (often referred to as a Contract Officer and Deputy Director)

Michael J. Missal, Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

Michael W. Fisher, an executive with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (often referred to as a Network Director of VISN 22)

Matthew MacGahran, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (often referred to as a Chief of Community Engagement And Re-Integration Services)

Brett Simms, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (often referred to as an Executive Director of the Office Of Asset Enterprise Management)

Jon J. Rychalski, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (often referred to as the Chief Financial Officer of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs *even though he appears to have no Certified Public Account License)

Any and all U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Police Officers working at the West Los Angeles VA Soldiers Home aka VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System West Los Angeles VA Medical Center

I am technically qualified as a journalist. My work is performed on an independent, unpaid volunteer basis. This specific Request regarding recent written correspondence Records involving approximately 15 specified Public Officials within the specified period, pertaining to a Federal Advisory Committee Legislated under Public Law 114-226 and Chartered to "improve outcomes for homeless Veterans" is not made nor intended to be used for commercial purposes. It does regard, among other things: a Public Service, Public Meetings, Open Sessions and matters related to a Federal Advisory Committee.

Additional background information regarding the VCOEB is provided to interested parties at the following links for educational and contextually informative purposes which may offer significant insights in support of the Lawful operation of Federal Advisory Committees operating in Our Nation's Capital of Veteran Homelessness:

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CiPiS97jIid/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

https://www.instagram.com/reel/ChqrwoNDt4H/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

https://www.instagram.com/p/CfKWzSev017/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

https://www.instagram.com/p/CiGkVwmvw3M/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

https://www.instagram.com/reel/Chr39g_j7qG/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

https://www.instagram.com/tv/CU-MvrhDuAI/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

The requested documents will be made available to the general public, and this request is not being made for commercial purposes.

In the event that there are fees, I would be grateful if you would inform me of the total charges in advance of fulfilling my request. I would prefer the request filled electronically, by e-mail attachment if available or CD-ROM if not.

Thank you in advance for your anticipated cooperation in this matter. I look forward to receiving your response to this request within 20 business days, as the statute requires.

Sincerely,

Ryan Thompson

I'm correcting a prior misspelling of the title of this Request as follows: "Written Correspondence Regarding The VCOEB Federal Advisory Committee (05/01/2022 - Present) (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs)".

Sincerely,

Ryan Thompson

Veterans Health Administration:

Please review the attached and urgent folowup and response to your improper attempt to close this Request without satisfactory Response. The attached file is named RT-VHA_FOIA_11222022_R1.pdf

For your and the Public's convenience, text of the body of the attached Letter portion of the aforementioned, urgent followup - follows below. Note the attachement must be reviewed to review the cited Appendices.

____________________________________________________________________

November 22nd, 2022

TO:

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Veterans Health Administration
Office of the Inspector General
Washington DC, USA

CC:

Denis McDonough, Secretary of the U.S Department of Veterans Affairs
Michael J. Missal, Inspector General of the U.S Department of Veterans Affairs
Luis-Vasquez Contes, American GI Forum National Commander
Lawrence Romo, American GI Forum National Legislative Director
Esau Herrera, American GI Forum CA State Commander
Francisco Juarez, American GI Forum El Camino Real Chapter Legislative Officer
Richard Southern, Vietnam Veterans of America National Board Member
Sennet Devermont, Always For The People
Cable News Network
Mirror Media Group
Muckrock News

RE:

Followup on 10/05/0222 US DVA VHA FOIA Request (Ryan Thompson)
US DVA FOIA Tracking Numbers include: 23-00135-F, 23-00499-F, 23-00566-F,
23-00567-F, 23-00568-F, 23-00569-F, 23-00570-F & 23-00006-FOIA

VIA: Muckrock News & E-Mail

U.S Department of Veterans Affairs VHA, OIG & Related FOIA Staff:

On 10/05/2022, I submitted an FOIA Request to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Veterans Health Administration; regarding copies of written communications by, as well as received by; specified U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Officials between 05/01/2022 and Present - about the Veterans And Community Oversight And Engagement Board (VCOEB) Federal Advisory Committee that's Chartered under the Federal Advisory Committee Act, Mandated by Public Law 114-226 as well as regulated by the Administrative Procedures Act. A copy of the Request is attached to this Letter as "Appendix A".

On 10/20/2022, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Acknowledged receiving my FOIA Request on 10/18/2022 and reported the following Tracking Numbers for it: 23-00135-F, 23-00499-F, 23-00566-F, 23-00567-F, 23-00568-F, 23-00569-F, 23-00570-F. Veterans Health Administration stated in that Acknowledgement that the Requested Records, if they exist, will be maintained by Veterans Health Administration; as well as other divisions of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, including the VA Office of the Inspector General, all of which VHA is coordinating with to satisfy the Request. A copy of VHA's 10/20/2022 Acknowledgement is attached to this Letter within "Appendix A".

On 11/17/2022, I received an "Agency Final Response" to my FOIA Request from Government Information Specialist Barya Offer, on behalf of the Office of the Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. The sum of Offer's purported "Agency Final Response" is, "please see the Agency Final Response regarding your request"; with an attached PDF file named "Agency Final Response No Records - Full Denial.pdf". Said file is a letter from Supervisory Government Information Specialist Ruthhee G. Bellamy of the VA OIG Release Information Office - notifying me that VA OIG assigned Tracking Number 23-00006-FOIA to my Request, among other things. A copy of VHA's 11/17/2022 "Agency Final Response" is included in the "Appendix A" attachment to this Letter.

The "Agency Final Response No Records - Full Denial" letter from VA OIG on 11/17/2022 is attached to this Letter as "Appendix B"; and declares "we were unable to locate any responsive records pertaining to your request"; yet only as the Request pertains to Inspector General Michael J. Missal in VA OIG Records. Unfortunately, VA OIG's Response to my Request is a false statement of fact; provable by one of many Records in my possession which would have to be included in any satisfactory Response to my Request, notwithstanding whether that Response is from VA OIG, VHA or otherwise applicable officse / divisions of US DVA.

The aforementioned Record in my possession is an e-mail I sent to Inspector General Missal and others on 05/27/2022 regarding VCOEB, that a simple search for the text "VCOEB" will produce upon querying Inspector General Missal's e-mail correspondence between 05/01/2022 and Present. Given that e-mail was not returned to sender and Inspector General Missal directly corresponded with me several times in the recent past from the same e-mail address; and because information about a Federal Advisory Committee that holds Public Meetings in Open Session on Public land for Public attendance (as Publicly Noticed in the Federal Register), is not qualified to be suppressed due limited National Security provisions under 5 U.S.C. Statutes governing FOIA - apparently the minimum effort to satisfactorily Respond to my Request is beyond some U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Officials' intent to perform... Despite VA OIG's purported "Agency Final Response No Records - Full Denial" Letter probably cost Federal Taxpayer's far more to produce than performing the simple searches to lawfully satisfy and Respond to my Request will; presuming Public Records required to satisfy my Request were not unlawfully tampered with. Even in that hypothetical scenario though, the Records are obtainable from one of many archives US DVA is Mandated to retain as National Security against the tampering or loss of such Records. A copy of my aforementioned 05/27/2022 e-mail to Inspector General Missal and one of many e-mails Inspector General Missal sent me from the same address he received my 05/27/2020 e-mail at, are attached to this Letter as "Appendix C".
Notwithstanding the validity or lack thereof in VA OIG's Response to a portion of my Request through VHA, the partial Response is not a legitimate, full Response to my Request; despite it being uncannily misrepresented as such by false statements of fact.

The Agency is at least procedurally failing to Respond to my Request on time in accordance with Federal Public Law. I reassure you the Requested Records regarding a Federal Advisory Committee with a Public Law Mandate and Charter to improve outcomes for Veterans via Public Meetings held in Open Session here in Our Nation's Capital of Veteran Homelessness - are delays of Public Records offering a direct positive impact on disabled homeless Veterans' probability of survival and General Welfare of U.S. Taxpayers Contrarily, the ongoing and baseless delays Responding to my Request are negatively impacting disabled homeless Veterans and Federal Taxpayers, until and unless the Request is fully and legitimately Responded to.

Given my maintained Good Faith in the majority of Our U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Staff's Public Integrity and capacity to ethically perform their duties in accordance with the Department's true Mission - I expect nothing less than the People of the United States of America do in this matter; a swift, comprehensive, accurate and satisfactory Response to my Request in accordance with Our Rights, Public Laws and increasing expenditures to expect no less of Our U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs' performance in respect thereof.

I declare under under penalty of perjury that the foregoing is true and correct. Executed on November 22nd, 2022 in Los Angeles, California by:

Ryan Thompson

Independent Volunteer Civil Rights Advocate & Reporter
Member, American GI Forum Congressionally Chartered VSO
NHDVS.net
rt@nhdvs.net

C/o Muckrock News
DEPT MR 103928
263 Huntington Avenue
Boston, MA 02115

On 10/05/2022 I, Ryan Thompson, Requested the Following Information from US DVA via FOIA...

Copies of all written communications (including but not limited to emails) which were created, written, distributed, facsimiled and / or electronically transmitted between the dates of May 1st 2022 and one day before Responsive documents are provided to me in Response to this Request - regarding, whether directly or indirectly, the Veterans and Community Oversight and Engagement Board Federal Advisory Committee (aka VCOEB); wherein any one or more of the following persons are recipients, senders and / or distributors of said written correspondence:

Denis McDonough, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

Steven Braverman, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (often referred to as a VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System Medical Center Director)

Robert Merchant, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (often referred to as a VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System Executive Director)

Chihung Szeto, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Veterans Experience Office (often referred to as a VCOEB Federal Advisory Committee Administrator)

Eugene W. Skinner, U.S. Department
of Veterans Affairs (often referred to as a Defense Consultant, Federal Acquisitions Expert & Federal Advisory Committee Administrator)

Keith Harris, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (often referred to as a Senior Executive Homelessness Agent for Greater Los Angeles)

Alan Trinh, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (often referred to as a Contract Officer and Deputy Director)

Michael J. Missal, Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

Michael W. Fisher, an executive with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (often referred to as a Network Director of VISN 22)

Matthew MacGahran, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (often referred to as a Chief of Community Engagement And Re-Integration Services)

Brett Simms, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (often referred to as an Executive Director of the Office Of Asset Enterprise Management)

Jon J. Rychalski, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (often referred to as the Chief Financial Officer of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs *even though he appears to have no Certified Public Account License)

Any and all U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Police Officers working at the West Los Angeles VA Soldiers Home aka VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System West Los Angeles VA Medical Center

... On 11/17/2022 a Supervisory Government Information Specialist in the VA OIG Release of Information Office named Ruthlee G. Bellamy Falsely Responded that VA OIG posessed none of the Requested Information as pertaining to VA OIG Michael J. Missal.

On 12/12/2022 US DVA FOIA Officer as well as Management and Program ANALYST Mark Littlefield Responded on behalf of US DVA with a total of 8 e-mail records pertaining to only two of the Request's identified subjects; namely VA Officers Chihung Szeto and Eugene Skinner.

On 12/28/2022 - a Government Informaiton Specialist in the VA Office of Inspector General Information Release Office named Ms. Johnson Responded with some to all requested Information Requested as pertains to VA OIG Michael Missal. While thankful for the provided Information Requested, the partial Response thoroughly proves that: a) VA OIG via Ruthlee G. Bellamy provided a False and / or otherwise improper "Final Agency Response" of "Full Denial" and b) given the Fact some of the Requested Information provided via Ms. Johnson contains such regarding Eugene Skinner and Chihung Szeto that is not in ANALYST Mark Littlefield's Response for such information; it's apparent Mr. Littlefield's account of the search for such Requested Information is False, erroneous or reliant upon False information directly provided by Eugene Skinner and Chihung Szeto.

To date none of the Requested Information regarding Mr.s Harris, Trinh, McDonough, Merchant, Braverman, MacGahran, Simms, Rychalski and VAPD has been provided; and in light of False, erroneous and / or misleading information so slowly provided in Response to this Request - there's evident concern for a lack of integrity and violation of Federal Public Law governing FOIA. I respectfully demand a diligent, full, complete, honest and lawful Response to my long overdue Request pertaining to Public Officials' Federal Advisory Committee records pertaining to the VCOEB within the Request's specified time period without further delay and apparent suppression of said Information which the U.S. Federal Government is mandated to provide.

Sincerely,

Ryan Thompson

On 10/05/2022 I, Ryan Thompson, Requested the Following Information from US DVA via FOIA...

Copies of all written communications (including but not limited to emails) which were created, written, distributed, facsimiled and / or electronically transmitted between the dates of May 1st 2022 and one day before Responsive documents are provided to me in Response to this Request - regarding, whether directly or indirectly, the Veterans and Community Oversight and Engagement Board Federal Advisory Committee (aka VCOEB); wherein any one or more of the following persons are recipients, senders and / or distributors of said written correspondence:

Denis McDonough, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

Steven Braverman, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (often referred to as a VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System Medical Center Director)

Robert Merchant, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (often referred to as a VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System Executive Director)

Chihung Szeto, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Veterans Experience Office (often referred to as a VCOEB Federal Advisory Committee Administrator)

Eugene W. Skinner, U.S. Department
of Veterans Affairs (often referred to as a Defense Consultant, Federal Acquisitions Expert & Federal Advisory Committee Administrator)

Keith Harris, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (often referred to as a Senior Executive Homelessness Agent for Greater Los Angeles)

Alan Trinh, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (often referred to as a Contract Officer and Deputy Director)

Michael J. Missal, Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

Michael W. Fisher, an executive with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (often referred to as a Network Director of VISN 22)

Matthew MacGahran, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (often referred to as a Chief of Community Engagement And Re-Integration Services)

Brett Simms, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (often referred to as an Executive Director of the Office Of Asset Enterprise Management)

Jon J. Rychalski, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (often referred to as the Chief Financial Officer of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs *even though he appears to have no Certified Public Account License)

Any and all U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Police Officers working at the West Los Angeles VA Soldiers Home aka VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System West Los Angeles VA Medical Center

... On 11/17/2022 a Supervisory Government Information Specialist in the VA OIG Release of Information Office named Ruthlee G. Bellamy Falsely Responded that VA OIG posessed none of the Requested Information as pertaining to VA OIG Michael J. Missal.

On 12/12/2022 US DVA FOIA Officer as well as Management and Program ANALYST Mark Littlefield Responded on behalf of US DVA with a total of 8 e-mail records pertaining to only two of the Request's identified subjects; namely VA Officers Chihung Szeto and Eugene Skinner.

On 12/28/2022 - a Government Informaiton Specialist in the VA Office of Inspector General Information Release Office named Ms. Johnson Responded with some to all requested Information Requested as pertains to VA OIG Michael Missal. While thankful for the provided Information Requested, the partial Response thoroughly proves that: a) VA OIG via Ruthlee G. Bellamy provided a False and / or otherwise improper "Final Agency Response" of "Full Denial" and b) given the Fact some of the Requested Information provided via Ms. Johnson contains such regarding Eugene Skinner and Chihung Szeto that is not in ANALYST Mark Littlefield's Response for such information; it's apparent Mr. Littlefield's account of the search for such Requested Information is False, erroneous or reliant upon False information directly provided by Eugene Skinner and Chihung Szeto.

To date none of the Requested Information regarding Mr.s Harris, Trinh, McDonough, Merchant, Braverman, MacGahran, Simms, Rychalski and VAPD has been provided; and in light of False, erroneous and / or misleading information so slowly provided in Response to this Request - there's evident concern for a lack of integrity and violation of Federal Public Law governing FOIA. I respectfully demand a diligent, full, complete, honest and lawful Response to my long overdue Request pertaining to Public Officials' Federal Advisory Committee records pertaining to the VCOEB within the Request's specified time period without further delay and apparent suppression of said Information which the U.S. Federal Government is mandated to provide.

Sincerely,

Ryan Thompson

On 10/05/2022 I, Ryan Thompson, Requested the Following Information from US DVA via FOIA...

Copies of all written communications (including but not limited to emails) which were created, written, distributed, facsimiled and / or electronically transmitted between the dates of May 1st 2022 and one day before Responsive documents are provided to me in Response to this Request - regarding, whether directly or indirectly, the Veterans and Community Oversight and Engagement Board Federal Advisory Committee (aka VCOEB); wherein any one or more of the following persons are recipients, senders and / or distributors of said written correspondence:

Denis McDonough, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

Steven Braverman, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (often referred to as a VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System Medical Center Director)

Robert Merchant, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (often referred to as a VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System Executive Director)

Chihung Szeto, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Veterans Experience Office (often referred to as a VCOEB Federal Advisory Committee Administrator)

Eugene W. Skinner, U.S. Department
of Veterans Affairs (often referred to as a Defense Consultant, Federal Acquisitions Expert & Federal Advisory Committee Administrator)

Keith Harris, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (often referred to as a Senior Executive Homelessness Agent for Greater Los Angeles)

Alan Trinh, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (often referred to as a Contract Officer and Deputy Director)

Michael J. Missal, Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

Michael W. Fisher, an executive with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (often referred to as a Network Director of VISN 22)

Matthew MacGahran, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (often referred to as a Chief of Community Engagement And Re-Integration Services)

Brett Simms, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (often referred to as an Executive Director of the Office Of Asset Enterprise Management)

Jon J. Rychalski, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (often referred to as the Chief Financial Officer of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs *even though he appears to have no Certified Public Account License)

Any and all U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Police Officers working at the West Los Angeles VA Soldiers Home aka VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System West Los Angeles VA Medical Center

... On 11/17/2022 a Supervisory Government Information Specialist in the VA OIG Release of Information Office named Ruthlee G. Bellamy Falsely Responded that VA OIG posessed none of the Requested Information as pertaining to VA OIG Michael J. Missal.

On 12/12/2022 US DVA FOIA Officer as well as Management and Program ANALYST Mark Littlefield Responded on behalf of US DVA with a total of 8 e-mail records pertaining to only two of the Request's identified subjects; namely VA Officers Chihung Szeto and Eugene Skinner.

On 12/28/2022 - a Government Informaiton Specialist in the VA Office of Inspector General Information Release Office named Ms. Johnson Responded with some to all requested Information Requested as pertains to VA OIG Michael Missal. While thankful for the provided Information Requested, the partial Response thoroughly proves that: a) VA OIG via Ruthlee G. Bellamy provided a False and / or otherwise improper "Final Agency Response" of "Full Denial" and b) given the Fact some of the Requested Information provided via Ms. Johnson contains such regarding Eugene Skinner and Chihung Szeto that is not in ANALYST Mark Littlefield's Response for such information; it's apparent Mr. Littlefield's account of the search for such Requested Information is False, erroneous or reliant upon False information directly provided by Eugene Skinner and Chihung Szeto.

To date none of the Requested Information regarding Mr.s Harris, Trinh, McDonough, Merchant, Braverman, MacGahran, Simms, Rychalski and VAPD has been provided; and in light of False, erroneous and / or misleading information so slowly provided in Response to this Request - there's evident concern for a lack of integrity and violation of Federal Public Law governing FOIA. I respectfully demand a diligent, full, complete, honest and lawful Response to my long overdue Request pertaining to Public Officials' Federal Advisory Committee records pertaining to the VCOEB within the Request's specified time period without further delay and apparent suppression of said Information which the U.S. Federal Government is mandated to provide.

Sincerely,

Ryan Thompson