Walter,

You stated having a soft spot for adoptees. You know, I like you. I'm adopted and my birth name is David Isbinsky. I'm actually the biological son of Russian refugees.

But I'm also an American. I served honorably in the Marines. I served for over 10 years at Boeing Defense and held a secret clearance. I kept fighting for America even as my government continued to betray me. Those betraying me include the VA, City of Denver, State of Colorado, and US Department of Labor.

Your former employee called me a traitor, kicked me out of his office, and denied benefits I was qualified to receive. He was wrong -- incredibly, maliciously wrong.

Interestingly enough, I'm connected to both Russian and American intelligence. And I haven't betrayed anyone. You and the VR&E betrayed me, Walter. Please send this to your legal team and roll it up to your manager.

Another thing. Mr. Noret told me in the interview that a Bipolar II diagnosis contributed to my unemployment. Should he have access to my medical records?  This appears to be a HIPAA violation. Was this appropriate?

And if I can't work because I have Bipolar II (which when treated shouldn't be the case) then the US government should start paying for SSDI.
I've had it up to here with cowards, liars, and traitors. Let's address this now, please.

Read:
- https://twitter.com/innov8ion/status/1247812373177565184?s=19
- https://twitter.com/innov8ion/status/1247895346941812737?s=19
- https://twitter.com/innov8ion/status/1248603220676685824?s=19

From Russia with love,
David Goldstick

On Wed, Jan 15, 2020, 11:37 AM David Goldstick <[email protected]> wrote:

Mr. Strong,

You're professional, listen, and display sincere care for veterans like me. You recommended additional resources and even provided the opportunity to re-enter the VR&E process. I appreciate you, Walter.I had a VR&E appointment yesterday yet refrained as past experience has resulted in both disgust and distrust. And when vets are betrayed, we turn to organizations like AmVets, the American Legion, and the VFW. I'll be reaching out to them shortly to increase visibility. Thank god for their advocacy.

Mr. McClusky, you've been very caring and helpful. I apologize for not responding to you lately. I incorporated your advice and have applied for various positions since but continue to receive no response. I hope we can continue to work together, John, but given past experiences, I maintain little hope for suitable employment.

As for Mr. Stephen Noret, I'll be responding to points made in his official determination. Thanks to the FOIA request, greater clarity has been attained regarding the meeting he claims was "his" and not "ours." And I want you all to know after attending his meeting, I considered committing suicide. Mr. Noret, I wanted so badly to rip you a new asshole in this email. While I've abstained from swearing, my sentiments should be evident.

I apologize for the length of this email but there's a lot I need to share. Thanks for taking the time to better understand very serious concerns.

----

Now, a brief segue. You may think this section extraneous but it plays a role in both the future of our nation and my case. Please consider the following background information...

I've been an activist on many issues including #OccupyWallStreet, #BlackLivesMatter (#BLM), etc. Please see the following link to learn a bit more about me: https://twitter.com/innov8ion/status/1061341225372934144. I was on the ground in Ferguson, MO mere days after Michael Brown was shot and killed. I was part of the #BLM movement and protested for many months to fight for equality.

For your reference, I was quoted in the Washington Post here: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/militarized-police-in-ferguson-unsettles-some-pentagon-gives-cities-equipment/2014/08/14/4651f670-2401-11e4-86ca-6f03cbd15c1a_story.html.

As a member of the #BLM movement, I carefully tracked its evolution. Noting concerning messaging that promoted division within American society, I began to realize Russia's involvement. They wanted Americans angry, lashing out at each other, and paralyzed and weakened by our own internal political and cultural divisions. It appears many Americans helped make their task way too easy for them. Please see: https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/what-russia-really-wants-divided-paralyzed-america/

Be aware that we've been in a hidden war with Russia and its allies since approximately 2015. Iran is allied with Russia, is it not? And didn't we almost escalate into physical war with Iran in the last few weeks???
Still skeptical? Watch this brief playlist developed by the New York Times. Do your own research and come to your own conclusions.... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-duNJqmSJM&list=PL9hApf-sU4JSnMcF_goCdDaK9WDtOhvaU

For our purposes, the #MeToo, #BLM, etc roll up into the intersectional #Resistance movement. Understand that movements like the #Resistance operate like decentralized organizations. These movements can proliferate inside American institutions such as corporations, governments, social groups, etc in order to influence outcomes.

They operate akin to human intelligence networks. And such networks have existed in American society for as long as its been in existence. When healthy they help keep us safe, promote a more efficient society, etc. When polarized, they erode democracy and endanger our nation.

Yet research indicates the #Resistance umbrella movement is less concerned with promoting equality and more about shifting power to the groups in American society feeling neglected. Paulo Freire, a prominent philosopher with anti-colonial expertise, suggests that the oppressed are destined to become the oppressor. Make no mistake -- it's happening now.

Anyway, three hours after posting the following Tweet, I was confronted by two women suggesting if I continued to speak up about this matter I may end up dead. Perhaps it sounds odd but this movement means business. Ref: https://twitter.com/innov8ion/status/1006141473891311616.

A couple weeks after the death threat, I was met by an individual connected to a former intelligence case officer I'm familiar with. Among other topics, he conveyed that while I may be right I'm being blacklisted from my career.

And character assassination is part of their game. Since my methods in discovery were at times perceived (though not intended) as unsavory it made character assassination simpler. It seems I may have sacrificed my reputation in order to solve this puzzle. The movement's merciless attacks on me have been quite effective. Political persecution is real...

As a Marine, I swore to defend the United States against all enemies foreign and domestic. While I've yet to forsake this oath, I've been under attack by the internal forces dividing our nation... Isn't it time that veteran's organizations become aware that war has shifted in the digital age and non-traditional war is now being waged on our shores?

Those like me fighting for our country need their help... And we need them to hold organizations like the City of Denver and VR&E accountable for betraying its veterans. Veteran's organizations have nobly fought for us for so long. Ask yourself -- shouldn't we just drop laws like the Jobs for Veterans Act if we're not going to enforce them?

----

Back to the topic... .

VR&E's actions have considerable impacts on veterans it's tasked with serving. Do any of you care that prolonged unemployment has rendered me homeless, destroyed my credit, destroyed my finances, incurred PTSD-like symptoms, and left me with little hope for the future?

As stated, I considered committing suicide after meeting with Mr. Noret. Are you aware that unemployment plays a major role in veteran suicides? Suicide prevention is supposedly important to the VA and veteran organizations yet the treatment I've received from the City of Denver and Mr. Noret/VR&E greatly contributes to factors that promote suicide. Is this what you want out of your organization, Mr. Strong? Please look at this New York Times article: https://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2011/11/20/how-can-we-prevent-military-suicides/the-role-of-unemployment-in-veteran-suicide.

Let's review "Counselor" Noret's claims. Most are found in this file, "VA VocRehab 2019 Determination."

1. Mr. Noret: "Mr. Goldstick had a hard time focusing on the relevant parts of the meeting. He kept on discussing unrelated subjects related to experience with the City of Denver... Instead of focusing on the meeting he kept averting attention to his cell phone, wanting to pull up information that was not relevant to the entitlement process or decision that was pending. Mr. Goldstick insisted on continuing to sidetrack the meeting by pulling out his phone to try and show the VRC information that was not relevant to the issue at hand."

  • Mr. Noret brought up various topics for discussion. This included finances, the employment search, current status of my disabled knee, his claim that I was implicated in espionage, etc.
  • When attempting to bring up info on my phone to clarify topics he brought up, each time he instructed me to put my phone down. Mr. Noret states this multiple times in the record.
  • Furthermore, Mr. Noret repeatedly states in the record that clarifying information was irrelevant. Mr. Strong, why are veterans invited to eligibility meetings if they aren't allowed to participate in the process?
  • For example, reference my experiences with the Denver Workforce Center. After being unemployed for over two years and on the verge of becoming homeless, they denied TEC-P and WIOA services. As a result, unemployment continued and I was homeless in Denver for six months.
  • Isn't the Jobs for Veterans Act meant to provide veterans priority of service? It meant jack shit to the City of Denver. This extended my unemployment further, making it even more difficult to be rehired.
  • But Mr. Noret states in his notes that this was irrelevant. How is it irrelevant when it directly relates to my employment struggles and homelessness??? Shouldn't he at least give the appearance of caring? Could he have attempted to understand and sympathize? Counselors that care about their clients and their profession do this. Did Mr. Noret? I'll leave that with you.

2. Mr. Noret: "You reported that you have a BS Management Information Systems degree that would allow you to be employable in a large number of occupations based upon the degree and transferable skills from your past work experience. You reported being an IT Project Manager for the Boeing Company from September 13, 2001 to November 29, 2015, which you reported the employment with the Boeing Company was ended through your resignation. You have a 10% service-connected rating since July 7, 1998 for status postoperative, medial meniscus tear to your left knee, which has not caused any impairments to employment as evidenced by your long time employment with the Boeing Company. The evidence does not show that you have any impairments to employment caused by your service connected disability, which have not been overcome by your previous completed education and transferable skills."

  • I resigned in late 2015 because of issues related to chronic pain, which included both my back and connected knee. When Mr. Noret asked if my service-connected disability was an impediment to suitable employment, it was asked in a leading manner that I found confusing. It was and is an impediment to suitable employment.
  • In fact, VR&E determined on 3/8/2016 that I have a serious employment handicap (SEH), wasn't suitably employed, and was entitled to receive VR&E benefits. Yet Mr. Noret overturned the previous entitlement decision. Please see the attached file, "VA VocRehab - 2016 Entitled."
  • I've had a total of three knee surgeries on the service connected knee. Furthermore, the last knee surgery was performed only a few weeks before this meeting. I wore a brace and was visibly limping however none of this seemed of concern to him. Please see attached file, "Surgery Notes.pdf."

3. During the meeting, Mr. Noret claimed I should have no problems finding suitable IT employment.

  • I shared that IT evolves quickly and a 3.5 year employment gap posed a major hurdle. He then stated he has experience in IT placement and it wasn't an issue. In response, I attempted to show emails from recruiters expressing that the employment gap WAS AN ISSUE. How did he respond? You guessed it -- he instructed me to put my phone down. Is information from experts irrelevant too, Mr. Noret? Apparently he's more informed than professional IT recruiters. Do you want a fucking cookie, Stephen?  

4. Mr. Noret: "During the Comprehensive Initial Evaluation you reported that you were currently employed as a self employed Uber Driver, earning $2000 per month You additionally indicated that you had additional employment as an Amazon delivery person, where you reported monthly earnings of approximately $500 per month."

  • Unfortunately, VR&E's RNI asks for average gross monthly salary. In today's temporary "gig" jobs, self-employed persons pay all expenses to perform the company's work.
  • Please see attached file, 2019 Combined Finances.pdf. Note that my monthly and annual net income for 2019 is $736 and $7,955, respectively. Is this enough to pay for shelter, food, and other basic expenses??? Is it right that VR&E and its counselors don't account for this in its RNI and benefits determination? If not, how can this be improved?
  • Mr. Noret implied that my finances were acceptable. As stated in the previous bullet, they're simply not. If they were, would I have spent six months homeless in Denver? If my parents no longer allow me to live with them, I'll immediately become homeless again. Not that Mr. Noret gives a flying fuck...
  • In the attached file, "Vehicle Degrading", you'll see pictures showing that I'm driving on bald tires w/ nails and screws in them, a cracked windshield, and brakes that need replacement. I can no longer drive Uber and my car will likely be out of commission within the year. I'd rather not drive an unsafe car but survival comes first, doesn't it?
  • Because Mr. Noret brought up finances, I attempted to show him 2018 tax records on my phone. These records, as you can infer from the attached file "2019 Combined 2019 Finances", indicate I'm living far below the poverty line. Yet again, Mr. Noret told me to put my phone down. Yet again he considered this information irrelevant to the entitlement process. We see he's written these statements several times in his official determination. So why in god's green earth does he bring up topics if vets aren't not allowed to respond? What the fuck, over!
  • 2020 Poverty Guidelines: https://aspe.hhs.gov/poverty-guidelines

5. In reviewing VR&E's 2016 determination, Mr. Noret stated I was accused of espionage.

  • As viewed in the attached file, "Goldstick - Industrial Espionage", this claim is false. And it greatly upsets me that this damaging statement remains in my record. How can they be amended to reflect the truth, Mr. Strong?
  • When attempting to show the referenced record on my phone to Mr. Noret, he told me for the last time to put my phone down, ended the meeting, and escorted me out of the office.
  • Mr. Strong, is it appropriate that your employee can utter highly offensive claims and yet prohibit a response? What an insult to my service of this country... Stephen, wake the fuck up.

6.  Mr. Noret: "Finally during the meeting, after several instances of non compliance, VRC had received all the information that was necessary to make the appropriate entitlement decision based on the evidence that was reviewed, VRC ended the meeting as the conversations with Mr. Goldstick was becoming circular, whereas the same information that were not related to the application for VRE services kept being brought up by the Veteran. Mr. Goldstick was not able to stay focused on the process at hand, and did not express a willingness to discuss the situations as it related to his interest in Vocational Rehabilitation Services."

  • When Mr. Noret states the conversation became circular, he's referring to repeated attempts to appropriately respond to issues he brought up. And he's bold enough to claim my responses irrelevant. What a fucking sham.
  • When he states I wasn't willing to discuss situations in relation to VR&E, it evidently means he wasn't willing to listen. The RNI made it clear what I sought from VR&E and it's obvious I attempted to respond to his questions.
  • He's the one stating it was "his" meeting, that clarifying information was irrelevant, and that I was non-compliant for daring to show him documented information. Does Mr. Noret even realize how fucked up this is?
  • It seems that Stephen doesn't want veterans participating in the VR&E process. To better reflect this, Mr. Strong, should he start conducting these meetings alone?
  • Again, after attempting to respond to his claim that I participated in espionage against the United States, he stated the meeting was over and escorted me out of the office. Is this appropriate, Mr. Strong?
  • And contrary to his claim, he told me the meeting would be continued at a later date. I expressed that I couldn't trust him to make a fair determination and requested a different counselor. Against his word, Mr. Noret only sent a rejection letter.
  • I was forced to file a FOIA request to gain a clearer picture regarding "his" meeting and how it shaped his determination.
  • No favorable findings, eh? What a fucking joke...

Mr. Noret, please be mindful that your actions are being disseminated to networks caring deeply about our country. Should you remain employed, it will benefit you to act in accordance with the VA's principles. And if we ever set sight on one another again a sincere apology will go a long way. Consider yourself informed, Stephen.

Didn't I share that a female relative was sexually denigrated by the #MeToo movement -- a so-called social justice movement -- to spite me? Please read the referenced file to learn more. My family and I are under attack. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1rzxveWyv4bxN3nREJh1C3Om8bchhkS31W_WtZr-18i4/edit?usp=sharing

After being unemployed for over four years, it seems I need training and employment services. But beyond this, I could use some reassurance that those still giving a damn about our country will stand by those like me that continue to fight for it.

Are things clearer now? If I don't see results that lead to employment or haven't resumed employment within the next few months, an already volatile situation may devolve rapidly. To be clear, this isn't a demand, it's a probable outcome. It's now make or break time.

The status quo is no longer acceptable. Please act meaningfully.

Sincerely,
David Goldstick