Dear VA Leadership, Patient Advocate Experience Office, and All Parties in Receipt of This Correspondence,
I am writing to formally follow up regarding a serious and deeply concerning incident involving a disabled combat veteran residing at the National Soldiers’ Home, also known as the West Los Angeles VA. View the incident here https://youtube.com/shorts/3pdEYprzoG4 also attached, that has over 300k views on social media platforms.
Due to the gravity of the allegation and the vulnerable population involved, this correspondence has been intentionally shared with VA leadership, the Patient Advocate Experience Office, relevant federal oversight entities, corporate partners, advocates for the National Soldiers’ Home, members of the media and press, and City of Los Angeles officials.
In the video, you see, Mr. Robert Canas, a disabled combat Veteran and resident of the National Soldiers’ Home, was subjected to a degrading and sexually explicit verbal statement by an individual identified as Mr. Andy Devin of Valencia Pipe Company. The statement made to Mr. Canas was: “Kneel down and lick my balls.”
This statement is wholly unacceptable and alarming, particularly given the setting, the power dynamics involved, and the fact that Mr. Canas is a disabled combat Veteran residing in federally protected Veteran housing. Such conduct raises serious concerns regarding resident safety, dignity, and compliance with federal, VA, and partner-organization standards.
We are further concerned by information indicating that Mr. Devin may have been present on the Soldiers’ Home through an invitation, affiliation, or association with Veterans Collective, U.S. VETS, Century Housing, or as a contractor or representative connected to work at or related to the National Soldiers’ Home. Valencia Pipe Company publicly advertises that it provides “innovative plumbing and irrigation solutions across multiple industries.” If Mr. Devin was present in any professional, vendor, or contractor capacity, this raises serious questions regarding vetting, oversight, and accountability for individuals granted access to a vulnerable veteran population. Was VA staff aware of this invitation? If so, who?
As an Advocate for Mr. Robert Canas, Executive Director of the AFTP Foundation and as a journalist with MrCheckpoint, Inc., I respectfully request the following:
- Immediate written confirmation of receipt of this correspondence.
- Clarification as to whether Mr. Andy Devin or Valencia Pipe Company currently holds, or has previously held, any contractual, subcontractual, or vendor relationship with the VA, the National Soldiers’ Home, Veterans Collective, U.S. VETS, Century Housing, or any affiliated entity operating at the Solderis’ Home.
- Guidance on how a formal complaint or grievance may be filed on behalf of Mr. Canas, including applicable VA, HUD, or partner-organization complaint procedures.
- Confirmation as to whether an internal investigation has been initiated, and if not, whether one will be opened promptly.
- Written assurance that Mr. Canas and other residents are protected from retaliation and that appropriate safeguards are in place to ensure the safety and dignity of all veterans at the Soldiers’ Home including a written apology to Mr. Canas from Mr. Dervin and those responsible for Mr. Dervin being there.
This alleged conduct may implicate multiple legal and regulatory protections, including federal civil rights protections, VA policies prohibiting harassment and abuse, standards governing contractor and visitor conduct, and obligations to maintain a safe, respectful, and non-hostile environment for disabled Veterans. Sexually degrading or humiliating remarks directed at a resident may constitute verbal abuse and the creation of a hostile environment for a protected population.
The National Soldiers’ Home exists to serve, protect, and honor Veterans who have already sacrificed for this country. Conduct of this nature represents a serious breach of that mission and poses a risk to resident trust, safety, and well-being.
Given the seriousness of this matter and the number of stakeholders (homeless and disabled Veterans) now informed, I respectfully request a prompt response, confirmation of receipt, and clear guidance on next steps.
Thank you for your attention to this urgent issue. I look forward to your timely reply.
Sincerely,
Sennett Devermont
Advocate for Mr. Robert Canas who is on this email
Executive Director, AFTP Foundation
Journalist, MrCheckpoint, Inc.
Email above was sent to: sally.hammitt@va.gov, kevin.wright@va.gov, tyler.lyckberg@va.gov, peter.capone-newton@va.gov, vhaglapublicaffairs@va.gov, vapublicaffairs@va.gov, robert.merchant2@va.gov, steven.braverman2@va.gov, pctips-losangeles@fbi.gov, deborah.carter2@va.gov, lori.moore@va.gov, alan.trinh@va.gov, eugene.skinner@va.gov, james.harris55@va.gov, keith.harris@va.gov, john.kuhn2@va.gov, andrew.strain@va.gov, haymish.khan@va.gov, michael.missal@va.gov, brett.simms@va.gov, vhaglapublicaffairs@va.gov, controller.mejia@lacity.org, ada.estrada@lacity.org, clerk.cps@lacity.org, isulic@bos.lacounty.gov, robertmckenrick@concoursefederal.com, rcreagh@awensolutions.com, rbegland@coxcastle.com, tom@tsahousing.com, bdandrea@century.org, sjpeck@usvets.org, tbanko@usvets.org, samuel@hrcscoc.org, mrosenbaum@law.uci.edu, mrosenbaum@publiccounsel.org, mebel@bocarsly.com, nick.watt@warnermedia.com, christian.vonmerkatz@wellsfargo.com, boardcommunications@wellsfargo.com, ted_decker@homedepot.com, billy_bastek@homedepot.com, oversight@vetaff.senate.gov, senator@tester.senate.gov, hvac.minority@mail.house.gov, hvac.majority@mail.house.gov, hvac.democrats@mail.house.gov, oce@mail.house.gov, Gregory.Goins@va.gov, Annette.Field@va.gov, oalvarado@century.org,
hsharp@century.org, kwee@century.org
