Letter to the Editor: Putnam Legislator LoBue Exploits Veterans

November 7, 2016

Dear Editor,

It is with great indignation that I write this letter. My offense stems from a comment made by Legislator LoBue: “…many of the residents that need Legal Aid are either veterans or young adults that are struggling with drug addiction.” In my opinion, this flippant characterization by LoBue was put forth in an attempt to distinguish her as one who helps Veterans by supporting $100,000 in additional funding for the Legal Aid Society. Whether or not this organization needs or deserves this financial support is not my dispute. I take offense to Legislator LoBue’s exploitation of Veterans to make her point.

As director of the Putnam County Veterans Service Agency, I question her facts and her sincerity. Foremost is my concern for the Veterans of this community. For the past five years, we have been expanding our services to Putnam Veterans. The few times that I have been queried regarding legal services, I have referred Veterans to the Legal Services of the Hudson Valley. As recently as two weeks ago that organization sent two representatives to my office to discuss the possibility of having a person in the Agency office once a week to do intake for prospective Veteran clients. This is a pro bono service. At no time has the Legal Aid Society broached the subject of Veterans to me or anyone on my staff. If there are large numbers of Veterans flocking to the Legal Aid Society, my office would be aware of it.

Notwithstanding this recent faux pas, I question the sincerity of Legislator LoBue. This past year she made a motion to table a replacement generator for the Veteran’s Residence. It had already been vetted at the committee level and was sent to the full legislature. At the time, the antiquated emergency generator had to be kept running with sealing wax and scotch tape for several years. It is not a luxury item that some people have claimed it is. It keeps part of the residence in electricity during power outages. We have elderly residents who cannot tolerate extremes in heat or cold. Many of them keep medications, such as insulin, in refrigerators and those medications would go bad during a power outage. It was tabled because Ms. LoBue did not like where the money was being sourced from to fund the generator purchase. That delayed the installation of the new generator for almost two months.

More recently, Ms. LoBue tried to block funds granted from New York State for the Dwyer Vet2Vet Program. We contract with MHA of Putnam to run this peer orientated program at no cost to the County. No reasons were given for this opposition. The majority of the Legislature did not concur with her. It suffices to say, Legislator LoBue has established herself as a person who is not a friend of Veterans. So the disingenuous nature of her claim to want extra money for the Legal Aid Society to benefit the alleged Veterans, who flock to that organization, looms large. It should be noted that many Veterans take issue with Legislator LoBue lumping Veterans and drug addicts together. The majority of Veterans seeking legal assistance do so for housing problems and Veteran benefit issues, not for criminal defense.

The Veterans Community of Putnam County needs advocates who have a deep abiding concern for Veterans -- Not those who use Veterans for personal political advantage. There are myriad legitimate issues facing Veterans that need to be addressed. Let’s address those issues and not pander to Veterans with issues that do not, in fact, impact them.

Thank you,

Karl Rohde, Director

Putnam County Veterans Service Agency

Donald B. Smith Campus

110 Old Route 6, Building #3

Carmel, NY 10512