A Bronx native veteran was abruptly fired Feb. 13 from the Lyons VA Medical Center in New Jersey as part of the Trump administration’s across-the-board cuts of recently hired federal employees. He started the job in February 2024 and was four days shy of completing the probationary period.
The 31-year-old Army veteran, referred to in this story as John Doe, requested his name be withheld because his supervisor has filed an appeal to the government for reinstatement.
Doe worked as a human resources security assistant, processing 30 to 40 background checks per day for prospective employees, plus onboarding and other customer service tasks for current staff.
The evening of Feb. 13, he received the same generic email now familiar to the thousands of federal workers abruptly terminated by Trump and billionaire Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency. At the VA, the cuts included other longtime veterans, such as Luke Graziani, who served four combat tours over 20 years in the Army and worked at the Bronx VA hospital.
Doe was shocked by the message: “The Agency finds, based on your performance, that you have not demonstrated that your further employment at the Agency would be in the public interest. … You will immediately take your equipment to the closest VA medical center … to turn in your IT equipment.”
The email outlined means of appealing the decision, which Doe said his supervisor is pursuing on his behalf.
Doe bristled at the email’s implication that he was a low-performing and unimportant employee.
“It’s very hurtful that poor performance was the reason, because there was no poor performance,” he said, adding that the template email made the news even worse. It felt like there were no human emotions behind this,” he said.
In a statement to the Bronx Times, the New Jersey VA said that only “a small number” of probationary staff were terminated. “At this time, these actions do not impact or affect Veteran health care, benefits or other services,” the agency said.
While Doe waits for a decision on the appeal, he said he would immediately return to his job if given the opportunity. “I’m a praying man. I’ve been praying to get my job back.”
‘The VA job became my dream job’
Doe immigrated from the Dominican Republic as a child, and growing up in the Bronx around East 181st Street and Creston Avenue, he said he always wanted to work in law enforcement or the military. He wanted to serve the country and he viewed such careers as a means of self-improvement — “a way of growing up,” as he put it.
Doe served in the Army from 2014 to 2021 mainly as a supply specialist, earning an Army Commendation Medal, National Defense Service Medal and other recognitions. “I made my way through the ranks fairly quickly,” said Doe.
In 2016, he was in a vehicle rollover accident that left one side of his face fractured and his shoulder torn, and he continues to suffer from migraines and other aftereffects. The Army classified him as 70% disabled, and he left when his contract ended in 2021.
Right away, he moved to Minnesota for his dream job at the time, working as a sheriff’s deputy. But after a few years, he found himself wanting a different lifestyle.
“I wanted to settle down,” he said. I wanted to have a family and something that was a bit more stable.”
He relocated to New Jersey for the VA position, and the move turned out to be well worth it. During his time there, “I’ve never seen myself happier,” Doe said.
Better sleep, a more reasonable and consistent schedule, more family time and stronger mental health all made up for a significantly lower salary than at the sheriff’s office, he said. “The job at the VA became my dream job.”
Above and beyond
Doe said his human resources department and those at other VA hospitals were far from overstaffed. He regularly commuted to another VA location, a 35- to 45-minute drive from home, to help cover shortages there. He was also asked a couple times to fill in at the Bronx VA.
Though the workload was heavy and he had not expected to have to have a long commute, he voluntarily took on the extra tasks. “I never complained,” Doe said.
His love for the job showed in his performance, which was highly praised. In his first and only performance review, which he shared with the Bronx Times, Doe earned “fully successful” or “exceptional” ratings for each category. He also received an $800 bonus in January.
The performance report, with feedback from two supervisors, said Doe was viewed as a model for others on certain tasks. He made few errors and had great customer service skills, it said.
Doe “shows true incentive to move to the next level [in] his career field,” read one comment. Another said that although he was a recent hire, “he has proven himself to be a true benefit” to the department.
Doe believed he was on track for a promotion and a long career at the VA — which made the termination notice all the more disappointing.
“It seems like nobody took the time to actually go in and look” at employees’ records,” he said.
‘Starting to lose hope’
Although the New Jersey VA said the cuts would not affect patient care, Doe said he worries that cutting human resources staff could pose a security risk for the people working and receiving care at VA hospitals.
Doe expressed concern about the workload for those remaining in their jobs and the overall turmoil caused by the sudden cuts. “It’s gonna affect the veterans in the long run,” he said.
Doe declined to say whether or not he voted for Trump but said he believed the president would be an ally for veterans. During Trump’s first term, “He was very much about supporting the veteran community,” Doe said.
He said he agrees with the need to reduce government spending, but eliminating the newest, lowest-paid employees — especially those who have honorably served the country — makes little sense, he said. “We’re trying to help veterans, yet we’re laying off veterans. That doesn’t sound right at all.”
As he awaits news of a potential reinstatement, he said he is struggling to stay positive even as he welcomed the news that he is soon to become a father for the first time, with a baby due in April.
“Every day that passes, I’m starting to lose hope,” Doe said.
Reach Emily Swanson at eswanson@schnepsmedia.com or (646) 717-0015. For more coverage, follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @bronxtimes
