Pacific Islands VA’s Maui Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC) hosted a PACT Act event Nov. 16.
Services were available for health screenings, diabetic foot checks, vaccines, blood pressure checks, VA benefits and PACT Act Registration.
“We have been hesitant in the past about hosting events at our clinic due to the very limited parking we have on-site,” said CBOC Chief Kristin Cordaro. “However, we were able to navigate through that challenge relatively well by utilizing several staff members to direct traffic to open parking spaces in the back of the clinic.”
Navy Veteran Gary Lewis was pleased with the event. He said it was more efficient and felt a lot less chaotic with more privacy than at the mall where events are usually held. Lewis was also grateful for the food that was provided as he had not eaten breakfast.
“I was pleased to see the number of Veterans that participated in our event as we were able to offer a ‘one stop shop’ for our Veterans to receive many services that we do not regularly provide at the CBOC,” Cordaro said. “This year, we were excited to be able to offer a hot lunch and refreshments to our Veterans to show our appreciation.”
Variety of services available
The Maui clinic set up individual stations for services on all three floors. Veterans were greeted at the ground floor garage area where they could meet with providers from primary care, home based primary care, pharmacy, audiology, mental health, clinical social work and the American Red Cross. The second and third floors held the laboratory for blood draws, member services and VBA’s benefits counselors.
Pictured above are CBOC Chief of Staff Kristin Cordaro and Veteran Helen Locey.
A formal presentation ceremony was held to honor two centenarian Veterans: Army Veteran Helen Locey, 107, and Marine Corps Veteran Dr. Gordon Becker, 100. Both Veterans served in WWII.
Dr. Becker was a Navy fighter pilot and clinical psychologist. He said the thing he missed most about being in the military was flying planes and that he regretted never having landed on an aircraft carrier.
Veteran Locey was a nurse in WII, and she gave a brief statement when she received her coin from the VA Secretary: “I’ve had a wonderful and interesting life with still more to come.”
Approximately 135 Veterans attended with 361 services provided. Veterans were seen cornhole and participating in activities with their families, enjoying the healing tunes of Hawaiian music, and receiving VA gift bags that included hats, water bottles, lanyards, re-useable bags, note pads, pens, stress balls and gun locks.
“The highlight of the day was presenting the two centenarian Veterans with their letter and coin from the Secretary of VA,” said Cordaro. “Both of those Veterans are amazing and are such a joy to be around. Our entire team on Maui feels privileged to be able to serve such amazing Veterans.”
Advanced Medical Support Assistant for the Maui CBOC Karissa A. Among is proud to work for VA. Her father, stepfather and late grandfather all served in the Air Force and Navy. Her nephew is currently serving active duty in the Navy and stationed in Japan.
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The Phoenix VA Police Department (PHXVAPD) is violating Brady/Giglio disclosure requirements, disregarding the Due Process Protections Act of 2020, and undermining constitutional rights. This failure obstructs transparency, suppresses critical impeachment and exculpatory evidence, and prevents proper judicial oversight.
How PHXVAPD Evades Accountability on Brady/Giglio Disclosures
Brady v. Maryland (1963) and Giglio v. United States (1972) require law enforcement to disclose exculpatory evidence and information that could impeach a government witness. The Due Process Protections Act of 2020 strengthened these obligations, ensuring courts hold agencies accountable.
PHXVAPD leadership dismisses online Brady/Giglio lists, such as giglio-bradylist.com, as “fake” and falsely claims only court-ordered disclosures are valid.
This obstruction prevents identification of officers with documented credibility issues and impedes the legally required disclosure process.
By bypassing proper judicial review, PHXVAPD shields problematic officers from scrutiny and violates federal transparency mandates.
Brady/Giglio obligations apply regardless of formal court designation—any documented credibility concerns must be disclosed to defendants and courts.
Failure to Adhere to Rule 5(a) & 5(b): Judicial Oversight & Due Process
The Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure (FRCP) ensure due process for all federal arrests:
Rule 5(a)(1)(A) requires that any person arrested, with or without a warrant, must be brought before a magistrate judge without unnecessary delay.
Rule 5(b) mandates that if an arrest occurs without a warrant, a complaint establishing probable cause must be promptly filed in the district where the offense occurred.
PHXVAPD conducts warrantless arrests but fails to bring individuals before a magistrate judge, as required by law.
PHXVAPD falsely claims that Rule 58, which governs petty offenses, absolves them of the requirement to present an arrestee before a magistrate after a warrantless custodial arrest. However, Rule 58 only dictates case processing procedures and does not override Rule 5’s mandate for prompt judicial review.
Instead of filing a criminal complaint in district court, PHXVAPD issues a United States District Court Violation Notice (USDCVN), which is forwarded to the Central Violations Bureau (CVB).
The CVB processes these citations and sends them to the U.S. District Court, delaying judicial oversight and preventing timely legal challenges to warrantless arrests.
By the time defendants receive a court date, an Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) has often reviewed the citations and probable cause statements before the individual sees a judge. In many cases, defendants are offered the option to pay fines or collateral, resolving the case without ever appearing before a judge for a probable cause determination.
This practice deprives defendants of their right to due process, denies them access to a magistrate judge as required under Rule 5, and allows PHXVAPD to avoid scrutiny of Brady/Giglio disclosures.
Consequences of These Due Process Failures
Obstruction of Justice – Failing to disclose Brady/Giglio evidence and bypassing judicial oversight undermines the fairness of the justice system.
Civil Rights Violations (42 U.S.C. § 1983 & Bivens Claims) – Defendants denied access to Brady/Giglio information or proper judicial review may have grounds for legal action.
Potential Case Dismissals & DOJ Investigations – Federal courts could dismiss charges where Brady/Giglio requirements were ignored, and the Department of Justice may investigate systemic issues at PHXVAPD.
Call to Action: Demand Justice and Accountability
PHXVAPD must comply with federal law, ensure transparency, and uphold due process protections. Immediate actions must include:
A DOJ investigation into PHXVAPD’s handling of Brady/Giglio disclosures and compliance with the Due Process Protections Act.
A full review of PHXVAPD’s arrest procedures to ensure they align with Rule 5 and constitutional requirements.
Congressional oversight hearings to address systemic VA Police misconduct and due process violations.