Veteran says VA tried to ‘ruin’ him for opposing cemetery outhouse project
JASON HICKS WAS UNDER FEDERAL INVESTIGATION FOR ALLEGED WEAPONS VIOLATIONS
FARGO (KVRR) – The commander of the Fargo Memorial Honor Guard was the target of a federal investigation, accused of bringing his service weapon to the Fargo National Cemetery without cause.
“I spoke out against the VA and a project they were doing and they came after me, full-fledged.”
Jason Hicks says it all began after he started speaking out against a Department of Veterans Affairs controversial plan to install outhouses at the cemetery. The plan was ultimately scrapped after public outcry.
Documents obtained through the Freedom of Information Act confirm Hicks was a suspect in a VA Police investigation for alleged weapons violations at the cemetery.
Hicks was a Clay County Sheriff’s detective at the time. He says he would have simply complied with a request not to bring his duty weapon on the property, which remained locked away in his squad vehicle.
“They tried to ruin me, both personally and professionally, but to try to ambush me with the VA police and start a criminal proceeding against me, knowing at the time I was a law enforcement officer? Very underhanded.”
David Huth, Executive Director of the Fort Snelling National Cemetery Complex disputes Hicks’ claims. “I’m going to categorically deny that, because there was no retaliation.”
After the outhouse controversy, Hicks says the VA began to advance a narrative, suggesting that some members of the Fargo Honor Guard are “unstable.” Huth acknowledges there have been disagreements, which the VA has been trying to resolve.
“No one here has called anyone in the Honor Guard ‘unstable,’ Huth said.
“If I can be so blunt, the attacks have been one-sided. From the Fargo Memorial Honor Guard, and it’s only certain select members, it’s not the whole members of the Honor Guard, it’s just a few that have attacked us, not only through the media but through backdoors and they tried to send emails.”
Charges against Hicks were never filed. The VA Police report says the accusations were “unfounded.”
Hicks says he would like an apology from the VA, but does not expect one.
