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Local veterans commander asks county for external investigation of VSO office complaints
Summary
The commander of the Clarksville women's Veterans of Foreign Wars chapter reported multiple complaints alleging mistreatment and requested an external investigation of the county Veteran Service Office.
Dr. Bridget Childs, commander of Women Veterans of Clarksville Chapter 47, told the county commission that she has received four complaints alleging mistreatment by the assistant director of the local Veteran Service Office, identified in comments as Stacy Hot Wood.
Childs said the complaints came from women who served in the U.S. armed forces; some asked to remain anonymous because they feared retaliation or loss of benefits. She said she also experienced concerning interactions and that the VSO director, Hector Santos, did not appear to take corrective action after complaints were raised. "The situation demands immediate attention," Childs said, and she requested "a formal investigation by external Lehi authority" and public acknowledgement.
Childs said the women who complained are of the African diaspora and described issues including "mistreatment, disrespect, indifference, bullying, and lack of professional accountability." She added that, by the veteran service organization's bylaws, leadership transactions should be completed within 15 days but that in one recent interaction the process took 45 days.
Her remarks were made during the public-comment portion of the June 2 meeting; the transcript does not record an immediate county response, any motion to investigate, or any formal action taken during the meeting excerpt.
The transcript does not include responses from the Veteran Service Office or the named employees; the remarks represent Dr. Childs' request that county officials refer the allegations to an appropriate external authority for review.
