My name is Onur. I am a Gulf War veteran. My wife, Iuliia has spent her career serving the Department of Veterans Affairs, rising to become Chief of Health Information Management. Throughout her federal career, Iuliia has maintained an unbroken record of “Outstanding” performance appraisals. She is the kind of employee the federal government should be proud to have.

In early 2024, Iuliia filed an internal harassment complaint after raising concerns about staffing shortages and improper practices. What followed was a series of retaliatory actions: she was removed from her supervisory role, issued a formal admonishment for raising concerns through email (which the Medical Center Director later admitted under oath was improper and rescinded), her telework agreement was canceled, and her duties were stripped. Investigations were opened against her on allegations previously found unsubstantiated. Senior agency officials, including the Medical Center Director, confirmed in depositions that these actions were tied to her protected activity.

We have pursued every legal avenue available, including filings with the EEOC, Merit Systems Protection Board, and Office of Special Counsel. Despite sworn admissions from agency officials and contradictory testimony, the federal-sector legal system has not delivered justice. The fight has become financially overwhelming, requiring more than two years of Iuliia’s take-home pay in legal fees, far beyond what our family can absorb. The alternative is taking on debt we cannot service or letting the agency win by attrition.

We are not asking for help to start a fight, but to finish one we are already deep in. We have restructured our representation and concentrated our resources on the cases most likely to deliver justice. Every contribution, no matter the size, helps us close the gap and reminds us we are not alone. What matters most is knowing the people who know us see what is happening. Thank you for reading and for supporting us in this private campaign.