I reached out to Operation Once in a Lifetime seeking assistance and unfortunately left the interaction feeling deeply uncomfortable and concerned. My point of contact was Patrick Sowers.
One of the biggest red flags was being asked to send copies of my DD-214 containing sensitive personal identifiable information directly to a phone number. At no point was it clarified whether this was a secure work device or a personal cellphone.
I was never offered a professional email address or secure document portal, which I found highly questionable given the nature of the documents involved.
While I complied in an effort to move the process along, I was not comfortable doing so. In my experience, reputable organizations handling veterans' records typically have clear procedures and safeguards in place for transmitting sensitive information.
Beyond the privacy concerns, the conversation itself was frustrating and unprofessional. Instead of feeling heard, I felt repeatedly invalidated, challenged, and put on the defensive regarding my own experiences and concerns.
The interaction came across as passive-aggressive and unnecessarily contrarian.
I also found it inappropriate that examples of other veterans' personal struggles were repeatedly brought into the conversation as comparisons.
I contacted the organization for assistance with my own situation, not to hear about or be compared against the hardships of others. It felt dismissive and unprofessional.
What should have been a supportive interaction instead felt judgmental and disrespectful. Trust and professionalism are critical when working with vulnerable veterans, and unfortunately I did not experience either here.
Based on my experience, I would strongly encourage others to exercise caution when sharing sensitive personal information and to ask questions about how documents are being stored and protected before sending anything. Patrick Sowers is a fucking moron. read more