WAR HERO'S WIDOW 'EXCESS STAFF'?

Byline: DENNIS McCARTHY 

It was a slap in the face to every veteran in the San Fernando Valley fighting to keep the beleaguered Sepulveda VA Hospital open and strong.

The heart and soul of this North Hills veterans facility for the past 30 years - the woman put up on a pedestal by every veteran who has walked through these doors for medical attention and who needed someone to help them through the system - was losing her job.

Pam Murphy, widow of Audie Murphy - Medal of Honor winner and America's most decorated World War II soldier, who went on to become an actor - came to work as usual Monday morning as a program assistant. Then, along with dozens of other employees, she was given a letter saying she was considered ``excess staff.''

More medical services at Sepulveda were being cut or transferred to the West Los Angeles VA facility to save money, and the job Murphy had held for three decades was being eliminated in a reorganization plan.

They would try to assign her to another position within the Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, if one that suited her skills could be found, the letter said.

``I know there will be some positions open in West Los Angeles, but I live in Canoga Park, and like a lot of our veterans, I can't make it down there,'' Murphy said Wednesday morning. ``I can't drive at night anymore.

``I want to stay here and work with the veterans I love,'' she said. ``I don't think helping cut down on veterans' complaints, and showing them the respect they deserve, should be considered excess staff.''

Word of Murphy's fate caused a groundswell of anger and betrayal among staffers and patients at Sepulveda VA, prompting veterans officials to try to calm things down.

``That reorganization letter came from West L.A., and those people have no idea who Pam Murphy is - that she means more to the veterans at Sepulveda than all the doctors, nurses and other staff members,'' said Susan Donovan, a registered nurse who is also being reassigned.

``It's a slap in the face to the vets to do this to Pam Murphy, to say the widow of one of America's most decorated soldiers is now excessive staff.''

Charles Dorman, the new executive director at Sepulveda VA, said Wednesday that Murphy would be treated ``with the dignity and respect she deserves.''

``She will still be with us, but in a different job,'' he said. ``We would never do anything to harm her. We will try to find her work at Sepulveda to keep her, and she won't lose a penny in pay.''

But to a lot of local veterans - who are watching as one of the biggest and best VA hospitals in the country is gutted - Dorman's words had a hollow ring to them.

At noon Friday, a rally will be held in front of the North Hills facility to protest the staff cuts and the closure of three more programs at Sepulveda.

This comes on the heels of a visit a few months ago by VA Secretary Anthony Principi, who tried to reassure local vets that they would not lose any more vital services at Sepulveda.

But if someone like Pam Murphy is now considered excess, veteran Don Starler said, nothing and no one at Sepulveda is safe anymore.

``When Pam told me they were eliminating her job, and that she'd have to look for something else, I thought she was kidding,'' he said.

``Pam Murphy, widow of one of America's greatest war heroes, has to look for something else? Incredible. She's the heart and soul of this place.''

When vet Steve Palmer walked through the front doors of Sepulveda for the first time 15 years ago, the first face he saw was Pam Murphy, smiling at him, he said.

``She called me 'Mr. Palmer,' and I told her to call me Steve, but she wouldn't,'' he said. ``It was 'Mr. Palmer.' Every vet was 'Mister' to her, treated with ultimate respect.

``It breaks your heart to realize she's not going to be there to help every vet cut through all the red tape from now on,'' he said.

Former Rep. Bobbi Fiedler, who has been fighting to keep Sepulveda from being further downsized, called Pam Murphy a national treasure.

``She is really very unique - a sweet and gentle person who helps keep the temperature of veterans who often have to wait a long time for their medical appointments under control,'' Fiedler said.

``Her husband devoted his life to protecting this country, and Pam has devoted her life to helping our veterans. She is an integral part of that facility.''

She really doesn't want to do anything else, Murphy said, still unsure what her new job will be.

This is the only job she's ever wanted since the first day she walked into this VA hospital 30 years ago, and saw dozens of veterans sitting around with no idea what was going on.

``They would sit all day, and nobody would tell them a thing. That became my job - to talk to them, tell them what was going on and find out for them how long it would be before they saw a doctor.''

At the shrinking Sepulveda VA, that's considered excessive staff now.

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Pam Murphy, widow of World War II's most decorated soldier, has been told the VA job she's done for 30 years is no longer valued.