Marine fired for being 'disabled veteran'

http://www.wbtv.com/story/19881174/lawsuit-claims-former-marine-fired-for-being-disabled-veteran



A disabled veteran has filed suit against the ownership group of a Lexington County gym business after the Marine was fired nearly three months ago. The firing, the Marine claims, came after new management refused to allow him to make up missed time to attend Veterans Affairs appointments to treat a war injury.

Lexington County court filings show the reason that New life Fitness World terminated Jonathan Brown on July 31 was "disabled veteran." The reason was noted on Brown's "Employment Status Change" form attached to the lawsuit.

Brown worked as a manager at the gym's Charter Oak Road location in Lexington for nearly two years. Brown recently returned home after a deployment to support Operation Iraqi Freedom. The Marine left the service after an eye injury prevented him from continuing on in the military. His injuries are to both eyes and he's receiving treatment from the Wm. Jennings Bryan Dorn VA hospital in Columbia on a near-weekly basis.

"The VA is just like the military. If you miss an appointment, you might not get another one to actually let them help you with your problem," Brown told WIS. Military doctors don't know what's causing the blurriness and shaking in both eyes, according to Brown.

Brown was a gunner on a Bradley vehicle in Iraq, firing a 25MM weapon known to the military as a 25 "Mike Mike." Brown isn't sure whether firing the weapon had anything to do with his disabling eye condition.

On July 30, Brown said he got called into the office by his new regional manager to talk about his VA doctor's appointments, "It was kind of a surprise. He came in and wanted to sit down with me after I turned in some medical work, saying I needed to go to the VA a few times. We sat in the office and he said he just had to let me go—for; it just wouldn't work out," Brown said.

Brown said his boss, Jonathan Moreno, told him the reason he had to fire him was because he was a disabled veteran and wouldn't allow any discussion of his decision. "His mind was made up by the time he was even walking into the building," Brown said.