Naval Officer Responds After Camp Lejeune Psychiatrist Firing

A response came from the Navy about the concerns raised by a civilian psychiatrist fired from Camp Lejeune.

Last week, we brought you the story of Dr. Kernan Manion.

Manion claims he was fired after complaining about weaknesses in the mental health care system for Marines back from combat.

Nine On Your Side's Jim Niedelman spoke with the Commander for Navy Medicine East about those concerns.

Dr. Kernan Manion told us a week ago he worried about flaws at the Deployment Health Center on Camp Lejeune while working there last year.

"I raised issues that I felt were of great concern and concern about the safety of Marines, concerns about the safety of staff," said fired psychiatrist Dr. Kernan Manion.

Last April, Manion sent a memo to his immediate supervisors that conditions made it difficult to intervene when Marines showed signals they could harm themselves or others.

Soon after came the tragedies on Camp Liberty in Baghdad and Fort Hood in Texas.

Rear Admiral Bob Kiser says both incidents reflect the need for a broader approach to mental health, but don't point to weaknesses on the base.

"I am very sanguine, very assured of the quality of care available for the Marines and Sailors here at the Naval Hospital at Camp Lejeune," said RADM Bob Kiser, Commander Navy Medicine East.

"Do you feel Dr. Manion shared those values that he was trying to promote the general welfare and health, mental health of the Marines?” asked this reporter.

“I have not spoken to Dr. Manion and I'm not sure what motivates Dr. Manion," Kiser responded.

Manion then brought his concerns to the Inspector General in late August.

By early September, he was out of a job.

A Quality Assurance Review of the mental health practices on the base took place in the fall.

That's right after Dr. Manion's complaint reached the Inspector General.

Manion says some of his suggestions wound up being implemented from that review after he was fired.

Rear Admiral Kiser admits changes were made, but wouldn't credit Manion directly."

"Those issues had been identified and again changes made. I'm not in a position to know, quite frankly, if change x was due to thing y," Kiser said.

There's also the issue of a conflicting Performance Appraisal Report, or PAR, for Manion.

Salon.com obtained a copy of one signed in November with satisfactory marks across the board.

Another one came the following month containing unsatisfactory marks.

"There is this perception perhaps that after the fact, months after he's gone, that the military is trying to do something to besmirch this man,” said this reporter.

“Well, I think that perception again reflects a misunderstanding of how the process works," Kiser said.

Kiser says the military collects reviews from several sources before finalizing an individual review.

"The documents published on Salon.com are not his PAR."

Manion claims the military is treating him as if he's guilty by innuendo with the differing evaluations and that he's been unable to obtain a copy of his personnel file.

Dr. Manion plans to sue the military for wrongful termination and breach of contract.

Rep. Walter B. Jones, (R) North Carolina, has also called on Defense Secretary Robert Gates to investigate the circumstances surrounding Manion's firing.