A Seattle Veterans Affairs staff whistleblower believes he’s been fired in retaliation for speaking out about the deteriorating conditions at a South Seattle government building last year.
We told you about a Cascade PBS and Northwest Public Broadcasting investigation, in June 2024, that found patients and staff in building 18 of the Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Health Care System endured years of water leaks, alleged mold, and a failing HVAC system.
Galuszka says employees had been complaining about the building for years, and that the VA had slated it for demolition more than a decade earlier. In July 2024, about a month after our investigation, the VA announced the building would close.
Former VA Logistics Chief Douglas Galuszka says he was fired November 6. He was suspended three times since he spoke out, yet he says that before the suspensions, he was never reprimanded for this work. He shared his evaluation from August 2024 with Cascade PBS and it showed he was rated “Fully Successful” in all categories, the middle of the rating system.
We interviewed him on November 5 about his time inside building 18 and why he chose to advocate for his staff and the patients seen in the clinic inside.
“My service line, logistics service line, ... our offices are on the first floor of that building. The second floor was the specialty clinic. So my staff was being directly affected by the unsafe conditions, as well as all the veterans being treated in the South Clinic,” Galuszka said.
Building 18 housed employees from several departments, and a clinic which offered specialized medical services such as wound care and rheumatology.
“I've been a health care administrator for 30 years in the federal system, 27 years in the Army. And it wasn't something that was acceptable anymore. We felt an obligation to stand up and fight to get everybody out of the building,” Galuszka said.
Galuszka says since the closure, his work life has been up and down.
“The service line itself has had a lot of success: a wonderful crew that we have put together, and the logistics service line. We've passed our 5th straight inspection this last May. Personally, though, it’s been rough. I have had to deal with a lot of whistle-blower retaliation,” he said.
A spokesperson for the VA tells Cascade PBS they can’t comment on personnel matters due to privacy laws.
The agency also contends there were no problems with building 18 on the South Seattle VA campus.
But in a termination proposal letter dated October 16, 2025, that Galuszka provided to Cascade PBS, they told him the decision was based on evidence of negligent performance of duty, conduct unbecoming a federal supervisor, and failure to follow instructions. The letter provided examples of each of those findings.
“All we want to do is provide good healthcare to the veterans - 156,0000 that we serve at the VA Puget Sound. We provide all of the medical supplies, all the equipment, all the contracting support, and we just want to be able to do our job,” Galuszka said the day before his termination.
He now says he plans to appeal his firing with the Merit System Protection Board.
