As President Donald Trump's team works to clean house within the federal government, much focus is being put on Elon Musk and actions by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
While the critics are loud, a retired Homeland Security Special agent says he knows firsthand why some moves are being made.
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is responsible for payments and benefits for federal employees. DOGE findings have revealed that employee retirements are processed by hand in an old underground mine.
Approximately 10,000 applications are stored in cardboard boxes until they can be reviewed, which DOGE found can take months.
Angelo Fermo of Daphne says the months-long process and "egregious errors" forced him into debt. He says his losses are an example of why major changes need to be made to OPM operations.
Fermo was injured on the job, leading to his retirement after 20 years of service. He said he was not paid his retirement benefits for months, causing financial hardships that "ruined his life" and his credit.
"This is nationwide," Fermo said. "It makes sense why they're so dysfunctional. Trump tried to dissolve OPM in 2017, but he was blocked by the Democrats."
In a 2023 report, OPM's inspector general Krista Boyd acknowledged that timely processing of retirement claims payments is a challenge for the agency. The report states that the system should move to an electronic processing system. Boyd also stated that insufficient staff was causing delayed processing.
"Obtaining the necessary resources and technology are critical in OPM's ability to ensure that the needs of its customers and stakeholders are met and that retirees and their families are not waiting months to receive retirement benefits needed to financially support themselves and their families," the report concluded.
After speaking with his wife about the situation, Fermo decided to take the legal route and file a federal lawsuit against OPM. He is asking for over $1 million in damages.
"People are scared to speak out against OPM because your pensions depend on them," he said.
The case is still pending, but Fermo said he hopes DOGE's examination of OPM will lead to change. He also hopes lawmakers will investigate what can be done to overhaul the faulty system.
"What I want to see is the retirement system completely remodified to where their own departments handle their own retirement process," Fermo said. "I would like to see OPM completely disbanded and done away with. It either has to be completely disbanded or completely overhauled. You shouldn't have to retire and wait months on end to get paid."
"If you serve your country for over 20 years, you should be able to withdraw your pension within a few weeks," Fermo added.
Fermo Lawsuit by Erica Thomas on Scribd
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