Man Claims Discrimination By William Beaumont Staff

Another man has come forward to KFOX 14 who said he was discriminated against by William Beaumont Army Medical Center workers because they believed he was pre-diabetic, and he said it cost him a job.

El Pasoan Ezekiel Zamarripa spent most of 2009 as a firefighter at the U.S. Marines' Camp Lejeune Fire Department in North Carolina. When he wanted to move closer to home, he was hired by the Fort Bliss Fire Department.

"You're going to start this date. This is your shift, you're going to be under this supervisor," said Zamarripa. "I was like, 'Wow, they even gave me the paperwork.'"

But during his physical at WBAMC, Zamarripa said his blood sugar level was two points too high, and he was diagnosed as being pre-diabetic. WBAMC workers recommended he go to a private doctor.

"I wound up going to my own doctor and he did a thorough exam and he said, 'You're good, you're not diabetic,'" Zamarripa told KFOX 14.

His doctor wrote a letter to WBAMC clearing him to be a firefighter, but the WBAMC occupational health department wanted more. So he conducted, and finished, the Fort Bliss Fire Department's performance test. WBAMC occupational health still wouldn't clear him.

"There's guys that I heard that haven't even done the agility test, that took it and didn't even complete everything, and they're still working. And I go, 'Well, wow, why am I being singled out like that?'" he said.

Zamarripa said his physical at WBAMC was with the nurse practitioner under Dr. Philip Lavallee. He is the same doctor who took Raul Gonzalez, a 23-year veteran of the Fort Bliss Fire Department, off the front lines.

As KFOX 14 has reported, Gonzalez is now back as a firefighter, but he's suing the Army for discrimination.

As for Zamarripa, even after everything he went through, he was never cleared and told to lose weight. He said he has recently gone through painful bariatric surgery.

"Dr. Clapp did the gastric sleeve. I've lost all 41 pounds. And I'm still losing," said Zamarripa. "It makes me feel left alone, like just, pushed out, like they don't even want me."

KFOX 14 weekend anchor Daniel Novick was denied by WBAMC officials for an on-camera response, but they did issue this statement:

"Firefighters are a special group of men and women who perform the most hazardous duty in times of need and national disasters. The health and welfare of all employees is the responsibility and concern of all leaders. A firefighter must be in top physical condition to perform first line firefighting duties as the lives and property of others depend on that ability. In addition, the firefighter must consider their own health and safety as well. All firefighters are required by DoD and Army Standards to be cleared for duty upon pre-placement hire and annually. The criteria is outlined under the National Fire Protection Association Standard 1582 dated 2007 and it is not a new requirement," said Clarence Davis with WBAMC.

Fort Bliss officials told KFOX 14 weekend anchor Daniel Novick that Dr. Lavallee is still on the WBAMC staff.