Robin Paul , a manager at a medical center from veterans in Indianapolis has been removed from her $ 80,000 post over an email that mocked the mental health of returning combat veterans . A manager at a medical center from veterans in Indianapolis has been removed from her $ 80,000 position over an email that mocked the mental health of returning combat veterans . Robin Paul , a manager at the Roudebush Veterans Affairs Medical Center , sent the email making light of mental health issues and patient 's suffering to her staff on December 18 . It featured a series of photos of a Christmas elf posing as one of the hospital 's patients , pleading for Xanax and hanging itself with an electrical cord . Paul oversees a staff of more than 30 health care professionals in the Seamless Transition Integrated Care Clinic , which is responsible for assisting new veterans with their VA benefits , services and programs , to include mental health . The email was forward to The Indianapolis Star , who reported it on Monday and the next day Paul was placed on paid administrative leave pending further investigation . Paul 's boss Tom Mattice described the email as 'completely and totally unacceptable . ' 'It in no way reflects the attitudes of our staff toward our patients . We take great pride in the quality of care and the empathetic outreach we provide to the veterans we have the honor of serving , ' he said . The email is more bad news for the VA which is already reeling from a scandal last year , when it was revealed that hospitals and clinics across the country had manipulated data to downplay long patient wait times . There has been outcry from a number of veterans groups , including the Veterans of Foreign Wars . 'All we want for the VA to do is to be able to fix what 's broken , to hold employees appropriately accountable and help restore the faith of veterans in their VA health care system , and this one employee , this one supervisor , violated all three of those , ' said Joe Davis , Director of Public Affairs . Scroll down for video . One photo featured a Christmas elf posing as one of the hospital 's patients hanging itself with an electrical cord . The national commander of the organization demanded that Paul should be immediately removed . 'There is nothing amusing about 22 veterans committing suicide every day , ' said John Stroud . 'And it is absolutely inexcusable that a VA supervisor would make light of any issue that veterans face . ' Yet despite the email being sent more than two months ago , bosses only suspended Paul once it was leaked to the media . 'This inappropriate email needs to be taken very seriously , ' said U.S. Sen. Dan Coats , R-Ind . 'An immediate independent investigation should occur to determine proper disciplinary action . ' VA officials have n't say how long the investigation will take and if all the results will be made public . ' I ask Veterans to accept my apology for this failure , ' Mattice said . 'And to allow us to continue to demonstrate to you our commitment to your health and well-being . ' In another photo the elf begged for the anxiety drug Xanax . There has been outcry from a number of veterans groups , including the Veterans of Foreign Wars .
Robin Paul , a manager at a medical center from veterans in Indianapolis has been removed from her $ 80,000 post . In December she sent an email that appeared to mock the mental health of returning combat veterans . It featured a series of photos of a Christmas elf pleading for Xanax and hanging himself with an electrical cord . 'There is nothing amusing about 22 veterans committing suicide every day , ' said John Stroud , commander of the Roudebush Veterans Affairs Medical Center .