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As a disabled veteran, I have relied on the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) since 1999. The VA has supported me through numerous challenges, including a ruptured ovarian cyst and debilitating migraines that hindered my daily life. Most importantly, during my stroke in 2019, the VA coordinated my care, facilitated my rehabilitation, and played a crucial role in helping me regain my independence.
However, the Trump administration, backed by new VA Secretary Doug Collins, is poised to eliminate 83,000 jobs at the VA, reverting to staffing levels that haven’t been seen since 2019. This action jeopardizes the foundation of care that veterans like myself and millions of others rely on. It’s not just a reckless move; it’s a profound betrayal of every veteran who has served this nation.
The VA’s mission, reiterated in 2023, is to “fulfill President Lincoln’s promise to care for those who have served in our nation’s military and for their families, caregivers, and survivors.” Reducing jobs undermines that promise and violates the commitment owed to those who defended our nation—services that countless individuals depend on.
The numbers tell a compelling story. In 2021, 52% of veterans accessed at least one VA benefit or service, while 6.2 million veterans utilized VA healthcare. Following the PACT Act’s implementation in August 2022, nearly 740,000 new veterans enrolled in VA benefits, including over 333,000 from the PACT Act cohort—veterans from Vietnam, the Gulf War, and Post-9/11 conflicts. In just over two years since the PACT Act was enacted, the VA has provided vital healthcare and benefits to millions of veterans and survivors affected by toxic exposure.
In reality, the demand for VA healthcare is not decreasing; it is escalating at an alarming pace. This is why reverting VA staffing to 2019 levels will have dire consequences. Since then, the veteran population seeking care has grown, with more veterans aging into the system and requiring specialized treatment for combat-related injuries, PTSD, and illnesses from toxic exposure. Reducing staffing to pre-pandemic levels ignores these realities, leading to longer wait times, reduced specialized care, and potentially life-saving treatments becoming scarce. Veterans will suffer, and some may even die while waiting for the care they were promised. This isn’t merely a policy choice; it is a dereliction of duty, plain and simple.
But the betrayal runs deeper. Thousands of veterans serve within the VA, dedicated to helping their fellow service members. These job cuts will not only affect veterans seeking care but also those who are committed to providing that care. The VA was established to support those who have sacrificed for this nation—why is this administration turning its back on us?
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My concern goes beyond my own needs—I am deeply troubled about senior veterans, those with severe combat injuries, survivors of military sexual trauma (MST), and individuals dealing with PTSD. They will be most adversely affected by this harsh decision. With alarmingly high suicide rates among veterans—an estimated 17 veterans take their own lives every day according to a 2024 VA report—cutting essential support will only worsen this crisis, leaving our most vulnerable without the care they urgently need and deserve.
When we abandon our veterans, we abandon the core values this nation claims to uphold—duty, honor, and commitment. This issue is not just about policy; it’s about people—those who have risked everything for this country, only to be neglected when they need help the most. If we allow this to happen, we are not only failing veterans; we are failing as a nation. The cost of inaction is measured in lost lives, shattered families, and the erosion of trust between those who serve and the country they swore to protect. We cannot call ourselves a nation that supports its troops if we turn our backs on them when they need us the most.
If these cuts move forward, how many veterans will suffer? How many will be lost? It’s crucial to recognize that more than one-third of veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan have been diagnosed with PTSD, and that number is likely an understatement, as it only reflects those who seek help through the VA. Additionally, there are hundreds of thousands of Vietnam veterans and veterans from other conflicts who also wrestle with PTSD, TBI, and MST.
We are not fighting this battle alone. Organizations such as Common Defense, Indivisible, and VoteVets are leading the charge, mobilizing veterans and allies to resist these harmful cuts. These groups understand that advocating for veterans’ rights transcends politics—it’s about honoring a sacred promise to those who served. Their efforts illustrate that we can and must take action to prevent this betrayal.
We fought for this country, and now we must fight again—not with weapons, but with our voices. We need to demand that the VA and the Trump administration fulfill their obligations to us. We must call, write, and participate in town hall meetings hosted by our representatives, making it clear that we will hold them accountable. We must collaborate with advocacy groups working to protect VA resources and veterans’ rights. We cannot and will not be overlooked, forgotten, or betrayed. Because cutting VA jobs is not just a policy failure; it is a betrayal of the oath we took to serve and protect this nation.
