On March 22, 2025, reports emerged that American veterans were being unfairly fired from their jobs with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Military.com discussed how the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) organization facilitated the release of a video denouncing the widespread job cuts initiated under the Trump administration, calling them "a betrayal of their service." To highlight this issue, the DAV launched a "Protect Veterans" campaign.
At a joint hearing of the House and Senate Veterans Affairs Committee last month, representatives from both parties suggested the need for showcasing veterans who suffered due to these job losses. Many veterans reported feeling blindsided by their terminations. Kara Oliver, a disabled Navy veteran, was dismissed from her recreational therapist position at the John D. Dingell Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Detroit. "It’s not about me, it’s about our veterans. What’s happening to them is wrong and I want to fight for them," she expressed. Oliver further noted that she discovered she had lost her job on her day off, without warning or even a termination letter.
Similarly, Albert Ostering, an Air Force veteran who worked at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency for ten years, conveyed the personal and national ramifications of such terminations. "I lost my way to provide for my family, our health care, my purpose and call to service," he lamented. He expressed concern that these job cuts would make the nation more vulnerable to cyber threats. The DAV's national commander, Daniel Contreras, described hearing from veterans filled with fear and anxiety about their futures, stating, "It’s heart-wrenching to hear from veterans who are contacting us with fear and anxiety about the future of the benefits, services and health care they’ve earned." He characterized the nature of the dismissals as a gut punch for those who had dedicated their lives to public service.
Responding to the DAV concerns, VA Press Secretary Peter Kasperowicz asserted, "we regret when anyone loses their job, and it’s extremely difficult for department leaders to make those types of decisions. But the federal government does not exist to employ people. It exists to serve people." Many believe this statement fails to justify the painful personal impacts on veterans.
Randy Reese, executive director of the DAV’s Washington headquarters, offered a more optimistic view by stating that the slicing of jobs by the administration initially shocked the organization, but they mobilized to combat the cuts. "It was just a series of things — the speed of it and how they did it," he remarked, indicating the manner in which decisions were made reflected poorly on the administration's commitment to veterans.
Rebecca Cintron, another fired employee who assisted in setting up electronic health records, described the termination as unexpected, noting, "We were always told how much we were needed." She wished the process had been managed more effectively rather than dictated by panic.
Meanwhile, as these firings unfold, VA Secretary Doug Collins has acknowledged a need for efficiency within the Department. In his first six weeks, he found that less than 2% of the agency’s contracts had been thoroughly examined, uncovering issues of excess spending. "The VA was paying for PowerPoint slides and meeting notes, for the watering of plants, and consulting contracts to do the work that we should be doing ourselves," Collins stated. He has taken action by canceling hundreds of non-mission critical contracts to net $900 million in savings.
On March 17, 2025, Collins also announced an end to gender dysphoria treatments to redirect funds toward care for severely injured veterans, as transgender individuals make up only a small fraction of the 9.1 million veterans enrolled in VA healthcare. He stated, "We’re not an employment agency, we’re a service organization." This approach to cuts has led to significant staffing reductions, with reports indicating that 2,400 employees have already been cut as part of a broader effort to revert to pre-pandemic staffing levels.
In light of the tumultuous landscape, federal workers have taken to social media platforms like Reddit to express their fears and unite in solidarity. On March 4, a memo was circulated indicating plans to cut the VA workforce significantly, alarming many employees. Concerns about job security and the quality of veteran services have increasingly motivated discussions within online communities.
Protests have erupted across the country as constituents criticize the redundancies in cuts by the Trump administration. Individuals like Jamie Sherman of Niles voiced their displeasure, saying, "Trump and (Elon) Musk are destroying this country. How can he do this to our veterans? They put their lives on the line, and now he’s betraying them."
The repercussions of these firings cement the notion that the VA is being squeezed between the necessity to reduce expenditures and the obligation to uphold the welfare of veterans. With a recent federal judge's ruling halting mass terminations and reinstating jobs to fired workers due to improperly followed procedures, uncertainty remains high.
Local veteran service organizations like the Trumbull County Veterans Service Commission have reported increased anxiety among veterans regarding their benefits. In anticipation of greater demand for support, the commission is actively preparing to assist veterans facing financial disruptions due to cuts affecting their jobs or benefits. As those involved grapple with the effects of these significant changes, the underlying question remains: what sacrifices are made at the altar of efficiency, and how will those changes impact the veterans who served this country?
