As a disabled veteran, I have entrusted my life to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) since 1999. When an ovarian cyst ruptured, the VA was there. When my service-connected migraines made daily life unbearable, the VA was there. And when I suffered a stroke in 2019, the VA was there, managing my care, ensuring I had access to rehabilitation, and literally helping me get back on my feet.

Now the Trump administration, with the full backing of the new VA Secretary Doug Collins, is planning to slash 83,000 jobs from the VA back to levels seen in 2019—stripping the very foundation of the care that veterans like me, and millions of others, rely on. This is not just reckless; it is a betrayal of every veteran who served this country.

The VA’s mission, as enshrined 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." Cutting these jobs spits in the face of that promise. It is a violation of those who defended our nation—on a service that so many people depend upon.

The numbers do not lie. In 2021, 52% of veterans relied on at least one VA benefit or service, and 6.2 million veterans used VA healthcare. And since the passing of the PACT Act in August 2022, nearly 740,000 new veterans have enrolled in VA’s benefits, including over 333,000 from the PACT Act population—veterans of Vietnam, the Gulf War, and the Post-9/11 conflicts. In just over two years since the PACT Act was enacted, the VA has provided critical health care and benefits to millions of veterans and survivors affected by toxic exposure.

In fact, the demand for VA healthcare is not decreasing; It is rising at an unprecedented rate. This is why cutting VA staffing to 2019 levels will be catastrophic. Since 2019, the veteran population seeking care has grown, with more veterans aging into the system and requiring specialized treatment for combat-related injuries, PTSD, and toxic exposure illnesses. Rolling back to pre-pandemic staffing levels ignores these realities and sets veterans up for longer wait times, reduced specialized care, and life-saving treatments will likely skyrocket. Veterans will suffer, and some of us will die waiting for care that they were promised. This is not just policy—it is negligence, plain and simple.

But the betrayal does not stop there. Thousands of veterans work for the VA, dedicated to serving their fellow service members. These job cuts will not only hurt veterans who need care, but also those who have made it their mission to care for others. The VA was built to support those who have sacrificed for this country—why is this administration turning its back on us?

I am not just concerned for myself—I am terrified for our senior veterans, those with severe combat injuries, survivors of military sexual trauma (MST), and those battling PTSD. They will bear the brunt of this cruel decision. As veterans already face alarming suicide rates—according to a 2024 VA report, an estimated 17 veterans die by suicide every day. Cutting off critical support will only worsen this crisis, leaving our most vulnerable without the care they desperately need and deserve.