Dear Editor,
Trump and Elon Musk are planning to dismantle the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and strip transitioning military veterans and their families of the federal hiring incentives they rely on.
At a time when the veteran population is aging and the VA’s mission has expanded (under the 2022 PACT Act), this policy will lead to delays and denials in health care, benefits processing, and disability claims — the crucial services veterans rely on.
Last year, of the 17.8 million veterans in the civilian, non-institutionalized population, 5.2 million (30%) reported having a service-connected disability, and more than 32,000 veterans were homeless. These service members deserve our attention and support.
For years, politicians have promised to fix the VA and take care of veterans. But a Trump executive order does the opposite — it throws veterans under the bus.
First, by cutting veteran federal workers; second, by slashing needed services; third, by denying our military members and their families adequate support overseas and at home; and finally, by not ensuring veterans have a stable place and support system to make a life after their service.
Whether you are a veteran or not, is this what you envision when you think of “streamlined government?”
Is this what you voted for? These people put their lives on the line for us. It’s time to contact Mike Collins, our congressman, at 770-207-1776.
On his large highway billboards, he touts his support of veterans, and his website says, “Washington needs more common sense and backbone.”
Collins needs to display some of both.
Robert Pandina, JW Collins and Fred Koppelmann, of Greensboro