VA Secretary Doug Collins addresses Veterans’ benefits in new video

Do,you really expect Vets to believe this pack of lies? Trump just cut 37,000 VA jibs!!!!

You are a liar.

Fuck you and fuck doge and fuck trump you fuckers. You have alienated queer veterans and you are fucking liars. Rot in hell where you belong. I hope this administration crashes and burns and takes all you supporters with it. Fucking traitors all of you. Piss off.

No mention of a national day of rallies IN SUPPORT OF VETERANS… in state capitols.
March 15, noon, GO to your state capitol please.

Why are our comments and questions on here being deleted? That just proves that the basic intent of the VA is to manage what we hear and say in this forum because the administration is about to screw us out of our disability and benefits, While they swear they aren’t going to eliminate them.

Thank you for that information, my husband is 100% Vietnam vet,he also have PTSD,and agent orange disability.Glad to know he will be taking care of.We both are disable.I used to work for VA Hospital in the 1990’s and they were not good at all,a lot of messy people who was really mean, even before Trump was president,I had a hard time getting help from VA, and the hospital was awful, we had a hard time getting him approved for disibility.Still have a problem getting appointments and things he need,I hope things get better with Present Trump.

He lied in Congress and he is still doing it. He is just another lying puppet MAGA MAGGOT!

MR. Collins keep up the great work. I for one have had nothing but good experiences with the VA. There is a lot of hateful comments in this thread must be the Air Force. Keep up the good work, people need to relax and trust the process.

Mr. Collins needs to crawl back into the hole he crawled out of. This is a privatization scheme. This is capitalism run amok. This is corruption in broad daylight. Someone’s going to have fat contracts and it won’t help the veteran. Traitors, all of you.

Why did you make a video to lie.? The cuts are posted on the Congressional Budget site. What is your problem? Can you read? I’m not sure you can because i am not sure you are qualified to hold the position.

Va Secretary. Please stop acting incompetent. You have not been in office long enough to know what is or not good for the VA. Certainly letting Thousands go to any other means than Retirement is not being responsible or competent. Veterans signed a contract: Service Time and in return, life time treatment by VA. Not even you can or should try to do anything to derail such.

You took an oath of office. That Oath was not to a Man, King, Queen, Lunatic, or wannabe Dictator. The VA cannot afford to let anyone go without cause. Stop listening to Trump or anyone else.

Complete BS from this guy, he accepted slashing jobs in the VA. Then when people actually working at the VA say hey this is hurting us and hurting vets he goes on air and denies that lost jobs are causing issues. A total scumbag who will throw us all under the bus and rip away our benefits just to benefit himself and his masters.

Doug Collins is the definition of a Bravo Foxtrot.

I live in a rural area. We do not have local VA health care. This requires us to travel sometimes hours to get health care. I’m the last month travel pay has been turned over to a new agency that will not allow any contact from veterans and is denying my claims that have been verified valid requiring us to overload the appeal system to wait years to have valid claims paid while we suffer to obtain care so that someone in Washington can claim they are reducing fraud. There is no fraud here, when you can assign a contact number for vets to call in and review travel claim I will believe that you are not cutting. I have had 3 claims denied in the last month and need care. If you care, contact me… Then I will believe you aren’t blowing smoke.

Then why Mr Secretary is the Legion having to push the Major Richard Star Act. Currently, combat-injured veterans face a reduction in their retirement pay for every dollar of disability compensation they receive. You lie. What’s next? Thank you for being another puppet in the Trump Musk Romper Room show. Resign sir.

Where I am, my VA Doctor is the best doctor I’ve had. She is attentive, takes time to listen, and is very compassionate. She is leaving the VA because she is overwhelmed with the workload. The VA counselor I’ve been seeing for my PTSD is getting ready to leave because he is overbooked and sometimes double booked. I’m lucky if I get to meet with him once a month, (at my VA disability hearing I was instructed to see a therapist at least twice a month). There aren’t enough personnel to meet what is required. The pay is low, they get treated like robots, so they are leaving for the private sector. I have no idea how I’ll manage without my doctor and therapist. Getting hung out to dry after my service.

please stop the cuts – you can’t cut your way to better health care. firing VA employees and reinvesting the savings doesn’t make sense. Government employees provide better service than contractors and in most cases at less cost.

I retired from the Army in May of 1995. I didn’t apply for any disability rating until 17 years after I retired. My experience through out this entire time has been that the VA operates in a 3 word doctrine , Discourage, Delay and Deny. I watched as my neighbor who was a decorated Vietnam veteran of the 1st Cavalry Division kept applying for a disability rating for years due to combat wounds and Agent Orange exposure and after 5 years of trying he was awarded a whopping 0% disability rating. He passed away 2 years ago. I am rated at 70% currently but should be higher . My question for you sir is : Who sits on these revue boards and what qualifications due they have to make these decisions ? From some of claims that have been denied I think they are just unqualified people who can’t see the obviousness of why some claims are submitted. Please look into this ! I would also like to add that wait times for appointments at the Floyd Lindstrom VA clinic in Colorado Springs is way to long as it also is at the Rocky Mountain Regional Medical Center in Aurora Colorado. The excuse they both use is lack of staffing . When I ask for community care because the wait times are so long it takes another long period before you get an authorization. When there is an issue with getting a response from someone for anything and you contact a patient advocate, it takes sometimes 10 days to get a response from the. and just today I received an email from the the VA western Colorado health system that the Patient Advocate office hours are now limited again due to staffing issues. PLEASE FIX THIS !!

Please assure us that The PACT Act will remain intact. We fear that laws passed by the previous administration will be targeted for DOGE scrutiny and removal. My husband is a “Bluewater Vet.” His Parkinson’s Disease and dementia are related to his Navy service in the Gulf of Tonkin during the Vietnam era, and we are grateful for the financial assistance provided by the PACT Act for his increasing need for care. Respectfully,

I want the medical services at a VA Health care facility. Stop sending veterans to the private sector unless they specifically ask for that. Reducing staff means you’ll be trying to force veterans out of the VA health care system and into the private sector again. Stop denying it and stop doing it.

Mr. Collins
As Secretary of the VA, your job is to fight for Veterans Benefits rather than just accept the loss of 80,000 jobs. If you plan to just accept this loss you should resign.
Chet Hebble

You are piece of crap Mr Collins. You and your drug addled south African asshole and go jump off a bridge. Its pretty clear that you, POTUS, and all republicans could care less about VETs.

GO piss up a rope you fascist.

I have the upmost respect for Dog Collins. I listened to his video presentation and it left me with more questions than answers. As a service connected veteran, not 100%, I have been able to access the on base recreational facilities for camping with my family and guest for the last several years. We recently reserved camping sites as before and paid the necessary fees. A week or so later I received a call from veterans services on base that the regulations have changed and the benefits have been restricted to veterans with 100% disability and of course the normal active duty, retired, and reserve. The Service Connected veterans with less than 100% disabilities have lost some of their benefits. I would like clarification please. Thank you.

Hey, Comrade Collinski…I hate it when someone pisses on my leg and tells me it’s raining out. And I hate it more when it’s a Trump ass-kisser doing it. Do everyone a favor and keep your lies to yourself.

Va has been trying to get the iu and they are trying take away after 67 will the 200.000 over 67 will get the shaft and loose loss what states provide. Like home tax, free fishing licenses and much more Texas will give no home tax relief for my wife if i die. I am 82 years old and it want long before I will die .

Please secure jobs for the healthcare providers at the VA. These GREAT folks are overwhelmed with veterans requiring their services. It would benefit our veterans if you could increase the number of healthcare workers and decrease the number of bureaucrats (most of whom are quite useless). In fact the folks at the Wisconisin Evidence Intake Center have NO idea what they are doing when it comes to Vietnam Navy Veterans. These people cannot even determine longitude and latitude on a map when determining where a ship was stationed according to the ship’s deck logs. This puts our Navy Vets at a disadvantage when applying for benefits. Please Mr. Secretary sort out this bureaucratic MESS!!! Thank You

Collins, you are lying. Stop lying to veterans!! We have been betrayed. Lincoln made promises when he created the Veterans administration to care for those that shouldered the burden of this country’s wars. Trump, DOGE and Elon Musk are bragging about cuts. Trump has never respected us. He calls us suckers. He says he has no respect for POW’s because they are losers for getting captured. He doesn’t want the most injured of us all to be brought out at public events. We remember. I will never forget this country’s betrayal. I used to take great pride in serving my country. No longer.

Veteran care is being impacted already.

DOGE wants to fire as many as 80,000 VA workers. How does this not impact Veterans who receive care at facilities around the country that are being threatened with closure and the loss of workers? Providing easy to access care to our Veterans is part of their benefits we the people (via our government including our Presidents) promised to them, is it not?

He’s a liar. It’s been a right wing project for decades to defund VA until it barely functions. Then they complain about how it’s too big a bureaucracy and it’s failing vets. This is all in an effort to give the medical contacts to their wealthy friends. The VA is the only public healthcare in this country, and it is much beloved, so they have to destroy it. Hands off VA!

Mr. Secretary,

The biggest issue I see with the current mandate to cut jobs is that it focuses solely on reducing headcount rather than improving efficiency or service quality. If the goal were truly to streamline operations, the mandate should focus on identifying inefficiencies within the department—many of which appear to be intentional. The VA routinely slows the processing of claims and services, seemingly as a cost-saving measure. By creating delays, veterans are forced to wait for care, which in turn reduces the VA’s immediate financial obligations.

A personal example: My therapist switched practices, and I requested that my authorization be transferred to the new location. Despite providing all necessary information immediately, Community Care first authorized the original practice instead. When I pointed out the mistake, they canceled my authorization entirely. Then, only after I followed up multiple times, I was told there was a two-month backlog for new authorizations. A simple administrative change took four months to resolve, during which my mental health deteriorated. I can only imagine what happens to veterans with more severe conditions who lack the ability to advocate for themselves.

To make matters worse, I was informed that this authorization was intended to close my need for therapy. That decision should not be made by bureaucrats—it should be between me and my therapist. Given the lasting impact of my military service, I will likely need mental health support for the rest of my life.

If the VA is serious about reducing waste, it should start by identifying policies and procedures that seem intentionally designed to create bureaucratic delays in services. These inefficiencies do not just inconvenience veterans—they actively harm those in need of care. Additionally, the VA should conduct audits to identify deceased veterans whose benefits are still being paid, preventing unnecessary financial loss without restricting care for the living.

The current approach to cost-cutting prioritizes hitting a number over people. It’s time to focus on real reform.

Secretary Collin’s, I hate to see anyone lose their jobs but the answer to the problem isn’t quantity of people, it’s quality of people. My amazing VA primary care doctor retired and was replaced by a provider who personally insulted me the first time she saw me and has treated me like garbage. Now shdoes not want me for a patient and I don’t go to the doctor even when it is needed. I suffer daily! we have a beautiful new facility here in Columbus GA but I’m not sure what the purpose of building it was. It appears to be a big empty building.
I am grateful for t he OUTSIDE care I get from the VA. Seeing outside providers is the only way I get quality care except for mental health care I receive. Why can’t I see someone outside the VA for primary care?

Absolutely Trump propaganda!! DOGE, project 2025 & Trump’s entire agenda is anti American, anti democracy, pro Russia & meant to advance the mega rich. Cutting the VA workforce by %20 (70,000) is not advancing the mission, it’s sabotaging the delivery of services to veterans. Musk/DOGE could start by eliminating the waste & abuse in Musk’s numerous billion dollar government contracts. You are part of Trump’s “revenge/retribution administration. We are not fools. Those who speak out I’m sure will be targeted by Trump’s administration.

Myself and many of my brothers at arms have been fighting the VA for years due to the VA denying everything illegally, unlawfully and simply in spite. I personally have being fighting the VA over 18 years and they illegaly remove % for our records to lower our profiles. after many years and many law firms i was able to get a 90% because they denied many ailments that where proved to began while in service but they have continue to deny myself and many of our brothers and sisters our rights. I was even downgraded illegaly to 80% without no appt, no proof or anything.

When I left the military in 2007 I have no idea what i needed to do with the VA because nobody ever helped me or guided me to what my entitlements were, i had no idea. So since then i have been fighting this uphill battle. I have helped dozens of vets so they do not have to go through what i have been going thru for almost 20 battle. and thankfully most have been able to get their entitlements assigned properly due to getting out prepared and with good guidance.

I am pursuing disability retirement from my current job due to my ailments but finally receiving my 100% total and permanent that I deserve is imperative and hopefully my current law firm will be able to finally.

The VA is supposed to be here to help us Veterans but they are only here to hurt us and worse.

Army veteran.

I listened to your comments on “making the VA more efficient”.
70k job losses….are NOT the way you make the VA more efficient.

My suggestion? Check yourself into a VA mental ward.

Ooooh my mistake…the wait will increase from 6 months to 2 years to see a doctor with your cuts in VA.

Just lunacy.

So please explain to me why I’m still a homeless veteran trying to deal with SSVF or VASH and human beings that should not be working in Customer Service or social work in Sacramento CA.

DOGE needs to focus on the top and work its way down. Why don’t they first look at how much The White House spends daily? Or why in 2000 we had a surplus and now in the trillions in debt. Hmm could it have been that we were in two conflicts for almost two decades. It was ridiculous the amount of money spent there. Why don’t they look at how much we spent on defense contracts all those years. Or maybe we increased our force during those times for the surges. Why haven’t we drawn down the force? It was done after Vietnam and first Gulf War. DOGE is focusing on making the rich richer and the poor poorer. I defended my country for 21 years active duty with multiple deployments. Is this what our country has become, full of lies from the top down? If each person in our Nation could do one kind act WE the people would become a Great Nation Again.

Their is a memo CNN obtained from your office requiring the firing of 70,000 DVA employees. That’s 20% of the DVA workforce. You stated, “concerns that Veterans’ benefits might be targeted for cuts”, “I’m the Secretary of VA, and I’m telling you right now, that’s not happening… the reality is, Veterans benefits aren’t getting cut”, “In fact, we are actually giving and improving services.” The memo is published and factual. How is removing the workforce by 20% improve healthcare services, compensations and pensions, the PACT ACT, DVA medical housing, suicide prevention, and other disabled veteran services. It takes 9 months to get an appointment with a neurologist in Tucson DVA. Veterans have died waiting for DVA appointments. Senator McCain took actions to improve the Tucson DVA by adding the doctors you want to fire. YOU LIE and must have no care for veteran services, just veteran service reductions. Prove me wrong with facts, not lies. I had lots of respect for Republicans, but not for the person, proven a liar by a court jury, guilty of 34 incidents of fraud appointing you as Secretary of DVA. I have no respect for the Republicans siding with fear of this fraudster. You too sides with the Fraudster with praise due to fear to stand up to the fraudster.

My husband has enjoyed VA benefits for many years and I am glad to read in this article that benefits are not going to be cut. I believe this info needs to be published on every news channel over and over. The American veterans need to know for sure that their benefits are not going to be cut in this attempt to make our country more accountable in the spending that is done.
Please tell the people . The left media seems to be spreading false information about Care for our veterans.

my son was wounded in Iraq 2006,with TBI then MS. in a wheelchair, and went to Sneedville,Tenn. with a woman he married. I was notified Nov. 15/2021 by a person I had asked for info. that my son was dead. I have done alot of work to find out info. I was told died from MS> but I have alot of info. and statement from EMT. ,my son was left to starve to death. and I also found out more info. about other wounded . and us mothers call them “military maggots” who marry disabled vets for the funds. and I have dates ,times, and people who allowed my son to die this terrible way. I need to talk to someone who will look into not only about my son but others. this is not what my son deserved. Sgt. Dennis Keoki Cabanting served proudly ,only to die alone and neglected by so many

Had hearing test at local VA add was told witch hearing aids I was getting and I told him I didn’t want that brand and he ordered them anyway. I told him again I didn’t want that brand and he said they are what I need and try them. Twice going back for adjustment and still ringing in my ears. Went back because the right one quit working. He said he would send it off for repair and once again I explained I didn’t want them. He said it’s been over six months and he couldn’t send them back. Once again I told him he should have done that on day one. He had no words. So now I have to go to Costco and get a new pair of what I want.

Dear Mr. Secretary, At the VA here in Atlanta, they have a third party reviewing xrays. We used to be ale to view the reports and images on MyHealthEVet but now, we are unable to see either of those because of third party review. Those are our records and the y should be put into our records and allow us access to them so that we can see and understand what’s going on. If a third party is used, it must be made clear that the images and reports belong to the veteran and must be available for the veteran to have access to. Also, the VA uses some kind of strange mathematical formula to determine disability ratings. They like to brag about the fact that they aways err on the side of the veteran. That is an absolute lie. Can anything be done to change the formula that they use to determine ratings?

Are Vietnam vets claims given quicker consideration because of advanced age?

I am an 81 year old Vietnam veteran with 13 years military service (Infantry and Intelligence) and another 17 years working in DIA and the Old Soldiers Home.

I know used car salesmen with better pitches than this. You should resign rather than allow several thousand VA employees to be summarily fired. It is hard for me to believe that you were a military chaplain. You are a disgrace to the uniform you wore and should be ashamed of yourself. Do the right thing and resign.

I was cut $500 it put me in a bad place I can”t pay all my bills!

My comment for today, I would like to Thank each one of you 2,050 for there service that has posted on here.Being a Navy brat my father was in the service 30 years, my husband was military and I worked on the military base 33 years serving all active,retired,reserves. Reading all these comments it is hard to understand when I took my job to heart and gave it my all. It is a shame that all of you have to play a waiting game. Gold Star Wife

My dad’s va check. Is short 1900 dollars they told him that the program that pays him for at home help care is being cut? I want answers and another thing got cut also they told hi m it was an executive order

Director Collings is a joke; he doesn’t have a clue. The most recent round of cuts has impacted my VA healthcare in two ways. First, I was to have a laser ablation procedure in my throat in April. When I called the VA yesterday, I was told that the contract for the laser machine had been cancelled due to the Trump/Musk/ Collins initiative. (Several of the hospitals in the area have a lease agreement to share the machine to reduce the cost. Now the hospital is waiting to find out when and if the contract can be renegotiated.

Second, I have two VA compensation claims on hold evidently because the DOGE administration let go the workers who are assisting with the claims process.

Now the administration has rescinded their idiotic decisions, but the damage is done.

My procedure is delayed, and my claims are further delayed.

What the administration is doing is fraudulent and a disservice to our veterans.

Your extreme right views and support for all Trump’s wants and desires and your stint with Georgia’s 9th Congressional District, one of the most Republican districts in the country, belie your claim that no cuts will be made to the VA system. And your support of DOGE, claiming that they are doing exactly what is necessary is laughable. Rolling Stone reports: “Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins’ tenure is off to a rocky start. The former Georgia congressman and unapologetic Donald Trump loyalist began by releasing a series of videos assuring that “despite the rhetoric, there would be no cuts at VA.” These videos preceded two rounds of layoffs at the department — first, 1,000 employees, many of them veterans, and then another 1,400 last week. Notably, Collins was not being forced to make these cuts by Trump or the so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Instead, he appears to be slashing VA jobs simply to win favor with Trump and Elon Musk.”

You may not like Rolling Stone, but even the AP has reported: “VA pauses billions in cuts lauded by Musk as lawmakers and veterans decry loss of critical care. The Department of Veterans Affairs has temporarily suspended billions of dollars in contract cuts after an uproar that critical veterans health services were harmed, lawmakers and veterans service organizations said Wednesday. ”

I could quote many more news outlets, but you would simply falsely state they are all false claims. I give up.

What about Health programs?

Thank you Mr. Collins. May God Bless you in your job as new VA Secretary.

Keep it up va I go to Hampton va for my
Treatment and meds thanks
For the service sir no complaints and wife gets her champ va everything is great for her

Mr Secretary Collins, I would like to extend my sincere THANK YOU to Ms. Grace Brumley, from the International Direct Deposit Team, VA Regional Office 351 – Muskogee, OK, for solving the 14 month long delay in my payments by getting Electronic Transfer rather than paying by checks being issued by the Foreign Medical Program (FMP) Office https://www.va.gov/health-care/foreign-medical-program/

Ms. Grace Brumley exemplified your challenge to ” focus relentlessly on customer service and convenience” and I hope that your office will recognize her efforts to “solve REAL PROBLEMS” being faced by Veterans in receiving payments or other services we have earned.

Thank you!!!

Dr. PDG, Jakarta, Indonesia

Why aren’t you doing press conferences instead of videos? These one-way videos make it seem like the director is afraid soemone will ask questions and demand real data.

The VA demeans veterans when it does not permit admission into the VA medical system because of an income above some low level.

The VA is indeed clearing cases faster than before, but only because they are declining more than ever. Veterans hospitals are not improving, they are getting worse, The VA hospital I attend is very short handed on doctors and I learned yesterday that 2 more of our really good doctors are leaving the VA. Loosing Doctors and the hiring freeze is causing a 2 to 4 month wait to get an appointment. I applied for counselling at my VA due to depression and am having to wait almost 2 months to see a councilor. I have been fighting for my VA disability since 2010 and am still being denied. I can truly understand why Veterans commit suicide.

Your living in a friggin dream world!!! The VA in both NJ and wills Barre have done everything and did DESTROY
My ability to pass any background check by leaking out flat out toxic gaslighting lies all were from a fake woman rep 1 when I used to live in Jersey and now in wills Barre pa both were not related to each other but the pa VA hates vets so much when I applied for my PTSD and my broken bones from army they will call either 2 things “Nutzo or slutz”!! They deliberately infected me with a toxin from a surgical instrument in wills Barre pa and made me so ill I couldn’t even walk! The top brass gives orders to make sure you don’t get your benefits and if they find out you got them before admin finds out they litterly make sure you never go there again, so I tried waiting 2 years and went to one in upstate NY not only did they tried to lie to me, they wanted a surgery to go to the Bronx NYC for the dental surgery that would “take months” to recover when I said you know how can I have surgery when there is no teeth to pull? I knew the last wills Barre didn’t pay the community care dentist and I had to call a congressman to get the va to pay the dentist that and I’m guessing did not sit well with the top brass in Willsk Barre so a vendetta was made without my knowledge, so it’s a good guess that they want to give you the same dental treatment that John Gotti got in prison. The gov gave him cancer in a dental filling, and that’s what I’m guessing they have tried to do to me, this was a warning for me never to go back to Any Va!!! Willsk Barre is run like the Mafia.!!!!

Mr Collins , you are saying one thing , but in reality you do the opposite. I do not trust you, along with other veterans. You are allowing VA employees to be fired, possible changes in healthcare and disability. Whenever there are budget cuts, veterans are the first on the chopping block. Veterans do not want a yes man for the current administration. We want someone that will fight for us. We have earned every damn VA benefit. The current administration could care less about us. Trump is allowing an unqualified and unelected man to make decisions about the VA programs. Musk is the hit man for Trump and they are destroying everything that we know. You are either for veterans or you are not. Find your spine, voice and protect veterans. We have served our country through wars and conflicts. It is your responsibility to fight for us. Freedom is not free.

I honestly don’t believe, or trust you.
As a Trump loyalist, your true allegiance is not to us, the veterans, but rather to the President.

He is correct. Many INSANE people who listen to FOREIGN CORPORATION MEDIA (Nearly every media source in USA) – most directly owned and paid by the WEF and it’s insane globalists.

DOGE will make efficient, streamlined action. Good GOD, people: NONE OF THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA EVER SAY ANYTHING TRUE. DO A SIMPLE SEARCH ON the company which owns your news station, which owns that, which owns that – you will find they are foreign companies.

Will health care professionals be let go? The VA has made vast improvements in last 10 years or so. I was dealing with the medical issues. The whole operation seemed to be chaotic. Nobody would return phone calls. Sometimes there would be a neurologist on staff. Other times the nearest neurologist was in Buffalo. You never knew what to expect. I really dreaded dealing with the VA. I’d have to drive to the VA to get information or prescriptions or to get a simple question answered. Those days are over. Please don’t let them come back. You’ve made such great improvements. The VA has a new facility here (ROPC). I’ve had the same medical team for eight or so years now. The staff is friendly and concerned about my health. My meds arrive on time. And other vets I’ve talked with feel the same way. I can’t adequately express how much the VA has improved. The care I receive at the VA is better than civilian care (they seem to be going down hill). Please don’t let the VA slip back into chaos

In no way do I trust the current CIC, any of his appointees, and certainly not the “DOGE”. Looking for inefficiencies in all Federal government agencies is certainly a necessary endeavor, napalming those agencies is unacceptable and un-American.

I got my disability cut from what they say is from 100% to 90% from apllying for the pact act and got cut from over $3800 to $2297 starting March 2025 and talking about going down to just over $2200 and wished I never put in for the fraud Pact Act to give others our money and I’m going to be homeless and starved to death and Unemployable that’s the thanks for our service is all we get and they hope we die before we get to 100% and decrease it. Just like the cadence says “they give you a hundred dollars and take back 99. I’m telling my grandchildren stay out of the military from grandad’s expeirience until they get the benefits right without the paper chase beuracracy

I applied for an increase in my disability rating on 6/10/24. Since then I have received requests for employment info that I have responded to. However it seems I am in a loop without end. I respond and then receive another request, then I respond again. I feel that this is a delay tactic to avoid making a decision. It is frustrating to say the least. I hope with the leadership change with the VA that this can be resolved. I have always been grateful for the care I received through the VA, and by and large have been very pleased with the level of care its provided.

Congratulations Secertary Collins on your new job. I see all these comments and veterans are confused and need their questions answered. I see Kirt Love postings and he has many unanswered questions that need your support. Why doesn’t someone from your office get back to Kirt Love for some real questions to get answered. Please follow up. Ed Bryan

Guess what over 50% of the people working at the VA are not Veterans, they don’t even know what a Veteran has done for this country, their families. You work somewhere, your boss ask or the book keeper as what you did that week before you get paid. Hey you can tell them and will tell them to keep your job. Realize that a lot of people took advantage of the virus, stopped going in to work, but continued to get paid by the taxes you and I pay to the government, then got another job or moved to an foreign beach and send in work by computer if at all. Notice how you can’t get anyone to answer the Phone. Wake up, they need to go and only those who care and want to work should be kept.

I watched the video several times and all I heard was “the media is telling you things I don’t like. Well, nuh-uh!” but in a folksy voice.

How can you tell a republican is lying? His lips are moving.
Collins may believe he’s telling the truth but as soon as Con Man Trump determines the time is right, he’ll screw all veterans. You should expect nothing less from the draft dodger. And when he does change his mind, Doug Collins will be right there kissing the ring and do nothing to support veterans. It’s almost like I can see the future – right Doug.

He is lying.

Senators (all Rep except Hawley from
MO) rejected an amendment to the budget outline proposed on February 20.

The amendment brought by a Democratic senator I believe From Connecticut requested the VA healthcare funding be at the same level. It is now to not reduce those levels in the new budget. It was rejected by all, except that one Republican senator. All the Democrat senators and the independence voted for the amendment. They want funding for veterans healthcare to at least stay where it is now and to not be cut.

A lot of people claim to be for the military and for veterans but when it comes down to it, they are not. They are for lining their own pockets. Rolling Stone has a great article about how doge has not found fraud in the VA all they’ve done to save money as fired, doctors nurses office workers and things like that.

I just got my second denial letter for VA referred community care since there are no in-house women’s programs where I live. As a 100% disabled vet, I’m once again a subpar citizen simply because I don’t have male genitalia. I get to bleed to death from a military related injury. Thanks guys!

Can you explain why a pharmacist can change the dosage of medication prescribed by a heart specialist?
Seems a bit strange.

For years democrats have controlled the VA. Now that President Trump and his team are in charge, democrat vets are singing the same disrespectful songs of the fake news radicals. (See comments) Secretary Collins has been in office for less that two weeks and they are already saying he is a failure. For God’s sakes men, give him a chance. The entire administration has only had a month to improve things, and the improvements in every area are significant. God bless you, President Trump, and your entire team. AMERICA FIRST!!!

So why, are so many veterans being intimidated about what they’re doing at their job. So excuse me for not believing a word you say, because you don’t really know it’s not you, is that criminal in the White House Trump and his pet muskrat, that will destroy veterans lives. It already has disrupted them by forcing them to answer by Monday night. I know a lot of veterans at the v. A, that I confused disturbed about what’s going on.So what do you have to say about that

I have been waiting for the Death benefit from my Husband Elden Almendares and have not received it yet. He passed on August 3rd, 2024. I have been told it is in the “NATIONAL QUE” for final approval Don’t know where that “QUE” is but it has been six months since putting in my claim. Should it really take this long? I think I should get an answer. I was told I deserve some benifit from my husband serving our country. PLease respond to me.. You can call me, email or write to me. Thank you.

When will you stop denying those that were poisoned at Camp Lejeune there benefits many have already died and got nothing ?

NO ONE IS TALKING ABOUT CONCURRENT BENEFIT DOUBLE STANDARD …. VETERANS WHO EARNED BOTH DESERVE BOTH

Veterans have paid the IRS federal & State taxes for many years. I have paid taxes since I was in college until I retired in my 50s. Will veterans who pay no tax on VA benefits get a “DOGE Dividend Check”? I’m certain the IRS used the tax money for fraud, that veterans have paid as civilians, and we deserve a refund, as well.

The VA does EVERYTHING in Slow Motion. From needing to see a Doctor (several weeks) to getting prescriptions (2 to 3 weeks) New glasses (6 to 8 weeks). God forbid I should get really sick! Someone needs to light a fire under under the VA!

I received a letter from VA a few days ago telling me that I was over payed in my benefits. The number is quite very high. They didn’t give any time frame of the over payment. I’ve been receiving service connect payments since 1993. What the heck, why did it take this long and why didn’t they give me more indepth information on the matter. All that was said is I owe money and my entitlements will be garnished. Sounds pretty lame to me. Now I have to pony up for a lawyer because VA just can’t get their act together.

We hear this all the time; however, the VA has been broken for a long time. I’m not holding my breath. The VA policy is delay, delay. and aways tell you what they can’t do never what you can do . As long as you have clinics like the one in Bismarck ND There are many others, but this one has to be the worst-case of incompetence. Talk is cheap, let’s see if we see any actions. I won’t hold my breath.

Doug Collins DID NOT ANSWER the question about Musk&Minions having access to PRIVATE/PERSONAL information as with Medical information–An outright HIPAA Violation!!!! I DID NOT “release” my records to DOGE! Did you???

There is NO transparency and/or accountability amongst the lawless incompetents and robber barons accessing veteran/private citizen information via the Department of Veterans Affairs or any other government agency that tRump has opened to a billionaire TechBro that knows he’s buddied up to the perfect ‘mark’ giving him access to Data Mine the entire US Government. INFORMATION is POWER.

No doubt this DOGE activity will emerge as the largest (sanctioned) THEFT OF PERSONAL DATA of every Vet/US citizen (for misuse and monetization) in the history of the world. There will be ZERO recourse as all the avenues of reporting and enforcement are simultaneously being dismantled and/or lead by and stocked with tRump/MAGA castrati at the top and lots of sheep in the ranks.

Some pretty harsh comments here. Gotta give Secretary Collins credit for not blocking them. But then maybe he didn’t see them, being busy as he must be talking up DOGE and Trump’s accomplishments so far, which can’t be impressive, considering they’ve only had a month to make a mess of things. Personally, I thought VA care improved a lot in the last couple of years, at least it did down here in the Texas coastal bend. Seems not all clinics and hospitals are run equally well. Mr. Secretary, I am sure you are a nice guy and want to give Vets the best care you can, but here’s the rub, your boss doesn’t seem to care much for Vets. Will he stay out of your hair?

The “real truth” is my retired Army husband has oxygen tubes follow him around the house and is so disabled he never leaves the house. To get his 40% disability re-evaluated for an increase to 100% or at least 70% would require a 3 hour trip each way to Winston-Salem even though we are only 40 minutes from the Durham VAMC. He can’t even leave the house but a long trip is required. Retired Army were promised health care for life.
The last time we went to Durham VAMC he had to wait in the car for ten minutes because they ran out of wheelchairs. Civilian doctors say he needs a motorized wheelchair and home health care, but the home health care company needs orders from his VA physician and say his doctor doesn’t respond. I’ve called many times trying to get his physician to put in the orders. They say they relay messages but they never respond. It’s obviously due to cutbacks and poor organization since the last election.

As a disabled Viet Nam war veteran, I have found the VA to be very good for all of the needs my condition requires. After discussions with the American Legion rep I found that many of the problems vets are having getting the care they need comes from failure to follow the rules in applying for and keeping up with the requirements of the VA. The other problem I see in all of these comments are the failures of the writers to show respect by making demands on others when they have not complied with the requirements properly. If you are confused or think it is too difficult, then contact your Legion rep and ask for assistance. Also, anyone who thinks that denigrating and disrespecting our President will help them, they are mistaken. Ask the Desert Storm vet who rode home on Trump’s plane whether they think he is not a good person.

Sirs:

After reading all the comments…I am a 30 year retired CWO4 with several Agent Orange related issues. Now, I see
all the comments…And I “KNOW!” of many, many veterans who VOTED FOR TRUMP. I said, this guy, with his
record and his philandering….his treatment of General MILLY, his treatment of General H.R. McMaster (A roommate
of my son at West Point)…
Now you’re pissed off……I had a four year AF Airman First Class….who wanted all the Mexican kick out….He who
worked with many Latinos…Voted for Trump!!
SO YOU VETERANS…WHO WORE THE MAGA TO THE VA FOR TREATMENT!! Now suck it down……….

I do not DOGE anywhere near any of my information in the VA database. Doge is not House or Senate appointed or established entity and Elon Musk is not an elected official with legal rights and responsibilities for any of the actions he has been undertaking.

Irene A. Abels, CDR, USNR, Ret

Hopefully, but time will tell. For those concerned with their information… really? Come on, your on the Internet answering this message and more than likely on social media, your information has been bought and sold long before DOGE had anything to do with it. The Patriot Act guaranteed that. Google and Meta are the ones you need to be concerned with.

Was this message put out before or after they decided to cut 1000 employees at the VA Administration..?? The date is the same.

Mr. Collins, please take a moment and actually listen to the people that are doing the job in C&P and see how it can be improved. There is still a backlog, these workers just got off mandatory overtime due to reduced backlog. Now with the firing/buyout there is a known fear that they will experience another backlog. Because whom is going to do the jobs of those people you let go? Then when those persons that are left to cover their work and those who left, and fall behind, then they are in fear of getting put on PIP and losing their job! The PTSD/Anxiety associated with helping veterans as a many are veterans of not knowing if you are getting a letter for firing, is unfair to those whom serve to serve others. THE BACKLOG IS NOT CAUGHT UP, THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO WORK THERE AND THEY SAID THAT IS NOT THE CASE. Someone is fudging numbers!
Please listen to those persons who are doing the job, not the GS 14s and up, heck too many of them!!! if 19, 20 years olds can work for DOGE, clearly you can listen to the GS 12s and below. Heck, I have a few names to improve the processing!
While you are at it, can we get 2 increases a year, or 5% will truly assist us!! TOO MANY Chiefs at the VA and that is a fact jack!! too many petty managers that will fire hard workers because NOW they can for their own personal agendas.

Don’t believe you.

If there are ANY interruptions to my benefits, Doug Collins, I will hold you personally responsible. There will be no explanation that will satisfy. Cooperation with DOGE is all the proof I need to know who to blame. And I think I speak for many Veterans when I say, “The only thing I have left to lose is my benefits.”

Secretary Collins,
With all due respect the VA needs to decentralize it’s VA Hospital management. Directors should be free to make whatever changes they feel need to be made without having to check with their boss who has to check with his boss. As a 20+ year volunteer and patient I have witnessed first hands this absurdity. Let managers manage and if they cannot, counsel, retrain and if necessary fire.

i am a vietnam veteran and very happy to see the changes being directed to more services for our veterans 58,000 of my brothers sacrificed on that battle field they deserve the benefits they have for us it has been a long fight but it was woth it for the soldier who tookhis life at the trump tower was sending a clear message we need more or better services my prayers and thoughts go his family

Mr. Secretary,

I aske for proof VA appointment would not take longer to make. You did not respond.

I asked you to guarantee VA and Social Security would not be lost on a dollar for dollar ratio as Pres. Trump attempted in his last term. You did not respond.

I asked you to ask the president to promise VA health care, disability and social Security would not be negatively affected. You did not respond.

I asked you to respond to all comments listed here on this page. You did not respond to my comment, did you respond to others?

I asked you to not affect to retribution for these complaints on this site. You did not respond to me.

I can only believe everyone comments will be used to lower all health care and disabilities from veteran complainers on this site. You collected our names.

As the president wanted to publish the name of anyone involved with the Jan 6 investigations, are you collecting name for retribution?

Please respond to each complaint and suggestion listed here. Assure VA will not be affected and the disabled veterans here will not be negatively affected. Ask the president to promise us. Until then, faith in you is not real. The news uses facts (except Fox uses hearsays). The president and staff uses innuendoes and hearsay, with lies.

Be not one of these and protect disabled veterans and assure us what you are doing is authentic. Get the president to promise us. You promise us. You respond to all complaints positively. Or faith in you is not real.

There are 1679 comments on this site at the time of this comment. None show a response from you. Are you listening or is this a waste of time to you? I can only expect the worse since you wont truly assure us disabled veterans.

I have set and read many of the comments and I think it’s hilarious that many of the comments are about having access to your private information. There is no way that you can so naive as to think you have any private information. All private information went away with the invention of the computer and the internet. probably 85% of you use your cell phone for transactions pertaining to money or with all of the little apps installed i.e. Tick Tock which pulls every bit of information off of your phone and sends it to China. the United States is constantly participating in conflict somewhere weather it’s on the news or not. I’m not saying it’s a perfect system but the Politicians that we have and continue to vote into office have done absolutely nothing for more than 50 years while becoming multi-Millionaires on a little more than average salary which the receive for life as well as medical benefits. so, for those complaining about Trumps administration after a month, Go call you Representative (if they’re not out in the street whining and singing like first graders) and ask them why they haven’t worked on this stuff. I spent almost 23 yrs in and have been through 19 surgeries, so I have earned the right to call you out.

I Love it.

According to the US Office of Personnel Management, military veterans made up about 30% of federal employees in 2021, and many of them had service-related disabilities.

This entire administration is complicit in mass firings of veterans. They don’t respect us. They don’t care for us. They don’t work for us.

All of you who believe they do and support them are guilty.

Yeah…and our social security is safe too…President Musk will take his chain saw to all the benefits of Americans paying taxes, while the Manchurian Candidate Trump serves as the puppet!

This guy is lying to us.

He’s not to be trusted. Now he’s also looking at ways to privatize our care – in the false interest of “efficiency” – when in reality it’s all about shifting the money to private insurance where we know care-denials are rampant and 21% is siphoned directly off of the top for overhead,

I would like to know if you are a veteran ?

What is this about cutting VA benefit payments. We laid down our lives for this Country, what more can we do. I’m 76 years old and cannot work anymore, I have service related problems that prevent me from sitting or standing for longer than about 20 to 30 minutes at a time.

There is too much hatred on this website. You folks if you have a real problem at your VA, then immediately ask for a patient advocacy to help you with your situation.

Thank you very much sir. We all know the news media likes to put out false information to confuse the Veteran’s who haven’t any way to see the real info put out by the VA unless they go to the VA for an appointment. My son works for you all and he was worried and I told that his job was safe.

I have read some impending doom remarks. I am appalled by some of the things being stated. Those of you waiting on your money, that’s not new, that’s the military units not knowing what needs to be done. Paperwork for retirement must be done 6 months out from your MDR. Disability claims take time with processing. I’ve been through it and if you don’t get the right physician and the verbiage isn’t correct it takes longer for them to adjudicate your case. All this again is based on the assigned people with individual cases. Remember you are not the only person applying for both retirement or disability. Since it’s only been one month as of today, please be patient with changes that are yet to come. The VA didn’t get this way overnight, so Secretary Collins is working hard to correct the negligence from years of not caring about the veterans. Keep positive and keep pushing for Veterans Rights.

I trust Musk and Trump to do for us what Biden only lied about.

Thank you for your input on our concerns over our benefits that might be cut!?….

Sincerely,
Mrs. James R Cales

I can’t believe what little faith you have in president Trump and musk after what you had under Obama and Biden. Neither one loved our military and Doug Collins is a good guy. I’ve watched him for a while now and like him a lot. It’s been a month give them a chance. The other two presidents have tired to ruin our country. I know it’s a long process and it’s hard when you’re hurting. My husband was 25 years navy and never wanted to put in for his VA” he said others needed it more. But we finally got him to realize how many problems he has. We’ll see what happens. I love America and president Trump.

All I know is my 87 year old father’s VA funded homemaker services are ending this week. The VA did not call him or notify him of this. They notified the health care company that they would no longer be paying for services as he no longer qualified. Nothing about his condition has recently changed. His housekeeper stated that about 10 of her client’s home care services were cut this week. She states she will need to look for another job. When the VA cuts benefits it effects many different people. My father is not able to care for himself. I will need to do more for him now. This will make it more difficult for me to work. Everything has gone up in price and I am no longer able to afford groceries most weeks. Now I will not be able to take extra hours at work. I am poor now and it appears things are only going to get worse for the working poor as prices on everything continue to increase. I don’t believe what this man is saying because I read the recommended report that called for drastic cuts to the VA. I also know that Trump has made very rude comments towards Veterans on more than a few occasions. He has never shown any respect for Veterans, and I doubt that will change. I am sad for our country today and just hope that the US does not abandon it’s Veterans. God save the USA

How can you sit there and blatantly lie. We were at our VA today half of the staff are gone. No one to help take him to the 3rd floor . You are a disgrace . You do not support the veterans only yourself and orange.

Well done President Trump appointing Doug as our Secretary. I have nothing but the highest praise for our all three departments of the VA. Specifically, the VA Health and the VA Benefits Administrations. Excellent health care since retiring in 1991.
Doug, you know where the Left and Democrats get their information. It’s truly sad when veterans feel disenfranchised. I’ve always recommended fellow Vets visit one of the well-qualified Veteran Service Officers (VSO’s) at the various veteran organizations. I am a Life member of both the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) and the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW). America has great veteran organizations that provide support and guidance. BZ to you and your team.

Thank you Sir.

?? Veterans Deserve Better – Why Is the VA Ignoring Its Own Laws on Missing Service Records?

The VA is failing thousands of veterans by ignoring its own regulations regarding missing service treatment records! 38 CFR §§ 3.303, 3.304, and 3.307 require the VA to accept secondary evidence (lay statements, medical opinions, post-service treatment records) when service records are lost or destroyed. Yet, veterans are being denied benefits because of the VA’s own recordkeeping failures.

I got ripped off by the VA for 8500plus. All I got was a run around,not even a disabled tag for my truck.

This dude must think we’re all stupid. The mere fact that he used this snippet to attack the media tells you everything you need to know about him. Donnie D*mb *ss doesn’t give a damn about veterans. We’re props when he needs us for a photo op and we’re disposable when he doesn’t. Never forget these words spoken by Donnie….

On disabled veterans

“Why do you bring people like that here? No one wants to see that, the wounded.” September 30, 2019.

“Look, I don’t want any wounded guys in the parade. This doesn’t look good for me.” Summer 2017.

On US military officials

“I don’t want to tell you what I had to go through with these people. Some of the dumbest people I’ve ever met in my life.” October 16, 2023.

“I wouldn’t go to war with you people. You’re a bunch of dopes and babies.” July 20, 2017.

“You f****ng generals. Why can’t you be more like Hitler’s generals?” 2017.

On fallen soldiers at Aisne-Marne American Cemetery

“Why should I go to that cemetery? It’s filled with losers.” November 11, 2018.

I don’t believe one word of it, he’s a politician, he’s a maga clown for trump and trump hates disabled veterans, not trustworthy at all!

I’m holding you to your word I pray for my benefits. My disability benefits over 34 years ago hadn’t received anything. They keep denying me.

There is a special place in hell for you and the others that bend the knee and kiss ring. Sacrificing veteran care to line your pockets. Utterly shameful. You are a disgrace and I hope both sides of your pillow are hot in hell.

I was out drinking… I just woke up… what’s going on? aslo… how did you get my email?

Thank you for the straight dope on the situation. Much appreciated.

Very disappointing message delivery and content. Hypocritical and disingenuous when thousands of VA employees have been axed by an administration that is doing immediate and lasting damage across all Federal agencies. As happened with the Bureau of Land Management 6 yrs ago, there is no concern for the impact, only moving in a manner that eliminates opposition and any effort to reduce costs responsibly.
Mr. Collins, your political invocations show you are as crass and uncaring about Veterans as the angry orange you serve. You do not serve nor honor my 20 years (and 3 family generations) of Navy service.

I found Mr. Collins remarks about veteran benefits being cut or threatened as a standard “talking point” that is the answer for any DOGE complaint about acting as a legitimate branch of our government. Congress needs to stop allowing him and his team to have access to any records of any Federal employees. Don’t trust the media but trust Trump, Musk and you? Your actions speak contrary to your message. Will you resign your position if this continues or will you stand up to Trump and Musk?

My experience with the VA where I live has been A plus for 35 years. I have watched them deal with staff shortages, uncertainty with funding and now the threat of having their position eliminated without a valid reason. I appreciate everything they have done in the past and worry about how the future will look.

Dear Secretary,

I hope your words are of truth: only time will tell. Please help the displaced federal workers that need help as well.

Respectfully,
Chief Johnson

Doug , STOP! We know from the video you are a Trump Boot Licker

I would like to know why the V.A. took the 100% rating from me and put me at 30% by in 1988 . Now the V.A. a few years ago gave me the 100% rating. I was in the Army 1966-1988 . August of 1968 I was in the Army hospital at Fort Polk La. The Army doctor said no more active duty for me. He said I had a bad Heart and could not stay in the Army anymore . So from August 1968 to October 1968 I had no duty . So I sat around for 3 months till they said I could go home with only 30% disability rating . With a bad Heart it was hard to find a job. In August 1981 the V.A. said that they are going to put a artificial heart value . I was rated at 100% 1981. In 1988 V.A. said that I wasn’t sick anymore. They put a valve in so I am OK . So from 100 % back down to 30% . So a few ago 2023 THe V.A. put back to 100% . So my Questions are Why wasn’t given a medical discharge in 1968 . Question 1988 to 2023 why wasn’t I given back pay . I have had a very sad life because of not being able to work .

Secretary Collins, I am Henry Dittman, Major, USAF (ret). I just watched your Video Message, re Real Status of VA vs Rumor Mill Vapid, Vacuous B.S. Thanks for the update.. I look forward to seeing you and the NEW Leadership in VA providing support and help for ALL of Veterans.. I have confidence that Pres. Trump wouldn’t have selected you for this position if he didn’t have the UTMOST confidence in your capabilities. Press On, Sir…”Kick the tires and light the fires” and get this Bird in the air!!

Just a note. Most of us totally support President Trump’s efforts with DOGE. I for one am very thankful for my local VA and the truly dedicated staff (Topeka, KS).

I have to believe the new Director of the VA is sincere in his remarks but I have to add my story. I’m 75, I previously applied twice for VA Health Benefits, denied both times. Since the PACT Act I did extensive research to establish and prove my ship did gunfire support in areas of Agent Orange exposure. After 40+ years I was granted VA Health Benefits under what is labeled “Naval Herbicide Service”. I guess no-one wants to say Agent Orange out loud.

Further research indicates I have several conditions related to NHS/Agent Orange and I have applied for compensation. That was right at five months ago. I do understand there are probably thousands now applying. Most of my Vietnam era group do not have much time left.

I received a letter February 17, 2025 dated January 31, 2025 from the Dept. of Veterans Affairs saying they are still processing my application for compensation and apologize for the delay, I would be notified upon completion of processing. No estimation of anticipated date of completion.

Today I read in the VA Director’s comments ” Veterans Benefits cases are being cleared even faster than ever”.

Does that sound like a disconnect to anyone else?

Rome wasn’t built a day, and good things take time. I want to believe the Director’s optimism will come tobe.

I am a third generation veteran who is currently APPALLED by the actions of the new presidential administration. Reading through the comments of my fellow vets, it is clear that the overwhelming majority DO NOT HAVE FAITH in Trump or Musk, or that their actions won’t end up hurting the VA. You know, so they can free up funds for giant tax cuts for the wealthy. What we really need now are strong advocates for the VA, not apologists for Trump.

I have no faith in this new administration. The lack of professionalism is astounding. All my years working with Veterans I’ve never seen such unprofessional behavior by a top leadership. This isn’t a campaign rally it’s a honorable institution serving honorable Veterans. Secretary your statement about not reducing Veterans Administration funds is a very empty statement. 1000 VA staff members have been fired. Many of them are Veterans and some are Disabled Veterans. You are a not in service to Veterans. You are only serving the traitor Trump.

You are an absolute liar. Lying to veterans is a total disgrace.
If you think trump/musk care about you, you are not very intelligent.

You might look into just who the new sign in procedures are supposed to be helping. I am an 82yo Vet who has been using the MyHealth.va site for probably as long as it has been in existence with varying degrees of success. Now comes the new double sign, double verification system which is completely beyond my grasp. I have spent many hours trying to comply but as things stand now, On March 4, I will no longer be able to access my information. I suspect this is make work for contractors. How do you “make thing simpler by adding extra steps? Anyway, I’ll survive until I don’t. Good luck in your new position.

I feel like we have one of our own (veteran) watching our six. All the best to him and president Trump.

This sounds good, but doesn’t align with reality. Perhaps the large # of VA employees released occurred after this video was cut. Regardless, it’s difficult to believe that this downsizing will improve services. There has to be an impact when those who operate and support the Veteran Suicide Hotline receive notices of termination. Veterans are reporting scheduled appointments are being canceled. The messaging from the VA needs to be factual and convincing. Today that is not the case.

they are screening emails. Trump: “Senator McCain was a loser “he got caught” You Trump-loving vets need a reality check. Trump was Never a friend to vets. His only friend are stacks of 100 Ben Franklins. He refused to visit the American cemetery when invited in France…and then labeled them “Suckers & Losers”
Four more years of lunacy. I pray we still have a country after he’s gone. Don’t forget, he is challenging the 8-year term limit. He wants to be a Putin or Stalin. Die a King.

Can you tell me how many veterans have already been fired from government jobs

I see you are a TRUMP fan so I do not know what to believe.

For the moment, I will take the Secretary at his word that VA benefits will not be cut. In comment on his remarks about DOGE and the press, I emphasize the following: First, it is the responsibility of Secretary Collins and his staff to fetter out any fraud, waste, and abuse. Our tax dollars fund this audit and investigative function of the VA and other law enforcement agencies. Elon Musk and DOGE should not assume this duty. Second, the rule of law and ethics in government matter. Musk is riddled with conflicts of interest as a large government contractor and an owner of regulated businesses. Numerous Americans have lost their federal jobs based on the untruthful disparagement of federal agencies and disregard for the rule of law. We have regulations that provide fair procedures for the reduction of the federal work force and expenditure of our tax dollars, which have been dashed by DOGE. (BTW, the name “DOGE” is an unethical promotion of Musk’s favored cryptocurrency and misleading because it is not a Department of government.) Third, demonizing the press has long been a tool of regime change. Information is power and both Musk and Trump control significant media outlets. Secretary Collins should not attack the press, especially when transparency in government is in peril. (As an aside, our names and emails are required to post on this site. I do not consent to allowing anyone connected to DOGE to have access to my email. )

I had to wait 3 months just to get a dentist appointment. I’ve been waiting 3 months just to get community of care to approve a doctor that I’ve already selected. What the hell are you fools doing? No thank you King Trump. I don’t like what you’re doing.

P.S. I have been under the care of VA medicine at Lovell FHC for 20 years. I would not trade it for any amount of money. I’m not going to bore with how they discovered my Agent Orange cancer on my very first visit, or how they rebuilt a badly mangled foot from and accident, or any of the other dozens of services they have provided me over the years. I have sat in waiting rooms and listened to vets my age and younger complain about waiting 30 minutes. Complain about this. Complaining about that. OMG….millions of people in this country never get to see a doctor and these entitled little f-cks just complain about services they get for mostly free. I’m going to offer a totally white American suggestion. If you are so f-cking unhappy with VA medicine, take your sorry -ss back out into the private healthcare industry and die sooner.

A reduction in force is a reduction in benefits. Our VA office wwnt from 4 to 2 people, and changed the blood draws from appointment to walkin. My friend who has advanced parkinsons had to wait 2 hours for a blood draw. He is in no shape to wait that long. Please try to keep in touch with ground conditions so you wont look so out of it.

“I’m happy to partner with them to find things we need to get rid of so we can put the money where it belongs… back with our Veterans.” So we “get rid of…”, people. Firing approximately 1000 staffers, is sure to help with veterans health, claims, well being, etc. Great quote from the White House clown show.

Another LIE from the musk trump regime

I am extremely skeptical of what the Secretary is saying. What exactly is doge doing? What has the Secretary permitted them to access? There appears to be little or NO transparency!!!

Each tim Trump has said that something is off the table the cuts happen anyway. He said he would review his list of insurrectionists and if they were violent they wouldn’t be considered. Welllook what happened. Now he’s looking at Madicare. My dad CMSgt. Z.C. Littleton is 93 and served in the Air Force in SAC and involved in many operations during the Cold War including Operation Chrome Dome and in and out of Vietnam while we lived at Naha, Okinawa and Clark, PI. Don’t blame me if I don’t trust him at his word!

And you expect us to believe this? VA staffing has already been cut by Trump. We have fewer VA representatives at different levels than we had two months ago. You are completely right about the media and how they work. But their spin on things is nowhere close to the spin that the government puts on things expecting us to believe them. And it has been worse these last two months with all the government firings and the cuts, human and financial, at many of the government offices. Why do you continually believe and treat us as if we are so stupid we cannot figure this out and are not able to know the truth? And the truth about DOGE and their requests and demands for personal information does nothing to help any of us, but is another verification of us losing our personal and private lives and information. This information they receive will do nothing but hurt American individuals. That can be verified easily by looking at the person that is in charge of that.

I find these statements to be very bland and general in nature and appears to be a casual sound bit and a shot at the Fourth estate. The What quality control measures for contract performance were in place when you took office? How much time did you personally spend verifying this before bringing in an outside entity to do this routine job? Why don’t you use your inspector generals to do this task that they routinely do? How many VA employees have been terminated to date to “improve service”? How many of those terminated employees were veterans? This appea

This from The American Prospect:
If left unchallenged by VA patients and caregivers, veterans’ organizations, and members of Congress, Trump’s appointee will continue to slash and trash services for veterans long after Elon Musk has likely returned to the private sector.

On the same day that protesters assembled outside his new office, Collins dismissed 1,000 probationary employees at the VA, while claiming that this move “will not negatively impact VA healthcare, benefits, or beneficiaries.”

In a quick rebuttal to Collins, Murray pointed out that those laid off included staffers working on treatments for vets with cancer, respiratory problems, missing limbs, and opioid addiction. “I’m hearing from longtime VA researchers in my home state of Washington who are right now being told to immediately stop their research and pack their bags,” Murray told the press.

We all know who you really work for, so save the empty promises. Why not be transparent and just tell us when your billionaire business daddies are planning to sell us down the river. I would rather be able to prepare for losing my benefits so I can at least try for a soft landing.

I hope you have enough of a spine to stand up for us to the Musk/Vance Whitehouse because we will not forget, and we will not forgive.

Very party line here – I take issue to the kids at DOGE having such access without being vetted. I would think that there would be forensic accounting involved – not hackers if the intent were to find waste.

They can cut costs at the Syracuse VA medical center they have a whole floor dedicated to female veterans but r sending us out to community care for mammograms they don’t do them there

Unfortunately, my comfort level is not very high.
I would at least hope for status quo at a MINIMUM.

I don’t believe Mr. Collins has a clue. Anyone who praises Trump, says he’s doing a wonderful job, and DOGE is doing a great job, does not live in the real world. He is a Trump ass kisser. Laying off people who provide help and support to veterans is not a sign of waste, but is a way to discard veteran’s needs. Being on the job for one week and making the comments he did doesn’t instill my faith in him.

I need very little care from the VA. I am very satisfied with the care I have received for 50 + years. I very happy with the changes which have occured over recent years. I know and it is a matter of common sense that people are proned to take advantage of any system. Vets and non Vets alike. I am glad this sort of thing is being vigorously addressed because the ones who do need it most suffer. Thank you, Mr. Collins

He’s lying like the rest of the unqualified people Trump has infiltrated our country with.

Let’s talk about the 2017 Mission Act

I would like to believe that he is being truthful and above board about VA benefits not being targeted for cuts, but the American people were told the same thing about Medicaid and now it’s on the chopping block. So I’m going to have to wait and see while reserving judgement because this administration has burned us before.

The operative questions just who is to determine “What’s not needed”- some 19 year old kid who never served a day in the Military??

Hang in there Doug! Just ignore the comments from the ppl terminally infected with TDS. Their disease blinds them to the positive realities Trump is bring back to our country and repairing the damage done by 4 years of a dementia ridden DEMOCRAT being in office. Refreshing to see someone with testicles putting a stop to DEI, drag story hours, illegal immigration, weaponization of DOJ, etc, etc, and on and on. The LUNATIC LEFT is finally being put in check. Absolutely amazing how many ppl are blowing snot about DOGE saving BILLIONS of dollars of OUR tax money!

I hope this is all true, as a VET who has just got qualified to be on the VA health system I am looking forward to using the VA health care system to help reduce my cost of health care and provide quality health care for me as a Vet. of the Viet Nam Era. As a new enrollee I will need to learn how to best use the VA system that will benefit my health care and cost there of.

The Vietnam war will of been over 50 years this coming May. My records have been scrubbed along with thousands of brothers with classified operations. I first started having “Agent Orange” in 1994. 6 bouts of cancer later, I still can’t get benefits. Is there going to be another delay of the Army releasing Vietnam classified service records. Please remember, Us of the classified operations. We are the “Sprayed and Betrayed” but each one of us would go back in if our nation needed us.

I support president Trump 100% Keep up the good work rhat you and your team is doing!
From a vietnam veteran ??

With regards to DOGE and the benefits situation. There is a report that both the 30% rate is getting cut from compensation and that Unemployability is being taken out as a program moniker for the 100 % IU. What’s the truth, just what is the truth about the cuts announced in MilitaryNews.com. You’re praising DOGE as a watchdog group of sorts who are sorting through the contracts. A group of 20-something engineer grads are able to do accounting? Please.

Can we get some of the Doge money found to pay for dental work for vets. Our teeth take the brunt of all issues. PTSD sufferers grind our teeth, when we are sleeping, angry or just plain trying to figure out something.
I have great hopes for what you will be doing for the Vets

Very pleased and relieved our benefits are not going to be cut !! I had 11 hours a week for home health, which was not enough. You cut my hours back to 9 hours per week, which is terrible. I am wheel chair bound and have only my 85 year wife to help me the rest of the time. We get nothing but run around from the VA about who to talk to about more hours. The VA sends us to the VA advocate who sends us back to the VA primary Dr. (which they can’t keep) We have a beautiful new VA clinic here ,but it is not fully staffed. Sure wished we had the right person to talk to.

Mr. Collins, do you serve the veterans of the United States military and their families first or do you serve recently self-appointed king first?

Sir, you may believe what you stated (at least when this was recorded by you). However, Musk and Trump’s words and actions (including cuts of crisis staff and access to veterans’ personal dada) do not jive with your statements.

Since you’ve only been there a week, I’m assuming you are a trump appointee. All trump and musk do is lie lie lie. How do we know if you are telling the truth. Nothing they have done is even legal. There is a right way and a wrong way to do things. You should be ashamed of yourself.

Why Are Veterans being Fired?

Let’s see, my physical therapist ran by MyMichigan Health care (a Community Care referral) after a year and a half of therapy, recommended an exercise bike to help with my service connected disability and from a failed surgery to my neck that left me extremely weak on my left side and wheelchair bound. My PCP also submitted a referral for the equipment. It was DENIED bymy VAMC Prostetics Department. I appealed and after 2 years, I gave up and bought my own. No reimbursement for the equipment. Next, I am wheelchair bound, I have tried to get a chairglide put into my entertainment area of my house, I was issued 2 in Colorado. They sit in my garage currently and all they need is to be installed. The VA here installed a new one going to my bedroom but says they can’t install the ones I have that were issued by the VA to the entertainment area of my house because they can only issue 1. So I have these two sitting in my garage now and can’t afford to pay myself to get one installed to the entertainment area (basement). A quote to install is roughly $1,600. Again, being wheelchair bound, I have carpet in my home, and I’ve been trying to get help (2 times DENIED SHA/SAH) with the removal of it so my wheelchair is easier to navigate in my house. I was offered the $6k HISSA (sp) grant, but when I got a quote to remove the Carpet and replace with hardwood or similar, the quotes were at the lowest $24K and that was just the hallways, living room and my bedroom. I keep getting letters and emails about all the wonderful benefits that await Veterans in my situation, but when you apply for the benefits, like with the exercise equipment, flooring and chairglide installlation, you either Beg the VA until you give up and buy yourself or do without because this just seems like the old “bait and switch” game. Yes, I am 100% (Actually combined 750%) disabled per the rating scale. I only get paid for 1-100%, I took a 50% cut in pay from what my job paid me annually to accept the VA’s 1-100% rating because I was declared unemployable due to PTSD, TBI, White Matter Disease, Meniere’s, Depressive Disorder and sedentary lifestyle brought along with it DMII, OSA and heart problems which have required 3-stents.. If you mean what you say, why are us Veterans being put through the vigerous hoops? I am glad you are cutting back on the unnecessary cost to run the VA. I just hope the differences are returned to the Veterans as you say because as I described above, it has been really challenging to get the benefits I need and in the begging process have had to reach out to my Patient Advocate (which is a joke), my Congressman on two occasions, OIG on two occasions and am about to reach out to them again because service connection hasn’t been awarded for 6-post-op secondary disabilities that weren’t present before the surgery and didn’t start with treatment/medication until after my condition begain deterriorating Post-op! I am only 1 example as I am sure many others have experienced my plight first hand. We just feel at the mercy of the VA when we are confined like I am and rely solely on the VA and I’ll tell you personally, it is a daily, stressful experience which no doubt will lead to further decline based solely on the stress and depression I stay in.

T rump is a fraud and so are his programs. All you are doing is dismantling the government to give muskrat and his friends more freedom to rob us. The day when we get tired of this is coming and you need to think about where you stand (hint, long term vision is better than short term).

That’s a bunch of crap! He is in Trump and Musk’s pocket

it would be nice to see full Dental Benefits for all veterans , not just retired!!! Dental health is probably more important than anything as far as sickness goes. not having to rely on anti-biotics and painkillers because of improper oral hygiene would be a great plus for our overall health. i could use dentures or implants and a few more extractions to get healthier and an improved digestive system because of being able to chew food properly!!

My 76 year old Viet Nam veteran husband called the VA yesterday (02/19/2025) for an appointment with his primary care physician and the earliest appointment he can get is for 08/01/2025!! AND the VA Eye Clinic is closed and not taking appointments at this time…..if this guy is trying to tell you that things are fine at the VA and deserving veterans are getting efficient and quality care, he is dead wrong and many of these veterans will be also with this type of care provided to them!!

If there was a rumor going around my units that we were going to deploy, we deployed. I don’t know about everyone else, I just know what I know. Why would Veterans, Retirees and VA workers be on pins and needles for no reason. What about the “Women Clinics” closing due to DEI? Just our imagination? I’m going to wait and watch.

A whole lot of worrying over nothing IMHO. DOGE, Musk and Trump do NOT want your money. They are not there copying all your info down (sheesh), ANYTHING to do with the VA is safe…including spouse stuff, etc. CALM down folks. STOP believing the lies.

Either you are the VA website is a Liar ! The web page for Veterans announced at least 1000 people have Now Lost their Jobs but You sir Claimed No CUT BACKS have occurred!

I think we are going to be hurt financially and you know you are lying to us. Please stop telling people to tell us they thank us for our service this also hurts when it’s spoken with out sincerity

F-ck your so full of bullsh-t Collins

I would have felt some belief in what you said if you hadn’t mentioned the draft dodging “orange felon” throughout your remarks

Great.Democrat Media lies .

It’s about time that fraud and waste and silly DEI policies are rectified. Clearly instigators have to create false narratives to panic people.

Who are the DOGE people reviewing VA contracts and what expertise do they have in federal contract administration.
Will the VA post the specific contracts being identified by DOGE for elimination or reduction.
How many VA personnel (federal employees) has DOGE identified that their positions are being eliminated and what services did these personnel provide.
Your administration has promised transparency in these actions, and thus far I have seen none. Promises that VA benefits will not be impacted without evidence is poor assurance.
Your effectiveness as an advocate for veterans is yet to be proven.

This video is a shamefully political plug for Trump and DOGE. It begins typically by blaming the media for running with stories that they just aren’t commonly running that benefits will be cut. I read a wide range of mainstream media across the political spectrum on a daily basis and have not encountered a single story about veteran benefits being cut, but Secretary Collins probably found one somewhere. Collins doesn’t cite a single source or example and then builds a cringe-worthy political endorsement on a falsehood. Keep our military apolitical!

Thank goodness as my health care needs improved.