The cuts being made at the Department of Veterans Affairs has veterans in our state worried about the impact to their benefits.
The cuts being made at the Department of Veterans Affairs has veterans in our state worried about the impact to their benefits.
It comes as the department is laying off more than 1,000 workers and looking at canceling hundreds of contracts.
“That’s the last thing a veteran should be concerned about right now. Is this going to be cut?” Bridgitte Prince, an Army veteran from East Hartford, said.
She’s frustrated by the cuts being made at the Department of Veterans Affairs. She served in the Army from the early to mid-80s and wants to be sure her benefits remain intact.
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“This is causing stress. This is causing anxiety,” Prince said.
The cuts include more than 1,000 workers being laid off and the VA looking at canceling hundreds of contracts as part of an effort to slash costs across the federal government.
“It’s going to cause the greater backlog for veterans who want services,” Prince said.
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A VA spokesperson told NBC Connecticut it’s reviewing various contracts and canceling non-critical things like PowerPoint slides, executive support and coaching:
“Our contract review is ongoing, and no final decisions have been made. We will not be eliminating any benefits or services to Veterans or VA beneficiaries, and there will be no negative impact to VA healthcare, benefits or beneficiaries. We are always going to take care of Veterans at VA. Period.”
But the contracts set to be canceled, according to the Washington Post, include ones helping cover medical services and medical staff recruitment. That directive has now been put on pause.
Charles Pickett, the Veterans of Foreign Wars Department of Connecticut senior vice commander, said the uncertainty over benefits could put veterans' lives in danger.
“It's terrible, but you know, we hear these stories, and we do not want to relive history,” he said.
Pickett said veterans will be contacting federal lawmakers to share their concerns.
“We're not asking for the sky, but for the benefits promised to us by our government and our gracious and generous American people,” he said.
The VFW is having a conference in Washington, D.C. next month where their leader is set to speak to Congress about stopping the layoffs and any potential cuts to benefits.
