“To care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow, and his orphan,” were words spoken by President Abraham Lincoln during his second inaugural address in 1865. With those words, Lincoln plainly stated that our government must care for those injured during war and provide for the families of those who died in battle.
Lincoln’s words were adopted by the Veterans Administration in 1959 and are engraved on a plaque at the front of their building in Washington, D.C.
A Crisis in 2025
Fast forward to 2025. Rep. Jack Bergman of Michigan, who serves on the House Committee on Veterans Affairs, recently wrote:
“As a member of Congress focused on the needs of our veterans, I hear the stories every day: chronic understaffing of VA facilities, unconscionably long waits for health care and mental health counseling, a six-figure backlog of benefit claims that continues to grow… Our dysfunctional VA system of care… has become more interested in self-preservation and political posturing than it is in serving the urgent needs of our nation’s veterans.”
Systemic Mismanagement and Delays
This past February, the VA’s Acting Inspector General, David Case, testified before the House Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations:
“…problems in the VA, though identified, persist because of mismanagement, persistent staff vacancies, and a lack of follow-through on disciplining employees. Employee misconduct, malfunctioning computer systems, confusing policies, and program inefficiencies hamper operations at the Department of Veterans Affairs.”
In the same meeting, Rep. Jen Kiggans of Illinois added:
“Too many times, bureaucracy is put first and veterans come in second.”
Promises vs. Reality
In response to these issues, VA Secretary Doug Collins recently pledged:
“Veterans are going to notice a change for the better.”
But a ProPublica article titled “Internal VA Emails Reveal How Trump’s Cuts Jeopardize Veterans Care, Including Life-Saving Cancer Trials” tells a different story.
A contract with a company that manages the VA’s cancer registry was marked for immediate termination by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Doctors and administrators at VA hospitals and clinics across the country have warned that these cuts will harm veterans’ healthcare.
This comes just three years after Congress passed the PACT Act—a law designed to expand care for veterans affected by toxic exposures such as Agent Orange and burn pits. Without the cancer registry, tracking veterans’ conditions will not be kept up to date.
What Veterans Are Asking For
Veterans overwhelmingly believe that the VA needs urgent reform, including:
- Faster care
- Easier access
- Responsive service
They’re asking for:
- Streamlined processes
- A customer-service-focused staff
- Extended medical referral windows
All too often, veterans report being referred to physicians—only to face such long wait times that the referral expires before they receive care.
Most importantly, veterans want leadership that prioritizes meaningful structural reform over workforce cuts.
Local Help Is Available
It would seem our government is not heeding Lincoln’s call.
Thankfully, there is help available for veterans in Lenawee County to negotiate the slow-moving VA system. Tammy Sheldon, Veterans Service Director at the Lenawee County Department of Veterans Affairs, says:
“As a County Veterans Affairs office, our focus remains on addressing the specific needs and experiences of veterans here in Lenawee County. We understand that some veterans do face challenges with the federal VA system, including delays in receiving benefits or accessing timely healthcare… Continued communication between local, state, and federal partners is essential to address these ongoing challenges effectively.”
The Lenawee County Department of Veterans Affairs is a great resource for our local veterans. Thank you to Tammy and her staff for their commitment.
Words Aren’t Enough—Take Action
You can also be a resource. Saying “Thank you for your service” is not enough. We must act. And we must demand action from those who represent us in Congress. Our senators and representatives should be doing everything possible to provide quality health care and services to our veterans.
Call your elected officials right now and tell them: Veterans deserve better!
Contact Information:
- Senator Elissa Slotkin: 313-962-4330
- Senator Gary Peters: 517-377-1508
- Representative Tim Walberg: 517-780-9075
About the Author:
This post was written by Mitch Myers, a member of Lenawee Indivisible’s Communications Committee.
About Lenawee Indivisible:
Lenawee Indivisible is a grassroots organization dedicated to defending democracy, protecting voting rights, and holding elected officials accountable—here in Lenawee County and beyond. We believe in informed civic engagement, inclusive communities, and building power through people. Learn how you can get involved.
Feature image by Adam Fagen via Flickr.