(Cold Spring, KY, Monday, November 8, 2019) – This Veterans Day, supporting all of those who served our nation is especially critical. Shamefully, generations of veterans are being overlooked and left to fend for themselves, because of bureaucracy and red tape by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
DAV, along with other VSOs, are calling on the President to immediately direct VA Secretary Wilkie to start processing claims of those veterans who earned their lifesaving benefits but are not getting them. Those benefits include:
Caregiver Benefits: In October, blaming technology infrastructure, the VA announced further delays to the expansion of its caregiver program for veterans injured prior to 9/11/2001.
Blue Water Navy: A week after Congress passed the Blue Water Navy Act of 2019, VA Secretary Wilkie issued a “stay” that stopped processing of all benefit claims citing a need to ensure VA employees are prepared to process the influx of paperwork.
DAV’s Randy Reese can also speak to other important issues impacting our nation’s veterans, including:
- A new Burn Pit legislative campaign for veterans of OEF/OIF.
- Pending Women Veterans legislation and the need for culture changes at the VA.
- Implementation of the VA MISSION Act.
Every year, DAV (Disabled American Veterans) helps more than one million veterans in positive, life-changing ways by helping them access benefits they earned, like health care, education, disability, and meaningful employment opportunities. DAV also fights for veterans’ rights on Capitol Hill to ensure their voice are heard by policymakers.