To the editor:
Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is proposing to cut 80,000 jobs from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). This cannot help but affect the care that our veterans receive when attempting to access and benefit from their VA benefits. Positions have already been cut that assist veterans with navigating and applying for benefits as well as stocking and supply clerks at surgical centers. Targeted layoffs include medical and health care support staff as well as non-patient facing administrative roles, contract positions in VA medical centers and research positions.
My father was in the navy and I can’t say enough about the excellent care that he received from the VA. Not only was the medical care that he received both in Denver and in Tucson top-notch, but they also contracted with local home health agencies to provide care so that he could continue living at home as long as possible in his final days.
Our veterans deserve our support. They sacrificed years of their lives, often sustaining serious injury because they believed in the ideals of a fair and free democracy. The VA needs our tax dollars more than Elon Musk’s millionaire friends need tax breaks. If you would like to join me in showing your support for the VA, please attend either the small Hardwick rally on April 5, at noon, at the Peace Park, or the larger Montpelier rally on the same day, Saturday, April 5, at noon, on the statehouse lawn. Hope you can.
Karen Klotz
Hardwick
