John Evanson, Fargo

I am John Evanson, president of AFGE Local 3884, representing the hardworking staff of the Fargo VA hospital.

There has been a concerted effort by this administration to paint Federal workers as incompetent and lazy working in a system that is fraught with abuse, fraud and waste. The answer this administration has proposed to ‘cure’ this situation, is to eliminate 80,000 workers from the VA workforce. This administration has consistently reiterated that these cuts will in no way impact Veteran services.

I am writing to not only challenge this claim, but to go on record that this claim is false.

We need to first ask the question: ‘What is the Veterans Administration?’ The answer comes to us via Harry Truman, who stated: “Our debt to the heroic men and valiant women in the service of our country can never be repaid. They have earned our undying gratitude. America will never forget their sacrifices”. This is why the Veterans Administration exists …. as a National debt to our Veterans for their sacrifices on and off the battlefields-one that can never be repaid.

‘How will these cuts impact Veteran care?’ The VA workforce has indeed grown since 2019. Five more areas of conflict have been added to acknowledge the exposure and treatment to Agent Orange. The VA has added services for Gulf War Burn Pit victims [respiratory damages]. They have expanded services for MST (military sexual trauma).

They have added traveling Van services for our prosthetics department to reach rural areas and provide services for our Veterans. They have increased our abilities to service Veterans in their homes using Telework technology. We now have 185,000 nation-wide Veterans with traumatic brain injuries that will have significant long-term impacts. All these additional Veteran needs and services require staff to provide, monitor and assess for effectiveness and quality improvements.

If the administration has its way, the VA will need to return to 2019 staffing levels-so I ask you: “Which of these services should be canceled?” because by cutting staff, you are negatively impacting all these service delivery programs.

VA workers pay is 70 cents on the dollar compared to the private sector. The staff at the VA are not doing these jobs for the money. … They are doing their jobs because of their personal commitment to serving our Veterans. This is not just a job, this is our family, this is our debt to be paid.

These cuts need to stop. Our National commitment and debt to our Veterans is as sacred as their sacrifices for this Country. I call on everyone, to contact their Senators and Representatives and remind them of this debt.