Letter to the Editor: Submitted by Ann Fields

To the Editor:

Our veterans gave years, if not decades, of service for the United States, protecting us in times of peace and war. The United States government recognized the vital importance of veterans and in 1865 President Lincoln created a network to care for wounded Civil War soldiers.

Our current president has decided that veterans are “suckers and losers” and that they are falsely receiving benefits, underperforming at their jobs, and syphoning unearned money from the government. In fact, he chose to go golfing, instead of honoring four fallen soldiers killed in Lithuania.
Wednesday, April 3, DOGE canceled 47 contracts worth over $878.5 million from Veterans Affairs (4-3-2025, Newsweek, Rahman). Upgrades to computer systems and research contracts were cut, as well as closing some service centers.

This is in addition to the 83,000 VA jobs which were cut previously, representing one out of every six VA employees, and 25% of these were veterans (The Associated Press, 3-5-2025). The VA was already understaffed and struggling to provide health care, housing, insurance, pension, education, and legal assistance for the veterans.

My grandfather proudly served in World War I; my father proudly served in WWII; my brother and my husband proudly served during the Vietnam War.  They are not suckers and losers. They risked their lives for us to remain free.

Stand up for the men and women who served and who are serving to keep us free. Call your congressional representatives and demand that DOGE keeps its hands off veterans and their benefits. Call Ashley Hinson (202-225-2911), Joni Ernst (202-224-3254), and Chuck Grassley (202-224-3744) telling them to stop DOGE from cutting veteran benefits and VA employees.

Ann Fields
Lansing