Veteran Voice

Four of this week’s seven stories came down to paperwork. Not medicine. Not whether a veteran was hurt. A bill that would restore full retirement pay to combat-injured veterans has nearly 80 Senate cosponsors and still cannot get a vote, because of how one sentence was written. A federal court threw out an Air Force screening step that kept thousands of injured airmen out of the medical retirement system. Submarine veterans cannot prove what they breathed on patrol, because the records are classified. And a computer system that moves benefits claims will not be finished until 2034, seven years late.

The pattern is worth naming. In each of those cases, nobody argued about whether the veteran was sick or injured. The argument was about whether the right form reached the right office. That is a different problem than a doctor shortage or a funding fight, and it does not fix itself. It also tends to move slowly, which is why the same stories keep coming back around.

The health news ran the other way this week. A German trial found a prescription THC pill ended trauma nightmares for more than a third of patients. A five-year study of 466 VA patients found an electrical armband let veterans skip migraine drugs in three out of four attacks. Both are options for veterans who cannot safely add another prescription to what they already take. Both come with limits the researchers named themselves, and neither is proven in combat veterans yet.

The Pacific Northwest shows up in the submarine story. The bill submariners want would name Bangor, Washington as one of four sites where the VA has to recognize base contamination. Naval Base Kitsap homeports the Navy’s West Coast ballistic missile submarines, and a lot of those crews stayed in Kitsap County after they took off the uniform.

Combat-Injured Retirees Lose About $20,000 a Year, and the Fix Is Stuck

The Major Richard Star Act would stop VA disability pay from cancelling out military retirement pay for veterans whose careers ended in combat injuries. About 54,000 veterans are affected, and the average reduction was roughly $1,650 a month last fall, which is close to $20,000 a year. For many of them the retirement check disappears entirely. The bill has nearly 80 Senate cosponsors, more than 330 House backers, and the Defense Secretary’s support, and it still has not reached a floor vote. A drafting question pushed the cost estimate from about $13 billion to $78 billion, and Congress has not settled which reading of the text is correct.

Sources:

https://www.militarytimes.com/veterans/2026/08/06/their-military-careers-were-cut-short-in-combat-now-theyre-fighting-congress-for-their-full-benefits/

https://www.cbo.gov/publication/62237

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/2102/all-actions

Court Strikes Down an Air Force Screening That Kept Injured Airmen Out

A federal court in Virginia ruled Friday that the Air Force had no authority to run its own screening step in front of the military’s disability evaluation system. The court found the step pushed thousands of injured and sick airmen away from a process Congress created, going back to at least 2019. The stakes are plain. A combined rating of 30 percent or higher means medical retirement and a check every month for life, and 20 percent or less means one lump sum. The screening is still running while both sides propose a remedy, so nothing has changed yet for the airmen the ruling covers.

Sources:

https://www.stripes.com/veterans/2026-08-10/court-ruling-air-force-disability-evaluation-22510658.html

https://nvlsp.org/federal-court-strikes-down-air-forces-unlawful-disability-screening-system/

The VA Is Mailing 3.8 Million Postcards, and They Are Real

The VA started mailing “Choose VA” postcards on Aug. 13 to about 3.8 million veterans who are not enrolled in VA health care, and the mailing runs through Sept. 11. The agency says its own June warning about fake “Veterans Savings Program” postcards may have worked too well, and that veterans are now tossing unexpected VA mail. Real VA outreach points people to va.gov or to a phone number they can look up on their own. It does not demand a callback within five days, and it does not ask for a Social Security number or a bank account over the phone.

Sources:

https://news.va.gov/148601/official-choose-va-postcards-are-coming-soon/

https://news.va.gov/147334/veterans-savings-program-postcard-scam/

A THC Pill Ended PTSD Nightmares for a Third of Patients in a German Trial

Researchers in Berlin published results on Aug. 5 in Nature Medicine for dronabinol, a prescription pill that contains THC. Over 10 weeks, nightmares stopped completely for 37 percent of the 87 patients who took the drug, compared with 15 percent of the 84 on a placebo, and another 21 percent had their nightmare burden cut at least in half. The catch is who was studied. About 79 percent of participants were women, most reported assault trauma, and only 19 percent had PTSD tied to war or captivity. The lead author said more work is needed before anyone applies this to American veterans, and he warned against treating it as permission to self-medicate.

Sources:

https://www.stripes.com/veterans/2026-08-10/thc-cannabis-drug-study-nightmares-22507404.html

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-026-04546-9

A VA Claims System Will Not Be Modernized Until 2034

The VA Office of Inspector General reported Tuesday that the Benefits Enterprise Platform, which moves information behind pension and vocational rehabilitation claims, will not be modernized until fiscal 2034. The work was supposed to finish this month under a $1.1 billion contract awarded in May 2021. Auditors blamed weak oversight, no real program schedule, no reliable cost estimate, and security assessments the IT office skipped, and the VA agreed with all five recommendations. The department also says its claims backlog is down more than 70 percent since January 2025, which means the front counter can move faster while the wiring behind the wall runs seven years late.

Sources:

https://www.govexec.com/technology/2026/08/vas-benefits-system-overhaul-running-some-familiar-problems/415366/

https://www.nextgov.com/modernization/2026/08/oversight-and-program-management-gaps-slowing-vas-benefits-processing-system-modernization-oig-says/415356/

Submarine Veterans Want Presumptive Benefits, and the Bill Does Not Exist Yet

The Submariners’ Advocacy Group is asking Congress for a law that would grant presumptive VA benefits to anyone with a DD-214 showing submarine sea duty, and no member has introduced any text. The group’s argument is about evidence, not illness, because the patrol records and atmosphere logs that would prove exposure are classified, so claims fail on proof rather than on medicine. Its November report documents more than 150 substances found inside a sealed hull, including benzene, asbestos, and the chemical used to scrub carbon dioxide from the air. The proposed bill would name four places where the VA has to recognize base contamination, and one of them is Bangor, Washington.

Sources:

https://www.stripes.com/veterans/2026-08-07/brain-injuries-disability-payouts-former-submariners-benefits-22475827.html

https://submarinersadvocacygroup.org/2025/11/08/unseen-burden.html

Veterans Skipped Migraine Drugs in 3 of 4 Attacks Using an Armband

A study in Military Medicine followed 466 VA patients through 28,274 migraine treatments with Nerivio, a prescription armband that sends mild electrical pulses instead of drugs. Veterans used no prescription migraine medicine in 77 percent of those treatments, and two hours after treatment about two thirds reported relief. Starting within an hour of onset worked much better than waiting. It was an observational study with no placebo group, and staff from the device maker co-authored it, so the numbers are promising rather than settled. The device is already on the VA Federal Supply Schedule, and any certified clinician can prescribe it.

Sources:

https://www.stripes.com/veterans/2026-08-14/migraines-remedy-florida-housing-rosie-the-riveter-22542666.html

https://academic.oup.com/milmed/advance-article/doi/10.1093/milmed/usag341/8746270

None of this week’s news changes a payment right now. The parts worth watching are the remedy the Air Force court orders, whether the Star Act moves this fall, and whether anyone actually files the submarine bill.

Two of this week’s biggest stories were about money the government hands a veteran and then quietly takes back. A RAND study found that VA disability pay can push veterans out of food stamps and housing help, because those programs count the check as income. A separate fight opened in the Senate over separation pay, which the VA claws back out of disability checks decades after a veteran leaves the service. Different rules, same result. The benefit on paper is bigger than the benefit in the bank.

The week also showed how much of veteran life runs on rules nobody explains up front. A federal technology director was put on leave after complaining that veterans’ preference was blocking his hiring, and the argument that followed was really about a law written after World War II. Veterans facing separation pay recoupment say their transition classes never mentioned it. In both cases the rule is old, the rule is real, and the people it touches find out late.

There was health news too. A study of nearly 10 million veterans found that Air Force, Coast Guard and Navy veterans are diagnosed with ALS at higher rates than Army and Marine veterans. Researchers do not know why yet. The one steady piece of ground here is that the VA already presumes ALS is service connected for anyone with 90 continuous days in uniform, which means a diagnosis is enough to open a claim.

Closer to home, wildfires forced the Spokane VA hospital to evacuate every patient and close with no reopening date. That single campus anchors records, pharmacy and specialty care for VA clinics across Eastern Washington, so the closure reaches far past its own 46 beds. And in Washington, D.C., Gulf War veterans finally have a memorial opening Oct. 24, more than 35 years after the war. Recognition took a long time. So did most of the rest of this list.

GSA Puts a Tech Official on Leave After He Blamed Veterans’ Preference for Hiring Delays

The General Services Administration placed FedRAMP director Pete Waterman on administrative leave after he wrote on LinkedIn that veterans’ preference was keeping his team from hiring the engineers it needs. GSA Administrator Edward Forst said the agency categorically and completely disagreed with remarks denigrating veterans’ preference, and noted that veterans make up about 30 percent of the GSA workforce. The argument underneath the post is older than the post. Hiring experts say the preference rules have gone largely unchanged since Congress wrote them after World War II, and that thin human resources staffing slows federal hiring more than any veteran does.

Sources:

https://www.govexec.com/technology/2026/07/gsa-official-put-leave-social-media-post-saying-veterans-preference-federal-hiring-hampering-tech-recruiting/415122/

https://www.dol.gov/agencies/vets/programs/vetspref

Gulf War Veterans Will Get a National Memorial in Washington This October

The National Desert Storm and Desert Shield Memorial is about 90 percent finished and will be dedicated Oct. 24. It sits near Constitution Avenue and 23rd Street NW, a short walk from the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, and honors the nearly 700,000 Americans who served in the Persian Gulf War. Visitors enter from the left, a deliberate nod to the left hook maneuver that cut off Iraqi forces in Kuwait, and a coalition shield at the center carries the names of every country that joined the fight. Getting it built took 16 years and more than $40 million, with Kuwait giving over $25 million of that.

Sources:

https://www.stripes.com/history/2026-07-31/gulf-war-memorial-opening-october-22422098.html

https://www.va.gov/disability/eligibility/hazardous-materials-exposure/gulf-war-illness-southwest-asia/

Wildfire Forces Spokane VA Hospital to Evacuate and Close With No Reopening Date

Staff at the Mann-Grandstaff VA Medical Center moved every patient out on Saturday afternoon as the Spokane Complex Fire burned to within a third of a mile of the campus. The hospital, its outpatient clinics and the nearby VA business operation centers are all closed, and VA officials say future operations are to be determined. As of Monday, 27 patients were under the care of VA staff at area shelters, and some hospital employees had lost their own homes. Veterans in the region can still use VA clinics in Coeur d’Alene, Sandpoint, Wenatchee and Libby, and VA Spokane is answering questions at 1-800-325-7940.

Sources:

https://www.militarytimes.com/veterans/2026/08/03/va-medical-center-clinics-in-spokane-evacuated-for-wildfire/

https://www.va.gov/spokane-health-care/locations/mann-grandstaff-department-of-veterans-affairs-medical-center/

Air Force, Navy and Coast Guard Veterans Have Higher ALS Rates, New Study Finds

Researchers reviewed the records of more than 9 million men and 780,000 women treated at VA facilities between 2000 and 2024 and found about 14,400 ALS diagnoses. Compared with Army veterans, Air Force veterans had a 29 percent higher rate, Coast Guard veterans 26 percent and Navy veterans 15 percent, while Marine veterans came in 22 percent lower. Officers in every branch had higher rates than enlisted troops, and the gaps were widest among men 61 and younger. The cause is still unknown, but the practical point has not changed. A diagnosis plus 90 continuous days of service is enough to open a claim, and the VA rates ALS at 100 percent.

Sources:

https://www.stripes.com/veterans/2026-08-05/military-branches-higher-rates-als-22466125.html

https://www.neurology.org/doi/10.1212/WNL.0000000000218303

VA Disability Pay Can Cost Veterans Food Stamps and Housing Help, a New Study Finds

RAND published a report on July 28 showing that VA disability compensation counts as income for Section 8 housing vouchers, Supplemental Security Income and heating assistance, but not for Medicaid or Social Security. Households with a working-age member drawing VA disability were 10 percent less likely to report using food stamps, and disabled veterans under 62 were 3 percent less likely to get housing help than non-veterans. One finding points straight at the cause. Veteran households without disability compensation apply at about the same rate as similar non-veteran households, so the gap only opens once the VA money starts, and it widens as the payment grows.

Sources:

https://www.stripes.com/theaters/us/2026-08-05/disabled-veterans-public-assistance-22463126.html

https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RRA4405-5.html

The VA Takes Back Separation Pay From Disabled Veterans. Two Senators Want That Stopped.

Sen. Ruben Gallego and Sen. James Risch each filed a bill this week aimed at recoupment, the rule that halts a veteran’s disability check until old separation pay is repaid in full. From 2013 to 2023 the VA recovered $2.44 billion from 112,834 veterans, and the collection letters often arrive decades after separation. Gallego’s Restore Veterans Compensation Act would bar the VA from collecting separation pay from veterans approved for disability compensation, while Risch’s Veterans Earned Benefits Access Act leaves the practice in place but caps monthly collection at 25 percent of a check. A similar House bill died in committee in 2022, and Gallego has said the obstacle is cost.

Sources:

https://www.militarytimes.com/news/pentagon-congress/2026/08/06/senator-introduces-bill-to-stop-va-from-recouping-military-separation-pay-from-disabled-vets/

https://www.military.com/money/personal-finance/you-took-separation-pay-years-ago-now-va-wants-it-back-your-disability-check.html

Most of what happened this week is still waiting on a committee vote or a fire line. The one thing a veteran can act on right now is a question, because each office counts a VA check differently.

Four stories ran on Veteran Voice this week, and they all point at the same question. Washington announced new help for veterans on three different fronts. Whether that help reaches the people who need it is a separate matter.

The Pentagon published rules requiring a mental health assessment for every service member within 180 days of leaving the military. The VA opened a new authority that can pay a homeless veteran’s rent for up to 10 months. Both changes are real. Both also carry a history worth remembering. A 2021 Defense Department inspector general report found that only 34 percent of separating troops got the outgoing assessment that policy already required. The VA says its detailed guidance to medical centers on the new housing money is still being written.

The fourth story is about a bill that keeps growing. More than 600 American troops have been wounded in the five month war with Iran, and most of them have traumatic brain injuries. Those injuries do not end when a deployment ends. They land in VA clinics for the next 40 years. Pentagon funding for brain injury research fell from $175 million in 2024 to $40.5 million this year.

For readers in the Northwest, one of these stories has a local address. The VA’s new trial of semaglutide, the drug sold as Ozempic, is recruiting at VA Puget Sound in Seattle and at the Portland VA Medical Center in Oregon. Veterans who want to know more can ask their local VA now.

Pentagon Tightens Mental Health Handoff for Troops Leaving the Military

The Defense Department published new rules requiring each branch to give separating troops a mental health assessment and a suicide risk screening within 180 days of discharge, and to hand their care off to the VA. The timing matters because the year right after separation carries the highest suicide risk. New research from Yale and the VA’s National Center for PTSD found 13.4 percent of veterans had suicidal thoughts in the previous two weeks, up from 9.0 percent five years earlier. Experts said the rules still cannot reach troops who will not answer honestly, and a 2021 inspector general report found only 34 percent of separating troops got the assessment that policy already required.

Sources:

Task & Purpose: https://taskandpurpose.com/news/mental-health-policy-transition/

Yale School of Medicine: https://medicine.yale.edu/news-article/suicidal-thoughts-among-us-veterans-increased-nearly-50percent-over-five-years-national-study-finds/

VA Tests Ozempic Against Alcohol Use Disorder, With Sites in Seattle and Portland

The VA opened recruitment on July 28 for a trial testing semaglutide, the drug sold as Ozempic and Wegovy, as a treatment for alcohol use disorder. More than 600 veterans between 18 and 80 will get a weekly injection of the drug or a placebo for 24 weeks, at 18 medical centers including VA Puget Sound in Seattle and the Portland VA Medical Center. More than 400,000 veterans currently carry that diagnosis. The VA asked veterans not to self-medicate and not to drop a treatment that is already working for them.

Sources:

VA News: https://news.va.gov/press-room/va-launches-trial-of-glp-1-treatment-for-alcohol-use-disorder/

Military Times: https://www.militarytimes.com/veterans/2026/07/30/va-launches-trial-to-test-glp-1-medication-for-alcohol-use-disorder-in-veterans/

The VA Can Now Pay a Homeless Veteran’s Rent for Up to 10 Months

A new VA authority took effect July 29 and runs through Sept. 30, 2027. It lets VA medical centers pay rent, utilities, security deposits and moving costs, buy groceries and basic furniture, and cover rides to medical appointments and job searches. Veterans do not receive cash, and staff review each request against a specific problem like stopping an eviction. Rent help is capped at 10 months in any two year period. There is no new application form, and the way in is the National Call Center for Homeless Veterans at 877-424-3838.

Sources:

Military.com: https://www.military.com/new-va-policy-can-pay-up-to-10-months-of-rent-for-homeless-veterans

VA Homeless Programs: https://department.va.gov/homeless/flexible-assistance-for-homeless-veterans/

Most of the 600 Troops Wounded in the Iran War Have Brain Injuries

The Pentagon counted 624 American troops wounded and 18 killed as of late July in the five month war with Iran, and most of the wounded suffered traumatic brain injuries. Iran’s heavy use of one way attack drones is part of why, because a blast that goes off above a person hits the head differently than a roadside bomb. Early counts also tend to run low. After the 2020 attack on Al Asad Air Base, the military first reported no casualties and screening later found 110 brain injuries. Pentagon funding for brain injury research fell from $175 million in 2024 to $40.5 million this year.

Sources:

Stars and Stripes: https://www.stripes.com/theaters/middle_east/2026-07-29/brain-injuries-iran-drones-22397394.html

Stars and Stripes: https://www.stripes.com/theaters/middle_east/2026-07-27/iran-troops-injured-war-pause-22377470.html

Every one of these stories will read differently a year from now, depending on what gets funded and what gets counted. We will keep following them.

Six stories ran in Veteran Voice this week. Read together, they point at one thing. The parts of the VA a veteran actually touches, the phone line, the claim file, the exam room, are the parts under the most strain right now.

Start with the phone. The VA Office of Inspector General tested 219 clinic phone numbers and found more than a third were wrong. About 20 percent of 2.9 million calls went to dead or misrouted lines. Then look at the Seattle case. A federal jury convicted two people who used those same phone lines to pose as VA staff and pull patient names out of hospitals. One defendant made the calls from inside the King County Jail. Both stories are about the same front door, and neither one is reassuring.

The staffing picture runs underneath the rest. The VA told Congress it is expanding its use of artificial intelligence to move disability claims. About 600,000 claims are pending. Rep. Nikki Budzinski said the agency has cut 2,700 claims examiners since January 2025. New VA data also shows brain injury cases climbed 26 percent since 2021, while Congress cut Pentagon research money for those injuries by about 77 percent. More veterans in the system, fewer people to look at their files.

The one bill that could move a lot of this is stuck. The Take Care of America’s Veterans Act bundles more than 60 measures into a single package. It stalled in the House after several veterans groups objected to how it would be paid for, and after the largest VA employee union campaigned against it. The one story this week with a clear answer was the poll worker campaign, and that one asks veterans to go do the work themselves.

Seattle Jury Convicts Pair Who Posed as VA Staff to Steal From Seriously Ill Veterans

A federal jury in Seattle convicted Darryl Lamont Young and Aqeelah Ngiesha Williams on July 13 for a scheme that pulled patient records out of VA hospitals by telephone. Young called from inside the King County Jail, told hospital staff he was a VA employee, and asked for the names of intensive care patients and their emergency contacts. The pair then called those families and asked for card numbers, saying they needed them to deposit a COVID payment. They targeted more than 30 medical facilities and more than 60 victims, attempted 130 transactions, and took about $8,300.

Sources: https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdwa/pr/pair-convicted-scheme-defraud-seriously-ill-veterans-calling-medical-facilities-steal and https://taskandpurpose.com/field-guide/jail-va-phone-scam/

VA Is Using AI on Disability Claims. Lawmakers Ask Who Is Left to Check It.

The VA told a House subcommittee on July 13 that it is expanding artificial intelligence to speed up disability claims. About 600,000 claims are pending, and roughly 80 percent sit in the evidence gathering stage. VA officials said a trained employee still decides every claim. Lawmakers pushed back on the staffing math, and the Government Accountability Office warned that generative AI makes errors harder to catch. A VA inspector general review in April had already found about 8,000 automated pension decisions or letters that left out favorable findings.

Sources: https://fedscoop.com/veterans-affairs-ai-disability-claims-backlog/ and https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-26-109137

New VA Data Shows Veterans’ Brain Injuries Rose 26 Percent Since 2021

The count of veterans with traumatic brain injuries in VA records grew from 441,639 in 2021 to 556,502 in 2025. That is an average of more than 28,000 new cases a year, and experts say the real number is higher because it only counts veterans who came to the VA. Over the same period Congress cut the Pentagon program that studies these injuries from $175 million in fiscal 2024 to $40.5 million in fiscal 2026. The House unanimously passed a bipartisan bill on July 20 to renew the nation’s TBI programs through 2030, and it now waits on the Senate.

Sources: https://rollcall.com/2026/07/20/surge-in-veterans-brain-injuries-shown-in-va-records/ and https://www.polytrauma.va.gov/POLYTRAUMA/docs/PublishableAnnualVATBIRegistryReport-FY2025w.pdf

The Largest VA Employee Union Campaigned Against a Sweeping Veterans Benefits Bill

The American Federation of Government Employees, which represents about 300,000 VA workers, ran a campaign against the Take Care of America’s Veterans Act. The union said the package would push more veterans into private care and hollow out VA hospitals, and it objected to reclassifying about 5,000 VA psychologists under full Title 38. House Republican leaders pulled the bill from a floor vote last week. Veterans groups are split, with the American Legion in favor and Disabled American Veterans and the VFW opposed to paying for new benefits by cutting future sleep apnea and tinnitus ratings.

Sources: https://www.stripes.com/veterans/2026-07-21/federal-employee-union-sweeping-veterans-bill-22326648.html and https://veterans.house.gov/

A National Campaign Is Recruiting Veterans to Work the Polls in November

Vet the Vote is signing up veterans and military families to work as paid poll workers for the November midterms, and the VA pointed veterans to it again in its July 20 jobs newsletter. Most places pay $150 to $300 a day plus paid training. The nonpartisan campaign has signed up more than 165,000 people since 2022 and wants 250,000. Veterans can register at vetthe.vote, and the VA says to apply early because training takes time.

Sources: https://news.va.gov/147684/veterans-answer-call-to-staff-polls/ and https://news.va.gov/148235/hiring-veterans-jobs-week-july-20-2026/

VA Watchdog Finds More Than a Third of Clinic Phone Numbers It Tested Were Wrong

The VA Office of Inspector General tested 219 phone numbers for VA specialty care clinics and found more than a third were wrong. About 20 percent of 2.9 million calls placed between August 2024 and July 2025 went to wrong or nonworking lines, and 11 of the 15 facilities reviewed had no menu to route callers to a clinic. This is the second time this year auditors have flagged the same system. The VA says it has corrected numbers, revised its prompts, and launched a national voicemail dashboard, and the review is still open.

Sources: https://www.stripes.com/veterans/2026-07-24/lost-va-phone-calls-national-hire-a-veteran-day-22357214.html and https://www.vaoig.gov/reports/preliminary-result-advisory-memorandum/vha-facilities-collection-and-oversight-specialty

Three of these stories are still moving. The TBI bill waits on the Senate, the benefits package waits on the House, and the inspector general’s phone review stays open until a fuller report comes out.

This week the VA kept pushing to get more veterans in the door. It reported more than 200,000 new health care enrollees this year and plans 140 sign-up events this summer. It detailed $36 billion in payments that let veterans see local doctors. And it started a small pilot to bring care closer to rural veterans who drive hours to a clinic. The message from the agency was steady. The help you earned is there, so come use it.

In Congress, the story was about money. Lawmakers argued over how to pay for new benefits, and the fights got personal. One big package would raise pay for seriously sick veterans by cutting future disability pay for tinnitus and sleep apnea. That split the largest veteran groups down the middle. A separate bill would add $833 a month for the most severely disabled veterans, and it now waits in the Senate. The VA, meanwhile, declined to back a bill that would require private doctors to report when a veteran dies by suicide. Most of those deaths happen outside VA walls, where no rule tracks them.

The job market added a new worry. Unemployment for post-9/11 veterans rose in June, and federal layoffs hit veterans first because so many work in government jobs. That thread runs close to home. Many troops leaving the service pass through Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington, and a slower market means a longer search. A Hawaii National Guard officer even sued United Airlines, saying the company ignored the law that protects a service member's civilian job.

Two more stories rounded out the week. TSA began a program to help veterans get through airport security, and Alaska broke ground on the nation's northernmost veterans cemetery. Put together, the week showed a system trying to open more doors while its leaders argue over the cost. Here is what happened.

VA Reports 200,000 New Health Care Enrollees

The VA says more than 200,000 veterans have enrolled in VA health care since January. It announced the figure on July 9 and plans more than 140 outreach events this summer under a push called "Freedom 250." The effort targets veterans who assume they earn too much or that VA care is only for combat wounds. Enrolling does not require a service-connected disability, and eligibility can turn on service history and income, so the VA says it is worth checking even if you were turned down years ago.

Sources: VA News: https://news.va.gov/press-room/va-welcomes-200000-new-healthcare-enrollees-so-far-in-2026/ VA News: https://news.va.gov/press-room/va-benefits-claims-backlog-drops-below-70k-for-first-time-since-2020/

VA Paid $36 Billion for Care Outside the VA Last Year

The VA paid more than $36 billion in fiscal 2025 so veterans could see local doctors, hospitals, and clinics through its Community Care program. About 8.62 million veterans are enrolled, making it the fourth largest health care payer in the country. A newer law, the Elizabeth Dole Act, lets veterans and their VA doctors choose community care when it fits the veteran's best interest or when a VA wait or drive runs too long. Texas, Florida, and California led the spending, and veterans can check their own state's total on the VA's community care page.

Sources: The American Legion: https://www.legion.org/information-center/news/veterans-healthcare/2026/july/va-community-care-contributed-more-than-36-billion-to-local-economies-in-fiscal-2025 The Desert Review: https://www.thedesertreview.com/news/va-reports-36-billion-in-community-care-payments-in-fiscal-2025/article_935314b6-5ea1-4906-8249-eb57f49777c0.html

VA Pilot Brings Care Closer to Rural Veterans

The VA started a pilot that places medical residents at five rural sites, including clinics in New Mexico, Arizona, and Wyoming. For many rural veterans, distance is the biggest barrier to care. So far, 34 residents have treated 1,440 patients, and much of the work happens near the Navajo Nation, where doctors even run a "street medicine" effort that drives supplies to people who cannot reach a clinic. The pilot runs through 2031, and the VA says what it learns will shape whether the program grows.

Sources: VA News: https://news.va.gov/148097/bringing-care-closer-home-rural-veterans/

Veterans Groups Split Over a Bill That Cuts Tinnitus and Sleep Apnea Pay

The largest veterans groups are fighting each other over the Take Care of America's Veterans Act. The bill bundles 62 separate measures into one package. To pay for new benefits for seriously sick and injured veterans, it would cut future disability pay for tinnitus and sleep apnea by as much as $57 billion over 10 years. That could affect an estimated 1.5 million veterans. The American Legion and Wounded Warrior Project back the package, while the VFW and Disabled American Veterans lead the opposition. No vote has been scheduled, and no check has changed yet.

Sources: Stars and Stripes: https://www.stripes.com/veterans/2026-07-06/take-care-of-americas-veterans-act-22193190.html Stars and Stripes: https://www.stripes.com/veterans/2026-06-16/62-bills-take-care-of-americas-veterans-act-21984426.html

A Bill Would Add $833 a Month for Severely Disabled Veterans

The House passed a bill that would add about $833 a month for the most severely disabled veterans, and it now sits in the Senate. The money would go to veterans who already receive Aid and Attendance, a benefit for those who cannot bathe, dress, or feed themselves without help. The bill carries the names of two military families, including that of an Army sergeant whose family has cared for him around the clock for 20 years. If it becomes law, payments would begin in December 2026. More than 20 veteran groups support it.

Sources: House Committee on Veterans' Affairs: https://veterans.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=7920 Congressional Budget Office: https://www.cbo.gov/publication/62209 Congress.gov (H.R. 6047): https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/6047

VA Declines to Back Bill Requiring Private Providers to Report Veteran Suicides

The VA told Congress on June 30 that it does not support a bill requiring private doctors to report when a veteran dies by suicide or attempts it in their care. This matters because most veterans who die by suicide are treated outside the VA, where no reporting rule exists. The Fostering TRUST Act would close that gap, but the VA said forcing community providers to report could push some to leave the program. The bill sits with the House Veterans' Affairs Committee. Veterans in crisis can reach the Veterans Crisis Line by dialing 988 and pressing 1.

Sources: The American Prospect: https://prospect.org/2026/07/02/va-ignores-veteran-suicides-in-private-facilities/ Rep. Dave Min press release: https://min.house.gov/media/press-releases/reps-min-and-fitzpatrick-introduce-bipartisan-fostering-trust-act-strengthen Fostering TRUST Act (H.R. 9018): https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/9018/text

Veteran Unemployment Rose in June as Hiring Slowed

The jobless rate for post-9/11 veterans rose from 4.1% in May to 4.8% in June. The country added just 57,000 jobs that month, about half of what analysts expected. Veterans have an extra reason to watch these numbers, since they have made up about 30% of the federal workforce. That workforce shrank by nearly 10% between September 2024 and December 2025, and the VA alone cut about 28,000 jobs in 2025. Many troops leaving the service pass through bases like Joint Base Lewis-McChord, where a slower market means a longer job search.

Sources: Military Times: https://www.militarytimes.com/military-honor/2026/07/03/unemployment-for-post-911-veterans-climbs-in-june-as-nations-job-market-slides/ Bureau of Labor Statistics: https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/empsit_07022026.htm Center on Budget and Policy Priorities: https://www.cbpp.org/blog/veterans-have-borne-trump-administrations-deep-cuts-to-federal-personnel

National Guard Officer Sues United Airlines Over Job Rights

A Hawaii Army National Guard officer, Warrant Officer Nathan Rogers, sued United Airlines in federal court. He says the company broke the law that protects a service member's civilian job, known as USERRA, and the Family and Medical Leave Act. Rogers says United denied him a 14-day window to report back after active duty and refused to count his military time toward family leave when his wife had pregnancy complications. United declined to comment. The case is a reminder that job protections only work when service members know their rights and press for them.

Sources: Stars and Stripes: https://www.stripes.com/theaters/us/2026-07-08/lawsuit-national-guard-soldier-united-airlines-22213889.html

TSA Adds Veterans Ambassadors at Airport Security

TSA began a Veterans Ambassador Initiative in early July to help veterans get through airport security. The ambassadors are officers with extra training who can help a veteran who uses a wheelchair, wears a prosthetic limb, or lives with PTSD. The program launched during one of the busiest travel stretches of the year. Veterans who want this help should call the TSA Cares line at (855) 787-2227 at least 72 hours before a flight. Some disabled veterans also qualify for free TSA PreCheck.

Sources: Transportation Security Administration: https://www.tsa.gov/news/press/releases/2026/06/25/tsa-prepared-screen-nearly-187-million-air-travelers-fourth-july Stars and Stripes: https://www.stripes.com/veterans/2026-06-23/veterans-faster-airport-screenings-22058168.html TSA PreCheck, VETS Safe Travel Act: https://www.tsa.gov/precheck/military/vets-safe

Alaska Breaks Ground on the Nation's Northernmost Veterans Cemetery

Alaska broke ground on its first state-run veterans cemetery, which will be the northernmost in the country. The Interior Alaska Veterans Cemetery will sit in Salcha, about 30 miles south of Fairbanks. A VA grant of about $16.7 million is paying for the work, and the cemetery will offer the same burial honors as a national cemetery. Officials say it will serve up to 12,000 veterans and family members. Supporters worked toward it for nearly 20 years, and the first burials could begin in the spring of 2028.

Sources: Stars and Stripes: https://www.stripes.com/veterans/2026-07-03/5-things-medal-of-honor-fireworks-alaska-veterans-cemetery-22151252.html Fairbanks Daily News-Miner: https://www.newsminer.com/news/local_news/salcha-veterans-cemetery-funded-for-16-7m-set-for-construction/article_169f3b30-d7e1-49c9-90f4-b2b320ab28a1.html Military.com: https://www.military.com/daily-news/2025/09/26/alaskas-first-state-run-cemetery-veterans-set-open-interior-2027.html

Nine of these ten stories touch benefits, health care, or jobs, the parts of veteran life that get decided in Washington and felt at the kitchen table. Watch the Senate on the $833 bill and the tinnitus fight, because both could reshape veteran pay for years.

This week’s veteran news came down to one question. Who gets the benefits they earned, and who gets shut out? The VA said it has signed up 200,000 new veterans for health care this year. In the same week, Congress looked at veterans who lose their benefits because of the way they left the service.

The two stories pull in opposite directions. The VA is pushing hard to bring unenrolled veterans in the door. Its summer campaign has already led to hundreds of thousands of visits, including tens of thousands for mental health. But a “bad paper” discharge can lock a veteran out of that same care for life. Lawmakers met this week to ask how to fix that.

Money was the third thread. New Post-9/11 GI Bill rates take effect August 1. The cap the VA pays for tuition goes up, and the housing and book payments change too. For veterans and their families using school benefits, the new numbers set what the coming year is worth.

For veterans across Washington and the rest of the Pacific Northwest, all three stories matter. They shape who can see a doctor, who can go back to school, and who gets a second look after a discharge that never told the whole story.

VA Signs Up 200,000 New Health Care Enrollees This Year

The VA says more than 200,000 veterans have enrolled in VA health care so far in 2026. It announced the number on July 9, along with a summer campaign aimed at veterans who never signed up. The new enrollees have already booked or finished more than 500,000 visits, and more than 60,000 of those were mental health appointments. To reach veterans who have not used its care, the VA is holding more than 140 “Freedom 250” events at its hospitals and Vet Centers this summer. Veterans can call 1-800-698-2241 or visit choose.va.gov to check if they qualify.

Sources:VA News: https://news.va.gov/press-room/va-welcomes-200000-new-healthcare-enrollees-so-far-in-2026/

Congress Looks at ‘Bad Paper’ Discharges That Cost Veterans Their Benefits

Rep. Mark Takano led a roundtable in Washington on July 15 on “bad paper” military discharges and the benefits veterans lose because of them. A bad paper discharge is any separation that is less than fully honorable. It can cost a veteran automatic access to VA health care, GI Bill tuition help, and disability pay, even when the illness or injury started during service. Veterans often get these discharges for reasons tied to their service, such as PTSD, a brain injury, or military sexual trauma. Groups like Swords to Plowshares, the VFW, and the American Legion joined the table to look at how the Pentagon and the VA could reach more of these veterans. A bad paper discharge does not always shut the door for good. The VA can review the discharge case by case, a veteran can ask a board to upgrade it, and the help to do so is free.

Sources:Stars and Stripes: https://www.stripes.com/veterans/2026-07-10/5-things-bad-paper-discharges,-battle-of-the-bulge-veteran-22231705.htmlCouncil on Criminal Justice: https://counciloncj.org/unwavering-intent-congress-enduring-commitment-to-veterans-benefits/U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs: https://www.benefits.va.gov/benefits/character_of_discharge.aspCCK Law: https://cck-law.com/blog/military-discharge-status-and-what-it-means-for-your-entitlement-to-va-benefits/

New Post-9/11 GI Bill Rates Take Effect August 1

New Post-9/11 GI Bill rates take effect August 1, 2026. The most the VA pays for tuition at private and foreign schools rises 3.3 percent. It goes from $29,920.95 to $30,908.34 for the year. The housing allowance changes on the same day, and the VA still pays up to $1,000 a year for books and supplies. The new rates run through July 31, 2027. They cover public colleges, private and foreign schools, and non-degree programs like truck driving, HVAC repair, and EMT training. Veterans with benefits left can look up their exact housing rate using their school’s ZIP code before fall term.

Sources:U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs: https://www.va.gov/education/benefit-rates/post-9-11-gi-bill-rates/future-rates/Military.com: https://www.military.com/education/gi-bill/gi-bill-rates.html

Together, the week’s stories trace the full path of a veteran benefit. It has to be offered, it has to be reachable, and it has to be worth something when the veteran finally uses it.

This week the VA spent a lot of energy trying to show it can be trusted. Two of the biggest stories started with watchdog reports. The VA pulled its police under one command after investigators found weak security at hospitals. It also released a public list of 367 artificial intelligence systems it now runs, while a federal watchdog asked for proof those tools actually work.

The pattern is clear. The VA is growing and changing fast. Outside reviewers want records they can check, not just promises. “Show me, don’t just tell me” is how one watchdog put it. For veterans, the stakes are personal. These are the systems that read scans, move claims, and guard the hospital door.

The Pacific Northwest sat near the center of the week too. The Army merged two units at Joint Base Lewis-McChord into a new command built for a fight in the Pacific. Commissary home delivery is rolling out to every store in the country, which helps disabled veterans who cannot get to a base. And the Veterans Fire Corps is recruiting young veterans for wildfire work, a danger the region knows well.

Taken together, the week shows two things at once. Big institutions are under pressure to do better. And new paths keep opening for veterans who want to keep serving. Here are the stories.

Commissary Home Delivery Is Expanding to Every U.S. Store

The Defense Commissary Agency is bringing doorstep grocery delivery to all 178 commissaries in the United States. The rollout started June 22 and should reach every store by the end of September. Anyone who can shop at a commissary and lives within 20 miles can use the service, and that group includes veterans with a service-connected disability rating, Purple Heart recipients, and certain caregivers. The fee runs from $17.75 to $31.25 depending on distance, and overseas stores are not part of the plan for now.

Sources:

Military Times: https://www.militarytimes.com/pay-benefits/mil-money/2026/06/17/doorstep-grocery-delivery-expanding-to-all-us-commissaries-soon/

Defense Commissary Agency: https://shop.commissaries.com/my-store/store-locator

Army Stands Up New Pacific Command at JBLM

On June 18, the Army merged the 7th Infantry Division and the 1st Multi-Domain Task Force at Joint Base Lewis-McChord. The new unit is called the 7th Infantry Division Multi-Domain Command, Pacific, and about 12,000 soldiers fall under it. It blends two Stryker brigades with drones, cyber attacks, long-range fires, and electronic warfare. The command is built to punch through enemy defenses in the Pacific and to counter China’s military buildup in the region.

Sources:

Task & Purpose: https://taskandpurpose.com/news/army-7th-infantry-multi-domain-pacific/

VA Reports It Now Uses 367 AI Systems Across Veterans’ Care and Benefits

The VA now runs 367 artificial intelligence systems, according to its own 2025 AI Inventory. About 215 are marked high-impact, which means they touch decisions or services that affect veterans directly. Some draft medical notes during exams, others help fill out toxic exposure forms, and more than 50,000 staff use commercial tools like Microsoft Copilot. The Government Accountability Office and the Veterans of Foreign Wars want stronger proof that the systems stay accurate after they go live.

Sources:

Military Times: https://www.militarytimes.com/veterans/2026/06/23/va-inventory-report-reveals-367-ai-systems-operating-in-healthcare-benefits-and-services/

VA AI Use Case Inventory: https://department.va.gov/ai/ai-use-case-inventory/

VA Moves to Fix Its Police Force After Safety Reports

On June 24, the VA announced it will pull its more than 5,000 officers under one chain of command. The change follows years of watchdog reports on weak security and short staffing. Investigators checked 30 sites this spring and found only two had metal detectors, and one of those did not work. The VA is also raising starting pay to the GS-6 grade and expects the reorganization to finish by October.

Sources:

VA News: https://news.va.gov/press-room/va-fixes-police-force-boosting-safety-for-veterans-families-staff/

Military Times: https://www.militarytimes.com/veterans/2026/06/25/following-reports-of-staff-shortages-and-safety-concerns-va-to-centralize-its-police-force/

Veterans Fire Corps Is Recruiting Younger Veterans to Fight Wildfires

The VA is pointing veterans toward the Veterans Fire Corps, which trains former service members for wildland firefighting and conservation work. The fall crew runs from September 7 to December 17 and is based at New River Gorge National Park in West Virginia. It is open to veterans ages 18 to 35, pays $900 a week, and includes lodging and certifications like a Wildland Fire Red Card. To qualify, a veteran needs a DD-214 or NGB-22 and must pass a timed 3-mile hike carrying a 45-pound pack.

Sources:

VA News: https://news.va.gov/147659/veteran-fire-corps-recruiting/

Stars and Stripes: https://www.stripes.com/veterans/2026-06-26/veterans-5-things-firefighting-hidden-camera-identifications-22090007.html

One week, five stories, and a single thread running through them. Veterans are being asked to trust big systems, and those systems are being asked to earn it.

This week’s stories share a thread. Much of the news was about protecting what veterans have already earned. The VA reopened a program to help veterans keep their homes. It warned about a mail scam built to drain benefits. And a bill in Congress aims to stop survivors from losing payments when they remarry.

Housing showed up twice. The VA’s new partial claim program gives veterans behind on their loans a way to catch up and avoid foreclosure. At Joint Base Lewis-McChord, a brand-new neighborhood opened for military families. One story is about keeping a home. The other is about building one.

The week also made room for recognition. Three service members received the Medal of Honor at the White House. NASCAR raced on a Navy base for the first time. Both moments landed during the run-up to the country’s 250th birthday.

For readers in the Pacific Northwest, the news from JBLM hits close to home. The bigger picture stayed steady all week. Veterans earned these benefits and this respect through service. The work now is making sure neither slips away.

VA Reopens Foreclosure Help for Veterans Behind on Home Loans

The VA opened its new partial claim program on June 15. It helps veterans who fall behind on a VA-backed loan bring the mortgage current and keep their home. The VA covers the missed amount as a second lien with no monthly payment, due only when the veteran sells, refinances, or pays off the loan. The big win is that veterans keep their original low interest rate instead of resetting to today’s higher one. Veterans who are behind can call their loan servicer or the VA Regional Loan Center at 877-827-3702 for free guidance.

Sources:

Stars and Stripes: https://www.stripes.com/veterans/2026-06-05/veterans-5-things-home-loans-nascar-revolutionary-war-21881701.html

Military.com: https://www.military.com/benefits/vas-foreclosure-prevention-tool-back-heres-how-partial-claim-program-works.html

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs: https://www.va.gov/housing-assistance/home-loans/trouble-making-payments/

VA Warns Veterans About Fake “Veterans Savings Program” Postcards

The VA posted a scam alert on June 10 about official-looking postcards stamped “Veterans Savings Program.” The cards promise extra benefits and push you to call a toll-free number within days. The real goal is to pull out your Social Security number, bank details, or other private information. The VA says it never adds bonus money to your checks through an unsolicited postcard. To check whether a message is real, call the VA at 1-800-827-1000, and report fraud at VSAFE.gov or 1-833-38V-SAFE.

Sources:

VA News: https://news.va.gov/147334/veterans-savings-program-postcard-scam/

Stars and Stripes: https://www.stripes.com/veterans/2026-06-12/veterans-5-things-fifa-tickets-scam-alert-veteran-politics-21947433.html

Military Officers Association of America: https://www.moaa.org/content/publications-and-media/news-articles/2026-news-articles/finance/veterans-savings-program-postcard-scam-hits-multiple-states/

A Bill in Congress Would End the Remarriage Penalty for Military Survivors

The Love Lives On Act would let surviving spouses keep their survivor payments no matter when they remarry. Under current law, a spouse who remarries before age 55 can lose Dependency and Indemnity Compensation and risk Survivor Benefit Plan payments too. The rule hits young families hardest, since many post-9/11 survivors are in their late 20s or 30s and raising children alone. The bill now sits inside the larger Take Care of America’s Veterans Act, though lawmakers still need to agree on how to pay for it before a full vote.

Sources:

Stars and Stripes: https://www.stripes.com/veterans/2026-06-16/62-bills-take-care-of-americas-veterans-act-21984426.html

Military Officers Association of America: https://www.moaa.org/content/publications-and-media/news-articles/2026-news-articles/advocacy/this-bill-would-support-grieving-military-families.-it-has-reached-new-milestones-in-congress/

Military.com: https://www.military.com/feature/2026/04/18/love-lives-act-and-debate-over-survivor-benefits-and-remarriage.html

NASCAR Heads to a Navy Base, and Ford Plans a Veterans Day Race

NASCAR raced on an active U.S. military base for the first time this weekend at Naval Base Coronado near San Diego. Familiar names came back for it, including seven-time champion Jimmie Johnson, who ran the Friday truck race on the custom street course. Ford and NASCAR also announced a new Veterans Day exhibition race, the Proud To Honor Veterans Day Classic, set for Nov. 11 to honor all six branches of the military. Organizers say they hope to take the idea to other bases over time.

Sources:

USA TODAY Sports: https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nascar/2026/06/17/ford-nascar-veterans-day-race-military-exhibition-mustang-navy/90596963007/

Yahoo Sports: https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/ford-nascar-partner-veterans-day-010043899.html

Three Service Members Receive the Medal of Honor at the White House

President Trump presented the Medal of Honor to three service members on June 18 in the East Room. Two were Vietnam Marines, retired Maj. James Capers Jr. and the late Col. John Ripley, and one was Army Maj. Nicholas Dockery from the war in Afghanistan. For Capers and Ripley, recognition came more than 50 years after the fights that earned it. Their stories show how long valor can wait to be honored, even when the men who served beside them never forgot.

Sources:

Stars and Stripes (Medal of Honor ceremony): https://www.stripes.com/history/2026-06-18/2-marines-1-soldier-medal-of-honor-22008436.html

Stars and Stripes (Capers background): https://www.stripes.com/history/2026-03-05/senate-medal-of-honor-marine-james-capers-20962523.html

JBLM Opens a New Family Housing Community at Lewis North

Joint Base Lewis-McChord opened a new neighborhood called Meriwether Landing this week, and the first family moved in on June 19. The $130 million project will bring 212 four-bedroom duplexes, with more than 200 families expected by the end of 2027. Officials framed it as a fix for years of complaints about mold, pests, and slow repairs in privatized base housing. Rep. Marilyn Strickland, who pushed for the homes, called the opening “just the beginning.”

Sources:

Joint Base Lewis-McChord Public Affairs (Army.mil): https://www.army.mil/article/293350/jblm_opens_new_housing_community

Taken together, the week was about keeping promises, whether that meant a home, a benefit, or a medal that waited more than 50 years.

This week the VA kept coming back to one word. Faster. It sped up how it buys prosthetic limbs, cleared two million disability claims ahead of schedule, and switched on a new health record system at four more hospitals. Each of those is real good news for veterans who have waited too long for care or a decision.

But speed was only half of the week’s story. The rest asked a harder question. Is the system fair? A report ordered by Congress found the VA denies sexual trauma claims more often than combat claims. A federal court agreed to weigh a deal that could reopen tens of thousands of appeals the VA closed years ago. And lawmakers moved to shut down companies that charge veterans for help that is already free.

The biggest fight of the week was over money. Congress packed more than 60 veterans bills into one giant package. Many of those bills would help veterans right away. The catch is the plan to pay for them, which would cut future ratings for tinnitus and sleep apnea. Major veterans groups are pushing back hard.

Closer to home, an Oregon lawmaker helped lead the push against the so-called claim sharks. Put it all together and the week showed a VA that is moving quicker on the basics, while Congress and the courts wrestle with who the system still leaves behind.

VA Says It Cleared 2 Million Disability Claims Faster Than Ever

The VA processed more than two million disability claims this fiscal year and hit that mark by June 1, earlier than ever before. The average wait to finish a claim dropped to about 79 days, down from more than 141 days in early 2025. The backlog has fallen below 75,000, the smallest it has been since 2020. Faster decisions do not change whether a claim is approved, and veterans in some busy states still wait longer than the national average.

Sources:

VA News: https://news.va.gov/press-room/va-processes-2m-disability-benefits-claims-in-record-time-again/

Stars and Stripes: https://www.stripes.com/veterans/2026-03-16/va-drops-plan-to-scan-old-claims-21089238.html

VA Cuts the Wait for Veterans Who Need Prosthetic Limbs

The VA changed how it buys prosthetic limbs, and it expects the average wait to fall from 94 days to 54 days. On April 22, Secretary Doug Collins exempted about 95 percent of limb orders from an extra contracting review. More than 45,000 veterans rely on the VA each year for limb loss care. Wait times have already dropped by 10 days under the new process.

Sources:

VA News: https://news.va.gov/press-room/va-speeds-up-delivery-of-prosthetic-limbs-to-veterans/

The American Legion: https://www.legion.org/information-center/news/veterans-healthcare/2026/june/va-speeds-up-delivery-of-prosthetic-limbs-to-veterans

VA Expands New Electronic Health Record to Four More Hospitals

On June 6 the VA turned on its new Federal Electronic Health Record at four hospitals in Ohio and Kentucky, reaching about 107,000 veterans. The system is built to share records across the VA, the Department of War, and private hospitals, so a veteran’s history can follow them from place to place. It also carries a record that tracks toxic exposures, which can help decide related disability claims. The project has a rocky past, and more sites in Indiana, Alaska, and Cleveland are due later this year.

Sources:

VA News: https://news.va.gov/press-room/va-deploys-new-electronic-health-record-system-to-four-more-sites-in-ohio-kentucky/

VA News: https://news.va.gov/147004/veteran-care-will-improve-federal-ehr-updates/

VA Expands a Drug-Free Virtual Reality Pain Program for Veterans

The VA added a virtual reality therapy for chronic pain, called RelieVRx, to its Federal Supply Schedule, so any VA provider can now prescribe it. The eight-week home program blends cognitive behavioral therapy, mindfulness, and pain education to help veterans manage pain without more medication. The VA has placed more than 4,700 VR headsets across over 170 sites, and nearly half of its medical centers have already used the program. It is not a cure, but it gives veterans one more option that does not start with a pill.

Sources:

DAV: https://www.dav.org/learn-more/news/2026/virtual-reality-pain-treatment-expands-for-veterans/

VA News: https://news.va.gov/144672/relievrx-offers-hope-veterans-chronic-pain/

Report Finds VA Denies Military Sexual Trauma Claims More Often Than Combat Claims

A report from the National Academies, ordered by Congress and released June 3, found the VA denies military sexual trauma claims more often than combat claims. One study it cited put the denial rate at 27.6 percent for sexual trauma claims and 18.2 percent for combat claims. The gap comes down to proof, because many survivors never filed a report at the time. The report urges Congress to let the VA accept a veteran’s own account as evidence.

Sources:

Task & Purpose: https://taskandpurpose.com/news/va-mst-claims-report/

National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine: https://www.nationalacademies.org/news/va-congress-urged-to-improve-process-for-evaluating-disabilities-related-to-military-sexual-trauma-in-new-report

Court Sets August Hearing on Deal That Could Reopen Thousands of Closed VA Appeals

A federal veterans court will hold a fairness hearing on August 13 in Freund v. Collins, a class action over appeals the VA closed as untimely. Under the proposed deal, the VA would hand-check 28,258 closed files and reopen any case with a timely appeal inside. It would also mail notices to as many as 64,599 other claimants, who can then ask for a review. Class members do not have to act right now, and the court plans to livestream the hearing.

Sources:

VA News: https://news.va.gov/147326/freund-v-collins-fairness-hearing-scheduled/

VA Office of General Counsel: https://news.va.gov/146172/notice-proposed-settlement-substantive-appeals/

Lawmakers Move to Stop ‘Claim Sharks’ From Charging Veterans for Free Help

A bipartisan group introduced the SAFEGUARD Veterans Act on June 2 to stop unaccredited companies from charging veterans for claims help that is free. Reps. Janelle Bynum of Oregon and Chris Pappas of New Hampshire led the House effort, with a matching Senate bill from Sen. Richard Blumenthal. The bill would restore criminal penalties, ban robocalls that pull claims data from VA call centers, and give veterans a way to report scammers. Five major veterans groups back it, and it now heads to committee in both chambers.

Sources:

Rep. Janelle Bynum press release: https://bynum.house.gov/media/press-releases/bynum-introduces-bipartisan-comprehensive-bill-crack-down-claim-sharks

WSAW (Gray Media): https://www.wsaw.com/2026/06/03/sen-baldwin-backs-bill-targeting-claims-sharks-who-scam-veterans-seeking-va-benefits/

Congress Bundles 60 Veterans Bills Into One Package, but the Funding Plan Splits Veteran Groups

House and Senate Republican leaders introduced the Take Care of America’s Veterans Act on June 11, a 554-page bill that bundles more than 60 separate measures. The headline item, the Major Richard Star Act, would let about 54,000 combat injured retirees collect both retirement pay and VA disability pay in full. The fight is over how to pay for it, since the plan would change future ratings for tinnitus and sleep apnea. Groups like the DAV and VFW say the cut could reach $57 billion over ten years and warn it would hurt future veterans.

Sources:

Stars and Stripes: https://www.stripes.com/veterans/2026-06-11/major-veterans-legislation-60-bills-21939097.html

Military.com: https://www.military.com/historic-veterans-package-rolls-60-bills-into-one-congressional-push-for-veterans-and-military-families

The VA spent the week pointing to shorter waits and smaller backlogs. The harder question, raised in Congress and the courts, is whether the system treats every veteran fairly.

This week’s episode covers a busy stretch of veteran news. The biggest theme is speed. The VA cut the wait for prosthetic limbs, opened a drug-free virtual reality pain program to every VA provider, and switched on its new health record at four more hospitals in Ohio and Kentucky. We talk through what each change means in practice, including the prosthetics wait dropping from 94 days to a projected 54.

We also dig into the VA’s new clinical trial of MDMA-assisted therapy for veterans with both PTSD and alcohol addiction. It is a small study, 80 veterans at two sites, but it sits inside a much larger federal push. The VA now runs 19 other trials on psychedelic therapies. We cover what the trial does, what it does not, and why the VA is warning veterans not to self-medicate in the meantime.

Then the episode turns to two fights over trust. Congress introduced the SAFEGUARD Veterans Act, a bipartisan bill that would restore criminal penalties for “claim sharks,” companies that charge veterans for claims help that is already free. And two Pulitzer-winning journalists sued the Pentagon, saying new rules strip Stars and Stripes of the editorial independence Congress built to protect it.

We close with remembrance. Twenty-nine World War II veterans returned to Normandy for the 82nd anniversary of D-Day, where 107-year-old Navy veteran Art Rose read the letter he sent his parents in June 1944. And here in Washington, the state marks Women Veterans Day on Friday, June 12, honoring more than 60,000 women veterans who call this state home.

Every story in the episode comes from the week’s reporting, and the source links are in this week’s written roundup. If you only have a few minutes, the prosthetics change and the claim sharks bill are the two segments most likely to affect a veteran you know.