Wichita Standard

The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) has issued a call to the Administration to halt what it describes as indiscriminate mass firings of veterans within the federal workforce. This appeal follows actions by VA Secretary Doug Collins, who recently terminated additional VA employees, adding to over 1,000 terminations earlier this month. The VFW represents 1.4 million veterans nationwide.

VFW National Commander Al Lipphardt expressed concern over these developments: "Ten days ago, I shared the Veterans of Foreign Wars’ (VFW) concerns for the news of mass lay-offs coming out of our nation’s capital," he said. He highlighted that many affected are not new employees but experienced individuals who have served both in uniform and civil service.

Lipphardt warned about the potential consequences: "There are bigger ramifications in firing veterans than just faceless workers being let go." He noted that the loss includes technical expertise and security clearances funded by taxpayers. Lipphardt also pointed out that gainful employment is crucial for veteran well-being and suicide prevention.

He criticized the manner in which these terminations were conducted: “It has been reported to us from veterans who have lost their jobs that the emails they received letting them go were disjointed, and inconsistent across the board." Lipphardt emphasized that human judgment should be involved in such decisions rather than automated processes.

Lipphardt announced plans to testify before Congress on March 4th, urging lawmakers to stop these indiscriminate firings: "I want to see hats in the hallways of our Capitol as our legislative committee members engage with lawmakers."

This statement aligns with sentiments from Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee Ranking Member Richard Blumenthal and other Democratic lawmakers, who also oppose these terminations. Blumenthal stated: “Doug Collins continues to put the interests of veterans last with additional indiscriminate firings of VA employees who serve veterans."

Blumenthal criticized Collins' actions for damaging trust and impacting recruitment at VA facilities. Last week, Blumenthal led a group calling for reinstatement of over 1,000 terminated employees critical to veteran services.

Veterans or VA employees affected by these changes are encouraged to contact relevant committees for support.