This weekend marks seven years since the Phoenix VA scandal came to light. In 2014, news broke revealing veterans were being kept on secret appointment wait lists at VA medical facilities in order to manipulate and hide actual wait times.  In the years that followed, accountability and access reforms have improved conditions for veterans using the VA... Read more »

The post Seven years after Phoenix scandal, VA is failing veterans by not fully implementing the MISSION Act appeared first on Concerned Veterans for America.

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit last year, the Department of Veterans Affairs was turned on its head. Suddenly, millions of medical appointments were canceled, both at VA facilities and in community care programs. Non-urgent care has yet to get back to normal. A year later, America’s veterans have felt the effects of COVID-19 and canceled... Read more »

The post By the numbers: the impact of canceled appointments at the VA appeared first on Concerned Veterans for America.

Seven years ago, the Phoenix VA Medical Center wait-time scandal exploded, revealing a mismanaged system that was denying timely care to veterans and, in some cases, leaving them to die. If the Department of Veterans Affairs doesn’t act soon to get a handle on the lack of access to community care, the tragedy could happen again,... Read more »

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Concerned Veterans for America has released its 2021 policy agenda , and our grassroots army is hard at work sharing our solutions to the nation’s greatest challenges. This year’s agenda is packed full of ideas for continuing to reform the Department of Veterans Affairs and ensuring veterans receive the care they were promised. We’ve been... Read more »

The post What’s next for VA reform? Policy Director Juliana Heerschap details what’s on the horizon for veterans’ health care. appeared first on Concerned Veterans for America.

In a recent poll, Concerned Veterans for America found veterans and their families are increasingly looking to draw down military engagement around the world.  More than two thirds of veterans, 67 percent, voiced support for withdrawing troops from Afghanistan, up nearly 10 points (8%) from just three years ago. Similarly, 68 percent of veterans support full withdrawal from Iraq.  A majority... Read more »

The post New Poll: Majority of veterans and military families want to end ‘endless wars’ appeared first on Concerned Veterans for America.

To say that 2020 was a different kind of year would be an understatement. We faced unprecedented challenges as a nation. But it has been encouraging to see Americans watch out for each other while adapting to difficult circumstances. Despite these challenges, the men and women who make up the ranks of Concerned Veterans for... Read more »

The post What CVA accomplished in 2020 appeared first on Concerned Veterans for America.

No in-person events in 2020? No problem. Concerned Veterans for America adapted to the challenges of COVID-19 restrictions and regulations with more than 10 policy forums with lawmakers. While we love getting together with our supporters and activists for town halls with their representatives in Congress, 2020 provided us with a unique opportunity to bring... Read more »

The post Despite challenges posed by COVID-19, virtual town halls enabled CVA to engage lawmakers on crucial reforms appeared first on Concerned Veterans for America.

Over the years, the Department of Veterans Affairs and its predecessors have had to adapt to an ever-changing population of veterans. The next four will be no different. As the VA, Congress, and veterans’ advocates seek to improve and innovate, they should keep in mind what General Omar Bradley said when modernizing the post-World War... Read more »

The post Three principles that should guide VA reform over the next four years appeared first on Concerned Veterans for America.

Three months ago, the Department of Veterans Affairs issued guidance that limited veterans’ access to medical appointments through the Community Care Program. Today, that guidance has yet to be rescinded or even clarified as wait times for appointments continue to skyrocket. The latest data from the VA shows a dramatic increase in appointments taking longer... Read more »

The post Appointment wait times dramatically increase as vets stand by for answers on community care appeared first on Concerned Veterans for America.

Bob Phipps comes from a military family. His father was a gunner’s mate in the Navy during World War II. His siblings answered the call to serve, too, with his sister choosing the Army and his brother serving as a Navy SEAL in Vietnam. Bob added a different branch of service to the family legacy,... Read more »

The post The VA MISSION Act made life better for this North Carolina veteran. But restrictions to access mean not all vets will be so fortunate. appeared first on Concerned Veterans for America.