Vets on the Hill 2023 is in the books! This year, we brought nearly 50 staff members and volunteers from all over the country to lobby on Capitol Hill. For three days, these veterans and military family members met with members of Congress to share their stories — from the battlefield to the transition out... Read more »

The post Vets on the Hill 2023: Who we met with, and who is a champion for veterans appeared first on Concerned Veterans for America.

Memorial Day is a sacred day in the United States, especially for those in the military. Russ Duerstine, a veteran himself and father to a combat veteran, spends Memorial Day reflecting on what it costs to keep our nation safe. “Memorial Day is a reminder of what the oath to serve means, the cost of... Read more »

The post Watch: Memorial Day is a reminder of the cost of freedom and ‘responsibility to steward that freedom well’ appeared first on Concerned Veterans for America.

Veterans should not be used as political pawns, but unfortunately not everyone in Washington, DC is on board with that.  In a recent piece in the Daily Caller, CVA Deputy Director John Byrnes calls out the White House and certain members of Congress for spreading misinformation about the recently passed Limit, Save, Grow Act.   House... Read more »

The post Stop using veterans as political pawns and take actual health care reform steps appeared first on Concerned Veterans for America.

March marked 20 years since the start of the Iraq War and May marked another anniversary in the timeline of the war. Twenty years ago, President George W. Bush gave his infamous “Mission Accomplished” speech in which he celebrated “victory” in the war and announced “major combat operations in Iraq have ended” all in front... Read more »

The post 20 years after ‘Mission Accomplished’, our leaders can finally end the wars in Iraq appeared first on Concerned Veterans for America.

What happens when the Department of Veterans Affairs tried to keep control of a veteran’s health care delivery instead of letting him find better care in the community? In CVA Strategic Director Nate Banks’ case, his mental and physical health suffer.  United States Navy veteran Nate Banks sat down with Jeff Crank for another episode... Read more »

The post #VAFail: Colorado veteran tells his story about the VA blocking his needed surgery appeared first on Concerned Veterans for America.

Veterans need access to timely, quality medical care for their unique needs. Thanks to a newly re-introduced bill, expanded access to care could soon be a reality for millions of veterans who use the Department of Veterans Affairs for their health care delivery and benefits. The Veterans Health Care Freedom Act, introduced in the Senate... Read more »

The post Reintroduced Veterans Health Care Freedom Act would expand health care choice and remove barriers to care at the VA appeared first on Concerned Veterans for America.

Veterans deserve more choice in their health care, but the Department of Veterans Affairs stands firm in denying them the right to choose what’s best for them. Recently, The Hill published a compelling op-ed by Darin Selnick, a senior advisor for Concerned Veterans for America and an Air Force veteran, in which he argues that... Read more »

The post Demanding accountability: How Congress can protect health care choice for veterans appeared first on Concerned Veterans for America.

You might think behavior like “creating a hostile work environment” or “treating staff as personal assistants” or forcing “subordinates to buy lunches and handle transportation to and from work” would be enough to get an employee fired from his or her job.  But when it comes to the Department of Veterans Affairs, you’d be wrong. ... Read more »

The post #VAFail: The VA can fire its poorly performing staff. So why isn’t it? appeared first on Concerned Veterans for America.

In a recent episode of the American Potential podcast, CVA Executive Director Russ Duerstine spoke about the work CVA is doing to reform the Department of Veterans Affairs and hold the VA accountable for the way it cares for veterans. Russ spoke in depth about the rampant appointment wait time manipulation happening at the VA... Read more »

The post CVA’s Russ Duerstine joins American Potential podcast to discuss VA reforms appeared first on Concerned Veterans for America.

Last year, Vietnam veteran Rayford Hill was denied clinically proven treatment for his chronic pain from his local Department of Veterans Affairs facility. The pain for too much for Rayford to bear, so a few weeks after he was denied the treatment he sought, he planned his own funeral and took his own life. Rep.... Read more »

The post #VAFail: Veteran takes his own life after being denied treatment for chronic pain. Rep. Greg Steube and CVA speak out. appeared first on Concerned Veterans for America.