MESA — Cuts to the Department of Veterans Affairs have already impacted Arizona-based employees, and more cuts are planned for later this year. Those cuts have veterans at the American Legion Post #26 concerned about their access to benefits.
David Dunn is the Post Commander there and a veteran of the Army who was stationed in Iraq twice.
"We support the community as much as we can," Dunn said. "I was in the Army National Guard right here in Arizona for 29 years. It's been very rewarding."
Dunn tries to keep his community informed as much as possible. Inside the post are two big bulletin boards with information for veterans, including the latest updates coming from the VA. One of the documents has information on planned workforce reductions for the VA.
The VA has already cut some staff in Arizona, and more cuts are planned for the future. A VA memo says under the direction of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and President Trump, their workforce must be cut down by 80,000 employees.
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Cuts could impact the care of post members like Doc Brumme, who served as a Combat Medic in Vietnam. Brumme is disabled and says he gets all of his health care from the VA.
“I’m concerned about all of the things that are happening," Brumme said. "My medical, all of my prescriptions, the VA is number one in my book.”
He says he is also worried about the people and medical staff who take care of him.
“I was just down at the VA for an appointment, I was asking them, are you concerned about your job?”
VA Secretary Doug Collins says cuts to the VA won’t impact veteran benefits.
“They can do hypotheticals all they want, the reality is veterans' benefits aren’t being cut," Collins said.
Post Commander Dunn says the employees who give the benefits to veterans are just as important as the benefits themselves.
“It’s a trust you gain with your VA doctor, therapist, or whoever it may be. To have that pulled away, it’s like, what do I do now?"
Dunn says, if cuts have to come, veterans shouldn’t be the ones who are most impacted.
“These people served our country, signed a blank check, up to and including their life. So let’s take care of these individuals. Don’t bite the hand that has fed you," Dunn said.
The Department of Veterans Affairs is supposed to publish its “reorganization plan” in June.
VA Press Secretary Pete Kasperowicz shared the following statement with ABC15:
"We’ve put out a target number and set up a structure for beginning the planning process of reforming the department, but we haven’t made any of those personnel changes yet.
"We’re going to run through a deliberative process and find ways to improve care and benefits for Veterans without cutting care and benefits for Veterans.
"We’re not talking about reducing medical staff or claims processors, we’re talking about reducing bureaucracy and inefficiencies that are getting in the way of customer convenience and service to veterans."
