By Donyale Hall in The Sacramento Bee

My father came from humble beginnings in the farmlands of Floyd County, Virginia. As soon as he turned 18, he joined the U.S. Air Force, which shaped 26 years of his life. After my father was honorably discharged as a master sergeant, he moved to Delaware, where he spent years trying to claim the veteran disability benefit checks he had earned.

Like many veterans who gave their lives to military service, he passed away before he could succeed. I’m concerned this sad outcome will happen to many California veterans.

By Armando Castro in SD Rosta

When I came back from Afghanistan, I thought the worst was over. But figuring out how to claim my veterans’ benefits turned out to be another war, one fought with confusing forms, unanswered calls, and endless delays.

For months, I tried to handle it all myself. I called the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) offices, and most of the time, no one answered. I sent in documents, only to be told later they couldn’t find them. Every step seemed designed to wear you down.

By Jeramiah Solven in USA Today

I recently got some good news: The Department of Veterans Affairs finally acknowledged my combat-related post-traumatic stress disorder, a step that will help me get treatment to move forward into the next stage of my life.

The bad news is that it took me more than five years, hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars to get this far. But I’m one of the lucky veterans who navigated the morass of bureaucracy by working with a private company – a resource that could go away for California’s 1.5 million veterans if state lawmakers pass Senate bill 694.

By Irene Dana in DC Journal

California has long been a pioneer in caring for veterans. In 1921, it created a home loan program to help those who served in World War I—more than two decades before the federal VA loan existed. That single policy meant opportunity, dignity and stability for generations of veterans and their families.

That’s why Senate Bill 694, now before the California Senate, is so concerning. Rather than building on that proud legacy, it would restrict who veterans can turn to as they navigate the maze of the Department of Veterans Affairs by banning private consultants entirely, instead of regulating bad actors and placing safeguards so veterans don’t get scammed. For the 1.5 million veterans who call California home, this isn’t progress—it’s a step backward at the very moment when they need better options.

By Julie Ferland in Stars and Stripes

If there’s one thing Americans can agree on, it’s that their local, state and federal government should protect citizens from exploitation and scams. I also believe all levels of government can do a lot more to help vulnerable populations, especially veterans who have some of the highest rates of homelessness and mental health symptoms after serving our country. Proponents of California Senate Bill 694 say the bill will do just that — protecting military families like mine from exploitation. But the reality is that it will lead to more harm and fewer veterans getting the help they need, in two ways.

By U.S. Air Force Captain Wayne Smith (ret.) in The Center Square

California lawmakers are considering SB 694, which they say will help veterans. But the bill may actually prevent more veterans accessing hard-earned benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs.

I am a Vietnam veteran who spent more than five years in the same prison camps as former Sen. John McCain. Like other “Hanoi Hilton” prisoners, I was beaten and tortured. I also passed food to keep others alive and tapped messages out through the walls so we could remember we were still human.

By Adriana Castañeda in The Sacremento Bee

When I served in the U.S. Army’s 1st Cavalry Division during Operation Enduring Freedom and later in the Air Force working in logistics, I learned firsthand the importance of getting complex processes right. One slip — one mistake in documentation — can delay a mission or keep help from those who need it.

The same goes for veterans seeking benefits from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The process is so demanding that just one incorrect word or missing form can stall a claim for months. That’s why so many of us turn to trusted, knowledgeable experts for help.

By Rep. Jack Bergman (R-MI) in The Hill

Too many of America’s disabled veterans continue to struggle to access the VA disability benefits they’ve earned. The consequences are stark: 33,000 veterans are homeless, and an average of 17 die by suicide each day. While the Trump administration has made incredible strides in cutting the VA claims backlog by 25 percent since January, Congress must take further action to ensure that our veterans no longer have to fight and claw for the benefits that are often the difference between life and death.

By John “Wolf” Wagner in Stars and Stripes

The Department of Veterans Affairs disability claims process is a critical lifeline for veterans seeking compensation for service-related injuries or illnesses. Its complexity and delays, however, prompt veterans to seek assistance from diverse sources.

As a veteran with decades of military and federal service, throughout the years I’ve viewed Veteran Service Organizations (VSOs) as key allies assisting with such claims, as well as performing other helpful activities.

By Jack Yoest in RealClear Defense

As partisanship continues to dominate Washington, a bill that quietly passed out of the House Veterans Affairs Committee has given leaders in both parties the opportunity to cross the aisle and continue Congress’ tradition of putting veterans first.

The CHOICE Act (H.R. 3132) ensures veterans have all options on the table when it comes to securing the benefits they deserve.

By Mitch Brown in Newsmax

The swamp just lost, and America's veterans won.

The House Veterans Affairs Committee did something rare in Washington: it put veterans ahead of bureaucrats, Beltway lobbyists, and the old boys' club benefitting from broken systems. The CHOICE for Veterans Act (H.R. 3132) passed out of committee with momentum, while the overstepping, anti-choice GUARD Act was rightly tossed in the trash where it belongs.

By Ben Baldwin in InsideNOVA

When Virginia lawmakers had the chance to deliver for veterans, they failed. Instead of passing meaningful, bipartisan reform, political maneuvering created a legislative deadlock that left veterans with nothing.

At the center of this gridlock was Del. Brianna Sewell’s decision to push a bill with no viable path forward, instead of backing a bipartisan solution that did.

By Joseph Meyer in Palm Beach Post

As a former Army major from Palm Beach, it’s a relief to see the Florida Legislature make a u-turn from last year on a controversial policy over who is authorized to assist veterans file claims for benefits with the federal government.

By Mitch Brown in Newsmax

For decades, the Department of Veterans Affairs has been a case study in government dysfunction — bloated budgets, endless red tape, and a bureaucracy more focused on self-preservation than serving veterans.

By Henry Stoever in Federal News Network

More than a decade after reports exposed gaping flaws in its ability to serve America’s warfighters, the Department of Veterans Affairs is prioritizing initiatives that are improving veterans’ care. Initiatives like investments in AI have contributed to achieving faster disability claims processing benchmarks, and recent plans to terminate wasteful contracts will redirect $900 million to veterans’ care and services.

By Matt Cover in Stars and Stripes

The Trump administration’s DOGE agenda is gaining traction at the Department of Veterans Affairs. And not a moment too soon. Last week, VA Secretary Doug Collins wrote in The Hill that the agency had eliminated almost 600 programs and will terminate over 80,000 employees. These efforts redirected $1.8 billion to serving veterans instead of government bureaucrats. As Collins wrote, “the days of kicking the can down the road … are over.”

By Tim Kaiser in One America News

America loves to pay lip service to its veterans. We get the patriotic commercials, the staged political speeches, and the endless parade of empty gestures every Veterans Day. But when it comes to actually standing up for those who fought, bled, and sacrificed for this country, the system is rotted to its core.

By Craig Lutz in Peach Pundit

For the soldier, there is no duty more sacred than the call to serve one’s country. For our country, there is no sacrifice greater than that made by those killed or injured in the pursuit of protecting the freedoms of Americans. To honor these men and women who given so much for our country, it must then be our responsibility as Americans to ensure that they receive the best possible care available.

By Brian Taef in Lone Star Standard

America’s strength has always been forged by those willing to step up and serve. As a veteran of the Texas Army National Guard, I have seen firsthand the sacrifices made by those who wear the uniform, men and women who dedicate themselves to defending our freedoms. Our nation owes them not just gratitude, but action—especially when it comes to ensuring they receive the benefits they have earned...

By JD Hayworth in Townhall

Washington, D.C. is a place where a thousand words can be spoken, but still fail to provide an accurate picture. Flowery speeches, lofty rhetoric and “sloganeering” often lead to smokescreens, masking what’s going on beneath the surface. I recall a notable exception from my service on the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee.

By Mitch Brown in Newsmax

Our nation’s veterans risked their lives to defend American freedom, yet the government they fought for is failing them at every turn. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), riddled with bureaucratic inefficiency and corruption, has allowed nearly 400,000 veterans to languish in a backlog of unprocessed disability claims. Behind the VA’s shiny facade of supposed progress lies a system overwhelmed, underfunded, and outright dishonest.

By William Taylor in RealClear Defense

Veterans Day brings Americans together to honor the brave men and women who have served our country. We must reflect not only on their sacrifices but also how we support them as they return to civilian life. At Veterans Guardian, our mission is deeply rooted in empowering Veterans by providing them with the resources, guidance, and support that they deserve.