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An op-ed published by Military.com earlier in 2024 detailed how Mission Roll Call CEO Jim Whaley sees the “mismanagement crisis” within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
Did you know that the VA’s 2024 budget was $328.1 billion, the largest in the agency’s history? President Joe Biden asked for an increase to $369.3 billion for 2025, representing a potential 668% increase in the VA’s budget since 2001, according to Whaley, former director of communications at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and a 20-year decorated veteran.
But have these increases in funding led to better outcomes for veterans, Whaley asks. “We owe it to veterans, their families, caregivers and survivors to make sure these resources are used effectively to improve all aspects of veterans’ well-being. If the money is spent on overhead and outcomes don’t improve, then it’s all for naught,” he writes. (TAKE A POLL: Should the Government Provide Financial Support to Struggling Industries?)
Veteran Crises
Whaley notes that veterans face overlapping challenges. Suicide statistics amongst this demographic has remained stagnant for years. Despite heavy focus and funding on this devastating crisis, the number of veterans who killed themselves per day 10 years ago was 17.7. Today, in 2024, it’s 17.5.
Homelessness is another crisis hitting the veteran community hard. “The rate of veteran homelessness increased by 12% from 2022 to 2023, even as more funding was allocated to the VA and organizations to combat the problem,” Whaley adds.
“Recognizing that more money does not always mean better results, what can the government do to not waste its resources for veterans? For starters, it can improve the transition to civilian life process from the Department of Defense to the VA; continue using community care and local nonprofits that serve as a relief valve when the VA can’t serve veterans in a timely manner; and partner with corporations to develop new ways to support veteran employment,” he continues. (TAKE A POLL: Is the Two-Party System Beneficial for American Democracy?)
Private And Public Sector Collaborations
Whaley says the VA should collaborate more with existing federal programs designed to support the transition back to civilian life. “Rather than be mired in bureaucracy to the detriment of the veterans it is tasked to serve, engaging and collaborating with the private sector will allow the VA to be more entrepreneurial when it comes to the veteran employment pipeline. These partnerships can also make government contracts more accessible for veterans by streamlining hiring processes and equipping them with the civilian skills they need to succeed in the professional world,” Whaley added.
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