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VA funding cuts will upend progress for veterans

By: Cristina Johnson
Your Turn
Guest columnist

..... The Department of Government Efficiency is now targeting the Department for Veterans Affairs budget, where more than $6.1 million is to be saved by dismantling the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiative and leaving thousands without jobs.
..... The VA does indeed have several centers and initiatives addressing veterans from underrepresented communities. some of these, include the Office of Health, Equity, recently crated and now erased with DEI; the Center for Women Veterans, developed in 1994; and the Center for Minority Veterans. While the latter tow continue to exist, albeit with new leadership, their effectiveness without DEI is questionable.
..... Data collected and analyzed before the implementation of the PACT Act in 2022 and the DEI initiative show that ethnic minority veterans were 14% less likely than their White counterparts to have claims approved.
..... Indeed, compared to 2021, when around 280,000 claims were accepted, the VA approved 1.1 million claims from 2022 to 2024 under PACT Act directives. The VA further reported a 75% increase in approval rates for claims made by veterans form ethnic minority groups with the implementation of this act.
..... Additional research sponsored by the VA shows that women face systemic discrimination in accessing health care, while a resent hearing from 2023 regarding PACT Act outreach further noted that women are still an undeserved population both in terms of benefits and compensation.
..... Considering these aspects, it can be argued that removing DEI may not only undo the good achieved so far but also deepen systemic discrimination, devaluing the VA's mission for justice and equity.

Why is DEI administratively relevant for the VA?

..... DEI initiatives focused extensively on cultural and diversity training for VA staff on int4eracitng with and facilitating access to compensation and health care under the PACT Act for undeserved communities. Programs under the DEI umbrella included the VA Diversity & Inclusion Advocate Program which trained employees to address workplace discrimination and promote inclusive practices, and various Special emphasis Programs targeting specific groups such as women and minority veterans.
..... According to the new VA budget for 2026, while DEI is effectively cut out, spending seems to be significantly increased in accessing and improving medical care for veterans.
.....Targeted strategies are nevertheless missing. Research shows that even with PACT Act initiatives, women and minorities experience discrimination and lack of access to services. Other data further shows that women experience barriers to seeking help after service.
..... What DEI did for historically oppressed groups serving in the military, was to slowly, yet consistently and systematically, change the way VA staff interacted with these veterans and consequently, increase rates of positive interaction and access to service via cultural competence education.
..... In this context, investing more in helaht care for 2026 does not mean that access for all veterans will be improved, rather this can imply that veterans form majority groups will continue to benefit from these services while others will continue to face barriers due to the absence of targeted support structures.

How are NJ veterans affected?

..... In 2022,a total of 279,664 veterans lived in New Jersey, repressiveness 3.9% of the state's adult civilian population. this situates New Jersey among the states with a lower percentage of veterans compared to some others. in 2019, approximate 8% of the total veteran population in New Jersey were women, and around 97,000 were part of an ethnic minority group.
..... The effects of DEI removal can thus be considered to have a significant impact here, especially for new veterans who recently came out of service. Support structures for accessing claims are now dismantled, while culturally competent guidance and advocacy are no longer institutional prioresses. Notably the elimination of DEI within the VA reflects a broader shift away from inclusive governance. Without intentional, equity-driven frameworks, the risk is not just bureaucratic inefficiency, but the abandonment of justice for those who served and scarified the most.

..... Cristina Johnson is a Navy veteran advocate for the Asbestos Ships Organization, which raises awareness and education vets about the danger of asbestos exposure on Navy ships an assists them in navigating the VA claims process.

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