Wyoming Veterans Divided Over Impact of VA Workforce Cuts

The Department of Government Efficiency’s (DOGE) planned layoffs at the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) have sparked debate among Wyoming’s veteran community, the Guardian reports.

While some see the cuts as necessary to streamline operations, others fear they will threaten vital services in a state with the highest share of veterans in the lower 48 states.

Birgitt Paul, a long-time VA nurse in Cheyenne, worries that the 80,000 layoffs, coupled with the federal mandate for employees to return to the office, could undermine patient care.

“There are ways to make the VA more efficient,” she said, “but that’s not what they’re doing right now.”

Veterans like Bobby Gray and Trevor Smith, both of whom receive treatment at the Cheyenne VA, say the agency provides essential care that private healthcare may not match. Smith, an Air Force veteran, credits the VA with saving his life.

“Even with the best care, you can still end up with a gun to your head,” he said. “What happens when they take some of that care away?”

Others, like Rosemarie Harding, a member of the Wyoming Veterans Commission, question what alternatives will exist if veterans lose access to VA services.

“If they don’t have the VA, where are they going to go? Medicaid? Which Wyoming hasn’t expanded?” she asked.

Some veterans, however, welcome the cuts, arguing that the VA is bloated with administrative inefficiencies. Arthur Braten, a Navy and Army veteran who works at the Cheyenne VA, believes the layoffs will lead to better services in the long run.

“There is a need for these cuts,” he said. “I think it’s going to give us better-quality people and better care.”

Others, like Dan, an Air Force veteran who supports the workforce reductions, cite concerns about government overspending.

“America got itself into such a deficit that it takes extreme measures to fix the damage,” he said.

Beyond healthcare, the cuts could have economic consequences for Cheyenne, a city with a strong military presence, including a VA hospital and multiple National Guard outposts. Wyoming state legislator Lee Filer, a former Air National Guard member, fears that reductions in VA funding and services could impact military recruitment.

“They sign a contract. They’re entitled to these benefits,” he said. “But all it takes is a stroke of a pen, and they could lose that.”

The uncertainty surrounding the layoffs has created unease among VA employees. Eric, a VA worker and Army veteran, criticized the top-down nature of the reforms.

“It never works top-down,” he said. “Let me put together a team of VA employees and figure out what the real problem is.”

For some, the fight is personal. Paul, the VA nurse, worries about retaliation for speaking out but remains firm.

“The evaluation I have is outstanding,” she said. “So if you’re gonna try to fire me because of ‘poor performance,’ I will be suing you.”