Vets Make Their Case in Cheyenne – Barrasso Brings VA Chief to Listen

US Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso flew US Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins into Cheyenne last week for a Wyoming Veterans Roundtable – and veterans didn’t hold back, Laramie Live reports.

More than 20 representatives from groups like the Wyoming Veterans Commission, Wyoming Military Department, American Legion, VFW, Disabled American Veterans and state lawmakers showed up to lay out what’s working, what’s not, and what they need from the VA.

Barrasso opened with a blunt reminder: Wyoming has one of the highest per-capita veteran populations in the country, and that reality comes with unique headaches – long drives, rough winters and sparse local services.

“This meeting ensures they get the care, services, and benefits they’ve earned,” he said.

Collins leaned into listening – and to fixing structural problems. He told the room the VA’s issue isn’t a lack of people so much as having staff in the wrong places.

“We’re refocusing our central office to provide support, not serve as the main stars,” he said.

Collins also pledged to tackle wait times and simplify the disability-claims maze – aiming to shrink forms that currently run 18–20 pages down to a three-page version by year’s end.

This sit-down built on a tele-town hall held last May with Senators Barrasso and Cynthia Lummis, where veterans first aired concerns directly to Collins. The Cheyenne roundtable let local leaders share concrete feedback on VA programs and point to gaps that still need filling.

Bottom line: the conversation wasn’t just symbolic. With Wyoming’s veterans spread across wide, often harsh terrain, officials left with a clear message – more targeted resources and smarter placement of staff matter. Whether the promises around faster claims and better local coverage actually land will be what veterans (and their reps) are watching next.