My father served as an Army colonel and later became chief counsel for the California Department of Veterans Affairs. Even so, his post-traumatic stress disorder went undiagnosed for years.
VA benefits became an essential source of support for him, my mother, and my two siblings with disabilities. I saw what that help meant to our family, and how difficult years of uncertainty could be.
Veterans shouldn’t have to show extraordinary persistence just to receive the benefits they’re entitled to.
Two of my brothers are in the military, and I’ve spent my career in foreign affairs, where service members have a central role in American policy. The sacrifices made by military families are very real to me.
Each November 11, Americans honor the roughly 17 million people who have served in uniform. Veterans Day is a time to give thanks, but it should also prompt us to ask whether veterans are getting the support they earned.
Too often, they aren’t.
The VA has made meaningful progress in reducing its disability claims backlog. The number of overdue claims fell below 70,000 in July, but then rose again. By October 31, 79,004 disability compensation and pension claims had been pending for more than 125 days.
That is how the VA defines a backlogged claim. It doesn’t mean no one has looked at the paperwork; it means the claim is still unresolved more than four months after it was filed. For a veteran waiting on compensation, that distinction probably doesn’t offer much comfort.
Many veterans get help from service organizations such as Disabled American Veterans, the American Legion, and Paralyzed Veterans of America. Their VA-accredited representatives can help gather evidence, file claims, and appeal denials, at no cost to veterans.
Their work can be invaluable. Still, even the most committed advocate has to operate within a system they don’t control. Veterans shouldn’t need to fight so hard for ordinary benefits.
A disability claim can involve medical records, proof linking a condition to military service, and an appeal if the VA turns the claim down. An accredited representative can guide veterans through those steps. For someone already dealing with illness or financial pressure, that kind of support can matter enormously.
Making improvements will take leadership from Congress and VA Secretary Doug Collins. Congress should preserve veterans’ access to outside accredited advocates and make accreditation more straightforward for qualified representatives. The VA should cut unnecessary paperwork and work more closely with organizations veterans already rely on.
Congress also needs to hold the VA accountable for its performance. The department publishes data on claims processing, and lawmakers should use it to set clear targets, pinpoint bottlenecks, and ask why claims are sitting unresolved. Members of Congress who served in uniform should help lead that work.
The measure of progress should be more than a positive headline about a shrinking backlog. Congress should look at how long veterans wait, whether claims are decided accurately, and whether delays are increasing again. A lower national total means little to a veteran whose own claim is still stuck.
None of this takes away from Veterans Day ceremonies, parades, or expressions of gratitude. I welcome those gestures. But honoring service has to mean more than applauding it. Veterans deserve timely decisions on the benefits they earned, and their families shouldn’t be left guessing about when help will arrive.
My father’s experience showed me what can happen when a service-related condition goes unrecognized for years. VA benefits can be lifesaving. Getting access to them shouldn’t become another ordeal.
On November 12, the parades will be over. The claims—and the veterans waiting for answers—will still be there. We can do better.
