Rising veteran disability claims could burn out VA staff

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Rising veteran disability claims could burn out VA staff
By Leo Shane III
Apr 28, 12:05 PM
Veterans and caregivers tour the grounds of the Korean War Memorial in Washington, D.C,. on April 22 as part of an Honor Flight event. (Spc. Hans Williams/Army)

The good news is that veterans are making more claims than ever before, as they learn of new eligibility under burn pit legislation and more. The bad news is that there’s not enough staff to handle the deluge in claims, even as the Veterans Affairs has added more employees. And that’s a recipe for burnout.

“I am concerned about ensuring we take care of our employees, because when we take care of them, they can take care of veterans,” said VA Under Secretary for Benefits Joshua Jacobs at a press conference on April 27. “So we are actively looking at making sure we are providing the support our employees need.”

PO1 William "Chip" Nagel SSG Michael Noll Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen Cpl Vic Burk SGT Charlie Lee] Sgt (Join to see) PV2 Larry Sellnow SPC Gary C. SPC (Join to see) Amn Dale Preisach SGT Ruben Lozada 1SG Patrick Burke PO2 Marco Monsalve Lt Col Charlie Brown Maj Kim Patterson SPC Robert Coventry SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth CPT Richard Trione SFC Ralph E Kelley SGT Gerald “Jerry” Harrell