Many veterans consider the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to be just composed of the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) and the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA).
The VHA is responsible for providing medical services to veterans and the VBA is responsible primarily for providing financial compensation to veterans for their service-connected injuries.
Congressman Brad Wenstrup, feels that these two (2) programs are important to veterans, but “programs to help veterans re-enter the workforce are oftentimes not as robust as they could be.”
The Congressman wants to rectify this situation by introducing his bipartisan bill, H.R. 3738 the Veterans’ Education, Transition and Opportunity Prioritization Plan (VET OPP) Act of 2023.
This proposed legislation would realign all the existing transition, education, and employment programs at the VA under a new administration, the Economic Opportunity and Transition (EOT) Administration.
According to the Congressman, the VET OPP Act of 2023 would not add any additional bureaucracy. The proposed bill would remove the transition, education, and employment programs, currently being implemented in the VBA, to this new VA EOT Administration, which would be accountable to a presidentially appointed undersecretary.
“Our men and women in uniform sometimes struggle to fully utilize their incredible skills and talents when transitioning back to civilian life,” said Representative Wenstrup. “It’s important that we address our veterans’ needs by aligning transition, education, and employment programs in a fourth administration within the VA to streamline organization and better serve those who served us in uniform.”
“This new administration will ensure that VA’s economic opportunity and transition programs receive the oversight they need and attention they deserve,” stated Wenstrup.
The new EOT Administration would focus on existing VBA programs such as the Forever GI Bill; Life Insurance Service; Veterans Readiness & Employment (VR&E) Service; Vocational Rehabilitation; Loan Guaranty Service; Home Loan benefits; and the VA’s portion of the Transition Assistance Program (TAP).
“Our bipartisan legislation seeks to better equip the Department of Veterans Affairs when assisting veterans with economic and business opportunities and would give VA the tools it needs to streamline programs and funding,” said Representative Mike Levin, a co-sponsor of the legislation.
“Representative Wenstrup and I are committed to policy changes that improve and update VA’s capabilities to better support veterans in their transition to civilian life,” stated Congressman Levin, “and we look forward to this bill moving through the legislative process.”
“We’ve passed dozens of bills to help veterans access the economic opportunities they have earned and deserve,” noted Levin. “All too often, many veterans hear the words ‘thank you for your service,’ but don’t see enough action behind those words.”
“I’m proud that nineteen of my bipartisan bills to support veterans have been signed into law by presidents of both parties,” concluded Levin. “That includes my bipartisan Transition Improvement Act to improve the Transition Assistance Program for servicemembers returning to civilian life.”
My Opinion: Common sense would dictate that the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) should have one clear goal/mission: provide financial compensation to veterans for their service-connected injuries. Another element of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) should focus on the other related benefits, such as education and employment.
In looking at the many services provided by the VBA, other than the financial and disability claims, I searched “Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Veterans Benefits Administration” on my computer.
On the left-hand side of the entry page, the following blocks were noted: Outreach, Transition and Economic Development; Compensation; Education and Training; Veterans Readiness and Training; followed by Home Loans; Life Insurance and Pension.
Just clicking on the “Life Insurance” button opens up a listing of seven (7) types of insurance that are available to veterans. Clicking on the “Home Loans” button opens up a listing of the seven (7) types of loans and three (3) types of grants that are available for veterans.
There is a significant amount of specialized VBA information available to veterans, not dealing with disability claims or pension-related matters.
Both Congressmen Wenstrup (in the 115th Congressional Session) and Levin (in the 118th Congressional Session) have served on the House of Representatives Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity.
This House of Representatives Subcommittee has legislative, oversight and investigative jurisdiction over the education of veterans, employment and training of veterans, vocational rehabilitation, veterans’ housing programs, readjustment of service members to civilian life and servicemembers civil relief.
The passage of the Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act of 2023 caused the VBA to focus their priorities and resources to processing these disability claims.
I firmly believe that a VA EOT Administration is needed and passage of H.R. 3837 the Veterans’ Education, Transition and Opportunity Prioritization Plan (VET OPP) Act of 2023 would be advantageous for our veterans.
BioSketch: John Plahovinsak is a retired 32-year Army veteran who served from 1967 to 1999. He is the current Disabled American Veterans (DAV) Department of Ohio Hospital Chairman and Adjutant of DAV Chapter #63 (Clermont County). He can be contacted at: plahovinsak@ms.com.
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