John Plahovinsak
On February 23, 2025, the newly confirmed Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs, Doug Collins, met and addressed over 400 Disabled American Veterans (DAV) members during their 2025 Mid-Winter Annual Conference. This was his first public address to any veteran organization!
Secretary Collins, a Navy and Air Force veteran, cited his 23 years of military service and explained his philosophy for his new position. “Everything done at the VA will be focused on delivering services for the veteran,” he noted.
He pledged to improve the “broken” department’s benefits delivery system while expanding medical care for veterans.
“Sixty (60%) percent of all congressional staffers’ time has been dedicated to resolving veterans’ benefit problems,” Collins explained. “This 60% is much too high for solving our veterans’ problems.”
“We should not have to have veterans seeking outside help from Senators and Representatives in order to get the benefits that they already earned by their sacrifices,” he continued. “This has to stop! The VA will resolve the problems and deliver the veterans’ benefits that they have earned!”
“It is not about the VA as an organization. It is about the veterans that we serve. If we are not serving the veteran, then the VA is not in the position it should be.”
The Secretary then referenced that the VA should be about family and we must take care of our family members!
Nine (9) days before speaking to the DAV, the VA fired 1,000 probationary workers. These VA workers had less than one (1) or two (2) years working in VA assigned positions.
Secretary Collins admitted the firings in his speech to the DAV and noted “yes, there may be others.”
However, he stated that the VA has already seen significant savings from those moves and he has started to redirect that money back into veterans’ care programs
Secretary Collins felt that he hit the ground running during his first day on the job.
“I found out that the Department was spending $178,000 for yearly subscriptions for a newsletter that they could have got a ninety (90) day free subscription!” detailed the new Secretary.
“I cancelled that contract and put that saved $178,000 back into services directly related for our disabled veterans,” acknowledged Collins.
Secretary Collins wanted to make it easier for veterans to access medical appointments, either at the VA facility or through the VA’s Community Care Program (CCP). The CCP provides health care to veterans by referring them to outside local community providers.
“The days of making choices limited for veterans on where they can get their care are over,” Collins said forcefully. “We are not going to stand in the way. We’re going to facilitate with proper oversight and the highest quality standards that you get your care as the law prescribes.”
Early during his address, he called out a specific DAV member from the State of Montana and requested that he stand up. The DAV member had called him up citing a specific van transportation problem within his state.
“We heard the problem and we solved it for all the veterans in Montana,” Collins explained, citing his immediate action to remedy the situation.
One of the talents, according to Collins, that he possesses is the language ability to speak “Hillese.” He acquired this valuable trait by working as an elected official in Georgia and during his eight (8) years serving as a U.S. Congressman, representing the State of Georgia.
He can talk to the Senators and Representatives of both political parties in Washington and get “things” done for the disabled veterans he serves!
However, he needed the help of the DAV and other veteran service organizations to make the Senators and Representatives aware that you are watching their actions on how they are supporting disabled veterans.
At the conclusion of his presentation, Secretary Collins wanted the DAV audience to remember just three (3) things. “First, veterans come first. Second, No Compromise! Third, ”Period!”
My Opinion: I liked that a veteran was in charge of the VA and Collins wanted to tell the DAV what he wanted to accomplish for veterans!
However, to be completely honest, the previous VA Secretary Denis McDonough was not a veteran but had an outstanding record of accomplishments in serving disabled veterans.
The order to terminate 1,000 probationary VA employees did not originate with Secretary Collins. He only implemented the order. In military jargon, he was “playing out the hand that he was dealt with.”
The same situation occurred one day after the DAV’s presentation. An additional 1,400 VA workers were terminated. The VA workforce is composed of thirty (30%) percent veterans.
The two (2) termination actions resulted in approximately 300 veterans in a probationary status and 433 veterans (second round) for a total of 733 veterans being fired – not because of their work performance but just by being in a certain job classification.
The VA Secretary must obey the orders that come from his immediate supervisors and ultimately the President. We must give him time to adjust to the situation he is in and to adapt for the betterment of our veterans.
I will remember what he told the DAV audience: “First, veterans come first. Second, No Compromise! Third, ”Period!” Ironically, Secretary Collins quoted the same slogan to the American Legion the next day!
BioSketch: John Plahovinsak is a retired 32-year Army veteran who served from 1967 to 1999. He is the Adjutant of Disabled American Veteran (DAV) Chapter #63 (Clermont County) and a member of the American Legion Post #450 (in Milford).