John Plahovinsak
On August 9, 2025, Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Doug Collins presented his first six-month evaluation of the progress the VA has made since he became the twelfth (12th) Secretary of the “largest healthcare organization in the world.”
The Secretary wanted to come to the National Disabled American Veterans (DAV) Annual Convention to deliver his “check-in” presentation because the DAV was the first veteran organization he addressed when he was appointed to the position.
Secretary Collins reiterated that the VA is a service organization that is dedicated “to one purpose and that is to take care of the health of our veterans, and that is the only thing that we should be doing. We are not an employment agency.”
“We opened up over a dozen new health clinics over the last six months,” explained the Secretary, “and placed them in areas where veterans needed them.” The VA, according to Collins, has also spent over $800 million in upgrading existing health facilities in the same six months.
The Secretary said that “The VA is the largest healthcare organization in the world, but what I found out is, we are not acting like it.”
“The one question I had was, ‘Why not!’ Because veterans are the only people we serve, and they deserve nothing but the best standard of health services at the VA, and we should not be looking someplace else and asking ‘why?’ We are going to continue to make sure you (the veterans) are being taken care of!”
The Secretary acknowledged that he had an unannounced meeting in Texas last month with VA leaders from various VA Medical Centers and Clinics.
“They thought it was just another training session,” revealed Collins, “but in the over two (2) hour talk with them, I told them what I and the veterans, they were serving, wanted of them.”
“The senior leaders are expected to be leaders, and they should act like leaders,” the Secretary demanded. “They should fix problems at their level and do their job to take care of veterans first. If they kick up a problem to my (Collins) level, they’d better have a good reason!”
“Washington has been telling veterans what is good for them, and you have seen what has happened,” continued Collins. “Longer wait times, and deeper claim backlogs. Motion causes friction, and change is never easy. We had to change the structure and force of the VA.”
“The RIF (Reduction-in-Force) is over, accomplished by voluntary early retirements, and over 350 medical positions were protected,” stated Collins.
One of the significant accomplishments in the last six (6) months, according to the Secretary, was the reduction of backlogged claims. A disability compensation claim is considered a “backlogged claim” if it is older than 125 days after being filed.
In January of 2025, there were over 250,000 “backlogged claims.” Six (6) months later, there are 160,000 “backlogged claims” on file. Although this is a significant reduction, Secretary Collins indicated he will not be satisfied until there are no “backlogged claims” pending for determination.
The VA Secretary said he was not going to talk about all the accomplishments of the VA, but he would send (the DAV) a list later. He wanted to talk about veterans. “There is no need for veterans to hire someone to do their claims and pay for them, the claim process should be easier and simpler.”
“We (the VA) have too many forms, and we will make it easier for veterans,” he continued. “ Our veterans shouldn’t have to beg or borrow for the benefits they already earned.”
“I want a re-birth in how we look at the veteran population in our country,” added Collins. “I don’t want people to stop veterans and say, “Thank you for your service!” I want them to say instead, “Thank you for keeping us free!” “Thank you for raising your right hand!!” “Thank you for doing something we wouldn’t do!” “We are thankful that you went and did it!”
“I am tired of veterans being looked at as victims. You have a Secretary that supports you,” concluded the VA Secretary, “and taking care of veterans is our only standard.”
According to DAV National Commander Coleman Nee, the VA announced at the Convention that it has processed 2.5 million rating claims so far in fiscal year 2025. “This level of productivity has the potential to make a meaningful difference for veterans,” said Commander Nee, “who have waited too long for decisions on their benefits.”
My Opinion: Secretary Collins is a dynamic speaker and is sincere in his mission of helping veterans and their families. He is also in the process of writing a new VA Suicide Prevention Plan.
The overall theme of Collins’ presentation to the DAV was that the VA has only one standard — and that is to give the best medical care to our veterans.
He concluded his presentation with the statement, “He is tired of hearing, from the press, of what veterans are ‘given.’ A veteran is not ‘given’ anything that the veteran has not already earned by raising his right hand!”
BioSketch: John Plahovinsak is a retired 32-year Army veteran who served from 1967 to 1999. He is the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) Department of Ohio’s Hospital Chairman and Adjutant of DAV Chapter #63 (Clermont County). He can be contacted at: [email protected]/.
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