March 15, 2026
(This article appeared in the March/April 2026 issue of The American Postal Worker magazine)
In our previous Home Front article, we provided APWU veterans with a strategy to combat the privatization of the Veterans Affairs (VA) health care system. In this issue, we aim to motivate our veteran union leaders by highlighting some of the numerous negative consequences veterans are facing due to VA privatization.
First, let’s look back at the 20th-century VA health care experience for veterans. Throughout the entire 20th century, all that an APWU veteran needed to access basic VA health care—provided by a fully staffed team of experienced VA doctors, nurses, and federal government medical and mental health employees 24 hours a day, 7 days a week—was an Honorable DD-214. There were no time frames or restrictions for any veteran with an Honorable DD-214 seeking VA health care assistance. Veterans had the option to either utilize the VA for medical and mental health services or seek care from a local private health care provider if they had their own private insurance. During this time, veterans incurred no copayments, did not need to enroll, did not require a military service-connected disability rating, and were not subjected to a means test for their household income.
Fast forward to the 21st century and we now have the Senator Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act, which calls for further reductions in regular VA federal government employees and an increased reliance on private community care providers for medical and mental health services. It seems that decision-makers believe private, for-profit community health care providers can deliver better quality healthcare to veterans compared to a fully experienced staff of regular federal government VA medical and mental health professionals specially trained to assist veterans. This shift has resulted in thousands of regular VA federal government job losses nationwide, while simultaneously increasing the use of private care providers starting in 2025. Looking ahead to 2026, the plan indicates more privatization despite the rising wait times for newly enrolled veterans seeking to visit a doctor. Further complicating matters is the ineffective Veterans’ Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, a hotline that advises veterans to call 911 instead of directing them to the nearest VA emergency room for suicide watch by trained VA mental health staff.
On Jan. 15, VA Secretary Doug Collins announced the establishment of a commission to fund candidates to lead the Veterans’ Benefits Administration. You can read his justifications for further VA privatization and his admission that he did nothing to improve VA health care in 2025 on va.gov or at our apwu.org Veterans Home Front page. Our goal is to provide truthful, honest information that inspires our veterans to take action. The struggle continues.
The APWU encourages all veteran members to sign up to receive emails about veterans’ issues by visiting the APWU “Members Only” section of the website and checking the box to receive veteran communications. We also encourage veteran members to join or create an APWU veterans’ council or committee at your local to strengthen our collective voice and advocate for the rights and interests of postal workers who have served our country. By working together, we can create a more powerful union that effectively represents all postal workers and fosters a just and equitable society.
We would also like to extend special thanks to Patrick Jones and 480-481 Area Local President Steve Jones for organizing the Veterans Committee meeting in their area. Your leadership and dedication to our union and its veterans are truly appreciated. ■
