In part one of a two-part series, federal whistleblower and fight veteran Sonny Fleeman revealed the potential collapse of the Division of Veterans Affairs (VA).
Whereas the VA continues to develop at “an unsustainable fee,” Fleeman admitted that some individuals are inclined responsible veterans for abusing the system.
Though he does agree {that a} vital variety of veterans abuse the system, he argued that “the system itself creates structural incentives that drive these outcomes.”
And thru this course of, he mentioned, “most veterans are merely navigating a system that encourages claims as a part of its design.”
Fleeman defined that the VA operates below the “as least probably as not” customary, a key a part of its non-adversarial system designed to provide veterans the good thing about the doubt.
“Whereas this method is rooted in equity,” he mentioned, “it’s necessary to acknowledge that the system’s construction inherently invitations overuse—not as a result of veterans are deliberately abusing it, however due to how the system incentivizes development.”
He disclosed that “veterans service organizations, contractors, and even the VA itself profit from the rise in service-connected claims, as their funding, roles, and affect develop with every further declare.”
In line with him, “This creates a self-perpetuating cycle the place the system turns into much less about want and extra about sustaining itself—and this isn’t the fault of veterans.”
“The dynamic doesn’t simply have an effect on particular person veterans—it shapes the mindset inside the broader veteran neighborhood, undermining the values of service and integrity that the army stands for,” mentioned Fleeman.
“In the end, it exploits the very individuals we are supposed to serve—the taxpayers—who fund this technique with the expectation that it helps these in real want.”
Thus, he mentioned, “the main focus must be on analyzing the structural incentives and making certain the system stays sustainable and centered on its mission.”
“[In part one], the examples of post-traumatic stress dysfunction (PTSD) or army sexual trauma (MST) are only a few of many examples that spotlight how systemic inefficiencies are driving unsustainable development,” Fleeman shared.
“A one trillion-dollar legal responsibility for a single diagnostic code like PTSD underscores the pressing want for reform.”
“PTSD is only one instance of how these liabilities are spiraling uncontrolled, [and while] it’s a vivid illustration, [it is] hardly the one situation racking up astronomical bills,” he mentioned.
Regardless of figuring out how these expenditures might quickly attain an unsustainable level, he’s upset by authorities officers who seem to have little inclination to repair the underlying points.
Fleeman fears that there is no such thing as a actual incentive for change. What’s extra, he mentioned, “Reforming the system would require powerful choices—ones that is likely to be spun as ‘anti-veteran.’”
And in accordance with him, “No politician desires to danger that sort of backlash, so the cycle goes on, with every new declare including to an already staggering whole.”
“In the long run,” he lamented, “it’s taxpayers who’re pressured to shoulder the infinite prices, and veterans who danger being left excessive and dry if the rug ever will get pulled out from below them.”
“Addressing these points requires public engagement and revolutionary options,” Fleeman shared, proposing a severance-based system as an answer.
He mentioned, “A severance-based compensation system would change lifetime month-to-month advantages with a one-time lump-sum fee.”
In line with him, this method would offer the next:
- Empowerment By means of Independence: Veterans obtain a considerable, one-time payout, empowering them to handle their very own funds, encouraging reintegration into civilian life with out long-term authorities dependency
- Fiscal Accountability: Predictable prices for taxpayers, lowering the danger of unsustainable liabilities, and simplifying the compensation course of to chop down on administrative inefficiencies
- Transparency and Accountability: A lump-sum system reduces alternatives for mismanagement, making certain honest, one-time settlements
“Some argue {that a} severance-based system dangers monetary mismanagement for veterans, however the present system hasn’t precisely been a beacon of success,” Fleeman argued.
“It has fostered dependence on the federal government and, by extension, indebtedness to the taxpayer—an unsustainable burden that dangers collapsing below its personal weight.”
In line with him, “The actual priorities must be liberty, self-reliance, and a system that empowers veterans whereas respecting taxpayers by not indebting them to fund inefficiencies.”
Dependency undermines freedom, he mentioned, suggesting the system want is” one which upholds the values veterans fought to guard, not one which compromises them.”
“With out some sort of intervention within the Division of Veterans Affairs,” Fleeman warned, “This disaster will spiral additional uncontrolled.”
Fleeman emphasised that his views are his personal and he doesn’t symbolize the federal government, any employer, or any group.
