Veterans and their advocates gathered outside the VA Clinic on Brookpark Road on Monday to voice their opposition to proposed job cuts within the Department of Veterans Affairs. The plan, which aims to reduce the VA workforce by approximately 80,000 positions, is part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to restructure the federal government.
For Vietnam veteran Jack Palush of North Royalton, the cuts raise serious concerns about the future quality of care for veterans. “Years ago, when I got back from Vietnam, the VA wasn’t in good shape. Over the years, they’ve really done a much better job; they treat us with respect and dignity,” said Palush. “They’ve got dedicated employees in there.”
Among those rallying was Edwin Foster, who traveled from Middlefield carrying a poster featuring his family members who served in the military. His parents, both Navy veterans of World War II, were among them. Reflecting on the impact of the proposed cuts, Foster expressed his frustration. “He spent two years in combat,” he said of his father. “So that we have freedom, and if he was here, he would just literally vomit.”
Concerns: Staffing and Patient Care
Cleveland VA employee Allicia Jennings attended the protest during her time off, highlighting the strain many VA workers already experience. “You would not believe some of the nursing staff that work somewhere between 30, 40, 60 extra hours in a pay period because their areas are short,” Jennings said. “And just to sit up here and say that somehow you’re going to cut 80,000 jobs and it’s not going to affect care—that’s just not realistic.”
These concerns are exacerbated by the 2022 passage of the PACT Act, which expanded benefits for veterans exposed to toxic burn pits. Tim Hauser, who previously struggled for 25 years to secure VA coverage, now fears that the proposed cuts could jeopardize access to these newly established benefits. “To have the possibility that this is all going to go away, including the VA altogether, people need to know exactly what’s going on,” said Hauser.
Justifications for the Cuts
The proposed reductions have sparked debate among lawmakers. Last month, Senate Republicans, including Ohio Senators Bernie Moreno and Jon Husted, voted against a resolution to protect the PACT Act. Defending the cuts, Moreno argued that the VA workforce had grown significantly under President Joe Biden’s administration—from 400,000 in 2019 to approximately 470,000 employees today.
Moreno pointed to instances of alleged inefficiencies within the VA system, citing the case of a Toledo VA employee who had not been physically present at his assigned facility in Parkersburg, West Virginia, for over three years. “His job at the VA is to greet people,” Moreno explained. “You can’t greet people remotely. That’s why he got fired.”
A Real Question of Reform
David Shulkin, who served as VA Secretary during the first year of the Trump administration, acknowledged the need for reforms but questioned whether drastic cuts were the right approach. “We could not continue the status quo. The wait times were going up, there are 935,000 claims in backlog benefits,” Shulkin told CNN. “Veteran suicide is actually on the rise, we have tens of thousands of homeless veterans. So we do need to take a look at how to improve this system, but I don’t know any system that slashes its way to excellence.”
Shulkin also noted that while job reductions have been discussed extensively, concrete plans to enhance the VA system remain unclear.
In the meantime, protest organizers say demonstrations like Monday’s rally in Parma will continue. Another event is planned for next week in Akron as veterans and their supporters push back against the looming job cuts.