Veterans and their supporters gathered in Akron on Tuesday to protest recent job cuts at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), joining a wave of demonstrations across Northeast Ohio, including in Cleveland and Parma. The VA could lay off as many as 80,000 employees nationwide, a move that has sparked growing concern among those who rely on its services.
Among those at the rally was Vietnam veteran Dan Medkeff, who was drafted in 1968 and received a Purple Heart for his service. “We were promised as veterans VA help when we got out of the service. I’ve had wonderful help with the VA,” Medkeff said.
A VA press release confirmed that more than 2,400 employees have been dismissed across the country since Feb. 13. However, it remains unclear how many of those job losses have occurred in Northeast Ohio.
“The Veterans Administration wants to cut 83,000 jobs across the country. They have been very quiet on where those jobs are going to be—whether they are going to be at clinics, administrative, we don’t know,” said U.S. Rep. Emilia Sykes (D-Ohio, 13th District).
On Tuesday, about 100 demonstrators lined the street outside the VA facility on Waterloo Road in Akron, voicing frustration over the cuts. “To think these people were willing to die serving their country, preserving our democracy, and funds are being cut for their care—I’m outraged,” said Phyllis Bernel, a protest attendee.
State Rep. Ron Ferguson (R-Ohio) argued that the VA has long been in need of reform, adding that he believes the Trump administration is working toward that goal. “We have a commitment to our veterans, and the VA has been broken for a long time. What we really need is some major VA reform to make sure that our veterans are getting the care they need and not having the wait times that they’ve suffered with for years and years,” Ferguson said.
With tensions rising and more protests expected, the future of the VA remains uncertain. We will continue to provide transparency and answers as the situation unfolds.