Nathan Hooven, a veteran from the Air Force who has been rendered disabled, had given his vote to former President Donald Trump in the last elections. However, mere months post his vote, he finds himself jobless, pointing an accusatory finger at the severe reductions made in the federal government by Trump, an act he feels deceived by. Hooven confessed his sentiments of betrayal, emphasizing on the innumerable sacrifices he and many others like him have made for the nation, only for their lives to be carelessly tossed into ruins.
The multitude of federal employees shown the door post Trump’s presidential assumption in January is an evident indicator of the betrayal endured by veterans, who account for a significant 30% of the total federal workforce across the nation. Putting a finger on the exact count of veterans stripped off their jobs is a task that remains undetermined. However, last month’s estimate provided by the House Democrats arguably puts it in the range of thousands. To add to their worries, there’s a potential increase in this number.
In the wake of massive layoffs, the Department of Veterans Affairs’ — recognised as a prime employer for veterans — is sketching plans for a restructuring that includes axing more than 80,000 jobs off its brigade. Veterans form approximately one-fourth of the VA workforce. The reactions of the veterans have been mixed, but their experiences common, they all feel a sense of betrayal.
Many veterans report feeling the sting of this alleged discrimination very personally, narrating their dismissal scenarios that apparently involved emails stating inadequate job performance. This came despite the veterans receiving positive feedback in their roles. None of them saw it coming, and they are understandably angry and saddened by this decision. It seems as if they are being punished for their service to the nation, rather than being rewarded for it.
We have James Stancil, a veteran from the Army aged 62, who found himself dismissed from his duty as a supply technician at a VA hospital in Milwaukee. The way he describes his firing experience underscores the trauma that he went through. He equates his firing to being shot and dropped from a helicopter. A cruel thing to do to someone who has given up so much for his country.
Stancil reported that his firing email citing poor performance came as a ‘complete shock’ as he had previously been on the receiving end of positive reviews. Similarly, Hooven had also expressed his disappointment over being called a ‘subpar performer’, despite receiving positive feedback. He states being taken aback by his sudden dismissal, upending his life into disparity without giving him an instance to recuperate.
Stancil’s expectation of an apology from Trump for the underhanded treatment of veterans shows their collective sense of injustice. How could the nation they had served so loyally turn its back on them? Defending the cuts, members of Trump’s administration gave an uninspiring response, stating that they needed ‘to use taxpayer dollars responsibly to pay people that actually work’. This feeble response only added fuel to the fire of the disappointment felt by the veterans.
Interestingly, veterans were more likely to have cast their vote in favor of Trump than Democrat Kamala Harris in last November’s presidential election. However, it seems that their faith in Trump was misplaced, with nearly 60% voting for him, while only about 40% voted for Harris. With everything that has transpired, it is likely that if they were aware of what was going to happen, they would have probably rethought their decision to vote for Trump.
Cynthia Williams, an Army veteran, describes the shock of losing her job with the VA in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Not a supporter of either Trump or Harris, Williams isn’t keen on getting into the politics of the matter. Yet, she hints that her fellow veterans who supported Trump may have been led astray. She contradicts Trump’s promise of making the country ‘great again’ by pointing out that it instead feels ‘blindsiding’.
Another veteran, Matthew Sims, shares his dismay over losing his job as a program support assistant at a mental health clinic in a VA unit located in Salem, Virginia. Moving his entire family from Texas was a big decision, but nothing prepared him for the unfortunate event of job loss. Although a Trump supporter advocating for the downsizing of the federal government, Sims critiques the manner in which this policy has been executed by Trump, likening it to a chainsaw cutting booth instead of the surgical precision he believes should have been applied.
Another victim of Trump’s axing regime, is Jared Evans, a recreation therapist working at the Salem VA. Evans was only in his eighth month as a probationary worker when he received his pink slip. Having uprooted his whole life in California and moved to Salem for a job opportunity he was passionate about, the firing was a crushing blow for him and his family. The blow was softened by a patient who had just complimented his work, showing that veterans were clearly valued in their roles by the people they serve.
The unemployment not only hurt Evans professionally but also personally. The job was all he had for his young family with a wife, 3-year-old son, and 1-year-old daughter to provide for. Describing his feelings as a mix of fearfulness, numbness, and anger, he admitted shedding tears of despair. From his words, it’s clear that the firing felt less like a loss of a job and more like free falling into an abyss of uncertainty, made worse by the unfamiliar surroundings of Salem.