(Washington, D.C.) – “Vietnam Veterans of America is deeply disappointed by the Washington Post’s admitted failure to provide context for much of its data in the current series of articles exploring systemic failures and fraudulent claims in VA’s disability rating and compensation structure,” said Tom Burke, VVA National President. “To scapegoat veterans and imply widespread veteran fraud is to turn one’s back on those who have served and sacrificed for this nation.”
“The articles ignore the decades-long fight our VVA members waged to secure any recognition and benefits for disabling and sometimes life-threatening conditions related to service, including multi-generational from Agent Orange and other toxic exposures,” said Burke. “For thousands of veterans and their children who continue to face obstacles to care and justice, this is not a historical footnote, it’s a lived reality.”
“The Post’s claim that veterans are encouraged to ‘file as many claims as possible to milk the system’ is true for the claims sharks and non-VA approved VSOs,” said Marc McCabe, Special Advisor to the President of VVA. “However, the same cannot be said of VA-accredited VSOs. So, is the system broken? No, but it needs fine-tuning and accountability, especially at the regional office level, where we see more frequent issues of lack of accountability, under-educated raters, and directors who turn a blind eye in efforts to reach unrealistic quotas of claims processed.”
The complexity and burdensome nature of the disability claim process that often leads to unnecessary delays and denials based not on veterans’ actions but on system design is largely ignored by the article of October 6, 2025, “How Some Veterans Exploit $193 Billion VA Program, Due to Lax Controls.” For example, the article claims that “VA provide[s] outsize benefits for some easily manageable ailments,” such as sleep apnea and traumatic brain injuries (TBI).
McCabe comments: “It’s true that modern-day veterans get almost 90 percent higher grants for sleep apnea and TBIs, but that stems from the fact that these conditions were not part of any medical diagnosis during and for years after the Vietnam War. We now know that veterans with PTSD have a much higher rate of secondary sleep apnea due to combat exposure that can cause respiratory arrest and death in veterans with comorbidity. We also know that all three of these conditions directly impact veterans’ lives to varying degrees, and for some, can lead to suicidal ideation. A condition that may well be ‘common’ and easily manageable’ for a non-veteran is not the same at all for a combat veteran.”
“Fraud exists and should be prosecuted, but the path forward is modernization of the system with veterans at the table,” said Burke. “We need to strengthen sanctions against unaccredited consultants, invest in evidence-based testing and analytics, and preserve earned presumptions. VVA will work with Congress, the Committee, and fellow veterans’ organizations to protect and advance the rights of all who served.”
