National Adjutant Message

Barry A. Jesinoski, National Adjutant

Disability benefits earned ‘through bloodshed’

You’ve likely heard dangerous sentiments regarding veterans benefits, including last year’s viral Economist article declaring them “absurdly generous.” Arguments such as these aren’t new, but as Congress and the administration get underway doing the vital work our nation requires, their reemergence caused understandable worry among veterans that their hard-fought benefits could be on the chopping block.

The nebulous and anonymous piece, published on Thanksgiving, no less, paints a picture of a nation carelessly spending American taxpayer dollars. The reality could be anything but. These benefits, health care and disability compensation have already been earned—through bloodshed in many cases. These are benefits earned by veterans through their sacrifices.

The danger lies not only with this article writer’s specific argument but also with others who might share this myopic perception. These sorts of unsigned articles are often trial balloons sent up by people with their hands on the levers.

The Department of Veterans Affairs’ budget growth over the past two decades makes for a tempting target. But these funds are not charity—they represent our nation keeping our promise to America’s veterans after more than 20 years of war. Nowhere in this anonymously penned article will you find any mention of the selfless service and sacrifice our nation’s veterans have endured, both before and since 9/11. Instead, it offensively casts aspersions on veterans’ motivations to apply for disability benefits. After three decades of serving and working alongside veterans from World War I through the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, I have yet to meet a single veteran who wouldn’t gladly trade their VA compensation for a healthy body, mind and spirit.

What’s apparent in the article is the grotesque idea that veterans are merely leeches sucking up scarce portions of the federal budget. However, as far as DAV is concerned, those funds have already been spent, and organizations such as ours help veterans realize and receive their earned benefits and fight to keep them.

Veterans cannot be reduced to a number on a balance sheet. They are more than a monetary benefit—they are patriotic individuals who answered our nation’s call to defend America against all enemies, foreign and domestic. In doing so, many returned from military service forever changed. And it’s incumbent on us as a nation to care for them and their families, caregivers and survivors—regardless of the price tag. The costs of a well-defended nation are paid by individuals.

DAV will continue to vigorously advocate against these dangerous ideas through our advocacy in Washington, D.C., and beyond. This includes calling out those who would undermine generosity with poison pens. They need to be made aware that true generosity is the selfless service our veterans perform while wearing our nation’s uniform.

If you want to find out more about the National Adjutant, you can find his biography here.