The Department of Veterans Affairs is planning a significant reorganization that involves cutting over 80,000 jobs to return to 2019 staffing levels. The VA’s chief of staff, Christopher Syrek, aims to reduce the workforce size to just under 400,000, necessitating the termination of tens of thousands of employees. This move follows the agency’s expansion during the Biden administration, including support for veterans affected by burn pits under the 2022 PACT Act. A memo directed top-level staff to prepare for an agency-wide reorganization in August to align the workforce with the mission and structure. Concerns have been raised by veterans against these cuts, which have already impacted a few thousand employees and hundreds of contracts, with over 25% of the VA’s workforce consisting of veterans.

These actions reflect the Trump administration’s initiative to slash federal agencies, with the VA not exempt from these restructuring efforts. Notably, the dismissal of VA’s inspector general, Michael Missal, has raised concerns about the agency’s future performance and impact on veterans. Missal highlighted the challenges posed by the lack of expertise resulting from the ongoing changes. Additionally, Democrats in Congress have criticized these cuts, emphasizing their negative implications for veterans’ care. The VA, a complex organization comparable in size to major corporations, faces significant hurdles amid the ongoing reorganization. Despite previous oversight efforts leading to substantial savings, the current environment poses obstacles for effective governance within the agency.