Thousands of Veterans Laid Off in Federal Workforce Cuts, Sparking Outrage

Recently fired off veterans from government employment are speaking out, claiming the cuts to be a betrayal of their service and sacrifices. Thousands of veterans, including Ben, a former Marine and Army veteran employed at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, have lost their jobs in line with general workforce cuts.

Ben, fired on Feb. 13, just three weeks before his interim post would have turned permanent, said, "It feels like getting stabbed in the back." His efforts included helping veterans and low-income families get funding to address dangerous house conditions. His status as a wounded veteran did not protect him from termination even though he worked personally at his agency and received a special performance award.

Those with less than a year of service—probationary workers—who lack civil service protections have suffered disproportionately from the layoffs. Thirty percent of the government workforce comprised veterans before the downsizing. Tens of thousands more Democrats on the House Appropriations Committee predict will lose their jobs in the following weeks. 

Almost 6,000 veterans have already been put off.

"This is a war on veterans," Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) remarked disparagingly of the layoffs. "This is Donald Trump staring veterans in the eye and declaring, "you're fired."

Veteran groups, including the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), have denounced the layoffs and cautioned of their effects on veteran stability and well-being. The VFW said in a statement that guaranteeing long-term health and preventing veteran suicide depend critically on employment.

Affected veterans and advocacy groups are urging measures to guard against government job losses disproportionately affecting those who served as the workforce declines continue.

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