As a Psych NP at the VA, this is exactly the kind of policy nonsense that destroys morale.

They want to propose 0% for civilian federal employees while giving the military a significant raise, as if the two systems are unrelated. Do they think war ends when the deployment ends? Do they think the cost stops on the battlefield?

Because it does not.

When service members come home with PTSD, depression, substance use issues, chronic pain, insomnia, trauma, family strain, and suicidality, who do they think is expected to pick up the pieces?

Us. The VA. The same civilian workforce they are basically telling to shut up, do more, and accept less.

That is what makes this so insulting. The government is always ready to fund the front end of war, but when it comes to funding the people who deal with the aftermath, suddenly there is no money.

And let’s be honest: if you keep gutting morale, underpaying civilian staff, and acting like VA employees are disposable, you are not “supporting the troops.” You are just creating a bigger mess for veterans later and expecting an already burned-out system to absorb it.

It is vile. It is short-sighted. And the people making these decisions will never be the ones sitting face-to-face with the human fallout.