Dear Grace,
My husband and I are both veterans. He served in a combat zone and has seen all kinds of horror. The transition to civilian life was….rough for him, to say the least. It got really dark before he finally went to the doctors. I won’t bore you with the details. We finally figured it out, and he has good doctors and medication, but it was a nightmare of paperwork. It took months to settle the VA claims and get everything covered (not to mention waiting for an appointment).
Anyway, I heard that Trump’s bill is doing layoffs at the VA, and now health care bills for veterans are gonna go up? I can’t imagine having to do all that over again…or how it could get any slower or worse. I just want him to still get his care and be okay. We served this country, why do I have to spend hours on the phone trying to get his meds covered? He wouldn’t even need them if he hadn’t gone.
— Feeling frustrated and betrayed in Missoula
Dear Frustrated and Betrayed,
First, thank you—to both you and your husband—for your service. What your family has been through is real, painful, and sometimes overwhelming, and the burden of navigating the system when you’re already exhausted is unfair. You, your husband, and all Americans deserve access to good care, dignity, and support.
Veterans should get what they were promised, and people in need of mental health care shouldn’t be left stranded. Here are some ideas for how to navigate this next chapter…
