On June 6th, some of my fellow Coronado citizens gathered to protest what they believed were damaging cuts to the Department of Veterans Affairs in the Trump administration’s FY2026 budget. I attended because I believe it’s important to hear concerns—especially about veterans’ care.
The protest was heartfelt, but I left thinking it could’ve been more effective. Some signs and remarks veered into partisan territory, distracting from the real question: How do we best serve those who served us? Veterans deserve more than slogans; they deserve results.
Protesting is most effective when it is fully informed. Accountability, modernization, and efficiency aren’t threats—they’re critical for preserving and improving veterans’ care. The VA doesn’t need to be “saved” from this budget—it needs to be refocused, and this proposal, under capable leadership, is a step in the right direction.
Here are some facts. The proposed FY2026 VA budget is $441.3 billion—a 10% increase over last year. It includes record-high mandatory benefit spending, expanded healthcare access, and more than $52 billion for the PACT Act Toxic Exposures Fund (which provides care for veterans affected by burn pits and other hazards). These are not the signs of an agency being gutted. They reflect an effort to reform, not retreat.
Critics often cite a proposed reduction of 83,000 positions within the VA as proof of cutbacks. But most of these reductions target administrative roles—not physicians or caregivers. In fact, the goal is to improve how the VA functions by streamlining operations and cutting bureaucratic bloat. I’ve experienced VA care firsthand and can say that while progress has been made, inefficiencies and access challenges persist. Reform is overdue.
VA Secretary Doug Collins is a strong leader to guide that reform. A USAF Reserve Colonel and former deployed chaplain in Iraq, Collins also served in Congress and holds advanced degrees in law and theology. He combines moral clarity with policy experience—a combination that brings credibility to his stewardship.
Meanwhile, our national debt exceeds $36 trillion. Interest payments alone are approaching the size of the entire defense budget. Two-thirds of federal spending is mandatory and effectively runs on autopilot. If we fail to modernize how we deliver essential services—VA care included—we risk not being able to provide them at all. Preserving the promise we made to veterans requires fiscal discipline.
That’s why I believe it’s a mistake to paint the proposed VA budget as a betrayal. It’s not perfect, but it’s part of a long-overdue reckoning with how we fund and deliver public services. The legacy of those who served—especially those who gave everything—deserves nothing less than a system that is worthy of their sacrifice.
Fitzhugh Lee is a Coronado resident, retired Navy fighter pilot and squadron commander, former Congressional Fellow for the late Senator John McCain, and board member of the Britt Foundation (https://brittfoundation.org) and Coronado Unified School District.
VOL. 115, NO. 24 – June 11, 2025