People across the country are pausing today to say ‘thank you’ to veterans of our armed forces. From social media posts to full-blown community parades, the celebrations will take many forms. Especially in the years since 9/11, we’ve gotten better at expressing our gratitude to those who’ve served. I count my blessings every year to have been one of the fewer than 1% who’ve worn that uniform – and Veterans Day is…well…nice.
It’s also a time that can often frustrate many of us in the veteran community. Those of us who’ve spent time working to help our brothers and sisters navigate the transition to civilian life are reminded each year just how hollow “thank you for your service” can sound to some.
I’ll admit – I’ve had a blessed transition from active service and through to a new phase in my career. I couldn’t ask for more. But for quite a few of us, that transition hasn’t been so smooth. From my 8.5 years serving veterans through congressional casework, I have some uncomfortable proposals that could get us a little bit closer to bridging the outcome gap.
Take a quick gander at these and let me know what you think. Consider leaving a comment on this post, or sharing it in your network. I’d love to hear what you think! Let’s dive in…
1. Transition the VA Away from Brick & Mortar Medical Services
First, I think it’s time to acknowledge the diminishing returns of a network of physical veteran hospitals. It’s both a numbers issue and an access issue.
Very few in our nation wear the uniform now – less than 1% will serve on active duty. That small community is also spread across a massive country. At peak times of national crisis (i.e. the Second World War) a much higher proportion of our population served. And for a time, that swollen veteran population could be best served directly in large communities across the country where they largely remained stationary in the decades after service. That’s not the case any longer.
The structure of our modern military requires constantly shifting personnel around, depending on two-year rotations and leaving few opportunities for service personnel to set down roots. This transient quality sticks with many of us – and that’s kind of a good thing in the modern economy. Yet, if a disabled veteran is in need of continuing care through the VA network, their options to pursue new opportunities in other communities can be severely hampered. Their care should follow them wherever they need to go.
The VA and Congress, to their credit, have tried to nibble away at this problem. Expanding the use of outpatient clinics and creating some new opportunities to receive care from the private sector if you live beyond a certain distance from a VA hospital.
I think it’s time we consider moving beyond brick and mortar all together. As the dominant generation of the veteran community shifts toward millennials, policy-makers have an opportunity to challenge historical assumptions and leverage the extensive private medical industry in our country. Younger veterans do not hold the VA medical system in the same regard as those who came before. Further, in a more mobile economy, they shouldn’t be shackled to highly regionalized models of care.
Congress should consider an insurance model option and launch a pilot project to determine its feasibility. It’s both doable and scalable to treat the depth and breadth of medical issues common to military service.
2. Help Them Invest and Grow Wealth
Finally, let’s help them voluntarily start a nest egg.
Since the OIF/OEF conflicts, the government has ramped up its efforts to help transitioning veterans apply for disability benefits. That’s great. But many of us don’t need, or want, a monthly disability check – we just want to know we’ll get quality care when the wear and tear catches up with us.
So, here’s my cockamamie idea: allow us to designate a percentage of our disability payments to be contributed into investment accounts under the federal Thrift Savings Plan. For those not in the know, that’s a 401(k) style investment platform that active service members and federal employees can enter and receive certain levels of matching contributions from their employers.
I believe Congress should allow veterans who receive any level of disability compensation to designate a portion to be contributed to TSP directly from their monthly disability payments. With or without a match, it’s a worthy investment portfolio that can help create long-term wealth – needed wealth at a time later in life when a veteran may need that nest egg.
And sure, we could individually do something similar now and just automatically deposit those dollars into a Roth or other investment platform. But let’s face it, not everyone is keen on fully private markets. Veterans entering into the civilian world have countless distractions that can prevent them from investing early – let’s help them do it in a way that requires minimal action on their part. TSP represents a vehicle trusted by many. If it’s good enough for congressional staff, it’s certainly good enough for our truest patriots.
If you talk to any veteran today, ask them about their experiences transitioning out of uniformed service. Ask them what could have helped them along the way. I think you might just be surprised by the answers.
You’re likely to find they’re not trying to milk the system, they just need that system to be right-sized for their situation. Instead of letting them sour on the dusty, immovable systems they’ve come to know, we can capitalize on a rapidly approaching moment. The generations are changing guard. Younger and more mobile populations present an opportunity. New ways of doing business may just improve services and decrease costs at the same time.
These may also NOT be the right answers. What I do know is this: after watching so many try, and fail, to navigate the second largest bureaucracy in our government, just about anything is worth a try. So why not try now?
Part of the Possible 