For many veterans, the end of military service does not mark the end of struggling. Rather, a new battle starts with the Department of Veteran Affairs in an overwhelming struggle to gain benefits from their service. Though legal representation may improve outcomes and make the process easier, many service members attempt to file claims independently, leading to missing sections, a lack of proper medical documentation, delays, and systemic challenges.
Within the past couple of years, there have been several laws and acts that were passed to expand veteran benefits to a larger group of individuals. These bills, which include the Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act of 2022 and Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act of 2025, are designed to give support to veterans and their families by increasing the types of injuries that are covered in the VA program. With implementations such as these, it begs the question: why are veterans continuing to receive so few benefits?
Complexity of The Process
Many service members struggle the most with the documentation part itself. Medical trauma must be documented specifically and diligently with direct connections to deployment duties. Failing to provide a clear diagnosis and linkage to military service can have a detrimental effect on the chances of receiving benefits. In other words, if an individual fails to file their claim correctly, they may delay it or even have it withheld.
According to Military.com, in 2024, only 63.2% of claims were reviewed and accepted. This means that over a third failed to meet the Veterans Affairs' requirements and guidelines. Along with this, in 2025, there were a record-breaking 3 million pension claims, a seven-hundred-thousand increase from the previous year. These numbers are only expected to increase as time passes due to an aging veteran population and under the expanding conditions from the PACT Act of 2022. With more pension claims, and a decreasing acceptance rate, many veterans in the future will fail to receive their benefits.
Bureaucratic Barriers and A Struggling System
The Department of Veteran Affairs is frequently criticized for being a procedural organization that ends up prioritizing correct admission processes rather than the urgency of veterans. While this system is substantial, long wait times that occur as a result of the strict process end up taking a severe toll on veterans, as it pushes back the date they end up receiving their benefits.
There is a lack of structure and organization within the department itself, which leads to inconsistency, a lack of critical decision-making, and confusion. Within the past couple of years, the bureau has seen a significant decrease in employment, with nearly 40,000 employees losing their jobs. According to the United States Senate Committee on Veteran Affairs, an estimated 88% of the 40,000 were healthcare workers. A significant decrease in medical providers, such as registered nurses, physicians, and schedulers, leads to an even larger decrease in the rate at which veterans receive their benefits.
The remaining employees have expressed discouragement and a decrease in morale due to the loss of telework options, such as working from home or flexible hours. Along with this, according to the United States Senate Committee on Veteran Affairs, management within the department itself is described as overlapping and unorganized. The systemic structure of manager positions is a cause for confusion of priorities, slowing down the time by which decisions are made. This is because many teams' goals coincide with others, making it hard for all claims to be reviewed equally. With a significant decrease in employment and motivation, there is a deep internal struggle that is inhibiting service members from acquiring their benefits.
The Importance of Assistance
Access to legal advice can significantly improve a veteran's chances of successfully navigating the Veteran Affairs benefits systems. Attorneys and veteran service organizations understand the requirements of compiling medical evidence, meeting deadlines, and establishing service connections. They have the necessary knowledge and resources that are available for service members to utilize in their attempts to acquire aid.
The problem is that some veterans do not realize that resources such as these exist, especially because they are not emphasized after being discharged. Others assume that hiring a lawyer will be expensive, even though many work through contingency efforts for non-profit organizations. There are also cultural factors that may prevent retired service members from seeking help. Veterans are taught self-reliance and may feel they should make decisions on their own, which is why they fill out forms themselves. To add, post-traumatic stress and trauma can inhibit an individual's thinking and ability to process information. Memory damage in the brain can make it especially hard for veterans to perform the necessary steps required to be able to obtain benefits as well.
Veteran Service Officers are another option that helps with identifying and gathering evidence, all while filing claims with no cost. These individuals, among other accredited representatives, can give direct advice and have opportunities to act on a veteran's behalf during the claims process. This support has lessened the stress that filing may create in service members and is a free and easier way to attain benefits.
To Sum Up
While veterans need to acquire their benefits, misconceptions, slow processes, and strict guidelines are all roadblocks that stop veterans from reaching this point. However, there are programs implemented and people in place that can easily help service members receive the benefits they need.
Works Cited
- "VA.gov | Veterans Affairs." Va.gov, 2025, benefits.va.gov/gibill/doleact.asp.
- "Cuts, Cover-Ups, & Chaos: Blumenthal Releases Report Exposing Harm of the Trump Administration's Ongoing Assault on Veterans." U.S. Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs, 22 Jan. 2026, www.veterans.senate.gov.
- Kassraie, Aaron. ""Nobody to Help Me": One Veteran's Fight for the Benefits He Earned." AARP, 31 July 2025, www.aarp.org/veterans/veteran-fights-for-long-awaited-benefits/.
- "Nearly 36% of VA Disability Claims Denied in 2024: How Veterans Can Fight Back." Veterans Guide, 3 Sept. 2025, veteransguide.org/news/nearly-36-percent-of-va-disability-claims-denied-in-2024/.
- U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs. "The PACT Act and Your VA Benefits." Veterans Affairs, 2022, www.va.gov/resources/the-pact-act-and-your-va-benefits/.