FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 17, 2025

CONTACT: press@iava.org

Washington, DC — Today Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) released the following statement following the VA’s action to end all transgender-related care for veterans who need it. 

“The recent action by the current Administration to eliminate life-saving care for veterans who need it is the ultimate betrayal of those who’ve served and sacrificed so much for our country, ” said IAVA CEO and Iraq War veteran, Allison Jaslow. “If as a country we tell ourselves that we want the very best for America’s veterans, this recent action by the VA flies in the face of that and makes one wonder if it’s one that VA physicians would agree with. Veterans have dealt with enough at the hands of politicians during our service, especially those of us who’ve served in wartime, we don’t need to continue to be beaten on as we’re just trying to live our lives post-service.” 

“IAVA strongly opposes VA’s action to remove medical care that our fellow veterans needed and were depending on, and will work to ensure they regain access to this care from the very agency that’s supposed to support them the most,” Jaslow continued. “Regardless, our nation has just said a big f-u to veterans who’ve served and sacrificed when so many are unwilling to, and that should bother all of us.”

IAVA stands in support of our nation’s transgender troops and veterans–and in support of equality always. As the leading post-9/11 generation veterans advocacy organization, IAVA is proud of its record of standing – often alone – on the right side of equality issues. After getting input on the policy change from our membership, IAVA supported the 2016 announcement by DoD to allow transgender troops to serve openly without threat of discharge. We also opposed the 2017 action by the previous Trump Administration to ban transgender Americans from serving in the military, supported a reversal of the ban by the Biden Administration, and have consistently supported getting transgender veterans access to gender-affirming care.

Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America is the leading voice of the Post-9/11 generation of American veterans. We represent over 425,000 members, and our best-in-class, non-partisan advocacy on behalf of the post-9/11 generation of veterans has chalked up big wins for our community – and America – for 20 years and counting.

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