I work at the Department of Veterans Affairs, where my team and I are responsible for one of the most mission-critical tasks in the federal government: making sure Veterans get the compensation benefits they’ve earned. Every day we review thousands of pages of service records, medical exams, and supporting evidence. It is detail-heavy, emotionally demanding work, but it’s also some of the most meaningful work I’ve ever had the privilege to do. 

When a government shutdown hits, everything changes. Many of us are classified as “excepted personnel,” which means we continue reporting for duty, but without pay until Congress acts. At the same time, key colleagues are furloughed, slowing the claims process and frustrating Veterans who deserve timely answers. Less staff inevitably means less work completed, and that reality is one too many leaders in Washington seem unwilling to acknowledge. 

How Shutdowns Affect Veterans Directly 

This shutdown has been deeply demoralizing, not only for VA employees but for Veterans themselves. Some of the subject matter experts we rely on to review claims have been sent home, which drags out the process. Our public contact offices are closed, so Veterans—many of them older and more comfortable with face-to-face interactions, have nowhere to go for in-person answers. 

The ripple effects are wide. Transition program assistance, career counseling, the GI Bill Call Center, the National Cemetery Applicant Assistance Call Center, and regional benefits offices are all shut down. Outreach and public affairs are paused. Even cemeteries have no grounds maintenance or placement of permanent headstones. For Veterans and their families, these are not just inconveniences; they are disruptions that cut to the heart of service and dignity. 

Watching Leadership Fail Us 

One of the hardest things for me has been witnessing how national leadership has handled this. Federal employees are trained yearly on the Hatch Act, which prohibits partisanship in the workplace. Yet, right before this shutdown began, an official VA-wide communication explicitly blamed one political party. That kind of messaging would get an average federal employee fired. To see leadership ignore rules that the rest of us must follow has been disheartening, to say the least. 

It reinforces a broader truth: while we’re expected to keep serving Veterans without missing a beat, many of those in Washington seem disconnected from the stress families are feeling. Their paychecks continue uninterrupted while ours are held hostage to political fights. I still remember the last major shutdown in 2018–2019, when some of my colleagues literally couldn’t put food on the table for their families. I fear history repeating itself. 

The Human Toll, And the Resilience 

Shutdowns also take a toll on the people behind the desk. More colleagues are taking sick leave. Stress levels are rising. Conversations about financial strain and feeling demoralized are happening daily. And yet, despite this, I continue to witness extraordinary resilience. My colleagues keep showing up, committed to delivering world-class service for Veterans who rely on us. 

Last year, the VA processed 3 million claims, a record. That was possible only because of the passion and grit of federal employees, many of whom are Veterans themselves. Roughly one-third of federal employees have served in uniform, which means shutdowns hit doubly hard: they impact us both as professionals and as Veterans who depend on the very system we work to uphold. 

Why I’m Speaking Out 

I chose to share these experiences anonymously not out of fear, but out of a sense of responsibility. Too often the public sees shutdowns reduced to soundbites, memes, or partisan talking points. But behind every headline are real people, Veterans waiting on benefits, families unable to bury their loved ones with dignity, employees working without pay, and a system straining under political gamesmanship. 

Despite it all, I remain proud to serve. I believe there is no greater privilege than standing alongside my colleagues in service to America’s Veterans. Even when we’re being asked to do more with less, even when we feel ignored by those in power, we show up because the mission matters. 

Shutdowns may slow us down, but they will not break our commitment to those who have worn the uniform. 

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