What is this Petition about? U.S. veteran care, economic wealth spread, and social justice. Not a smear campaign. "Every year, politicians take pictures and espouse the importance of honoring veterans, but many Americans believe they don’t actually do enough to take care of them. In the United States, the department of Veterans Affairs estimates that there are over 35,000 veterans experiencing homelessness on a single night. They’ve also acknowledged that over 120,000 veteran disability claims are blocked or completely lost in their system due to technical errors. This is all despite the fact that the U.S. spends more money on its military than the next nine countries combined. Hundreds of thousands of Americans are fighting for better care for veterans." - https://www.change.org/m/u-s-veteran-care?source_location=petition_page&source_event=movement_indicator&petition_id=13839278 Signing this Petition advocates for favorable policy changes in military benefits. 

VA Disability Compensation - VA disability compensation (pay) offers a monthly tax-free payment to Veterans who got sick or injured while serving in the military and to Veterans whose service made an existing condition worse. https://www.va.gov/disability Issues vary widely, but the solution remains consistent. Service members initial claims packages' adjudicated before termination of service.

Burial and Memorial Benefits - The National Cemetery Administration is a section of Department of Veteran Affairs, with a mission to provide burial space for veterans and their family members. Entitled benefits including burial services, memorial items, state & tribal grants, preservation, and more. Major issue arise for family members (estranged or not), when State/County Offices or Official Person(s) ignore the proper notification policies and procedures. Veterans deemed as "Unclaimed Dead" is the result of no veteran identification, no authorization for disposition of remains and cremation, and never contacting their next-of-kin. Regardless of receiving VA disability payments, family in-state, or honorable separation. There is no federal law that mandates checking if every deceased person is a veteran (30% of American population). State laws vary, South Carolina requires by law that funeral directors and coroners must determine if the unclaimed deceased is a veteran. If they are, they must coordinate with veteran organizations to ensure proper military burial. https://www.cem.va.gov/burial-memorial-benefits/

Tricare Health Benefits - Tricare Extended Care Health Option, known as ECHO, and its ECHO home health care benefit, known as EHHC. Military families may face challenges getting access to these services, which help individuals keep, learn or improve skills and functioning for daily living; provide durable medical equipment and incontinence supplies; and offer caregiver support, such as respite care. On average it takes 32 months for in-state approval, the average service member is stationed at a single location for 24-48 months. Leaving said qualifying child with either autism, severe intellectual disabilities, serious physical disabilities, or a combination to move on orders to another location that may or may not have the services and providers required for them. https://www.nationalguard.mil/Portals/31/Documents/J1/Spouse-and-Family-Interest/Exceptional-Family-Member-Program/2025%20EFMP/UNC_NGB-J1-M_FACTSHT_TricareECHO-FactSheet_2025.pdf?ver=GC2sY0bZbu3oIrulPQglLg%3D%3D/ Military branched allow service members to choose their duty station as a major enlistment incentive and  reenlistment benefit, structured to balance personal desires and needs of the military. To access ECHO, service members must first be enrolled in the Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP), and does not cover medically necessary alterations to your residence or vehicle (such as ramps or lifts). Reservists are not eligible for this benefit unless you are activated and deployed for more than 30 days.  https://www.militarytimes.com/pay-benefits/military-benefits/health-care/2026/06/03/dod-should-review-special-needs-health-care-programs-to-ensure-theyre-helping-military-families-watchdog-says/ 

Retirees & Veterans - The people and organizations listed below have exposed flaws in our vast benefit system. Having already fought for this country, now actively fighting for you and your families; benefits, rights, and social justice.

• Naomi Reynolds, 75 years of age, served during Vietnam-era. Listen to her on the "Living Ageless and Bold" podcast episode, speak on suffering silently for 44 years without her benefits claims being adjudicated properly. She is currently working alongside veterans and members of Congress for Woman's Rights and overall benefit improvements. "The Hidden Cost of Service: How The VA Is Failing Women Veterans"
  https://open.spotify.com/episode/4H3QVf7vlJ9ICUo5VMcfXa?si=tLvX3aDHQMW0Q4uD9765qQ Proposed Solution - Service members initial claims packages' adjudicated before termination of service.
• Kevin Reinholz, retired and receiving disability compensation, noticed through his own claims' process that the issues surrounding our military benefits went beyond his own frustrations. Since 2018 this Petition has accumulated 51,930 supporters. "Stop Penalizing Veterans Retired from the Military Due to Service‑Incurred Disabilities" https://www.change.org/p/senate-armed-services-committee-stop-penalizing-veterans-retired-from-the-military-due-to-service-incurred-disabilities?source_location=psf_petitions This further showcases that combating unjust or unfair policy may require individual efforts turned into a "combined spear head". 
• Veterans gathered to aide in protecting their benefits as well as future service members in Jan 2017. With assistance from Representative Maxine Waters, they were successful in introducing bill H.R.6362 - Protecting Benefits for Disabled Veterans Act of 2023, to Congress in Nov.
  https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/6362 Last action July, 2024, forwarded by subcommittee to full committee by voice vote. The Congressional Budge Office consistently recommends an age limit that would terminate TDIU payments at a specific age (e.g. 67 up)
  https://dav.quorum.us/campaign/55309 11,382 severely affected families signed this Petition.
• Caregivers & veterans began Petition titled, "Disabled Veterans And Caregivers Need Lasting Protection" https://greatergood.com/blogs/petitions/veteran-caregiver-support-petition?_pos=3&_psq=disabled+veterans&_ss=e&_v=1.0 Senator Jerry Moran - Chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs, Introduced  legislation, with 419 petitioners that have had enough. https://www.veterans.senate.gov/2026/1/chairman-moran-introduces-legislation-to-permanently-authorize-va-program-to-support-disabled-veterans-their-caregivers
• Petition starter James Humphrey, "Stop Failing Military Sexual Assault Survivors", currently 8,056 petitioners have signed up. https://www.change.org/p/pass-h-r-7976-stop-failing-military-sexual-assault-survivors?source_location=search Representative Salud Carbajal, on March 18, 2026 sponsored bill H.R.7976 - Moral Injury Recognition & Restitution Act. Last action April 2026, referred to the Subcommittee on Health. https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/7976 

Spouses - The Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) provides financial support to military spouses and/or children when a military member dies while on duty or after retirement. The amount of the SBP benefit is a percentage of retired pay. The percentage depends upon whether the member chooses full or reduced coverage at the time of election (generally at retirement or at 20-year qualification). SBP provides up to 55 percent of a service member's retired pay to an eligible beneficiary upon the death of the member. Election to decline or reduce coverage at retirement is irrevocable, regardless of rationale. After the service member passes away, the SBP annuity is paid out monthly to the surviving spouse, or to the child or children of the member. Biannual newsletter https://www.dfas.mil/RetiredMilitary/newsevents/news/Survivor-SBP-Newsletter  Jan 1, 2023 Congress enacted changes to the Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) that eliminated the offset (reduction) to SBP annuity payments for surviving spouses who are also receiving Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC). Further showcasing how out of date our total benefits packages' are.

Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) is a monetary benefit offered by the VA to survivors of service members and retirees whose death results from only service-related injury or disease. DIC also punishes those who separated for any amount of time or if they remarried before age 55, payments will end. This does not consider long term compensation for the children of the deceased service member. These types of claims' are also included in the 100,00 - 600,000 waiting room requiring cleanup. https://www.dfas.mil/RetiredMilitary/survivors/Understanding-SBP-DIC-SSIA

Families & Supporters - Please share with anyone you know that has been displaced due to VA processing. 

The VA claims to; "... reduce processing times for both Veteran disability claims and pension and survivor benefits... VA work is paying off for Veterans" https://news.va.gov/press-room/va-announces-major-improvements-in-benefits-processing-and-delivery

March 2013 - March 2026 At any given time between 100,000 - 600,000 veterans claims for financial compensation were long overdue. The majority of ailments claimed or not, are painful reminders of sacrifice, documented in medical records & vocational assessments. Veterans such as myself suffer immensely on all fronts - economically, socially, professionally, and personally. We are faced with a myriad of mental and physical injuries and request reform. https://www.benefits.va.gov/reports/mmwr_va_claims_backlog.asp