Gil Cisneros Questions Former VA Advisor on Trump's Impact on Veterans Affairs Modernization

Impact of Trump Administration Firings on VA Modernization

• 🏛️ George Chewning, former VA advisor, states that many dedicated VA employees have been laid off or left due to a hostile environment.
• 📉 Removing resources, especially from outside service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses that supported modernization, will make continuing efforts very challenging.
• ⚠️ Physicians, technologists, and service providers at the VA feel under attack by their chains of command, creating an incredibly difficult workplace.

Resilience and Hope for VA Systems

• 💪 Despite the challenges, Chewning believes government teams are incredibly resilient, and lessons learned in modernization will remain.
• 🚀 He is hopeful that the systems built will survive and continue to thrive, even if current teams face extreme difficulties.
• ✅ Actions taken by the Trump administration have caused incredible harm to the VA, but recovery is possible through dedicated efforts.

Representative Cisneros's Background

• 🇺🇸 Rep. Gil Cisneros, a Navy veteran, used his GI Bill benefits for his master's degree and served as Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel Readiness.
• 🤝 He also served as co-chair of the joint executive council for the VA and the Department of Defense, highlighting his commitment to veterans' affairs.