NCOA Responds to Washington Post Article on VA Benefits

On October 6, 2025, The Washington Post published an article by Craig Whitlock, Lisa Rein, and Caitlin Gilbert that claimed the Department of Veterans Affairs’ disability benefits program is being “exploited.” The article has drawn widespread concern from the military and veteran community for its misleading portrayal of veterans and their service-earned benefits.

The Non Commissioned Officers Association stands firmly with our fellow veteran service organizations in publicly condemning the article’s framing and its damaging suggestion that veterans are “gaming the system.”

While we agree that fraud and abuse have no place in the VA system, it is misleading and harmful to suggest that isolated cases represent the larger veteran population. The overwhelming majority of veterans are honest men and women who served their country with honor and continue to live with the lasting physical and mental effects of that service.

To imply that veterans are collectively taking advantage of the system dismisses years of sacrifice and ignores the real reasons claims have increased. Those reasons include decades of war, multiple deployments, and advances in medical understanding of invisible wounds and long-term service-related conditions. It also reflects a long-overdue recognition of conditions that went unaddressed for generations. Many Vietnam veterans, for example, did not begin receiving comprehensive care until the 1990s or 2000s, and some still have not received the support they deserve.

This kind of reporting damages more than public perception. It harms the trust between our nation and those who defend it. It reinforces stigma against veterans with unseen injuries and discourages others from seeking the help they need.

NCOA remains committed to ensuring that enlisted service members, veterans, and their families are treated with dignity, respect, and fairness. In our official response sent to the editors of The Washington Post, NCOA calls for fair and responsible reporting that honors the service and integrity of our nation’s veterans rather than undermining public trust.

You can read NCOA’s full response letter that was sent to The Washington Post, below.

NCOA's Response

Strength in Unity®

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