The Overwatch
 
August 4, 2022

Purple Heart recipients share their experiences with VA care

The Purple Heart is a sacred award, given to those who sustained injuries while in combat. But at the Department of Veterans Affairs, even the Purple Heart doesn’t necessarily guarantee you quality, timely care. Ahead of National Purple Heart Day, we asked Purple Heart recipients what it has been like getting care at the VA…. Read more »

August 1, 2022

Montana veteran: Protecting facilities isn’t the same as protecting access to care

When a group of senators shut down any progress on the Asset and Infrastructure Review (AIR) Commission, they didn’t just stop underused or empty facilities from being closed. They stopped modernization of outdated facilities and expansion of partnerships that would provide veterans with the care they need — and deserve. Under the guise of protecting… Read more »

July 27, 2022

Gold Star sibling and fellow soldier recount the loss of their loved one and urge Congress to act

When SSG Alex Conrad died in Somalia, he left behind many that loved him, including his sister Christie Palcisko and his fellow soldier Sam Rogers. Alex’s death was difficult to bear, especially given he died in combat in a country that the U.S. isn’t technically at war in. Following the recent anniversary of Alex’s death,… Read more »

July 20, 2022

New poll: Americans want to stay out of Ukraine and the Middle East

Americans know what they want to see from President Joe Biden and his administration – a focus on domestic issues and avoiding unnecessary foreign conflicts. A new poll commissioned by CVA found Americans oppose sending more troops to the Middle East and getting directly involved in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Further, many Americans… Read more »

July 15, 2022

It’s time to wean Europe off American security

Putin’s aggression should be a wakeup call for Europe to shoulder their own defense burden. US policy should encourage it. At NATO’s Madrid summit, President Biden announced new US deployments to Europe as part of NATO’s effort to deter Russia following Putin’s war of aggression against Ukraine. A larger American presence in Europe might make… Read more »

July 13, 2022

12 senators have shut down the AIR Commission. Here’s why that’s bad for veterans.

Members of Congress don’t always have veterans’ best interests in mind. Case in point: shutting down the Asset and Infrastructure Review Commission. Recently, a group of senators announced they wouldn’t take any further action on the AIR Commission, a needed review of VA’s facilities and services established under the VA MISSION Act. Their reasoning? The… Read more »

July 6, 2022

‘No veteran should be doomed to this system’ says Florida veteran in response to VA failures

The Department of Veterans Affairs has been failing veterans for a long time. But for one veteran in Florida, this failure was deadly. A VA facility in Gainesville refused to treat a veteran with a heart condition because the facility couldn’t verify the vet’s military status. The veteran was rushed to another hospital nearby and… Read more »