text: Veterans groups keep telling the government what veterans need and what the VA needs. The VA needs less red tape to hire new employees. Government hiring freezes and attempts to funnel money from properly staffing VA's to expensive and less useful civilian care have left most VA's critically understaffed. I understand that politicians want to look like they care about vets while funneling vets to private civilian care. But it doesn't work for us. 
  Civilian providers won't take our low government pay for services, even if it's more expensive than VA care. And the care civilians provide is substandard for veterans health needs. Military members are exposed to unique toxins and environments like burning oils fields and depleted uranium and such, and unique stressors like the conditions of battle and military life. We need veteran specific care and the peer support of contact with other veterans. 
  Fix hiring and properly staff our VA. Don't let them privatize our care to please lobbyists.