Today I was called a scammer because I receive VA disability compensation every month. That’s quite an accusation, especially since the person levied this accusation based on two videos on my YouTube channel. One video tells veterans how to get free glasses from the VA. The other video talks about who is eligible for the annual clothing allowance. Nothing in these videos encourages deception or fraud. There is no coaching on how to scam the system. Just straight facts on benefits to which you may be eligible.
For some reason, though, this person took it to mean that I have been scamming the innocent taxpayers out of hundreds of thousands of dollars because I receive compensation. That’s a wild take considering all that goes into VA compensation. He called it an easy paycheck. He said if you weren’t in combat you didn’t deserve it. His comments hint toward a hatred of women in the military. None of those are facts and none of them substantiate a claim of me scamming anyone.
It took me a few hours to distance myself from such a wild accusation to form a good response. But that’s how 2026 has been for many veterans who receive VA compensation. Media outlets like, The Washington Post (WaPo; the original article is behind a paywall), have seen fit to target veterans receiving compensation for “mundane” issues such as eczema and hemorrhoids. In their effort to uncover fraud and waste, what they have really done is further divide the veteran community and those who support us.
While no one is entitled to know all of the conditions for which I rate compensation, it is important for everyone to understand that according to the VA Inspector General’s office, the rate of fraud is merely less than one one-hundredth of 1%. And while no system is perfect, that miniscule percentage suggests to me that the VA is doing a pretty good job of weeding out false claims from the legitimate ones.
I will not take the time in this post to break down what constitutes VA disability (spoiler alert: “disability” isn’t quite the right word for it). That’s for a future post and video. What I will say is articles like this play into a narrative that suggests people like me, especially women veterans, are milking the system. That if we weren’t boots on the ground in direct combat that we are unworthy of being compensated. That nothing I could have done in my time in service entitles me to taxpayer dollars for the rest of my life.
Oh, if only it was that simple.
You see, the same person who accused me of being a scammer revealed that suspected fraud kept him from getting VA healthcare for himself.
Huh? Make that make sense.
He’s telling me that because he thinks other people are getting something for nothing that means he should delay his own healthcare needs?
As veterans we are entitled to benefits accounted for in the federal budget. I’ve been out of the Navy since 2004 and I’ve seen VA healthcare go through a number of changes, good and bad. So if I can save a fellow veteran $400 on the cost of a pair of glasses because they can get a pair for free or discounted from the VA, then I’m going to let them know. So much in the federal budget is “use it or lose it.” If we don’t use what is afforded to us, then we lose it. How does that help the veteran population?
After a 20 year global war on terror, this nation is reaping the cost of an extended time in conflict never before seen in the history of this country. Prior generations will call us weak for seeking help and getting rated for things that are legitimate concerns. But VA compensation isn’t a badge of honor (despite what you may see on TikTok or Caleb Hammer’s Financial Audit). For most of us, it’s an acknowledgement of how broken we left the service.
Is the VA disability compensation process complicated? Yes, it can be. Is it tedious? That can also be true. Are some veteran’s cases so complicated that they need a lawyer? Sure. But none of that equates to scamming the system set up to take care of you. A couple of great responses to this come from veterans like Daniel Blevins and various veteran responses to WaPo reporting (also behind a paywall).
Bottom line: “investigations” like those from WaPo and The Economist only serve to further divide this country and keep honest veterans from seeking compensation or healthcare. Too many service members leave active duty and no nothing about the VA or VA healthcare. Even more don’t realize that they don’t have to suffer in silence for the things that happened as a result of their military service. That’s unsatisfactory for a nation that depends on the sacrifices of those who volunteer to defend the freedoms enjoyed by all.