In part one of a two-part series, federal whistleblower and combat veteran Sonny Fleeman revealed the potential collapse of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
While the VA continues to grow at “an unsustainable rate,” Fleeman admitted that some people are inclined to blame veterans for abusing the system.
Although he does agree that a significant number of veterans abuse the system, he argued that “the system itself creates structural incentives that drive these outcomes.”
And through this process, he said, “most veterans are simply navigating a system that encourages claims as part of its design.”
Fleeman explained that the VA operates under the “as least likely as not” standard, a key part of its non-adversarial system designed to give veterans the benefit of the doubt.
“While this approach is rooted in fairness,” he said, “it’s important to recognize that the system’s structure inherently invites overuse—not because veterans are intentionally abusing it, but because of how the system incentivizes growth.”
He disclosed that “veterans service organizations, contractors, and even the VA itself benefit from the increase in service-connected claims, as their funding, roles, and influence expand with each additional claim.”
According to him, “This creates a self-perpetuating cycle where the system becomes less about need and more about sustaining itself—and this is not the fault of veterans.”
“The dynamic doesn’t just affect individual veterans—it shapes the mindset within the broader veteran community, undermining the values of service and integrity that the military stands for,” said Fleeman.
“Ultimately, it exploits the very people we are meant to serve—the taxpayers—who fund this system with the expectation that it supports those in genuine need.”
Thus, he said, “the focus should be on examining the structural incentives and ensuring the system remains sustainable and focused on its mission.”
“[In part one], the examples of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or military sexual trauma (MST) are just a few of many examples that highlight how systemic inefficiencies are driving unsustainable growth,” Fleeman shared.
“A one trillion-dollar liability for a single diagnostic code like PTSD underscores the urgent need for reform.”
“PTSD is just one example of how these liabilities are spiraling out of control, [and while] it’s a vivid illustration, [it is] hardly the only condition racking up astronomical expenses,” he said.
Despite knowing how these expenditures could soon reach an unsustainable point, he is disappointed by government officials who appear to have little inclination to fix the underlying issues.
Fleeman fears that there is no real incentive for change. What’s more, he said, “Reforming the system would require tough decisions—ones that might be spun as ‘anti-veteran.’”
And according to him, “No politician wants to risk that kind of backlash, so the cycle goes on, with each new claim adding to an already staggering total.”
“In the end,” he lamented, “it’s taxpayers who are forced to shoulder the endless costs, and veterans who risk being left high and dry if the rug ever gets pulled out from under them.”
“Addressing these issues requires public engagement and innovative solutions,” Fleeman shared, proposing a severance-based system as a solution.
He said, “A severance-based compensation system would replace lifetime monthly benefits with a one-time lump-sum payment.”
According to him, this approach would provide the following:
- Empowerment Through Independence: Veterans receive a substantial, one-time payout, empowering them to manage their own finances, encouraging reintegration into civilian life without long-term government dependency
- Fiscal Responsibility: Predictable costs for taxpayers, reducing the risk of unsustainable liabilities, and simplifying the compensation process to cut down on administrative inefficiencies
- Transparency and Accountability: A lump-sum system reduces opportunities for mismanagement, ensuring fair, one-time settlements
“Some argue that a severance-based system risks financial mismanagement for veterans, but the current system hasn’t exactly been a beacon of success,” Fleeman argued.
“It has fostered dependence on the government and, by extension, indebtedness to the taxpayer—an unsustainable burden that risks collapsing under its own weight.”
According to him, “The real priorities should be liberty, self-reliance, and a system that empowers veterans while respecting taxpayers by not indebting them to fund inefficiencies.”
Dependency undermines freedom, he said, suggesting the system need is” one that upholds the values veterans fought to protect, not one that compromises them.”
“Without some kind of intervention in the Department of Veterans Affairs,” Fleeman warned, “This crisis will spiral further out of control.”
Fleeman emphasized that his views are his own and he does not represent the government, any employer, or any organization.
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