Maryland veterans express concern and frustration over federal workforce cuts

At a roundtable discussion hosted by Senator Van Hollen in Baltimore County Tuesday, veterans said they were disproportionately impacted by the Trump administration's efforts to reduce the size of the federal workforce.

According to Van Hollen, the federal government employs more than 700,000 veterans, including 40,000 in Maryland - with a significant amount being disabled veterans. 

In Maryland, many veterans said they were shocked after losing their jobs, while others who were still employed said they were uncertain about their job security. 

Why is the Trump administration shrinking the federal workforce?

In February, President Trump said the federal workforce was too big, describing it as "bloated", and being filled with "people that are unnecessary."

An order instructing federal agencies to lay off all probationary federal employees who had not yet gained civil service protection followed Mr. Trump's remarks. 

Van Hollen said Tuesday that many terminated employees were told they were being fired for "poor performance", despite having excellent service records and strong performance evaluations.

"In firing these veterans who were federal employees, they got notices claiming that they were fired for, quote, poor performance, when in fact, so many have gotten recent reviews and evaluations with glowing performance reports. So this was just a big lie."

Some experts told CBS News that contrary to Mr. Trump's statements, the federal workforce has seen little growth since 1980, with agencies like the FAA suffering from ongoing staffing shortages. 

How many veterans have lost their jobs?

Senator Van Hollen said that an estimated "6,000 veterans across the country have lost their jobs" to date. Many of those 6,000 employees are receiving offers to get their jobs back after intervention from federal courts.

Earlier this month, the Veterans Affairs Department said it plans to cut more than 70,000 workers, returning the size of the agency to just under 400,000 employees as it was in 2019. 

In a statement, the VA told WJZ, "We regret when anyone loses their job, and it's extraordinarily difficult for department leaders to make those types of decisions. However, the federal government does not exist to employ people. It exists to serve people. At VA, we are focused on serving veterans better than ever before and doing so requires changing and improving the organization." 

The department also said that the laid-off employees turned down a "fork in the road offer", which would have given them full pay and benefits until the end of September.

"As an added safeguard to ensure continuity of operations, we have even given supervisors of those who have been laid off the ability to request that employees be exempted from probationary removal," the VA said.

Veterans fearful of reduced services

Critics say that firing thousands of VA employees will have devastating impacts on veterans, potentially leading to longer wait times for medical care, slower processing of disability claims, and reduced access to the Veterans Crisis Line. 

"They are talking about 80,000 people being laid off by the Department of Veterans Affairs. These are people all over the country who help process benefits. They work in veterans' hospitals. So that would be a huge hit to the services that we provide to veterans as a country," Van Hollen said. 

Octavia Hatem, a Marine Corps veteran and former VA contractor, shared how she benefited from VA services and feared what would happen if those services were reduced. 

"The VA has helped support me with education benefits. I was able to get health care. I was able to get mental health support. I don't know where I would be without that support, genuinely," Hatem said. 

The VA told WJZ that the employees who have been laid off did not serve in "mission-critical" roles. Mission-critical positions include doctors, nurses, and claims processors. Non-mission-critical positions include publicists, interior designers, and diversity, equity, and inclusion officers.  

How have the layoffs impacted Maryland veterans?

Vincent Camacho, a recently terminated veteran, says he was recently terminated after serving 24 years in the military.

"How can my country now say, as I was told in my termination letter, 'The agency finds, based on your performance, that you have not demonstrated that your further employment at the agency would be in the public interest'?" Camacho said. 

Camacho added that he received an email saying he was reinstated to his position, but "placed on administrative leave pending further guidance." 

"I'm not even sure when I'll be returning to work—or at this point if I'm even going to be returning to work," Camacho explained.

Hatem said she experienced a sudden financial strain after she learned that her job was no longer going to be supported. 

"About three weeks ago, I got my notice that my job was no longer going to be supported and the contract had been canceled. Fortunately, my husband is still employed, so we're not without completely, but now he has more pressure on him," Hatem said.

Hatem also said the layoffs add to the already difficult process of transitioning out of the military into civilian life. 

"The transition out of the military is very, very difficult… The military, being a Marine, being an airman, being a soldier, whatever—it's not a job. It's your life. When you change your whole life to now fit into the civilian world, it presents so many challenges," Hatem said. 

Some veteran support organizations say they are overwhelmed by the sheer number of veterans seeking help.

"When you have groups that are meant to bolster the efforts of the VA getting to a point where they're just taking on so many constituents that they're now strained, it has an incredibly adverse impact on the veteran community," Patrick Taylor, from the Baltimore County Executive's Office noted. 

Maryland leaders pushback against federal layoffs

In a hearing on March 13, Howard County Executive Calvin Ball said an estimated 30,000 federal workers in Maryland have been fired, eliminated, or resigned. 

Earlier this month, Maryland joined a 19-state lawsuit over the Trump administration's mass firings of federal probationary employees.

In the lawsuit, the attorneys general argued that federal agencies were required to follow "Reduction in Force" protocols, which include giving preference to military veterans and providing state governments with at least 60 days' notice before laying off 50 or more employees. 

After the lawsuit, two federal judges independently ordered the Trump administration to rehire the fired probationary employees. 

Efforts to support veterans 

With many veterans suddenly unemployed, Maryland's Department of Veteran and Military Families (DVMF) is stepping in to provide job fairs, employment support, and resource guides. 

We've been preparing resource guides and finding more information for veterans. We're going out to outreach every day. We have two job fairs tomorrow," Denise Nooe, the Deputy Director of the DVMF's Communications and Outreach & Advocacy Program said.

Beyond government assistance, lawmakers are also pushing to expand support for veteran-owned businesses. Van Hollen pointed to past initiatives aimed at helping veterans transition into entrepreneurship, like the launch of the Veterans Institute for Procurement.