The Latest Breaking News from Department of Veterans Affairs

Review: John Boyega, Michael K. Williams drama 'Breaking' loses its grip

A young veteran with the weight of the world on his shoulders walks into a bank and almost shyly informs the teller he has a bomb in his backpack. But he doesn't want to rob the bank. He lets almost everyone leave. What does he want? The $892 he believes…

Los Angeles Times · Aug 24, 2022

Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide calls for end to claims backlog, shares 'dismay' at 'limited' government action

Urgent action needs to be taken to eliminate a backlog of compensation claims and make processes easier for veterans, the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide says in its interim report.

ABC News · Aug 11, 2022

The Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide is about to hand down a big report. Here's what it has heard

After months of hearings around Australia, the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide will hand down its interim report this morning. Here's what we know so far.

ABC News · Aug 10, 2022

Report reveals reasons behind huge backlog of 37,000 veteran requests for compensation

The Department of Veterans' Affairs keeps secret a damning report on its own staff shortages and delays in processing compensation.

ABC News · Jun 24, 2022

Royal commission hears of 'ad hoc and inconsistent' suicide reporting as Australian Defence Force Chief testifies

Defence is not doing enough to address suicides, according to the Australian Defence Force Chief, who has told the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide the ADF has inconsistent data on such deaths among its members.

ABC News · Jun 23, 2022

Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide hears government did nothing about claims processes for three years

The former government was told to simplify claims processes for veterans three years ago, but made no decision to adopt the "significant" recommendations, a royal commission hears.

ABC News · Jun 22, 2022

Biden administration adds nine respiratory cancers to list of illnesses linked to burn pits

Veterans suffering from the nine conditions who served in the Gulf War, the Iraq War or the War in Afghanistan will now be given access to VA healthcare and disability claims

The Independent UK · Apr 26, 2022

VA adds nine respiratory cancers to toxic exposure benefits list

WASHINGTON — The Department of Veterans Affairs added nine rare respiratory cancers to its list of diseases that qualify for benefits due to toxic exposure, a move that will make it easier for veterans who served near burn pits to receive care and benefits.

Tribune News Service · Apr 25, 2022

Veterans boss raised concerns about private consultants interviewing families about department's performance

Australia's Veterans' Affairs boss warned against attempts to investigate her department's processing of claims, telling the minister last year she would "not support" an approach that specifically focused on families who had lost a relative to suicide.

ABC News · Apr 22, 2022

Tech glitches at one VA site raise concerns about a nationwide rollout

Spokane, Washington, was supposed to be the center of the Department of Veterans Affairs’ tech reinvention, the first site in the agency’s decadelong project to change its medical records software. But one morning in early March, the latest system malfunction made some clinicians snap.

Tribune News Service · Apr 14, 2022