I’m a veteran. As Congress and the VA falter, we’re stepping up for each other.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Jeramiah Solven spent 15 years in the U.S. Army, including time as an Army Ranger. After retiring, he founded Conquer Academy, a leadership training organization. 

Doug Collins, the man in charge at the Department of Veterans Affairs, recently wrote that the VA “means world-class health care coverage” and offers a panoply of benefits and aids for Americans who served. In the Capitol, members of Congress are pushing the CHOICE for Veterans Act, a piece of legislation designed to help veterans navigate the VA claims process more quickly.

I hope these efforts genuinely help veterans. But we don’t have to wait for relief from our struggles. We have always stepped up to help our brothers and sisters in arms, with new innovations, ideas and solutions cropping up every day.

The example that most stands out to me lately is RateYourVSO.com, a new tool that helps veterans evaluate which Veteran Service Organization can best guide them through the often daunting VA benefits claims process. I’m not affiliated with RateYourVSO or with Combat Veterans of America, which runs it. However, people solving problems and helping veterans in concrete ways is always a good thing.

The VA has admittedly struggled in the past with accessibility and reform. Veterans remember the wait-list scandal that broke in 2014, when the VA inspector general found “appointment scheduling issues” at 77 VA medical centers, with one facility having “manipulated wait-lists to meet department standards, delaying appointments for veterans.”

Every vet has a unique story, so no two claims processes will be exactly the same. When I went through my own process, I chose not to use a traditional VSO. Like many veterans, I ran into logistical challenges — limited availability, unclear scheduling, and long wait times that made it difficult to get consistent, in-person support. After spending significant time trying to navigate that system, I made the decision to take a more direct and controlled approach. I leveraged private resources and artificial intelligence tools to move forward with greater speed, clarity and precision.

Not every veteran has the option to go outside the VSO network, whether it’s access, cost, or because of something else.

Now, a lot of veterans feel that there’s a lack of both transparency and trust in the system that creates space for inefficiency at best, and exploitation at worst. This is how we end up with fringe predatory groups and attorneys that pretend to offer veterans claims help. They collect the fees, stall, and then vanish, never to be seen again. The vet is left holding the bag, now with no care, a condition that’s only getting worse, and also a hit to his savings account.

And that’s nothing to say about his family, who too often watch him struggle while they fight their own battles during his deployment and even upon his return.

Our nation has a long and distinguished history of respect, even veneration, for our veterans. As long as we take care of veterans and ensure we put sound policies in place like the CHOICE for Veterans Act, we’ll remain the greatest country in the world.

As I said, private actors play a big part in that. Our veterans benefit so much when they’re assured of transparency and forthrightness from the U.S. government as they gear up for a claims resolution process that can be almost as grueling as the service itself.

The VA has a singular duty to deliver on the promises made to those who served, and Congress has an obligation to ensure that duty is fulfilled. That’s why I’m encouraged by veteran leaders like Collins and Rep. Jack Bergman, R-Mich., the sponsor of the CHOICE for Veterans Act, for pushing Washington in the right direction.

There are many challenges for veterans in America today. But as we see more initiatives and legislation from Washington, and more private individuals and groups stepping up with their talent and treasure, I feel optimistic about our prospects. America is still a shining city on a hill, and we who have the privilege to serve this great country have a bright future ahead.