(WXYZ) — U.S. Veteran Affairs Secretary Doug Collins was in Michigan on Tuesday, meeting with healthcare workers amid a wave of uncertainty with tens of thousands of jobs being cut by the U.S. Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
Collins visited the VA Medical Center in Detroit and the took time to meet heroic workers and address cuts and restructuring.
"I am not in favor of privatization. The VA will always have a place for our veterans in this country," Collins said.
Watch our full interview with Collins in the video below
"I just love the veterans and what they do for our country. Couldn’t ask for a better job," Sam Jaghab, a respiratory worker, said.
"All the employees in the ICU came together, and we were able to save a life," Nick Salgat, who works in respiratory therapy, added.
After presenting several staff with challenge coins and praising the quality of care, Collins took my question about the impact of the Trump Administration cutting 80,000 VA jobs.
"What will that mean here in Michigan?" I asked.
"I think better quality health care and benefits," he said. "Our metrics are flat or getting worse. Maybe the answer isn’t just more money or people. Maybe it’s actually an organizational, structural issue."
Collins said he sees the move to restructure as a vital step to actually helping more people.
"Don’t scare my veterans. Or my employees. We are working a methodical pattern to make their life better. That may mean less employees but the ones we have will be back in roles that help our veterans," he said.
I also talked with a recently terminated contractor for the VA who was previously tasked with helping prevent fraud and scams.
Watch below: Contractor with Veterans Affairs talks about impact of job loss
"This job loss was very difficult. Unexpected. You don’t think it’ll happen to you until it does. I do worry, what does that do for the veteran at the end of the day? How does it impact their experience and what they’re doing?" Michael Greco said.
The workers we talked to say they remain proud to serve and hope they can continue in their roles amid a period of dramatic change.
Collins also said that in just one year, the VA Medical Center in Detroit will be among the first to use the relaunched digital records system.
