Leavenworth Veterans Administration Workers Address Workforce Cuts
by Peggy Bair HeartKC
On Saturday, March 8, 2025, about 65 federal government workers, union representatives, and family members held a rally in front of the Dwight D. Eisenhower Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Leavenworth, holding American flags and signs in support of veterans. The “Protect Veterans, Respect Federal Workers March” united VA workers facing federal workforce cuts by the newly formed Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
Reasons for the Rally
Union officials with the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Local 85, which represents employees at the Leavenworth VA facilities, organized the rally.
“The reason for having this (rally) is to raise awareness and let them know that these employees who are working their tails off to support the veterans and help the veterans and make sure the veterans get their care are being attacked daily,” said Rebecca Reinhold, vice president of the AFGE Local 85. “Right now, they’re talking about a reduction in force. If we’re not here, who’s going to take care of the veterans?”
Passing cars on Saturday generally honked at signs, although it was unclear if they understood the crux of the rally or if the honks were indications of general support for veterans. From one passing vehicle, however, a voice shouted, “Get a job!”
The AFGE falls under the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) directives. OPM was previously an independent federal government agency that managed the United States federal civil service. OPM was taken over in January as part of an initiative by Elon Musk to trim the federal budget after President Donald Trump took office.
AFGE Local 85 union president Shaun Givens said that, in early February, over 400 VA employees at the Eisenhower VA facility were among the two million workers who received an email from OPM entitled “Fork in the Road.” The email was a resignation offer. However, many workers found the information in the email sudden and confusing.
Reinhold and Givens said that while OPM is the agency whose directives they usually follow, workers began calling their union representatives for guidance about responding to the email.
At issue is that workers have legally binding union contracts with agreements about how to handle workforce reductions. The initial email (and subsequent ones) appeared to side-step the contractual union agreements.
The workers also expressed concern that the proposed cuts would affect services for veterans at VA facilities in Leavenworth.
AFGE Addressed Potential Consequences of Cuts to VA workers
“A veteran is more than likely going to see a decrease in their veteran benefits,” Reinhold said. “They’re not going to be able to make services at the VA because there’s not going to be staff to take care of them.”
“That means they’re going to have to go out into the community and pay for services out in the community when they could be getting their services and their medications for free at the VA – services like health services, mental health services. I mean, we do everything from making sure that a veteran has a ramp in front of his house so he can get into his house. We take veterans to appointment. We have veterans that live there (at the VA) full time in the domiciliary and in the CLC (Community Living Center.) They’re going to have to go someplace else and get the services that they need but at a cost to them.” – Reinhold, AFGE Local 85
Although a few local VA employees took the resignation offer, the union has been fighting back in the courts, looking for a legal path for the bulk of the remaining VA workers who remain concerned about their future.
Present Affects on Workers
Our employees are scared,” Reinhold said. “Every single day that they come to work, they’re scared. They’re scared on the weekends, they’re scared at night. They’re scared they’re not going to be able to put a roof over their families’ heads or put food on the table.”
AFGE at Mark Alford Town Hall – Belton, Mo.
Because AFGE Local 85 covers employees at several facilities in other states, such as Missouri, Oklahoma, and South Dakota, Reinhold attended a town hall meeting on February 24 with Mark Alford, U.S. Rep. for the 4th District in Missouri. The town hall was held at a coffee shop in Belton, MO, with a 50-person capacity. An overflow of another 100 people was outside. Reinhold was able to get inside, hoping to ask questions of Alford. The meeting turned heated as constituents demanded answers about the pending government layoffs.
“Our employees are actually constituents that are spread all across Kansas and Missouri,” Reinhold said. “We have some in Oklahoma. We have employees all the way up in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. We have employees who are constituents of Congressman Mark Alford in the 4th district. So, I felt like we needed to go and give them a voice. “
The meeting turned heated as constituents confronted Alford about the government layoffs. Several videos of the meeting have been posted on YouTube.
“Government employees are going to be let go, and that’s just the reality of it,” Alford said over the din of voices in attendance. “I feel bad that people have been laid off. I truly do.”
Alford concluded his comments to workers concerned about layoffs with the statement, “God has a plan and purpose for your lives. You are not a victim, you are victors.”
AFGE with Legislators in Washington, D.C.
Two weeks before that town hall in Belton, Reinhold said she traveled with a group from AFGE to Washington, D.C., to meet with Josh Hawley’s office, Senator Moran’s office, and Eric Schmidt’s office.
“We went to explain to them what’s going on and what is affecting our federal workers and what’s effecting our veterans. It was a legislative conference that National AFGE puts on and it gives locals the ability to come to Washington while our congressional leaders are in office in Washington.”
Reinhold said most of the meetings went well, but she hopes for more bipartisanship in solving the federal budget issues.
“Congresswoman Sharice Davids from Kansas and Emanuel Cleaver from Missouri – both of them were ‘What can I do for you? What can I do for the federal employees? What can I do for the veterans?’ Very open-armed,” Reinhold said. “Now, alternatively, Derek Schmidt’s office didn’t ask any questions. They didn’t take any notes. You could definitely see there is a divide between the Democrats and the Republicans. It’s too bad because they all need to come together in order to do what’s right for our veterans.”
Sen. Roger Marshall Town Hall in Oakley, KS
U.S. Senator (KS) Roger Marshall posted a Facebook video on February 27 stating that he was looking forward to meeting with Elon Musk about the DOGE objectives.
Subsequently, Marshall held a town hall meeting on March 1 in Oakley, Kansas, where he addressed written questions from constituents. Some attendees traveled hours across the state to attend the meeting. That meeting also became heated as Marshall was interrupted and booed for some of his comments about federal spending cut initiatives. In a full video of that meeting posted on YouTube, Marshall bristled in response.
“You know, this is one of the rudest audiences I’ve ever had,” said a frustrated Marshall.
Shortly after that comment, an older gentleman stood up to address Marshall. Chuck Nunn, who identified himself as a conservative Democrat, thanked Marshall for coming. But Nunn then challenged Marshall regarding the cuts to federal spending with regard to veterans.
“Our family has fought in every war that the United States has had since before there was a country,” Nunn said. “I support the veterans. But what you’re doing – what the government is doing as far as cutting out those jobs – a huge percentage of those people, and I know you care about the veterans, and that is a damn shame.”
In response, and with another twenty minutes still left in the one-hour scheduled town hall, Marshall abruptly ended the meeting with the parting comments: “Well, I yielded to my elders, and I appreciate his comments. We don’t have time for any more stand-ups. I’ve got two more commitments today. Appreciate everybody making the drive out, and God bless America.”
Statement from Sen. Jerry Moran
While stating that he supports President Trump and the spending cut initiatives, U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran stated concerns over the cuts to veteran services.
In a statement last week, Moran expressed support for veterans despite the Department of Veterans Affairs’ plans to cut over 80,000 jobs. But Moran appears to want to take a different approach to assessing any workforce cuts – an approach that goes through Congress.
“The Department of Veterans Affairs must provide veterans, their family members, and survivors the health care and benefits that they have earned,” Moran’s statement read. “The VA is in need of reform but current efforts to downsize the department and increase efficiency must be done in a more responsible manner.” The statement continued: “I expect the VA to work with Congress to right-size the VA workforce and allow us to legislate necessary changes.”
Leavenworth Mayor Holly Pittman, who attended the rally to speak with some of the workers, said that the impact of job cuts would affect not only the individual workers but the rest of the community.
“I know the city commission doesn’t have any say on what goes on with federal issues, but I definitely wanted to come out here today and give support to our workers because they are citizens in our community,” Pittman said. “And they affect the economy if they don’t have a job.”