Exclusive Interview: Collins Says VA ‘Driving Major Reforms’ as Backlog Plummets

In an exclusive interview with Military.com, VA Secretary Doug Collins said some critics are “invested in a broken system” as he pushes sweeping reforms that have cut the department’s claims backlog by more than half and aim to fundamentally reshape how the VA serves veterans.

The remarks come as the Department of Veterans Affairs reports significant gains: the claims backlog has dropped from more than 260,000 to under 100,000, while the VA processed over 3 million claims last year and cut average processing times roughly in half. 

For millions of veterans, those numbers are more than metrics; they represent months, sometimes years, of waiting for decisions that affect health care, financial stability, and quality of life. Collins argues the VA is beginning to turn a corner.

“I think the first thing I’m proud of is that the VA now has a focus,” Collins said. “We were doing a lot of things… but we never had the focus.” 

A Cultural Reset: ‘The Veteran First’

At the center of Collins’ approach is a principle he says has not always been consistently applied: putting the veteran first.

“The VA only exists if a veteran walks in,” he said. “If every veteran in the country said, ‘We’re never going to come,’ we don’t have a job.” 

That framing, he said, has driven a broader cultural shift inside the department. One that is beginning to show in both performance metrics and employee behavior.

“I hear it more and more. I see it in the actions,” Collins said. “The organization has taken that on.” 

He credits VA employees with driving much of the progress.

“For a year, they didn’t know me. I didn’t know them,” he said. “But they took on the vision.” 

From Playing Defense to Going on Offense

With backlog numbers falling, Collins says the VA is shifting from reacting to problems to proactively improving the system.

“Instead of being defensive all the time, we can now be offensive,” he said. “How do we take it to the next level?” 

One key effort is expanding outreach to veterans who are not currently connected to VA services. In just the first quarter of this year, the department has engaged more than 100,000 previously unenrolled veterans.

That push is driven in part by a sobering reality.

“Sixty percent of those who die by suicide have never had contact with the VA,” Collins said. “My thought is, one is too many.” 

While public discourse often focuses on whether veteran suicide numbers are “17 or 22 a day,” Collins said the true number may be higher and harder to measure.

“It could be 30 or 40,” he said. “What matters is getting them in the system and getting them help.” 

Speed, Simplicity, and Cutting Red Tape

Beyond outreach, Collins is targeting one of the VA’s most persistent challenges: bureaucracy.

Among his priorities is dramatically reducing hiring timelines. In some cases, he said, it previously took more than 180 days to bring on even entry-level staff.

“I said, ‘What are we doing here?’” Collins recalled. 

The department is now working to bring hiring timelines down to 30 to 40 days across the board.

At the same time, the VA is simplifying the disability claims process itself, potentially reducing initial forms from 18 pages to just three or four.

“It’s just too hard,” Collins said. “People say, ‘I can’t fill these out.’ We’re going to make it easier to get the benefits you’ve earned.” 

He also issued a direct message to veterans navigating the system:

“Don’t go pay anybody to help you… There are enough resources out there for you not to have to do that.” 

‘What Are You Doing That’s Stupid?’

Internally, Collins has pushed for change with a blunt but intentional question he often asks employees during site visits:

“What are you doing that’s stupid?”

The goal, he said, is not to criticize but to uncover inefficiencies that slow down care and services.

“What are you doing that you know deep in your heart is a waste of time, or not helpful for the veteran?” he said. 

That approach has already led to operational changes. For example, doctors transferring between VA facilities once faced credentialing delays of up to 72 hours, even within the same system. Now, Collins said, those barriers have largely been removed.

“If I want to take a doctor from Tampa to Seattle, by the time they’re on the flight, they’re credentialed,” he said. 

More broadly, he wants employees to feel empowered to act quickly when veterans need help.

“I want our employees to be empowered to ‘go to the beach,’ so to speak,” Collins said, referencing a recent commercial of a delivery worker who went beyond standard procedure to ensure a package reached its destination. “If a veteran needs something and you can make it happen, don’t send them back six weeks later. Do it.” 

Trust Is Up, But Not Universal

The VA reports veteran trust levels at around 82%, a historically high figure. But Collins is focused on the remaining 18% and what it represents.

“Some people are never going to answer positively on anything,” he said. “But not all criticism is wrong.” 

He said the department is working to address legitimate concerns while also recognizing that perceptions are often shaped by secondhand experiences.

“If I told you a restaurant was terrible, you might not go,” Collins said. “That’s what we deal with.” 

He encouraged veterans to raise issues directly, noting that the VA actively monitors feedback, including on social media.

“If they have a problem, let us know… and we will help them,” he said. 

Rebuilding trust, he added, will take sustained effort.

“We’ve been willing to be non-front-facing with what we do for so long,” Collins said, adding that rebuilding trust will take time as the VA engages more directly with veterans. 

What This Means for Veterans

If Collins’ plans continue on their current trajectory, the changes would translate into tangible differences for veterans navigating the VA system:

• Faster claims decisions, with a goal of 30 to 40 days
• Simpler application processes with reduced paperwork
• Increased outreach to veterans not currently in the system
• More consistent care across VA facilities nationwide 

Those changes, Collins said, are aimed at making the system more responsive and easier to navigate, particularly for veterans who may have previously avoided or struggled with it.

The Road Ahead

Looking forward, Collins outlined an ambitious vision for the next year, one focused on speed, consistency, and integration across the VA’s massive health care system.

“We’re working toward 30 to 40 days for every claim,” he said. “That’s previously unheard of.” 

He also emphasized the need for standardization across facilities, pointing to past inconsistencies in care as a major challenge.

“If you walk into a VA in Colorado or Florida, you should get similar treatment,” Collins said. 

Ultimately, he wants the VA to fully embrace its role as the nation’s largest integrated health care system.

“You are the largest integrated health care system in the country,” he said to VA staff. “It’s time you act like it.” 

Bottom Line

For Collins, the mission is straightforward, even if executing it across a vast federal system is not.

“It’s not about what I want,” he said. “It’s not about what the employee wants. It’s about what that veteran needs.” 

As the VA builds on recent progress, Collins said the guiding principle will remain unchanged.

“Veteran first,” he said. “You better believe it.”