Idaho veteran fired in VA cuts: Local man’s story and the impact of federal layoffs | Opinion
Last summer, Ben Gibson, of Meridian, had a decision to make: a job with the Department of Veterans Affairs in Washington, D.C., or a higher-paying position in the private sector.
As a Navy veteran, the choice was clear.
“It was an opportunity for me to do something meaningful,” he told me in an interview at a local coffee shop. “Working with veterans was always something that was on my radar.”
Now, just eight months later, Gibson is back in the Treasure Valley, and his LinkedIn profile displays the #opentowork logo.
He was among the first round of Veterans Affairs employees fired by the Office of Personnel Management in February. The administration plans to fire 80,000 VA employees in an effort to eliminate government fraud, waste and abuse and return staffing levels to 2019 numbers.
Gibson’s experience reflects a common thread in recent federal cuts: They appear arbitrary and have little to do with actual fraud or waste and may do more harm in the long run.
“If we did an analysis and determined that a lot of the money we were spending wasn’t benefiting veterans, then I would raise my hand and voluntarily leave,” Gibson said. “None of us were there for the paycheck. That said, they didn’t do that analysis.”
While acknowledging the need to address federal budget deficits and debt, Gibson questions the current approach.
“I would weigh the cuts against what services are going to be delayed, canceled or otherwise impacted, and ask if the juice is worth the squeeze,” Gibson said. “You’re not wrong in saying that we need to cut spending and be more efficient, but the way you do that isn’t just to go take a bulldozer and run down everything. If you want to remodel your kitchen, you don’t burn your house down and then build it. There’s much more efficient ways to do it.”
Navy veteran helping veterans
Gibson served in the Navy for over eight years. He later worked on the civilian side, processing incoming military service members, then worked for Northwest Linemen’s College in Meridian. Along the way, he earned a master’s degree from Boise State University.
Most recently, Gibson worked in the VA’s Office of Enterprise Integration, which coordinates resources and staff for congressional mandates or executive orders affecting veterans. For example, his office was implementing the Elizabeth Dole Act, which aims to enhance services for veterans, including health care, homelessness assistance and economic opportunities.
He was fired under the administration’s efforts to cut recently hired federal employees, those considered “probationary.” His probation period was one year, having started in August. Gibson said he believes probationary employees were targeted as the fastest way to make cuts without legal complications.
In January, Gibson was among the 2 million federal employees who received a “fork in the road” email, offering a severance package if they resigned.
Gibson and many colleagues declined, hoping their office would be spared and wanting to continue helping veterans. Some figured the administration wouldn’t target Veterans Affairs.
They were wrong.
‘Dignity and respect’? Not quite
Despite being told they would be treated with “dignity and respect,” Gibson’s termination was abrupt. He received an after-hours email and was told to return the next day only to return his equipment.
Unlike a previous reduction in force he experienced in the private sector, Gibson received no severance pay or information about extending health insurance. His unemployment paperwork was delayed.
Now, Gibson is seeking a new job in the Treasure Valley and working on his consulting business.
When asked if he would return to the VA if offered, he expressed hesitation, noting that he loved the “purpose-driven” work he did.
“I would want some kind of guarantee that this isn’t just going to happen again,” he said. “I don’t know that I can trust them coming back without some sort of legally binding guarantee.”
Gibson also wants to counter the narrative that federal employees are lazy.
“I always want to speak on behalf of the other folks that I worked with that were fired, because I think there’s a perception about federal employees that a lot are lazy, on the dole, just wasting time, and that couldn’t be further from the truth,” Gibson said. “In my personal experience, they’re literally the best team of people I’ve ever worked with.”
