Dr. Sheila Elliott Speaks Out: Protecting Veterans by Protecting VA Workers

At a recent congressional field hearing in Hampton Roads, Dr. Sheila W. Elliott—pharmacist and outgoing president of AFGE Local 2328—delivered a powerful statement on the damage being done to the VA workforce and the veterans they serve.

With over 42 years of pharmacy experience, including 35 years at the Hampton VA Medical Center, Dr. Elliott brought deep institutional knowledge and moral clarity to the hearing. Speaking in her personal capacity, she emphasized the human impact of recent federal hiring freezes and proposed layoffs at the Department of Veterans Affairs.

“Last week when I went to work, I was approached by three long-tenured employees—two of whom are veterans—who are retirement eligible. One said, ‘I love my job, but the future here is so uncertain.’”

Dr. Elliott noted that key roles like recreation therapists—who work with veterans recovering from substance use or catastrophic injuries—were omitted from exemption lists meant to protect “mission-critical” staff during reductions in force. These omissions, she warned, expose a dangerously shallow understanding of what actually keeps the VA system functioning.

She cited the opening of the North Battlefield Clinic in Chesapeake as a case study in dysfunction. Originally planned to serve 42,000 veterans, the clinic’s launch was derailed when job offers were rescinded and new postings frozen. Staffing shortages forced many candidates to walk away from the VA entirely.

“Who would blame them? It’s a great loss to our veterans.”

Dr. Elliott called on Congress to pass the Protect America’s Workforce Act (H.R. 2550)—a bill that would reverse executive orders issued under the Trump administration that stripped collective bargaining rights from tens of thousands of federal workers, including VA staff. She underscored that true accountability and efficiency at the VA cannot be achieved by slashing frontline staff while expanding top-heavy management layers.

“Instead of focusing workforce reductions on those who directly impact veteran health and well-being, the VA should find efficiencies in areas that have less of an impact on patient care.”

In her closing, Dr. Elliott reaffirmed her commitment to fighting for VA employees—especially those at Hampton Roads—and ensuring they have the tools, protections, and dignity required to deliver the best possible care to our nation’s veterans.

AFGE Local 2328 thanks Dr. Elliott for her decades of service and her fearless leadership during this time of transformation and political threat.