For years, a small office suite tucked into a nondescript strip mall has provided a lifeline for veterans with mental health issues. It’s one of hundreds of tiny centers across the United States designed to act as a refuge for veterans in crisis.
But last month, the office manager, a Marine veteran with a glowing performance review, was fired as part of sweeping cuts across the Department of Veterans Affairs.
The manager, Carla Nelson, was the person who greeted every veteran at the front door. She was the one whose voice they heard when they called in seeking help.
Her termination and the potential for wider cuts have caused concern in the veteran community in Wyoming. Since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, more than 140,000 vets have lost their lives to suicide nationwide, according to the VA, vastly more than the roughly 7,000 U.S. service members who died in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. And the veteran suicide rate in Wyoming is 50% higher than the national average, according to the latest VA data.
Roughly 40,000 veterans reside in Wyoming. They and others who live in rural areas tend to have lower incomes than their urban counterparts, and they often struggle to make it to appointments that can be hours away. They also rely on VA services more than those living in urban areas, according to VA data.
The system that serves these veterans is now bracing for much more significant cuts.
Last week, VA departments went through staff, line by line, identifying who was “mission critical” and who could be fired as part of a plan for 80,000 layoffs, according to two current VA sources.
“The real pain is coming,” said one VA official who spoke on the condition of anonymity out of fear of retaliation. “If we can’t provide the care in these rural communities, there isn’t another option, especially for mental health.”
In an interview with NBC News, Nelson, the fired office manager, said veterans came from all over the state and beyond to get help for post-traumatic stress disorder and other serious mental health issues.
“We deal with crisis situations,” Nelson said. “Some traveled up to an hour to get there, and even some came from Nebraska.”
Unlike a VA hospital, small centers like the one where Nelson worked offer an informal setting where veterans can walk in for help. She had been working there since May 2024.
“As a veteran herself, she listens with empathy,” read her October 2024 performance review, according to a copy obtained by NBC News. “She is the first person our clients come into contact with.”
