The VA has begun dismantling the national infrastructure for its LGBTQ+ Veteran Care Coordinator program, according to a July 22 internal email from Mark A. Koeniger that implements a June 12 directive to remove gender-identity-focused initiatives. The memo instructs that LGBTQ+ VCC roles will transition to general Care Coordinator positions and details archiving of SharePoint resources and ending specialized calls and orientations. Coordinators say earlier assurances that only job titles would change were misleading, leaving staff and veterans feeling betrayed and describing the move as a "cruel erasure" of specialized services.
Internal VA Memo Signals Dismantling Of LGBTQ+ Veteran Care Network — Coordinators Decry 'Cruel Erasure'
doug collins, jd vance and jen kiggans
An internal July 22 email shows the Department of Veterans Affairs has begun dismantling the national framework that supported its LGBTQ+ Veteran Care Coordinator (VCC) program, according to a message obtained by The Advocate. The communication describes archiving online resources, ending specialized meetings, and converting LGBTQ+-designated coordinator roles into general Care Coordinator positions.
What the Memo Says
Mark A. Koeniger, the Veterans Health Administration’s acting assistant under secretary for Health for Patient Care Services, told LGBTQ+ VCCs and regional LGBTQ+ leaders that the program’s specialized structure would begin winding down within a week.
"In alignment with this directive, LGBTQ+ Veteran Care Coordinator (VCC) roles will transition to Care Coordinator positions, with an expanded focus on supporting all Veterans," Koeniger wrote.
The July 22 message cites a June 12 memorandum titled "Re-iterating Executive Order Compliance Responsibilities," which ordered the elimination of gender-identity-based initiatives and the removal of the LGBTQ+ designation from the coordinator program.
Operational Changes
The email lists concrete steps to implement the change over the coming week: discontinuing monthly coordinator calls and regional leadership calls, cancelling new coordinator orientations and the program’s community of practice, and archiving national communications, procedures, and resources specific to the LGBTQ+ VCC program. Dedicated Microsoft Teams channels and SharePoint materials for LGBTQ+ VCCs will be archived. Staff were told to save any resources they wished to keep from the LGBTQ+ SharePoint, including appointment memos and orientation materials.
Staff Reaction And Concerns
Coordinators and providers described the moves as sudden and deeply upsetting. A VA health care provider who spoke on background said staff were left with feelings of "shock, anger, and betrayal" after having been previously assured that only job titles would change and that duties and veteran services would remain the same.
"Since the June 12 memo, leadership's messaging has been that nothing is changing — no changes to our job scope or functions, just a title change," the provider said. "I and others communicated this to our veterans, and now we have to go back and tell them that's not true. It's moral injury on top of moral injury."
Although the July email does not state that LGBTQ+ veterans will be denied care, providers and advocates argue that removing the specialized network and resources effectively eliminates the infrastructure that helped ensure culturally competent care for LGBTQ+ veterans. A coordinator called the action "a cruel erasure of LGBTQ services," saying the change was engineered in a way that avoids explicitly stating that services will be withdrawn, while producing the same effect.
Context And Responses
Coordinators noted that other specialty coordinator programs remain intact, including Women Veteran Program Managers, Intimate Partner Violence Assistance Program coordinators, and Caregiver Support coordinators. Some staff alleged the LGBTQ+ program was singled out because of the population it serves, comparing the decision to broader political efforts they see as hostile to LGBTQ+ recognition and services.
Koeniger’s message thanked coordinators for their service but did not directly explain how LGBTQ+ veterans’ specific needs will be maintained under the new structure. The Advocate contacted Pete Kasperowicz, the VA’s assistant secretary for Public and Intergovernmental Affairs, for comment; he did not immediately respond.
Advocates say the dismantling follows a broader effort under the Trump administration to remove LGBTQ+-specific programs and initiatives across the federal government, a claim that highlights the political and policy context driving the change.
What This Means: The memo signals a rapid operational shift that will remove specialized communications channels, training, and national structures dedicated to LGBTQ+ veteran care coordinators. Veterans and providers now face uncertainty about where expertise and institutional support for LGBTQ+-specific issues will reside within the VA.
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