{"id":74826,"date":"2022-11-14T17:40:19","date_gmt":"2022-11-14T17:40:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/uncategorized\/2022\/11\/14\/va-secretary-makes-promise-we-will-be-vets-best-advocates\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T15:09:29","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T15:09:29","slug":"va-secretary-makes-promise-we-will-be-vets-best-advocates","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/veterans\/2022\/11\/14\/va-secretary-makes-promise-we-will-be-vets-best-advocates\/","title":{"rendered":"VA secretary makes promise: \u2018We will be vets\u2019 best advocates\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In early 2021, when <a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/news\/pentagon-congress\/2021\/02\/08\/senate-confirms-mcdonough-as-next-veterans-affairs-secretary\/\" target=\"_blank\">Denis McDonough<\/a> was sworn in as the Veterans Affairs secretary, he promised to make the department <a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/news\/pentagon-congress\/2021\/02\/23\/va-secretary-promises-diverse-leadership-team-but-cant-say-when-theyll-be-in-place\/\" target=\"_blank\">more inclusive<\/a>, more welcoming and more user-friendly for veterans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Now, nearly two years later, McDonough says the VA is closer to those goals \u2014 but not there just yet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cOne priority is keeping the veteran at the center of all we\u2019re doing,\u201d he said last week in an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/military-honor\/salute-veterans\/2022\/11\/11\/va-secretary-looks-for-progress-on-veterans-suicide-homelessness-soon\/\" target=\"_blank\">interview with Military Times<\/a>. \u201cAre we building our programming and our support, our care and benefits into the veteran\u2019s life, or are we making the veteran fit into us? I\u2019d say on that, things are changing, but there\u2019s still a long way to go.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">McDonough did say, however, that he has been pleased with efforts to make department decisions more transparent, both to the public and Congress.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/military-honor\/salute-veterans\/2022\/11\/11\/va-secretary-looks-for-progress-on-veterans-suicide-homelessness-soon\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/AP22222525492968.jpg.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">VA secretary looks for progress on veterans suicide, homelessness soon<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">Veterans can&#039;t wait decades for the pressing problems to be resolved, he said in a recent interview with Military Times.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI think that one of the big issues with VA is to make sure that the vets trust us,\u201d he said. \u201cSo, we have a lot of tools to try to make sure we can track and we can get feedback from vets. But the most important thing to trust, I believe, is transparency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI hope that [the public] believes that they have seen a change in VA on that, with monthly press conferences, with us making sure that we\u2019re inviting in our veterans service organizations, inviting in veterans \u2026 and bringing the inspector general in, making sure that we\u2019re working very closely with our accountability and oversight mechanisms.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In the interview, McDonough also discussed current challenges for the department and his goals for improvements in coming months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><i>Portions of the interview have been edited for length and clarity<\/i><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><b>Military Times: Coming out of the <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/news\/coronavirus\/\" target=\"_blank\"><b>COVID pandemic<\/b><\/a><b>, what is your concern now with morale levels and staff burnout at VA health centers?<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><b>McDonough:<\/b> I\u2019m worried about it. I think everybody in healthcare is worried about it. I\u2019m worried about it also at the National Cemetery Administration. I\u2019m worried about it at the benefits administration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But you know, so is everybody else. We, as a country, have all come through the pandemic. And people feel isolated, people feel tired, people feel scared.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The thing that excites me is that VA, I think, is leading the way in and identifying ways to address that potential burden. We start from a position that we are accountable to the veteran. We\u2019re not accountable to some bean counter at some health insurance companies. That doesn\u2019t happen here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We want to make sure that burnout doesn\u2019t come from administrative burden. A nurse told me, \u201cI signed up at VA to nurse veterans. I didn\u2019t sign up at VA to nurse the chart.\u201d I thought that was a pretty powerful concept.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We have to make sure our clinicians are practicing at the top of their license. That means they\u2019re taking care of vets, they\u2019re not just doing paperwork. So we\u2019re working on that, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Congress has been very responsive to this. The president has been extraordinarily responsive to this. So, when we\u2019ve needed additional resources, we\u2019re getting them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We\u2019ve seen this in particular in the new law as it relates to toxic exposure. We have a whole section of that law that gives us additional authority, additional resources to invest in our workforce.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/news\/coronavirus\/2022\/11\/07\/va-study-finds-paxlovid-may-help-prevent-long-covid-19-problems\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP22213652001664.jpg.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">VA study finds Paxlovid may help prevent long COVID-19 problems<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">The medication helped reduce the chance of long-term health complications by 25%.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><b>You\u2019ve focused plenty of resources on veteran issues over the last year. Do you worry that could change in the future, especially if control of Congress changes political hands?<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I find that we do not lack for attention or investment from our friends on Capitol Hill.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And in terms of our partners in the administration, I\u2019ll tell you what \u2014 for the first time in a long time, we have a military family at the White House. We are not lacking for attention from the president, or the first lady, or the vice president. The president has a way of underscoring his seriousness on these matters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><b>The president has a lot on his plate right now. How much communication do you have with him on these issues?<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We have regular communication with the president, with the Joining Forces team, with the Domestic Policy Council and with the chief of staff. They all hold us to account, but especially the president and the first lady.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It\u2019s because they understand what\u2019s involved here, in terms of what families have given, and they want to make sure that we\u2019re treating our vets as well as the vets have treated us.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/military-honor\/salute-veterans\/2022\/11\/10\/biden-take-time-to-honor-and-thank-veterans-this-veterans-day\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP22222556028643.jpg.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">Biden: Take time to honor and thank veterans this Veterans Day<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">The White House marked several new assistance programs and benefits for veterans in its annual proclamation for Veterans Day.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><b>Are you worried at all about the potential politicization and even weaponization of some veterans issues with a Republican Congress, especially as we enter a presidential election cycle?<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We still don\u2019t know what precisely happened [in the midterm elections]. But the question for us is always going to be, \u201cWhat is the basis on which we operate with Capitol Hill?\u201d And the basis on which we operate will be full transparency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We operate under a no surprises posture, and we\u2019ll obviously explain the decisions we make, whether that\u2019s on this emergency effort to ensure that the 300,000 women veterans of childbearing age have confidence that they can get the reproductive care that they need from a provider they trust at VA, or whether it\u2019s our execution of the new law as it relates to toxic exposure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I think Congress is going to have questions, and they\u2019re right to ask them. We\u2019ll answer them. But for us, this is all about execution on behalf of the veterans. And as long as we continue to operate in that way, I have every confidence that we\u2019ll have the resources we need to carry out this important mission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><b>You haven\u2019t finalized changes on the <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/veterans\/2022\/06\/09\/despite-promises-of-inclusivity-va-motto-remains-focused-on-men\/\" target=\"_blank\"><b>VA motto<\/b><\/a><b> to gender-neutral language, or changes to gender affirmation surgery for transgender veterans. Do you think you can make progress on these sort of controversial topics if there is a Republican-controlled Congress?<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We don\u2019t do anything in secret here. There\u2019s nothing classified. Everything we do is in the interest of the veteran, funded by the American people. Congress has every right to know what we\u2019re doing with the money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And so, that\u2019s why I\u2019ve put out there that we\u2019re going to change the motto. How we do it is something that we\u2019re working through, but we\u2019re going to change it. It\u2019s fully within our authority to do that, and we\u2019ll do it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As it relates to the provision of gender confirming surgery, we made an announcement last year informed by the unanimous request of our healthcare governing board. Our healthcare experts said that [it\u2019s needed] for a lot of reasons, particularly the fact that people who struggle with gender dysphoria and are not treated with a full suite of care suffer from intense depression [and] suicidal ideation at a very high level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In light of that, this step to move towards gender confirmation surgery is in the interests of those veterans who are confronting those questions. What we\u2019ve said is that our next step will be publication of a proposed rule.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">How we carry this out will be handled in the light of day, fully transparently, inviting anybody who has a view to share their view.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/news\/pentagon-congress\/2022\/06\/09\/despite-promises-of-inclusivity-va-motto-remains-focused-on-men\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/IMG_0092.JPG.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">Despite promises of inclusivity, VA motto remains focused on men<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">Efforts to update the VA motto to gender-neutral wording have stalled over the past year.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><b>But do you feel you\u2019ve run out of time already on those issues? Why is the motto change taking so long?<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It\u2019s a fair question. Do I feel the pressure of time? I feel a pressure every day, which is getting our veterans timely access to world-class care. It\u2019s getting our veterans the benefits that they deserve, that they have earned, in a timely, transparent way. And it\u2019s ensuring that every veteran has access to the dignified final resting place that they deserve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Gen. James Jones [former national security adviser for President Barack Obama] \u2026 has a saying: \u201cSometimes, if you want it bad, you\u2019ll get it bad.\u201d So, on the motto, my view is that I want it right.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">How you make policy, how you make change and the change that you implement are two sides of the same coin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We\u2019re doing this in a way that\u2019s informed by consultation with veterans. We\u2019re doing this in a way that will get us the right outcome. And we\u2019re doing this as one part of a much larger effort to make sure that every visitor feels welcome at VAs across the country. Changing the motto is an important part of that, but it\u2019s not the only part of it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We are working every day on each of the aspects of that policy, making sure that the fastest growing group of our veterans \u2014 women veterans \u2014 know that they can safely be welcomed at any VA [medical facility], VA regional office, or any VA cemetery across the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/news\/burn-pits\/2022\/11\/11\/will-biden-award-the-medal-of-freedom-to-burn-pit-activists\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/GettyImages-1242275592.jpg.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">Will Biden award the Medal of Freedom to burn pit activists?<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">Advocates have called for some prominent leaders of the effort to be recognized with the nation&#039;s highest civilian honor.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><b>On the <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/news\/burn-pits\/2022\/08\/02\/millions-of-vets-suffering-from-burn-pit-toxic-injuries-set-for-more-benefits-after-congress-passes-pact-act\/\" target=\"_blank\"><b>Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act<\/b><\/a><b>, you\u2019ve promised that VA is going to be able to handle the benefits and healthcare claims. What are you putting in place now for the next Agent Orange, the next burn pits, the next unknown illness that\u2019s going to come up? Can you put systems in place now so that we don\u2019t see those same frustrations of waiting for recognition?<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It\u2019s a question that we spend a lot of time thinking about. The thing that we\u2019re really trying to manifest is that at VA, there should be many front doors. Wherever a veteran comes for VA care, or comes in for benefits \u2026 wherever that veteran enters, she gets the care that she needs. She gets the benefits that she\u2019s earned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That\u2019s the way, ultimately, we\u2019re going to be in a position to know that a veteran doesn\u2019t have to advocate for himself \u2014 when we operate not as independent silos, but as an enterprise. [If] veterans come into our care, and they\u2019re showing a propensity to asthma, the Veterans Health Administration can say to the Veterans Benefits Administration that this looks like an issue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That\u2019s got to be the goal for us. Because until now, too often it\u2019s a veteran or a journalist who was reporting about what veterans are experiencing before we\u2019re reacting. We should be the ones who are the number one advocate for the vets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And I believe, because of the way we\u2019re structuring ourselves to be veteran-centered, because of the tools we have from Congress in this new law \u2014 to include our Burn Pits Center of Excellence \u2014 and when we get the trust of veterans to come and enroll, then we will be vets\u2019 best advocates. That\u2019s our challenge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><b>The electronic health records rollout has gone through multiple delays. Are we at a point where there have been too many delays and too many problems with this?<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We\u2019re a data driven operation here. If we get to that point, it\u2019s going to be because of what we learned from the data, rather than what I learned from my emotions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There have been many times in this office where I get very emotional about this. I get really pissed off, to be mildly crude, because this is a massive investment of taxpayer resources. And the program and the technology is not living up to the billing. Our vets deserve better.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But this is not going to be a decision that I arrive at through my emotion \u2014 which can sometimes get the best of me \u2014 but rather, through data. And if it\u2019s not working for vets, we\u2019re not going to do it. But we\u2019re also not just going to throw it away because we get tired.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We\u2019re going to stay on this thing to make it work because the idea is so profoundly in the national interest. But if it\u2019s not workable, we\u2019re not going to just spin our wheels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><b>The average shelf life for VA secretaries is right around two years. We\u2019re just through the midterms here. Are you starting to think about leaving the administration?<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The direct answer to your question is no. I\u2019m not thinking about leaving.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The more nuanced answer to the question is, talk to the president, and then ask Congress. I\u2019ve tried to invest in the relationships up there, no matter what party, because we\u2019re all in this thing together. Nobody asked the vets if they\u2019re Republicans or Democrats. And if I lose their confidence, that will be a problem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><b>What has surprised you about VA and veterans in your time as secretary?<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I think I knew the hard stuff. You know, this is a big organization, you\u2019re sitting in Washington, are people out there even listening to you? Being a leader that can help lead a big, dispersed organization, that\u2019s hard, right? I think I knew that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But actually feeling it every day? And I have to earn the respect of my workforce, too. So, that\u2019s been hard. And how do I earn their respect? By getting out on the road, by making sure that they see that I\u2019m as invested in this mission as they are. These are amazing professionals who could work a lot of places for a lot more money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The second thing is I\u2019ve been in every corner of the country now. In every corner, there\u2019s something interesting happening, and it\u2019s vets who are doing it. I know that now because I\u2019m looking for events. And a lot of these vets doing this stuff aren\u2019t trying to be seen as vets. That\u2019s a really cool thing. That\u2019s a super empowering thing. And that\u2019s the best part of the job.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">By the way, a lot of those super interesting vets doing really cool stuff? They also happen to be VA employees. And when you look around, and you ask yourself about this national experiment, to form a more perfect union, in every turn, who\u2019s the fulcrum on which we\u2019re making a more perfect union? It\u2019s veterans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To be a part of that, from this job as a non-vet, it\u2019s a blessing that I take very seriously.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In an exclusive interview, Denis McDonough outlined the challenges facing his department and how he hopes to fix them.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":107515,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"single-post-featured-layout","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-noindex":"","_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-nofollow":"","_yoast_wpseo_canonical":"","_acf":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_category":19,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","_smg_distribution_targets":[]},"categories":[101,23,89,12,26,62,19],"tags":[],"coauthors":[3222],"class_list":["post-74826","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-daily-news-roundup","category-home","category-middle-column","category-news","category-newsletters","category-pentagon-congress","category-veterans"],"acf":{"subheadline":"","legacy_arc_id":"BRU6FXYZJZHYVPZDMHEVRHZLVY","arc_canonical_url":"\/veterans\/2022\/11\/14\/va-secretary-makes-promise-we-will-be-vets-best-advocates\/","remove_feature_photo":false,"is_sponsored":false,"subtype":"featured-layout","redirect_url":"","disable_inline_ads":false,"native_logo_pretext":"Presented By:"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v26.0 (Yoast SEO v28.1) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>VA secretary makes promise: \u2018We will be vets\u2019 best advocates\u2019 - Navy Times<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"In an exclusive interview, Denis McDonough outlined the challenges facing his department and how he hopes to fix them.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"VA secretary makes promise: \u2018We will be vets\u2019 best advocates\u2019\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"In an exclusive interview, Denis McDonough outlined the challenges facing his department and how he hopes to fix them.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/veterans\/2022\/11\/14\/va-secretary-makes-promise-we-will-be-vets-best-advocates\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Navy Times\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2022-11-14T17:40:19+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-08-08T15:09:29+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Leo Shane III\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Leo Shane III\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"12 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\n\t    \"@context\": \"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\n\t    \"@graph\": [\n\t        {\n\t            \"@type\": \"Article\",\n\t            \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/navytimes\\\/veterans\\\/2022\\\/11\\\/14\\\/va-secretary-makes-promise-we-will-be-vets-best-advocates\\\/#article\",\n\t            \"isPartOf\": {\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/navytimes\\\/veterans\\\/2022\\\/11\\\/14\\\/va-secretary-makes-promise-we-will-be-vets-best-advocates\\\/\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"author\": {\n\t                \"name\": \"migration\",\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/navytimes\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/cc76c831bb37a926738c8391fca7a3b1\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"headline\": \"VA secretary makes promise: \u2018We will be vets\u2019 best advocates\u2019\",\n\t            \"datePublished\": \"2022-11-14T17:40:19+00:00\",\n\t            \"dateModified\": \"2026-08-08T15:09:29+00:00\",\n\t            \"mainEntityOfPage\": {\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/navytimes\\\/veterans\\\/2022\\\/11\\\/14\\\/va-secretary-makes-promise-we-will-be-vets-best-advocates\\\/\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"wordCount\": 2397,\n\t            \"commentCount\": 0,\n\t            \"publisher\": {\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/navytimes\\\/#organization\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"image\": {\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/navytimes\\\/veterans\\\/2022\\\/11\\\/14\\\/va-secretary-makes-promise-we-will-be-vets-best-advocates\\\/#primaryimage\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"thumbnailUrl\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/GettyImages-1242418460.jpg.jpg\",\n\t            \"articleSection\": [\n\t                \"Daily News Roundup\",\n\t                \"Home\",\n\t                \"Middle Column\",\n\t                \"News\",\n\t                \"Newsletters\",\n\t                \"Pentagon &amp; Congress\",\n\t                \"Veterans\"\n\t            ],\n\t            \"inLanguage\": \"en-US\",\n\t            \"potentialAction\": [\n\t                {\n\t                    \"@type\": \"CommentAction\",\n\t                    \"name\": \"Comment\",\n\t                    \"target\": [\n\t                        \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/navytimes\\\/veterans\\\/2022\\\/11\\\/14\\\/va-secretary-makes-promise-we-will-be-vets-best-advocates\\\/#respond\"\n\t                    ]\n\t                }\n\t            ]\n\t        },\n\t        {\n\t            \"@type\": \"WebPage\",\n\t            \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/navytimes\\\/veterans\\\/2022\\\/11\\\/14\\\/va-secretary-makes-promise-we-will-be-vets-best-advocates\\\/\",\n\t            \"url\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/navytimes\\\/veterans\\\/2022\\\/11\\\/14\\\/va-secretary-makes-promise-we-will-be-vets-best-advocates\\\/\",\n\t            \"name\": \"VA secretary makes promise: \u2018We will be vets\u2019 best advocates\u2019 - Navy Times\",\n\t            \"isPartOf\": {\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/navytimes\\\/#website\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"primaryImageOfPage\": {\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/navytimes\\\/veterans\\\/2022\\\/11\\\/14\\\/va-secretary-makes-promise-we-will-be-vets-best-advocates\\\/#primaryimage\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"image\": {\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/navytimes\\\/veterans\\\/2022\\\/11\\\/14\\\/va-secretary-makes-promise-we-will-be-vets-best-advocates\\\/#primaryimage\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"thumbnailUrl\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/GettyImages-1242418460.jpg.jpg\",\n\t            \"datePublished\": \"2022-11-14T17:40:19+00:00\",\n\t            \"dateModified\": \"2026-08-08T15:09:29+00:00\",\n\t            \"description\": \"In an exclusive interview, Denis McDonough outlined the challenges facing his department and how he hopes to fix them.\",\n\t            \"breadcrumb\": {\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/navytimes\\\/veterans\\\/2022\\\/11\\\/14\\\/va-secretary-makes-promise-we-will-be-vets-best-advocates\\\/#breadcrumb\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"inLanguage\": \"en-US\",\n\t            \"potentialAction\": [\n\t                {\n\t                    \"@type\": \"ReadAction\",\n\t                    \"target\": [\n\t                        \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/navytimes\\\/veterans\\\/2022\\\/11\\\/14\\\/va-secretary-makes-promise-we-will-be-vets-best-advocates\\\/\"\n\t                    ]\n\t                }\n\t            ]\n\t        },\n\t        {\n\t            \"@type\": \"ImageObject\",\n\t            \"inLanguage\": \"en-US\",\n\t            \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/navytimes\\\/veterans\\\/2022\\\/11\\\/14\\\/va-secretary-makes-promise-we-will-be-vets-best-advocates\\\/#primaryimage\",\n\t            \"url\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/GettyImages-1242418460.jpg.jpg\",\n\t            \"contentUrl\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/GettyImages-1242418460.jpg.jpg\"\n\t        },\n\t        {\n\t            \"@type\": \"BreadcrumbList\",\n\t            \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/navytimes\\\/veterans\\\/2022\\\/11\\\/14\\\/va-secretary-makes-promise-we-will-be-vets-best-advocates\\\/#breadcrumb\",\n\t            \"itemListElement\": [\n\t                {\n\t                    \"@type\": \"ListItem\",\n\t                    \"position\": 1,\n\t                    \"name\": \"Home\",\n\t                    \"item\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/navytimes\\\/\",\n\t                    \"ad_zone\": \"home\"\n\t                },\n\t                {\n\t                    \"@type\": \"ListItem\",\n\t                    \"position\": 2,\n\t                    \"name\": \"Veterans\",\n\t                    \"item\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/navytimes\\\/veterans\\\/\",\n\t                    \"ad_zone\": \"veterans\"\n\t                },\n\t                {\n\t                    \"@type\": \"ListItem\",\n\t                    \"position\": 3,\n\t                    \"name\": \"VA secretary makes promise: \u2018We will be vets\u2019 best advocates\u2019\"\n\t                }\n\t            ]\n\t        },\n\t        {\n\t            \"@type\": \"WebSite\",\n\t            \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/navytimes\\\/#website\",\n\t            \"url\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/navytimes\\\/\",\n\t            \"name\": \"Navy Times\",\n\t            \"description\": \"Independent News For Sailors | Navy Times\",\n\t            \"publisher\": {\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/navytimes\\\/#organization\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"potentialAction\": [\n\t                {\n\t                    \"@type\": \"SearchAction\",\n\t                    \"target\": {\n\t                        \"@type\": \"EntryPoint\",\n\t                        \"urlTemplate\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/navytimes\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"\n\t                    },\n\t                    \"query-input\": {\n\t                        \"@type\": \"PropertyValueSpecification\",\n\t                        \"valueRequired\": true,\n\t                        \"valueName\": \"search_term_string\"\n\t                    }\n\t                }\n\t            ],\n\t            \"inLanguage\": \"en-US\"\n\t        },\n\t        {\n\t            \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n\t            \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/navytimes\\\/#organization\",\n\t            \"name\": \"Navy Times\",\n\t            \"url\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/navytimes\\\/\",\n\t            \"logo\": {\n\t                \"@type\": \"ImageObject\",\n\t                \"inLanguage\": \"en-US\",\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/navytimes\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\n\t                \"url\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/06\\\/navy-logo-white.png\",\n\t                \"contentUrl\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/06\\\/navy-logo-white.png\",\n\t                \"caption\": \"Navy Times\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"image\": {\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/navytimes\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"\n\t            }\n\t        },\n\t        {\n\t            \"@type\": \"Person\",\n\t            \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/navytimes\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/cc76c831bb37a926738c8391fca7a3b1\",\n\t            \"name\": \"migration\",\n\t            \"image\": {\n\t                \"@type\": \"ImageObject\",\n\t                \"inLanguage\": \"en-US\",\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/9e8d47be443ce94ce7fc357677b5f9c70235bb1f59e7267a102a74af58c04f59?s=96&d=mm&r=gcf4cb6ee0ec29e49e7a963234e4340ec\",\n\t                \"url\": \"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/9e8d47be443ce94ce7fc357677b5f9c70235bb1f59e7267a102a74af58c04f59?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\n\t                \"contentUrl\": \"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/9e8d47be443ce94ce7fc357677b5f9c70235bb1f59e7267a102a74af58c04f59?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\n\t                \"caption\": \"migration\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"url\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/navytimes\\\/author\\\/migration\\\/\"\n\t        }\n\t    ]\n\t}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"VA secretary makes promise: \u2018We will be vets\u2019 best advocates\u2019 - Navy Times","description":"In an exclusive interview, Denis McDonough outlined the challenges facing his department and how he hopes to fix them.","robots":{"index":"noindex","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"VA secretary makes promise: \u2018We will be vets\u2019 best advocates\u2019","og_description":"In an exclusive interview, Denis McDonough outlined the challenges facing his department and how he hopes to fix them.","og_url":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/veterans\/2022\/11\/14\/va-secretary-makes-promise-we-will-be-vets-best-advocates\/","og_site_name":"Navy Times","article_published_time":"2022-11-14T17:40:19+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-08-08T15:09:29+00:00","author":"Leo Shane III","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Leo Shane III","Est. reading time":"12 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/veterans\/2022\/11\/14\/va-secretary-makes-promise-we-will-be-vets-best-advocates\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/veterans\/2022\/11\/14\/va-secretary-makes-promise-we-will-be-vets-best-advocates\/"},"author":{"name":"migration","@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/#\/schema\/person\/cc76c831bb37a926738c8391fca7a3b1"},"headline":"VA secretary makes promise: \u2018We will be vets\u2019 best advocates\u2019","datePublished":"2022-11-14T17:40:19+00:00","dateModified":"2026-08-08T15:09:29+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/veterans\/2022\/11\/14\/va-secretary-makes-promise-we-will-be-vets-best-advocates\/"},"wordCount":2397,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/veterans\/2022\/11\/14\/va-secretary-makes-promise-we-will-be-vets-best-advocates\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/GettyImages-1242418460.jpg.jpg","articleSection":["Daily News Roundup","Home","Middle Column","News","Newsletters","Pentagon &amp; Congress","Veterans"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/veterans\/2022\/11\/14\/va-secretary-makes-promise-we-will-be-vets-best-advocates\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/veterans\/2022\/11\/14\/va-secretary-makes-promise-we-will-be-vets-best-advocates\/","url":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/veterans\/2022\/11\/14\/va-secretary-makes-promise-we-will-be-vets-best-advocates\/","name":"VA secretary makes promise: \u2018We will be vets\u2019 best advocates\u2019 - Navy Times","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/veterans\/2022\/11\/14\/va-secretary-makes-promise-we-will-be-vets-best-advocates\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/veterans\/2022\/11\/14\/va-secretary-makes-promise-we-will-be-vets-best-advocates\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/GettyImages-1242418460.jpg.jpg","datePublished":"2022-11-14T17:40:19+00:00","dateModified":"2026-08-08T15:09:29+00:00","description":"In an exclusive interview, Denis McDonough outlined the challenges facing his department and how he hopes to fix them.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/veterans\/2022\/11\/14\/va-secretary-makes-promise-we-will-be-vets-best-advocates\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/veterans\/2022\/11\/14\/va-secretary-makes-promise-we-will-be-vets-best-advocates\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/veterans\/2022\/11\/14\/va-secretary-makes-promise-we-will-be-vets-best-advocates\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/GettyImages-1242418460.jpg.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/GettyImages-1242418460.jpg.jpg"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/veterans\/2022\/11\/14\/va-secretary-makes-promise-we-will-be-vets-best-advocates\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/","ad_zone":"home"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Veterans","item":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/veterans\/","ad_zone":"veterans"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"VA secretary makes promise: \u2018We will be vets\u2019 best advocates\u2019"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/#website","url":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/","name":"Navy Times","description":"Independent News For Sailors | Navy Times","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/#organization","name":"Navy Times","url":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/navy-logo-white.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/navy-logo-white.png","caption":"Navy Times"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"}},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/#\/schema\/person\/cc76c831bb37a926738c8391fca7a3b1","name":"migration","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/9e8d47be443ce94ce7fc357677b5f9c70235bb1f59e7267a102a74af58c04f59?s=96&d=mm&r=gcf4cb6ee0ec29e49e7a963234e4340ec","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/9e8d47be443ce94ce7fc357677b5f9c70235bb1f59e7267a102a74af58c04f59?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/9e8d47be443ce94ce7fc357677b5f9c70235bb1f59e7267a102a74af58c04f59?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"migration"},"url":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/author\/migration\/"}]}},"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"Navy Times","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes","push-errors":false,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/GettyImages-1242418460.jpg.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/74826","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=74826"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/74826\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":74839,"href":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/74826\/revisions\/74839"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=74826"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=74826"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=74826"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=74826"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}