Originally from the Houston area, Rep. Dan Crenshaw is a proud 6th generation Texan. From an early age, Dan knew that he wanted to serve his country with the most elite fighting force in history: the U.S. Navy SEALs. His father’s career in the Texas oil and gas industry moved his family all over the world, including Ecuador and Colombia, where he attended high school. As a result, Dan is fluent in Spanish. In 2006, Dan graduated from Tufts University, where he earned his Naval officer commission through Navy ROTC. Following graduation, he immediately reported to SEAL training in Coronado, CA, where he met his future wife, Tara. After graduating SEAL training, Dan deployed to Fallujah, Iraq to join SEAL Team Three, his first of five deployments overseas.
As a veteran, I’m all too familiar with the VA’s much needed improvements. In the last few years, the VA has taken steps in the right direction, however, more must be done to better serve those who have served our country. Our veterans are hurting. They’re experiencing excessive wait times and suicide rates are at a catastrophic 20+ per day. This is why I support privatizing and outsourcing evaluation services for veterans coming into the VA system. This would allow VA doctors to focus on providing the best care for our veterans, not compensation evaluations.
While we must provide more for our veterans, we must bear in mind that excessive benefits for veterans that do not need them are costing the taxpayers billions and are crowding out veterans who truly do need the care. This must change.