By Michael Embrich 

As a veteran who has spent years working in public policy, I’ve seen what good leadership can do for those who’ve served—and how quickly bad leadership can unravel that progress. The past few years have made one thing painfully clear: Donald Trump’s agenda has been a disaster for veterans, and Jack Ciattarelli promises to bring that agenda to New Jersey. He is promising more pain for the very people who wore the uniform.

Trump’s administration pushed to gut the Department of Veterans Affairs workforce—initially planning to fire over 80,000 employees before settling on eliminating 30,000 roles through forced attrition. These weren’t faceless bureaucrats. Many were veterans themselves, disabled workers, and dedicated professionals who ensured timely access to health care, mental health services, and claims processing. Slashing these positions has already resulted in backlogs and delays for critical care. Veterans who fought for this country are now fighting for appointments, benefits, and basic dignity.

Trump’s so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) was anything but efficient. It dismantled programs under the guise of “streamlining,” all while failing to deliver cost savings. What it did accomplish was real: it upended lives, destabilized the federal workforce, and disproportionately targeted disabled veterans working in government jobs. And now, Trump-aligned politicians in New Jersey are promising to replicate that failed model here—threatening state-level support systems that veterans and working families depend on.

Jack Ciattarelli has openly said he disagrees with Trump on “nothing” and has championed bringing DOGE-style cuts to New Jersey. Let’s be clear: that means taking away health care from over 400,000 residents, cutting food assistance for nearly 200,000 people—including thousands of veterans—and slashing billions in federal health funding. All of this, while middle-class families would be forced to pay more in taxes due to the return of the SALT cap. Meanwhile, billionaires walk away with another tax break.

Veterans aren’t asking for special treatment—we’re asking for the government to honor its commitments. We’ve earned more than parades and lip service. We’ve earned a functioning VA. We’ve earned policies that reflect the value of our service and help us transition into civilian life with access to health care, housing, and education.

The stakes in this election couldn’t be higher. If New Jersey imports Trump’s failed blueprint, veterans across the state will pay the price. We need leaders who believe in government as a force for good—not a weapon to dismantle the very support systems we fought to protect.

Veterans deserve better than another round of empty promises and senseless destruction of their safety nets. We deserve leadership that puts people before politics, service before soundbites, and honor above ideology.

Michael Embrich
Veteran, Former State Commander, Catholic War Veterans, New Jersey