I'm Ryan Gunning, and if you've ever waited on a VA claim, you know the waiting can feel like its own kind of deployment. So a press release from the Department of Veterans Affairs this week caught my eye. On October 29, VA announced it plans to hire more than 2,000 people in fiscal year 2027 to process veterans' benefits claims. That's news for anyone with a claim in the pipeline, and it could also be a career for a Marine getting ready to hang up the uniform.
Why VA needs the help
According to VA, it already has more than 13,000 employees processing claims, and that team handled a record 3.1 million compensation and pension claims in fiscal year 2026. VA says it granted 60.1% of the claims filed, posted its best accuracy rate in three years at 93.88%, and saw only 3.2% of decisions appealed to the Board of Veterans' Appeals.
The workload is still climbing. VA received more than 3.15 million claims submissions in FY2026, an 80% increase over FY2022. Part of that, the department says, comes from its own outreach: more than 11,000 live events in FY2026 aimed at veterans who had never enrolled, and more than 300,000 new veterans in VA health care so far in 2026. More veterans asking for what they earned is a good thing. It just takes people to keep up.
A way in before you get out
The part I want transitioning Marines to hear is about the Warrior Training Advancement Course, or WARTAC. It lets wounded warriors and service members with 180 days or less left in service complete VA's national training program for claims work while still on active duty. Finishing it can lead to a job at one of VA's regional benefits offices. VA's own SkillBridge guide lists WARTAC as one of its SkillBridge programs, so it fits the same final-months window I wrote about in my SkillBridge post.
There are two tracks. The Veteran Service Representative (VSR) course runs seven weeks, and the Rating Veteran Service Representative (RVSR) course runs eleven. VSRs explain benefits, gather evidence and decide claims. RVSRs determine whether a condition is connected to service and assign the rating. For the VSR track, VA asks for one year of specialized experience at the GS-05 level, a full year of graduate school, a bachelor's degree with a 3.0 GPA or higher, or a combination.
Timing matters. You have to attend a WARTAC briefing at least 90 days before the cohort you want to join. VA's schedule lists fiscal year 2027 VSR cohorts starting February 1, April 26 and July 26, 2027, and it notes the dates can change. If your EAS is next spring or summer, now is the time to bring it up with your transition counselor.
My two cents
I like the idea of veterans working veterans' claims. Somebody who has worn the uniform knows what a service record looks like, and why a sore back after years of humping gear isn't a small thing. That understanding doesn't replace the rules, but it helps the person on the other end of the file feel heard.
And if you're on the other side of the desk, waiting on a decision, you don't have to do it alone. VA says the help an accredited Veterans Service Organization representative gives you on your claim is always free. Look one up with VA's search tool before you pay anyone.
Whether you're filing a claim or thinking about a job deciding them, the mission is the same: make sure veterans get what they earned. That's work worth doing. Semper Fi.
Sources: VA News: VA hiring 2,000+ employees to process rising number of Veteran claims (Oct. 29, 2026) · VA: Warrior Training Advancement Course (WARTAC) · VA SkillBridge Introductory Guide · VA.gov: Get help from a VA accredited representative or VSO
