Kaitlin Colegate on Helping Veterans Get the Care They Deserve

You know, he did it and he thought he was helping his family, right?

They he didn't want and it's so unfortunate, right because a baby didn't get to grow up with their dad and he'll never even know his dad and

The guys that choose not to commit suicide. They are choosing a life that could be really Suffering, unfortunately, and I hate that because I've seen the guys that suffer from not committing suicide and you can say thank you

“Thank you thank you for not committing suicide and then what do we do like how do we how do we how do we help it?”

We make it harder for them and You know, it it's it's so sad It was like quality of life. Yeah, the VA you know these these anti suicide campaigns are fantastic I never want to have to hear about other You know suicide again, but what do we look like what's the campaign to help them when they choose not to

Americans are capable of achieving extraordinary things when they have the freedom and opportunity to do so This is American potential Welcome to the American potential podcast. I'm your host David from So as you can see we're broadcasting on location in Jacksonville, Florida Celebrating yet again America's soon to 50th anniversary along with America's prosperity and concerned veterans from America

We're in front of the USS Orlick which was in operation in the US Navy from 1945 till 1982 and then it was in the Turkish Navy, which is kind of cool So but here not museum We're gonna get a chance to go toward and we're super excited about that, but our theme for this American 250th anniversary is recognizing veterans and although the great service that they've done to build this nation preserve our freedom and

One of the but our guests now that we have is Has has been dedicated her life To helping veterans sort out a lot of the issues that that they unfortunately have to face when they come back From service and so I want to welcome Caitlin Colgate who's joining us

It has been fighting for veterans in assisting the navigating kind of the VA system and other things So Caitlin welcome thanks for joining us on a windy beautiful day here in Florida. Thank you so much for having me Thanks, this weather is good though. Hey, it's a lot better than I live on the Chicago area and this sure beats that right now But I want to ask you just

“How did you get interested in veterans issues? Who's through your husband? Am I right? Yeah?”

My husband I started really getting involved, but I think I've always kind of been interested in supporting our military and being patriotic

I mean, I just we grew up with a lot of military my family and I just love this country and then when I met my husband to did 22 in the Marines He I started learning about all these different Issues that are a veteran space when they come home or when they get out of the military and I just started just taking one step and figuring out what to do Next, yeah, well, you know, we have this campaign right now at Merrick, so I was very equal to one small step campaigns and What it's about is like you and everybody's made a difference in our nation had to take an initial step and you know

There's so many people. I mean just millions of people throughout history and currently who I got activated in some way and are trying to make their community better the state better than whole nation And so we want to encourage you to do that in the 250th you know year of our our nation so

“You know, I'm sure you saw some of what your husband was dealing with. I think it was seven tours”

Yeah, seven tours post 9/11 and then so he had one tour and the early 90s and desert storm and Yeah, so most of his last decade in the Marines he was deployed and He he was an officer at that time, but he was one of the he came he was enlisted and then commissioned Wow, he was one that wanted to be an and everything You know get your heads put open get such a one can I get back when can I get back in the fight and so when he

When he got out it was a lot of it and that was early enough for the VA Really was trying to figure out what do we do with these guys that come back Because when guys came back compared to be at nom compared to OIF OVF They came back at a 16 to one ratio, so the VA is getting Thousands and thousands more of a live and healthy

Guys that are coming back from war yeah, and like what do we do with these guys show is overwhelming the VA 100% I had never heard that

Yeah, yeah, it's in a I've got I cannot remember the book. Oh, I'm gonna butcher that if I try But yeah, it was just because I think because combat medicine got better our technology got better You know, we look at you know, even a double amputee just reinlisted in the Marine for yesterday Really. Yeah, and so our technology and our health care is just so much better and so more guys came home

Life after the military, but what kind of life do they really have after the military? So

“Your husband ran into some difficulties with the VA right in the aisles and all that what yeah?”

What do we characterize that for us and take us through how you started to see firsthand for sure some of the challenges and then what you said to do about it?

Yeah, so for the first couple years he got out

And he knew he had he knew something was wrong with him right, but when you have like a highly intelligent Rain Corps officer get out and he's functioning right he can brush his teeth and he can go the bathroom and he can feed himself They're like okay. Well, it's what's wrong with you right like you're talking and you're intelligent and So he started applying for the you know disability and things like that and getting to nine and it's this Fortunately and I do support the VA unfortunately sometimes it comes down to this kind of game of like you need this and this person needs this

But this person wouldn't require it and I think a lot of what times would happen and what happened with him specifically He they get so frustrated. There are already dealing with a huge life transition when they retire or if they get back from more And the last thing they need to do is go do some bureaucratic paperwork sure and

So he knew something was wrong and they just kind of kept tossing him from this doctor to this doctor and

Unfortunately, what happened in the VA sometimes they just this doctor can't talk to the doctor It should be able to happen, but it doesn't and so You know this is how this doctor would get medications for this that would counteract this and no one was really speaking to each other Which doesn't help the paperwork side of it and so what and we end up doing after years of being frustrated and mine He's not getting disability at this point, but he can't work

Hiring somebody to help us with that process and that is a very expensive process So hiring someone to help you navigate the government funded guaranteed health care that you've earned because you served our nation correct. That's awful. Yes, that's awful and so even though he was able to be seen through the VA getting a VA claim is quite It's a whole different process and it was early enough

“Where I think post why I guess we were still in wars is 2012”

They didn't really know what to do, right?

This is the first time you're having thousands and thousands of combat vets come back and

So we end up hiring somebody to get that so now you're a hundred percent, right? You have your you're getting your check and you can see a doctor But where I came into the picture was You're not saying the doctor because the wait times are this is before The community care act and so the wait times are ridiculous people were literally dying because of wait times

Yeah, unfortunately and then what happens is Your wait time you may have a 90 day period and that makes fire So what happens if you don't get to see somebody in that 90 days you start all over Oh, and so that was really interesting when I came into it because I was like, well, I can't you just go to the doctor He's like, well, that's not really how it works. I was

Was literally astonished when I Was start to make appointments and they would say okay, we can get you in in five to six months And I'm like what do you mean? I can you can get me into neurology and five to six months He has five to seven migraines a week and so what they do is they give you medication and then they tell you We're gonna get you into an appointment

We probably did this for two two to three two to three years before I was like something has to stop You know when you're dealing with constant migraines and nerf pain where it it starts to affect your daily life, you know

“Sure and what we would run into is we would they'd be as well. Can you mow your lawn for example?”

Well, sure. He can mow his lawn. He's a 22 year Marine Corps combat veteran. He's gonna do whatever you He needs to get died for his family But it takes some three days to mow the lawn because he's exhausted You know, I'll do it a 30 minutes here and then I'll do it other 30 minutes. You know and

And it's just really frustrating when they ask you those Activities questions and he's not just gonna sit on the couch Right, not do anything for the rest of his life and The wait times were a big one the community care act passed and that helped a little bit But then what what is happening currently and what I still run into today and we're blessed because we've figured out some little

Loop polls like calling a congressman every single time we need an appointment But we shouldn't have to do that. I shouldn't have to call the congressman every time I need it That's not a efficient use of government research see you know because now he's got to spend two to three hours on the phone with me And then he's got a call and then magically we get an appointment in a couple weeks

And two we shouldn't have to do that right Like there should it should be a more efficient system and and I don't hate the VA

“I think the VA's really great and I think there's some really good programs in the VA if you can get to them”

So you've started helping other families to great and yeah, so tell me what You're how you kind of did I understand how you started getting this knowledge I'm fortunately and probably just got good at it and probably saw a need elsewhere

But it's like how you started helping others and what you've been doing over the last few years. Yeah, yeah, exactly. I had first hit knowledge that an

Experience of how to what the system is doing and how to navigate it and then I realized okay If you're going through this and we have all of our combat operator friends They're going there too and we would see guys just say oh, I don't do I don't do the VA And I'm like what do you mean? You're not you're just not gonna get your disabilities like no, I'm good And I'm like that isn't the same and then you would have people that are like please help me and so I

Went to a couple like veteran events. We started really getting into the veteran event Community and Jacksonville and people would say hey, you know, they meet a combat veteran and then like oh Do you get you get disability or do you have a VA claim or do you see the VA and then we would say oh, yeah We go to the VA and you know, we're you know We have a hundred percent and we we know how to navigate the system if people not turn really just asking me to help them and then

I worked briefly for a local non-profit in my job was basically to look at people's cases and see How we could help them further and that's when I really gained a lot of knowledge on this is a nationwide problem Oh, yeah, because we would have guys that came in from Colorado and I would try to get their medical records at a normal Normal circumstance. You would just be able to call and back them to me, and this is not how it works and so I We would start putting on these events and I

Learned about concerned vines of America in 2019-20ish. I went to a Vietnam

They were doing a good event for Vietnam veterans and it was so amazing and I got to learn about like all the different things concerned

Veterans of America is doing and they They learned about what we were doing in the community of Really just kind of helping veterans. This was really early on was this here in Jacksonville. This is here in Jacksonville Yeah, so northeast Florida. That was kind of where it all kicked off and They said well, we would be welcome to partner with you to do some events where you know

We get to share concerns of America. You get to share your story and Start in helping people and that's been the big thing the last gosh seven years now is Empowering people to do with themselves and giving them the tools and resources where they can because it's we shouldn't have To pay lawyers to get us this ability claims and we shouldn't have to call the congressman every single time

We need help now those are

Tools and resources that you may need to use, but there's a lot that you can do yourself and so if I get a lot of spouses That reach out to me a lot and like I don't know to do next So just for an example last summer a girl reached out to me on Instagram and send my husband's bought to retire and We don't know what to do next because unfortunately that still happens a lot where they get out and now this guy spent 24 years in the Marine Corps there should be a

You know there are I don't want to talk bad about it, but there should be better systems to For some of their the issues they're gonna have post well. Yeah a previous guest Also a veteran spouse And the point is like you know, they prepare them like crazy to go to war, but they're not prepared to come home from it. No, and you know to get out of the

“Military and it does seem to be something that's really lacking. It is and especially I think for our OEF and OIF guys”

And I don't be wrong. I think all wars Calls different issues, but OEF and was OEF and was really interesting where the country wanted to support these guys coming back And then our our government was like Kind of let them down a little bit and What do you do right you need them and a lot of guys that came back?

We're so young enough that they still had military career ahead of them and they're still retiring young enough Where they have another civilian career ahead of them and we want them to be super successful and so now Like that's also just reached out to me. I said, okay, so as soon as he retires We're gonna do this. We're gonna do that and then if you're having issues we call our congressman And if that doesn't happen then we call them you know, we call the committee so

We we that's kind of what I'm doing now is okay Send me your packet. Let me look at where I can help you. You know, I've looked at so people will send me there

“How many how many people do you think or how many like families or veterans?”

You think you've been engaged in helping. Oh, I've reviewed hundreds of cases in the last seven years. Yeah Almost to the point where I can I used to laugh about this is like I could look at someone like the packet They send me in their DD2 14 and I can tell them how not how messed up. They were

About the war and I've experienced what they're gonna experience at the VA when they get out

“And so yeah, I've looked at hundreds of cases. Maybe families helped. I would they need to take 40 to 50”

Like actually getting them the help they need. Yeah, but telling them to call their congressman I probably tell them someone to call their congressman once a week They and if their congressman doesn't help them I have like I call them my people and I'm like okay So congressman so-and-so is not helping with the situation and I need you to do it They probably have your your posture up inside like the

Let's let you know each border congressman and congressmen are probably so over me and their staff It's more their staff. Yeah, because I'm like, hey, we got an incoming. Well, I I've worked on district staff

before as they see staff members of congress and you do have some frequent fires

But a lot of times though it is because it's the people who or whatever the interactions with federal government people don't want to necessarily just go to their congressman. No. It's just that it's a it's a cheat code When federal government the bureaucracy's failing you don't you they are supposed to be responsive to us Yeah, and unfortunately it doesn't feel like a customer service type situation and I'll look a lot more overwhelmed A lot of them are but they're a lot of them are also inefficient and

The congressman can cut through that a lot of times and the the district staff members and for two of the once you're tasked with that But it is a great service. I mean everything will get your passport to get your immigration stuff done to get in your VA benefits effectively Hey, well, and you touched on a really good thing a really big thing there is the efficiency Yeah, where I say I love the VA is I've reviewed so many VA policies. I'm like, okay, this one's good. Like this works

If it's executed correctly, and I have been on the phone with congressman staff and they're saying this is the way it's supposed to go and I'm like This is not how it's being done though. Like I've reviewed the policy myself I know this is how it's supposed to happen, but that's not what's being done. And so you have this really big organization the VA that trickles all the way down to all these VA offices across and If you have someone in leadership that's like, we can kind of we can do this and we can do that

Maybe to cut time or Whatever it is That's where you start to lose that some of these processes and policies aren't happening the way they're supposed they're designed to Now there are probably a feel that need to be addressed. Yeah, but so, you know, even Iraq to far more than most people with the VA How how do you think it could be improved?

Woo We're making you the congress so now I know so just a few things is one the electronic data system There should be an easier way to get records across the nation and I I don't necessarily know how to execute that because it takes time and money But there's got to be a better way. We're in 2026 technology is very efficient because that's a

Getting documents from if somebody moves from one VA system to the next VA system should be a little bit easier I've learned that we if we move or if we change a doctor I want paper copies and I want or I want a digital USB to make it easier for myself Yeah, now they're getting better about it if you use the VA system, but it's when I'm talking about like when you go community care or a few switch VA systems

“So that's probably one and then I think the big one is reviewing policies and procedures at the national level and seeing how they're actually being executed at the”

The at the actual local VA's because I know there's a discrepancy in that 100% The Northeast Board of VA system is really good now I live in DC. It's the head headquarters is there right? They're pretty good right? They may have some longer wait times than I like, but they're pretty good But you look at San Antonio VA system. They've had two suicide and less than 18 months and they're parking one

Oh, so there's obviously a personnel issue there that why haven't we addressed that yet?

Personnel should have been fired on the first suicide. Now you're telling me there's nothing's been done in the second one

That's the same It's the same VA system that my husband had a panic attack inside the VA and they asked him to leave Are you serious? 100% I had to drive to San Antonio to pick him up because he was and he's I mean he's a big tough dude. He was done and so

“I I think personnel are a big one. You have to make sure that the people that are working actually care about what they're doing because”

Not every single case is super serious. I get that right some people are there For is you know something they've had their entire life But some of these issues are really really serious and really really sensitive and if you don't have serious sensitive people

Yeah, and that's not okay. No. I'm I just think it's amazing that you're as out of panic attack in the facility

Where he's trying to get treatment and they made him leap. I mean, they said I to be fair to their defense They didn't say surf please leave, but they said sir. You don't have an appointment today

“Not like sir. How can I help you sir? Can I miss in the point of what we're doing here? Yeah, like can I get you and I don't know you know, but um, do you need a provider right now?”

But yeah, so Help to say 50 families. Yeah, are there any two questions? One is are there any like really gorgeous stories that that that stick out to you or are there any Secondarily any stories that Particularly like major heart feel good or that that you're particularly proud of Yeah, actually, I think this most recent one because it was I think it was a true testament to she reached out before her has been retired

we We talked a lot about what they were dealing with before he retired and what some of the things he was dealing with during active duty and She was a therapist, right? So she's a very smart woman She's a professional and she was even lost and I think it was really great that she was proactive And saying I know this is going to be a hard road and how can we make it a little bit easier because he was doing active duty therapy

and that ends right when he retires basically in the very next day you start you start a new process And so she was able to start getting things in place and then I said okay, and we and there was There was some issues that he was dealing with an active duty that they saw treatment for an active duty That she was so concerned that that would maybe be a relapse when he retired, right? It's a big life transition

“You spend 24 years in the Marine Corps and that's what you do. Oh, yeah”

We're already in your life. Yeah, and you wake up one day and you're not an active duty Marine anymore And where do you go? What do you do? And so she was concerned about a relapse there and I we had a resources already in place I'm like this is what you're going to do if they can't get you on immediately. We're going to do this and You know and if that doesn't work we're going to call a congressman. You know and I looked like already ready because I did it What you know my husband took 10 years. Oh my to get into the TBI clinic Wow, okay, so a

Multiple turn of an injury is that from the time he got out. Yes. Oh my gosh. That's such we did not get neurology until 2022 and we actually just got into the DC TBI clinic last year and what does TBI traumatic treat yep And I'm so sorry retired in 2012 That's just hard break it. I mean to be honest. Yeah, because there's a lot of people who aren't as resilient as your husband. Oh, no, I mean There's there's unfortunately, you know we have this epidemic of

In the active duty and the veterans community of suicide. Yeah, and the fact that you guys were able to tough it out He had you there as a caregiver and a sport, but my gosh, that's that's testing the limits Yeah, and like but I said that earlier a lot of these guys They're like I'm just not gonna do this. I'm just not gonna like because like why do I have to fight for what I thought for? Right and

“And so I went I think that's a that story and you know, I actually just texted her a few weeks ago”

And then hey, I'm thinking about you how are things going you're like things are actually really good they are you know He's got a job. There was no serious relapse right there is he's in therapy and it didn't take

10 years. Yeah, you know, it's been less than a year since he retired and so like that's really amazing. Yeah

That is man, what an improvement over what you guys live through. Yeah, and I don't know I think for me is like I know this is him's broken and I'm not gonna fix this system overnight right and even though I I uh I tagged secretary Collins and everything I do I Was media staff is probably tired of me too. Um, I'm I'm just excited that it didn't take 10 years. Yeah

You know well I guess that's something but no that is exciting if it's a real improvements dramatic improvement. Yeah Well, it doesn't what I know about you doesn't surprise me that you went you ran towards the problem. I mean so you're a firefighter Yeah, originally, right? Yes, just tell me a little bit about that like how did you end up doing that? Yeah I actually in high school. I'm a very like don't tell me I can't do something and then I'm gonna go do it And I wasn't the most physically fit in high school, but um, I loved the I loved military and the first responders

And I originally thought I was gonna join the military and that'd be my career for the rest of my life And I had some friends that were firefighters and I told somebody that I really looked up to

That I think I'm gonna join the fire department. He's like you'll never make it. You're not like you're not

Like that's not you, you know, and I'm like oh, okay

And I loved it though

The only reason I left is my husband retired from the Marine Corps and life kind of changed a little bit

But oh no, I loved being a firefighter and I got to help people in real time I got to experience a lot of different things and I was you know I got to it was really great time

“I think and I became physically fit. I had I had a six and a half minute mile one of the time”

I came out of the Academy saying something. All right. Well, just seems to be your your person who In your own ways dedicated your life to service. Yeah, yeah, it sounds like you're inspired by it You love it. You want to help you, but it's like you're helping people whether it's safe in their lives. I guess in that case Or save in their lives in a different way. I mean in some cases. I'm sure you know What we see in the varying community is so sad and

Again with the epidemic suicide that you're actually saving people's lives by helping them get the help that they need

Yeah, and unfortunately Clearing out the bureaucratic hurdles that we see. I mean we talk about that a lot in the show with different policies So, but this is actually a lot of them are consequential, but in this case you're talking about really people's lives What 100% and you're talking about generations, right like my my husband has three Boys so and you know

We have a great relationship with all of them and we've been able to see as their dad gets better As he heals as he's able to get some of these appointments. He's able to do more physically Like how they not had a dad that either checked out via suicide or was unable to do these things

“They're not getting they're not getting a good quality of life and how is that gonna affect their kids?”

You know, so we're talking generational things that we're changing and I have a I have so many friends Unfortunately it really is unfortunate that their husbands did commit suicide and And it's almost like you'd have a one good friend that comes to mind and her husband You know, he did it and he thought he was helping his family, right? They didn't want it and it's so unfortunate, right?

Because a baby didn't get to grow up with their dad and he'll never even know his dad

And the guys that choose not to commit suicide they are choosing a life that could be really Suffering Unfortunately and I hate that because I've seen the guys that Suffer from not committing suicide and you say thank you. Thank you. Thank you for not committing suicide And then what do we do like how do we how do we how do we make it harder for him? We make it harder for them and

You know, it it's it's so sad It's like quality of life. Yeah, the VA you know these these anti suicide campaigns are fantastic I never want to have to hear about another you know suicide again But what do we like what's the campaign to help them when they choose not to commit suicide I mean, unfortunately, you know, we try I was just talking to somebody for a memorial day show

And that we that's already here now and It's so sad you can't really talk about the veteran community right now without talking about the suicide

“I could epidemic because it's so important and so prevalent so it has to be something that are you know community groups”

Family sports systems and the government need to care deeply about and and all take action on yeah So I started so glad that you're I mean I've been feeling you're probably gonna do more things to service in the future But like you from firefighter To support us and helping people navigate the VA and who knows what else is in front of you so I

Really can't I appreciate you coming on the show kind of sharing your life experience and your in your husbands and Hopefully give it some inspiration to folks too and maybe some more Congress and we'll get some yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Thank you so much for having me Thanks Well folks if you enjoyed this episode Please like and follow us on social media like Instagram Facebook and YouTube

Oh, remember Leave me in freedom are easily take for granted. Don't take them for granted go out there and defend freedom liberty Thanks for joining and we'll see you on the next episode. Thank you for listening to American potential You may listen to more stories from Americans working every day to expand freedom and opportunity and their communities By visiting americanpotential.com