Imagine being the bureaucrats running the federal agency in charge of ensuring the nation does right by those who were willing to fight for this country and needing to be told to.

A group of 35 U.S. senators, Republican and Democrat, was concerned enough to send a letter saying just that. Among those who signed onto the letter were Sens. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, Shelley Capito, R-W.Va., and Robert Casey, D-Pa.

“More than 2 million veterans served during the Global War on Terrorism, including more than 800,000 in Afghanistan, and these service members deserve and earned the support that they need. We appreciate the VA’s commitment to providing mental health services to all veterans and ask, in light of the current situation, that the Department accelerate its efforts to provide resources — to veterans of these recent conflicts,” the senators’ letter said.

Think about how ordinary citizens have been affected by our withdrawal from Afghanistan and the end of a 20-year war that appears to have gotten us nowhere. Consider the trauma this current situation is inflicting upon the men and women who did what their country asked of them for two decades.

Those of us who never have served cannot fathom what they might be going through.

But surely there are some at the Department of Veterans Affairs who can. Surely, they can understand the sense of urgency behind the senators’ letter.

Should that group of senators and the rest of Congress find out the VA is dragging its heels, consequences must be swift. These and all veterans deserve better.

editorial@vindy.com