Tucson Veteran explains how Southern AZ VA has introduced him to a life of less pain

TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — The recent memo released by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has sparked controversy across the country.

John Doherty served in the Army for four years, from 2008-2012. He spent some time serving in Afghanistan.

“I got shot in the hand when I was in Afghanistan in 2010," he said, explaining he has had pain in his right hand for as long as he can remember. "There’s been a lot of loss and mobility of function to put it lightly.”

Doherty is from Idaho but has lived in Tucson for almost two years now. An occupational therapist at the Tucson VA Medical Center has introduced a method for his hand that has helped eliminate a lot of his pain.

Athena Kehoe

“The way I felt made me want to cry," Doherty said. "I had been living in a lot of pain for a long time. And I thought it was just a set thing, but along comes the VA, and low and behold, I’ve got less pain now."

He was introduced to cupping therapy, which he said has helped decrease some of the pain he feels in his hand. An article posted by WebMD explains that "the 'pain-gate' theory says that the touch and pressure from cupping stimulate large nerve fibers, which results in the blocking of pain signals to the brain sent by other nerves."

Secretary of Veterans Affairs Doug Collins is addressing these concerns, making announcements that the care veterans receive will not be impacted by the VA layoffs.

The memo explains the VA will partner with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to take a "disciplined approach to identify and eliminate waste, reduce management and bureaucracy, reduce footprint, and increase workforce efficiency."

The move comes as the Trump Administration aims to cut federal spending. According to the Congressional Budget Office, total outlays for fiscal year 2024 were $6.8 trillion, an increase of $617 billion (or 10%) from fiscal year 2023.

However, Doherty feels that cutting employees from the VA is not going to help.

"It's not just the VA, I feel bad for all of the federal agencies right now," Doherty explains.

———
Athena Kehoe is a reporter for KGUN 9, she joined the KGUN 9 team in July of 2024 after graduating from Arizona State University. Share your story ideas with Athena by emailing athena.kehoe@kgun9.com or by connecting on X/Twitter.