Enhancing Cross-Cultural Collaboration Between Dod and Va

The United States government is facing an enormous budget deficit of over $1 trillion for a third straight year, and the call to streamline and cut spending is resonating. The need to improve performance and increase efficiency has forged an even greater effort to improve the relationship between the two largest government agencies - Department of Defense (DoD) and Veterans Affairs (VA). However, after decades of collaboration between the DoD and VA there remains significant challenges that need to be overcome to improve the partnership. Some of these challenges include: unity of effort that synchronizes diverse cultures, insufficient programs and policy implementation, inadequate oversight and accountability, and duplicative programs. This paper examines current DoD and VA collaboration efforts; reviews existing policies, procedures, and legislation; and identifies factors that may have impeded the collaboration process. The paper concludes by offering recommendations for a better future.