Veteran Flies US Flag Upside Down After Losing VA Job

An Iraq war veteran who lost her job during Trump cuts to the federal workforce has begun flying the American flag upside down, a sign of distress, outside her home.

Retired Sergeant First Class Joy Marver, who lives in Burnsville, Minnesota, said she took the step "not lightly" after suicidal thoughts following her release from the Veterans Benefits Association, which forms part of the Department of Veterans Affairs, in February.

Why It Matters

Since Donald Trump's second inauguration as president on January 20 the new administration has implemented significant spending and job cuts to the federal government, overseen by Elon Musk's newly created Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

Musk has previously indicated federal government spending, which the Congressional Budget Office predicted to be $6.5 trillion in 2024, should be cut by up to $2 trillion a year.

What To Know

In an interview with local network KARE 11, Marver told of her horror at losing her job as a support specialist with the Veterans Benefits Administration on February 24. She previously served in the Minnesota National Guard and suffered a traumatic brain injury during a rocket attack in Iraq.

Marver was one of thousands of federal probationary employees, meaning they had been in their jobs for less than one year, who were dismissed as part of the purge.

Speaking to KARE 11 Marver said that about three weeks ago "as I was logging in to my computer it said my access has been revoked, seek administrator."

She continued: "Right then and there I knew something wasn't right. Just knowing about all these cuts and seeing how many people had been let go the week before so my heart sunk right to the bottom of my stomach and I just knew."

About 1,400 probationary Veterans Affairs Department employees, including Marver, were laid off on February 24.

Marver said she was left devastated after losing her job, and considered suicide on the way back home from her former office.

She commented: "As I was driving away I was at a red light, during that time in the morning it is longer than usual due to rush hour traffic and it hit me at a moment looking at the bridge and wondering if I can just take this truck and drive it over this bridge. I was planning on it, I was thinking about just driving right off."

Instead Marver sought and received treatment from a Veteran Affairs Crisis Clinic, and has since hung the American flag outside her house upside down as an act of protest. She said: "I did it not lightly, it took a lot of thought about it. It's my statement really."

Under the U.S. Flag Code, the Stars and Stripes should "never be displayed with the union down, except as a signal of dire distress in instances of extreme danger to life or property."

Asked about Marver's remarks, Deptartment of Veterans Affairs press secretary Pete Kasperowicz told Newsweek: "We regret when anyone loses their job, and its extraordinarily difficult for department leaders to make those types of decisions. But the federal government does not exist to employ people. It exists to serve people."

He added that the VA "is already redirecting billions of dollars from non-mission critical efforts to Veteran-facing services" without cutting health care or benefits.

What People Are Saying

Referring to her former job Marver said: "I felt a purpose again and it wasn't for money, I definitely took a big pay cut working there, it was mostly just for a purpose at that point...I loved the job, I was back with veterans and veterans that understood me and everybody else, the invisible wounds. They understood the path that we have all walked before."

Deptartment of Veterans Affairs press secretary Pete Kasperowicz told Newsweek: "Nationwide, VA has laid off 2,400 probationary employees in non-mission-critical positions, such as publicists, interior designers, and diversity, equity and inclusion officers. That's one half of one percent of VA's workforce."

Secretary of Veterans Affairs Douglas Collins said on the day Marver lost her job: "These and other recent personnel decision are extraordinarily difficult, but VA is focused on allocating its resources to help as many Veterans, families, caregivers, and survivors as possible."

What Happens Next

If federal spending is going to be cut by anything close to the $2 trillion Musk referenced as a maximum figure more personnel cuts are likely.

About 2,100 U.S. Department of Education workers are set to be placed on leave from March 21.

If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988, text "988" to the Crisis Text Line at 741741 or go to 988lifeline.org.