NAVREF recently submitted comments to the National Research Advisory Council (NRAC) in advance of its March 24, 2026 meeting, providing input on ongoing challenges affecting the VA research enterprise. NRAC serves as a federal advisory body to the Department of Veterans Affairs on research priorities and program direction, and the meeting notice is available in the Federal Register: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/02/17/2026-03079/national-research-advisory-council-amended-notice-of-meeting
In its submission, NAVREF emphasized that persistent workforce and hiring barriers are continuing to strain research operations across VA medical centers. Over the past two years, the transition to a centralized human resources structure within VA’s Office of Research and Development has introduced new layers of review, evolving requirements, and inconsistent timelines that have made it more difficult to recruit, onboard, and retain research staff. These challenges have been further compounded by the 2025 hiring freeze and broader staffing shortages, contributing to significant backlogs and uncertainty across the system.
NAVREF’s comments underscore that these issues are not simply administrative inefficiencies but have direct consequences for the ability of VA research programs to function effectively. Delays in hiring and onboarding can slow study start-up, disrupt research teams, and weaken the VA’s ability to compete for and sustain high-quality research.
NAVREF also noted its ongoing engagement with VA’s Office of Research and Development to address these concerns and acknowledged progress to date, while emphasizing that continued attention is needed to ensure consistent implementation across the system. Improving transparency in hiring processes, clarifying personnel requirements, strengthening coordination between centralized HR and local operations, and increasing visibility into process data will be critical to ensuring that recent changes translate into meaningful improvements for research programs.
A strong VA research enterprise depends on a workforce system that enables programs to operate efficiently and maintain continuity. Addressing these workforce barriers is essential to protecting the long-term strength and competitiveness of VA research and ensuring that veterans continue to benefit from its impact.
