Your Voice Is Evidence
How to Submit Public Comments That Actually Influence Policy
When a federal rule is published, most people assume the decision has already been made.
It feels final.
Technical.
Out of reach.
But there is a window that still exists between publication and long-term implementation. That window is the public comment period.
And despite how bureaucratic it may appear, public comments are one of the few places where lived experience becomes part of the official policy record before guidance, training, and enforcement solidify.
The challenge is not whether voices matter.
The challenge is that many people do not believe their voice is the kind policymakers are looking for.
That assumption is wrong.
Agencies do not only need legal analysis. They need real-world impact. They need to understand what policy looks like when it intersects with daily life, treatment realities, employment challenges, caregiving responsibilities, and long-term stability.
Your experience is not anecdotal noise.
It is context.
The Biggest Barrier Is Intimidation
Many veterans, caregivers, and surviving spouses hesitate to submit comments because they believe their writing must sound legal, clinical, or professionally polished.
It does not.
Public comments are not graded. They are reviewed for insight, patterns, and consequences agencies may not have fully considered.
Clarity matters more than perfection.
Specificity matters more than length.
Honesty matters more than technical language.
A thoughtful paragraph carries more weight than silence.
Venting Feels Valid. Policy Needs Context.
It is completely understandable to feel frustrated or concerned about a rule change. But comments that simply express disagreement rarely influence policy direction.
Statements like “this is unfair” or “this should not happen” communicate emotion but do not help policymakers understand impact.
More effective comments explain:
• what daily life actually looks like
• what stability requires beneath the surface
• how treatment affects function, employment, finances, and long-term wellbeing
• what unintended consequences may arise
Policy is written in theory. Comments translate theory into lived reality.
A Simple Structure Anyone Can Use
Public comments do not need to be complicated. A short, structured approach is often the most powerful.
Consider this four-sentence framework:
Who you are
Your connection to the issue or community
What your experience looks like
How treatment, caregiving, or disability management affects your daily functioning
Why the rule matters to you
How the policy could influence stability, employment, access to care, or financial security
What policymakers should understand
A clarification, concern, or safeguard you believe deserves attention
This format keeps comments focused, readable, and impactful without requiring specialized knowledge.
Treatment Stability Is Still Effort
One of the most important perspectives to share, especially with rules involving treatment and medication, is the reality that stability does not equal absence of disability.
Many conditions appear manageable only because of continuous effort that includes:
• medication side effects
• cognitive or physical fatigue
• financial strain related to treatment
• frequent appointments and monitoring
• vulnerability if treatment is interrupted
• the emotional labor of maintaining stability
Explaining the effort behind stability helps policymakers understand that improvement does not erase limitation.
It often redistributes it.
You Do Not Have to Be Fully For or Against
Another common misconception is that comments must strongly support or strongly oppose a rule.
Balanced comments are often highly influential.
Acknowledging the intent of a policy while identifying risks, gaps, or unintended consequences helps agencies refine implementation rather than simply defend the original language.
Thoughtful nuance is not weakness.
It is credibility.
Every Experience Adds a Different Piece of the Puzzle
Many people choose not to comment because they assume someone else has already said what needs to be said.
But policy is shaped by patterns, not single statements.
The difference between one voice and many voices describing similar experiences can determine whether an issue is viewed as isolated or systemic.
Each comment adds context.
Each perspective expands understanding.
Each lived experience strengthens the record.
Why Survivor and Caregiver Voices Matter Especially
For surviving spouses and caregivers, policy effects often extend beyond medical symptoms alone.
Treatment stability does not eliminate:
• disrupted careers from caregiving or relocation
• financial rebuilding after loss
• ongoing health consequences of prolonged stress and caregiving
• workforce barriers tied to caregiving history
• the emotional and logistical burden of managing household stability alone
Including these perspectives helps policymakers see how rules ripple beyond the individual veteran and into family stability, workforce participation, and long-term community wellbeing.
This Is One of the Few Moments Access Exists
Public comment periods are imperfect. They can feel procedural and distant.
But they are also one of the rare moments where everyday experiences enter the policy conversation before practices become fully entrenched.
That access matters.
Your voice does not need to be polished.
It does not need to be long.
It does not need to represent anyone but your lived reality.
It only needs to be shared.
Because policy written without lived experience risks misunderstanding the very people it intends to serve.
And silence, while understandable, leaves that gap unchallenged.
