Tori Seals

Military Surviving Spouse, Mother, Advocate

[Tori Seals @toriseals]

@boonecutler Every single day. The greater the love the harder the grief (no matter what form that takes for each person)

[Tori Seals @toriseals]

I have a genuine question. Would this same standard be applied to other cultural celebrations in the United States, such as Celtic festivals, Italian festivals, or other heritage events that often include Christian or Catholic symbols and traditions?

I agree that the H-1B visa program deserves scrutiny...(Hell I have been rendered jobless because of H-1B visa holders and outsourcing) And that we should oppose events that promote anti-American ideologies, violence, terrorism, or criminal activity. However, I don't believe that people peacefully celebrating their culture and faith should automatically be viewed as a problem simply because of their ethnicity or religion.

To me, there is an important distinction between celebrating a cultural or religious heritage and promoting ideas or actions that are harmful to our country.

[Tori Seals @toriseals]

Not all support for veterans comes from Washington or Austin.

Many of the programs that impact veterans, military families, caregivers, and surviving spouses are found right here in Tarrant County and Fort Worth.

Read more:

https://t.co/RD2s769B25

#Veterans #FortWorth #TarrantCounty #MilitaryFamilies #VeteranAdvocacy

[Tori Seals @toriseals]

Washington gets the headlines.

Austin often determines the programs, funding, and services that veterans, military families, caregivers, and survivors use every day.

My latest blog explains why state-level advocacy matters.

https://t.co/MyFzA8pPRk
#TexasVeterans #VeteranAdvocacy #MilitaryFamilies #Caregivers

[Tori Seals @toriseals]

@derrickvanorden @SecVetAffairs They are simply choosing not to enforce it while continuing to move forward with the interim final rule, which means enforcement could be reinstated at any time. What is needed instead is a full withdrawal of the interim final rule.

[Tori Seals @toriseals]

VA has halted enforcement of the “Impact of Medication” disability rating rule after major backlash.

The concern: veterans shouldn’t risk lower ratings simply for following treatment.

Disability ratings affect compensation, healthcare, caregivers, and survivor benefits. This pause matters.

Full breakdown:
https://t.co/XHH95N3Q4e

[Tori Seals @toriseals]

If a budget “saves money” but quietly transfers the cost to caregivers, surviving spouses, and veterans… was money actually saved?

Or was the bill just rerouted?

New blog:
https://t.co/REKg5LENwq

[Tori Seals @toriseals]

You are not actually stopping the rule. You are simply choosing not to enforce it while continuing to move forward with the interim final rule, which means enforcement could be reinstated at any time.

What is needed instead is a full withdrawal of the interim final rule, followed by resubmission through the standard notice of proposed rulemaking process so it receives proper review and public input.

[Tori Seals @toriseals]

Public comment how to: https://t.co/vnCCPbKwWe

The public comment period for the VA interim final rule Evaluative Rating: Impact of Medication (38 CFR § 4.10, RIN 2900–AS49) closes:

April 18, 2026
(60 days after publication on February 17, 2026)

Because April 18 falls on a weekend, comments submitted through https://t.co/ngVlq3wzcR are typically accepted through the next business day without issue, but best practice is to submit on or before April 18 to avoid any ambiguity.

[Tori Seals @toriseals]

A new VA rule shifts disability ratings toward how veterans function with medication instead of underlying severity.

But stability maintained through treatment still carries side effects, fatigue, cost, and risk.

Function ≠ recovery.

Breakdown here: https://t.co/CZgQ0hWIjc

[Tori Seals @toriseals]

Tip for advocates: learn the habitat first. 🐿️ New blog breaks down the Congress ecosystem so your ask lands the right way. https://t.co/WH5uCWOEdZ

[Tori Seals @toriseals]

Advocacy isn’t equally accessible.
Who gets locked out?
• Surviving spouses rebuilding on one income
• Caregivers without paid leave
• Workers who can’t miss a shift
• Families choosing rent over representation
The people closest to policy consequences are often the least able to influence policy.
That’s not apathy.
It’s economics
https://t.co/Y9PlZC2m2t

[Tori Seals @toriseals]

Veterans and survivors don’t need soundbites — they need results. Hearings should stay on topic, respect committee scope, and put policy over politics. Read the full piece here: https://t.co/l0EAQe3jkE

[Tori Seals @toriseals]

Advocacy isn’t just noble. It’s expensive. Time, travel, childcare, tools, emotional bandwidth — someone pays. Too often that someone is the advocate. Advocacy Takes Time, Money, and Stability. Read more https://t.co/Nkr402g0ue

[Tori Seals @toriseals]

A real-world example of survivor inequity:

Veteran retreats: free
Surviving mothers: $50
Surviving spouses: $100

Spouses often lose household income and become sole providers. Yet they pay more for “healing.”

This is not equity. It is inverted hardship.
More at: 🔗 https://t.co/kroCvwQvnA

[Tori Seals @toriseals]

New on Free-Range Advocate:
“The Numbers Behind the Silence.”
A data-driven look at the 2025 Veteran Suicide Prevention Report, what’s improving, and where risk remains highest.

Veteran suicide is not one issue. It’s a systems issue.

Read here:
https://t.co/frDJQOCBMQ

[Tori Seals @toriseals]

Cancer wasn’t the whole story.

Exposure. Missed follow-up. System failures.

“Jay Didn’t Just Get Cancer” explains why advocacy for military families is still urgent.

https://t.co/k3hntlb3r0

[Tori Seals @toriseals]

Is one kind of service-connected death considered more “honorable” than another?

It shouldn’t be.

A new piece explores why illness, toxic exposure, and delayed losses deserve the same recognition as battlefield deaths.

https://t.co/tzfgHTbSjB

[Tori Seals @toriseals]

We need a real Survivor Advocate in every org serving the military community — not for sympathy, but for systems that actually work.

This role ensures policies, benefits, and support structures include surviving spouses from the start — long before crisis hits.

Because service doesn’t end with loss… and neither should representation
https://t.co/k0rAzIZzZ7

[Tori Seals @toriseals]

Surviving spouses aren’t “afterthoughts” — they’re lifelong members of the military community.

Without a seat at the table, charities unintentionally miss policy gaps and long-term needs.

We need survivors shaping programs — not just benefiting from them.

Read more: https://t.co/RxkqPUML7R…

Surviving spouses live with the impact of service every day.