It’s Veterans Day. The VA says it can’t help thousands of vets it left stranded

Natalie Donaldson, an Army veteran, poses for a portrait at her home on October 17, 2024, in Tulsa, OK. Donaldson is currently dealing with Veteran Affairs forbearance policy changes that resulted in her monthly payments jumping 50%. (Michael Noble, Jr. for NPR)

When you walk up to Natalie Donaldson’s little cottage-style house in Tulsa, Okla., you’re greeted by her bright smile, and her well-muscled pit bull named Sigrid.

“She’s friendly but she’s gonna want to check you out,” Donaldson said.

Donaldson is an army vet, and she had a rough go in the military. She has PTSD. And that’s partly why owning this house is important to her — she has her own space where she feels safe.