3 Million Claims. One Year. What the VA Finally Got Right.
Removing barriers isn’t theoretical. It’s operational. This month illustrates what’s possible when technology takes on the tedious work humans shouldn’t have to do, when research confirms that sustainable models can scale, and when partnerships are built on shared principles rather than convenience.
The Department of Veterans Affairs just processed more disability claims in a single year than ever before by letting AI do what it does best: sort paperwork. At the University of Kansas, researchers published findings showing that community-based fitness programs are effective when they’re designed for real life, not lab conditions. And in Basehor, Kansas, Cobra Command CrossFit has joined Bloc Life’s network, extending adaptive programming into more rural communities.
None of these developments is a complete solution. But each one removes friction from systems that have long asked our communities to overcome too much just to participate. That’s progress.
AI Didn't Replace VA Workers. It Freed Them to Do Their Jobs.
The Department of Veterans Affairs processed 3,001,734 disability compensation and pension claims in fiscal year 2025, the highest number in history (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 2025). The backlog dropped 57% since early 2025 (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 2025). Here's what made it possible: artificial intelligence deployed at scale to handle document processing so trained professionals could focus on actual claims evaluation.
Each veteran's electronic folder contains an average of 100 documents totaling approximately 1,300 pages of medical evidence, service history, and correspondence (Dille, 2026). Veteran Services Representatives traditionally searched through all of it manually to complete required internal documents. When the PACT Act expanded benefits eligibility for an estimated 5 million veterans exposed to burn pits and toxic substances, the VA faced an unprecedented documentation burden even after expanding staff (Dille, 2026).
The VA and Booz Allen Hamilton built three AI automation solutions. Smart Search uses optical character recognition and machine learning to extract structured text from veterans' documents, including handwritten notes. It filters paperwork down to only content relevant for specific claims. On average, it reduces each claim from 1,300 pages to 10 pages. Document review is now 9 times faster (Dille, 2026).
The second tool automates issue management by breaking individual claims into smaller pieces for parallel processing. It helped process more than 336,000 veteran claims in less than two years (Dille, 2026). The third uses machine learning to search submitted documents for specific service information, then auto-populates answers to required questions about toxic exposure (Dille, 2026).
Claims processing accuracy improved to 93.5%, up from 91.6% the previous year (Newsweek, 2025). Veteran Services Representatives report the tools make them both faster and more accurate (Dille, 2026).
Why AI-Powered VA Claims Processing Matters for Adaptive Fitness
Speed without accuracy is useless. A claim decided quickly but incorrectly is a denial of justice (Disabled American Veterans, 2026). The AI tools don't replace human judgment. They remove tedious manual document sorting that buried trained professionals in paperwork instead of letting them evaluate actual claims.
The system isn't perfect. Automation tools require ongoing monitoring and refinement to maintain accuracy (Military.com, 2025). But the combination of AI handling document processing and humans handling final decisions produced record throughput with improved accuracy. That's the right division of labor.
This matters for Bloc Life's mission because it demonstrates a principle we apply constantly: systems should adapt to people, not the other way around. The VA didn't ask representatives to work faster. They removed the barrier preventing representatives from doing their jobs effectively. That's how you actually improve outcomes.
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. (2025, November). VA reduces backlog of veterans waiting for VA benefits by 57%. VA News. https://news.va.gov/press-room/va-reduces-backlog-of-veterans-waiting-for-va-benefits-by-57/
Dille, G. (2026, January 30). How the VA leveraged AI to accelerate claims processing. MeriTalk. https://meritalk.com/articles/how-the-va-leveraged-ai-to-accelerate-claims-processing/
Newsweek. (2025, December 27). VA benefits: What to expect in 2026. https://www.newsweek.com/va-benefits-what-to-expect-in-2026-11221545
Disabled American Veterans. (2026, February). VA claims are moving faster—advocacy ensures they're done right. https://www.dav.org/learn-more/news/2026/va-claims-are-moving-faster-advocacy-ensures-theyre-done-right/
Military.com. (2025, October 9). Automating the backlog: AI and the future of military claims. https://www.military.com/feature/2025/10/09/automating-backlog-ai-and-future-of-military-claims.html
Research That Doesn't Stop When Funding Runs Out
Bloc Life published our third peer-reviewed study in Healthcare, examining high-intensity functional training, or HIFT, for older adults aging with mobility disabilities (Koon et al., 2026). Research partnerships only matter if they produce real findings. This study demonstrated that a community-embedded model is both feasible and acceptable, and that participants can continue beyond the funded intervention period.
The University of Kansas Medical Center study followed 10 participants with an average age of 69.8 years through 16 weeks of community-based HIFT delivered at four existing HIFT facilities. Participants were enrolled in group classes three times per week. The study evaluated feasibility outcomes including recruitment, retention, safety, and attendance, along with physical function and self-reported measures. Participants reported improvements in fall-related confidence and in individualized functional activities such as climbing stairs, carrying laundry, and getting dressed (Koon et al., 2026). Effect sizes ranged from small to large across self-reported physical function and fall efficacy measures.
What stands out is sustainability within a real-world model. Sixty percent of participants were still attending classes four weeks after the funded intervention ended. Fifty percent were still attending 16 weeks post-intervention (Koon et al., 2026). Because the program was delivered within existing community HIFT facilities rather than a laboratory or clinical setting, participants had the option to continue attending classes after the study period concluded.
The intervention was implemented in established community gyms with experienced coaches who adapted exercises to meet participant needs. The study did not rely on specialized laboratory equipment or a clinical environment. Instead, it examined whether structured, high-intensity functional training could be delivered safely and effectively within community fitness settings for older adults with mobility disabilities (Koon et al., 2026).
Lead researcher Dr. Lyndsie Koon emphasized the importance of real-world implementation. Participants were able to continue attending HIFT classes after the formal intervention ended, an outcome that highlights the feasibility of embedding research within existing community programs (Koon et al., 2026).
Why Community-Based HIFT Research Matters for Long-Term Solutions
This publication strengthens the evidence supporting community-based adaptive fitness programming. The study was designed as a feasibility pilot, meaning its primary goal was to determine whether this model could be implemented safely and sustainably, not to establish definitive efficacy. The findings support that it can.
The distinction between a short-term intervention and a sustainable solution often comes down to infrastructure. When research is embedded in existing community facilities, participants do not need to transition to an entirely new setting once a study ends. Continued attendance after the funded period suggests that participants found value in the program and were able to remain engaged.
Older adults aging with mobility disabilities require ongoing access to safe and appropriately adapted fitness opportunities. Demonstrating that high-intensity functional training can be delivered feasibly in community settings expands the evidence base for long-term, accessible fitness programming.
Koon, L.M., Donnelly, J.E., Sosnoff, J.J., Tabatabaei, A., Sherman, J.R., Rice, A.M., Means, M., Handlery, R., & Handlery, K. (2026). High-Intensity Functional Training for Older Adults with Mobility Disabilities: A Feasibility Pilot Study. Healthcare, 14(3), 349. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare14030349
Adaptive Fitness Moves Into Rural Kansas
Cobra Command CrossFit in Basehor, Kansas joins Bloc Life's affiliate partner network in March 2026. They've been active in the CrossFit space for over 10 years, have supported Chalk Up for Burpees for years, and are led by Army veterans Jill (co-owner) and Jarred (General Manager), both Level 3 CrossFit coaches.
This partnership expands Bloc Life's reach westward in Kansas City and creates a halfway point to our Lawrence programming. More importantly, it demonstrates adaptive fitness can work in more rural settings, not just urban centers.
Here's what sets this partnership apart: Cobra Command isn't starting from scratch. They built an adaptive gym in Basehor in December 2025, they've been longtime CU4B supporters, and they're coming in through research opportunities first before becoming official partners. That's the right sequence. Prove the model works, then formalize the relationship.
The feasibility piece matters most. Cobra Command participants will have the ability to continue classes after research studies end, which means sustainable programming rather than temporary interventions. That's rare. Most research partnerships evaporate when funding stops because they're built for data collection, not long-term community fitness.
Why Rural Adaptive Fitness Partnerships Expand Access
Bloc Life's model keeps working because we embed programs in existing community gyms with experienced coaches who already know how to adapt programming. Cobra Command brings impressive CrossFit credentials and veteran leadership. We bring adaptive programming expertise and research infrastructure. The combination creates something neither organization could build alone.
This is how adaptive fitness scales: one partnership at a time, one community at a time, proving the model works in different settings before expanding further. Basehor isn't Kansas City. The population density is different. The demographics are different. The infrastructure is different. Testing whether community-based adaptive programming works in more rural settings matters because most of America doesn't live in major metropolitan areas.
Veterans in rural communities face the same challenges as veterans in urban centers, but with fewer resources within reasonable driving distance. Expanding westward into Basehor creates access for populations who've been geographically isolated from adaptive programming. That's barrier removal in action.
Bloc Life. (2026). Internal partnership communications.
About The Bloc Life Breakthrough Report
The Bloc Life Breakthrough Report exists to highlight and elevate positive stories and advancements in the veteran, first-responder, and adaptive-athlete communities that aren't always covered in mainstream media. We believe these stories deserve visibility, and the people behind them deserve recognition.
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Disclaimer: Featuring a study, story, or topic in this report does not constitute endorsement, support, or recommendation of any particular product, method, claim, or course of action. The Bloc Life Breakthrough Report covers advancements and developments affecting Veterans, First Responders, and Adaptive Athletes strictly for commentary and discovery purposes. This content should not be construed as medical, nutritional, psychological, or professional advice, nor as factual claims or guidance. Bloc Life is not prescribing, diagnosing, promoting, or advising any course of action; we are simply sharing what we find relevant or meaningful to the communities we serve. This report exists under fair use for purposes of commentary, criticism, and analysis. Readers should consult qualified professionals before making changes to their health, fitness, mental wellness, or lifestyle practices. If you are an author, researcher, publisher, or rights holder of any content referenced in this report and would like to request updates, modifications, or removal, please contact us directly. Bloc Life is committed to accuracy, proper attribution, and respect for intellectual property.
