John Helcl decided to take a job with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs in Minneapolis, but that job lasted about a month.

“It’s disheartening,” said John Helcl, former federal probationary employee. “It’s really a tough bind; we will get by.”

Helcl, an army veteran and former law enforcement officer, was fired from a job where he reviewed other employees’ job performances at the VA.

The day Helcl was let go, more than 1,000 other federal across the country workers were as well.

Helcl said he left the private sector and wanted to give back to others who served, which is why he took the job at the VA.

“Being able to do what I can to make sure that these veterans are getting the best services that they possibly can because they have earned it,” Helcl said.

The VA has also shared about 1400 non-mission critical workers let go.

The total of federal workers fired in Minnesota isn’t fully known, according to one employee union.

A regional representative with the American Federation of Government Employees told 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS they’ve been relying on terminated workers to notify them as they try to gauge the impact locally.

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President Donald Trump’s administration said more federal worker layoffs are on the horizon.

“We’re cutting down government. We’re cutting down the size of government. We have to. We’re bloated. We’re sloppy,” President Trump said.

A veterans advocacy group is urging the government to spare those who protected and served the country in the next round of firings.

“These veterans are now being told their skills are no longer useful to the government,” wrote Veterans of Foreign Wars National Commander Al Lipphardt. “We’re losing people who are genuinely committed to the mission and find a continued sense of purpose in what they do.”

Lipphardt plans to testify Tuesday before a congressional committee in Washington D.C., urging other veterans to join him.

“It’s time to apply pressure and stop the bleeding,” Lipphardt wrote.