I'm genuinely getting worried about people's wellbeing, and possibly self-harm...
The pressure people are under at USAA is very intense. The emotional toll it's taking on people and their lives... The constant threat of being laid off while knowing its a death sentence for you and your family because there are 0 jobs available. If you make a mistake you will be fired now on the spot. And they will give you no ability to even test your change properly because this is the only company of this size in the world that does not have a proper test environment to ensure changes are properly vetted.
Everyone is literally afraid for their lives while wearing a smile and it feels like we're all circus performers; and we feel like this is genuinely a circus at this point due to all of the enormous executive level missteps that have been made over the last 10 years.
I'm genuinely worried about people and their families and what's going to be left of this place when it finally burns down, which I think it's very well on fire right now. And I think that the fires we see right now are minuscule in comparison as to where we're headed. And I see the doom on everyone's faces at the office and they know it too. And the reckoning I think we're facing, I think, is more substantial than I think anyone is admitting to. And I'm starting to come to terms with that. And it scares me quite frankly.
I don't care where you're from. I don't care where you were born. I care about you. And I want you to know that I worry about you too. And I hope you worry about me. Because we're just people trying to earn a living to take care of our families. And we feel like the walls are caving in, from every direction on us. And it's overwhelming. And I just want to say this out loud to you all who watch this site. I hope you come out okay on this. I really do, I hope we can all survive this...
From me to you,
I am wishing you all the best
7 replies (most recent on top)
People been singing this tune for 5 years. 10 years.
We are in the two most profitable sectors in the world.
Just cause they aren’t letting the funds trickle down to us doesn’t mean it’s not there. Every other bank and insurance company has been making profits hand over fist.
@cz "Don’t worry. There’s a People Scientist role open. Between that a a chief pawsitivity officer, the problems will be solved."
Respectfully, wrong post for this one. The guy who held that role previously has a huge heart and has lost a lot of friends in all this too. He’d be standing right next to OP.
@bw,
So true. In the Army, officers eat last to demonstrate leadership, humility, and respect for their people. Unfortunately, in our infrastructure team, the opposite seems to be true. The Director gets first preference, while the rest of the team receives little to no recognition. Even after major accomplishments or monthly hands-on sessions, there is no willingness to spend on something as basic as food or pizza to acknowledge the team's efforts. Yet, when it comes to a select group of favored leads, there appears to be no hesitation in approving conference trips, hotel stays, and travel expenses. This double standard sends a clear message: some employees are valued and rewarded, while the rest are expected to deliver results without appreciation or investment. This is not leadership that builds trust, morale, or teamwork; it creates resentment, favoritism, and a culture where people are expected to give their best without receiving even basic recognition in return.
At least the severance is very good at USAA, it’s almost a years worth of salary so it’s definitely not as bad as people make it out to be because many banks don’t pay that kind of severance. The job market does su-k, it’s what drives the USA.. greed and profits.
Don’t worry. There’s a People Scientist role open. Between that a a chief pawsitivity officer, the problems will be solved.
Our leadership is simply too employee-focused to allow any of these negative outcomes to happen.
USAA’s balance sheet remains strong, and there is no credible concern about insolvency. The more important question is what was required to achieve these results.
During the 2008 housing collapse, USAA was led by retired two-star general Joe Robles. As I recall, he declined his bonus that year while employees still received theirs. In the Army, officers eat last, which builds trust.
Business has a similar concept. When a company acquires another for more than its net asset value, the difference is recorded as goodwill (U.S. accounting standards, FASB ASC 805 and ASC 350). This represents reputation, customer loyalty, brand, and workforce skill. Buyers often treat goodwill as an asset to use. However, USAA was not acquired. Under these standards, a reputation built internally never appears on the balance sheet. USAA’s leaders inherited a reputation established over a century by those who prioritized the military, members, and employees. Many external executives, often from large banks, manage USAA as if it were an acquired asset to be depleted, rather than a trust to improve. Since this reputation is not recorded, its erosion is not reflected in financial statements until members and employees begin to leave.
From my perspective, USAA announced record rewards of approximately $3.8 billion returned to members. While this is a significant figure, distributed across about 16 million members, it amounts to less than $250 each. I received about $250, but an unexpected rate increase offset this amount, despite having no claims. The “reward” was essentially a return of my own funds, presented as a benefit.
USAA reduced staff with institutional knowledge, raised rates, and announced record rewards. The company eliminated over 1,200 jobs between 2022 and early 2024 (San Antonio Report, April 2024), and at least 400 more in January 2026, while insurance rates increased by 14.7% in one year (S&P Global Market Intelligence). Trust may persist temporarily, but it is much easier to lose than to regain. Research shows that a single negative experience outweighs many positive ones (Paul Slovic, “Perceived Risk, Trust, and Democracy,” Risk Analysis, 1993). Trust does not recover on a set schedule. Meanwhile, the previous CEO received $14.1 million for four months of work in 2025 while layoffs continued (San Antonio Express-News, reported March 2026). Readers can draw their own conclusions.
While the finances are strong, a more important question remains: strong for whom, and at whose expense?
Robles managed the Army’s budget before leading USAA. He understood financial management and recognized that trust should not be sacrificed to meet financial targets.
I do not believe business leaders are inherently misguided. However, most are trained to focus on ROI and the bottom line, where headcount is viewed primarily as a cost. In contrast, senior military officers are taught that stewardship involves caring for both people and resources, and commanders are expected to balance risk while supporting their personnel and families (Army Doctrine Publication 6-22, Army Leadership and the Profession). People are considered the most valuable asset, and supporting them is essential for organizational resilience. These are fundamentally different perspectives. I have always believed in the latter.