Absolutely, veterans should be smoking weed, but there are some things to remember regarding the VA, state laws, and your own mental health.
First, weed has been proven to help with physical pains of all kinds, whether obtained during battle or due to medical illness. It has also been shown to aid in the relief of PTSD. While cannabis is a great tool, it is not a cure-all.
According to official VA rulings from 2019, Veterans cannot be denied benefits for using weed. However, you should be aware that for the federal level, marijuana is still illegal, meaning that you cannot possess it on federal property such as VA clinics, so leave it at home. Also, if you are working for or are planning to work for the VA in any capacity, they do drug tests.
You are encouraged to tell your doctor if you are smoking weed as they can consider it part of your treatment and give you medicine that will work in conjunction. The VA does not have the ability to recommend or prescribe medical marijuana as a treatment, only work with you on a plan that already includes cannabis.
As long as you inform your doctor of your weed consumption and stay safe, you should be smoking weed. It has many benefits that outspoken veterans have been talking about for years.
I hope that the Laws change soon. I am a Veteran, Proud of it, and I live in New Jersey. There has been a lot of Legislation that would allow for it but as you say the Federal level has to change and do more to helping the Veterans archive this goal.