Our Mission: Electing and Supporting Veterans
At American Veterans Honor Fund, we believe that Veterans are the heart and soul of our country. In our current political system where opportunism and legalese often control the agenda, Veterans bring a much-needed dose of directness, integrity, and bravery to the way Washington D.C. operates.
For the 2024 Presidential Election, our organization is focused on two main goals: first, to get more Veterans elected to public office; second, to remind all our elected representatives about the needs and sacrifices that each Veteran carries beyond the terms of their enlistment.
This upcoming election, we want Veterans on every ballot – both at the local and federal level. At the federal level, we will be profiling many candidates and their stances on important veteran’s issues.
What’s At Stake: Key Veterans Issues
The issues below impact our active duty members and Veterans directly. Over the next few years, we will be facing critical decisions on the following topics:
Military transition to civilian life
Coming home from deployment can be difficult. The challenges Veterans face are not always obvious to policy makers and not adequately addressed.
Common concerns include finding social support networks, re-entering the job market, and adjusting to daily life after the military. Our Veterans need and deserve more support at all levels as they transition to civilian life.
Veterans & Military Service Benefits
As we stand at the edge of a recession, the corridor talk around Washington D.C. includes deep cuts to social programs, pension plans, and benefit programs. For many current and former military personnel, this is alarming. Every time a young man or woman agrees to put their life and health at risk on behalf of serving our country, the United States replies with a powerful promise: that afterward, the military family will ensure you and your family have every opportunity to succeed and thrive.
This is most obvious when it comes to health care and disability pensions, but it doesn’t stop there. Access to benefits for purchasing a home and receiving benefits for college or vocational training is also a powerful way to help Veterans build a prosperous life after the military. These opportunities should not be trimmed or jeopardized after the fact.
Quality of VA Care at VA Facilities
Healthcare is increasingly sophisticated and expensive – and for many families, healthcare expenses and quality of care are a frequent source of stress.
At VA hospitals, Veterans seek high-quality, accessible healthcare for themselves and their families. This is part of the essential promise that the country makes to its service members, and it is particularly critical when dealing with service-related injuries. However, many of these injuries are not immediately obvious and are now becoming increasingly complex to diagnose and treat.
To fulfill this promise, Veterans need fully-staffed, up-to-date facilities without excessive wait times. Veterans need wider recognition of the many contaminants and carcinogens they are exposed to during service. Most of all, they need Veterans serving in office to ensure the quality of care is maintained.
America’s standing in the world
The United States is the most influential country in the world. This is a powerful position that affords us many privileges – but also puts us under special scrutiny.
Maintaining this standing is essential for the security and prosperity of our country. The U.S. Military must continue to elicit respect from neighbors and rivals to maintain our standing in the world.
Military Preparedness & Defense Spending
As of late 2023, we have dozens of international conflicts, all being fought in their relative spheres. These include local civil wars that spread to neighbors, criminal or drug-fueled conflicts, and large-scale international invasions.
None of these are being fought on American soil, but their ripples can be felt within our borders. And even small local conflicts have the potential to strengthen our enemies – which means that our relative peace cannot be taken for granted. Our safety and prosperity rely on our ability to play a decisive hand around the world, when necessary, and on the certainty that we can withstand any attack.
This costs money, but any expense in this area needs to be contrasted against the potential cost of doing nothing. When assessing the often ruthless calculus of war, we need Veterans’ voices to play a role.
How Can We Get All of This Done?
The short answer is also remarkably simple: we need YOU to vote.
Over the past few election cycles, we’ve seen veteran vote play a decisive factor in several key races. We may be spread out across the country – but so are the candidates, ballot initiatives, and movements that would support us. By participating in national and local elections, we can continue defending the American way of life beyond our enlistment and right from our home soil.
Take a look at our 2022 impact: by approaching veterans directly, we managed to get nearly 120,000 veterans in Pennsylvania, Ohio, New Hampshire, Nevada, and Georgia back into the polls. Most of them had not voted in the last election, and had little interest in the 2022 midterms. Their voices helped tilt the scale in support of several conservative candidates in all states.
If you want to be a part of this impact, the American Veterans Honor Fund will make it easy for you. The vital first step: get registered to vote. Be prepared, stay informed, and make your voice heard by making a plan to vote.
Find out who’s in the running for local and federal positions:
Ballot Pedia
Verify your voter registration status and review the election regulations in your state: