Message From Bobby Muller

Veterans For America (VFA) is taking a sabbatical, well, sort of…We’re taking a break from our on-line presence and reporting to develop new research and programs to better address modern challenges and threats .  As most have figured out, business as usual is no longer acceptable.

Our 30 plus years of experience has been guided by two principal objectives: To work for justice and to do so in a way that actually made a difference.

It’s great to feel righteous and to create education and awareness programs, but we’ve always wanted more.  We felt that it was necessary to create meaningful change through aggressive legislative strategies that actually changed the law, policy, or funding in areas of our concern.  We’ve changed the focus of our work and our presentation of issues dramatically and often over the years.  We’ve been known by the various names we’ve given to our campaigns and programs including our overseas humanitarian programs,  landmine related programs,  nuclear threat work, death penalty work, security programs and our work with today’s troops, veterans and their families.

We’ve changed direction and focus at times to maximize the  effect  our efforts could have on public policy and people’s lives.  It’s been critical to us that we feel as though we are actually making a difference.

We reached a point last year where we realized we would have to regroup again.  Although our more recent work on behalf of today’s troops has been undoubtedly useful, we have been extremely frustrated by our country’s continuing failure to take meaningful steps to improve the situation. For the first time we are considering approaches that expand beyond “political” or “legislative” strategies to develop more effective programs.

We will return to an active site when we can provide appropriate information.

We greatly appreciate your past support and interest in our work.  Those that want to access the much heralded The American Veterans and Servicemembers Survival Guide can do so through the National Veterans Legal Services Program at http://www.nvlsp.org/

Contact with us can be done by e-mailing the following address – awillis@vi.org

Again, thanks for the support and we look forward to a renewed and engaged relationship in the near future.

Sincerely,

Bobby Muller

President

Michelle Obama Responds to Survey on Military Families

First Lady Michelle Obama responded to the survey conducted by Blue Star Families with help from VFA and our members on the needs of military families (click here to see all the findings of the survey.)

Mrs. Obama stated that there must be a national commitment to action — not just symbolic recognition — so that we can better the lives of the loved ones of those who serve:

“You’ll see more down the line that will show, not just in word but in deed, that we have to invest in our military, their families, and our veterans in a real meaningful way… Whether that’s job training, mental health support [or] whether that’s ensuring that people have access to the health care they need.”

With 94% of military families stating that they feel that America doesn’t fully understand their struggles, we clearly have work to do. Veterans for America echoes the first lady’s call toward investing in a better future for our veterans and servicemembers and their families, and commend her for hearing their concerns.