1. VSO Training Facilitated by Rebecca Forbes July 11, 2018

3. Questions We’ll Cover What are VSOs?
What are the Big 6, how do they differ from other VSOs and how do we work with them?
How do we work with VSOs now and with who?
What other ways can we collaborate with other VSOs?

4. What are VSOs?
Veteran service (or serving) organizations offer a direct service and/or support community building efforts.
Can have national, regional or local reach
Have a variety of focuses from mental health to physical activity, from community service to advocacy
Over 40,000 veteran-serving organizations exist across the country
Examples of reach of other VSOs: Team Rubicon (45K); Team RWB (137K); TMC (18K); Wounded Warrior Project (66K)
TMF in comparison: 100K+ overall, approx 12K are veterans
**key is that obviously each VSO defines reach/members differently—this can be good because it allows veterans to mix and match (many veterans are involved, or members of, more than one), but it also makes it difficult to necessarily evaluate the space as a whole or develop a standard. Competition then tends to be very subjective.
**May also be important to think about a membership organization either providing a fee/dues and then providing a service (i.e., benefits, network, etc.) versus a VSO providing a non-paid for service, including mental health or community engagement**
All of these VSOs are national, but have regional operations, including regions, state and local.
Team Rubicon: via 2016 annual report, “total volunteers” (via membership survey)
Team RWB: Total number of registered Team RWB members (via key stats on website)
TMC: Fellowships served, veterans engaged (via 2016 annual report, may be just one year)
Wounded Warrior Project: veterans and family members served through connection events (via 2016 annual report, maybe just one year)
TMF = 100K+; approx. 12K are veterans

5. Other Types of Veteran Orgs
Research Orgs: IVMF, George Bush Center for Veterans
Scholarship/Educational: SVA, Pat Tillman Foundation, Warrior- Scholar Project
Survivor Orgs: TAPS and Gold Star Mothers/Wives
Mental Health: Headstrong, Give an Hour, Cohen Veterans Network
Military Organization Associations and P3 Orgs (Veteran/Military Affiliated): Organizational Lobby Associations (82nd Airborne Association, AUSA, NGAUS, etc), Yellow Ribbon Program, Army Emergency Relief
Research orgs: support evaluation and systems building for other VSOs as well as public agencies. Offer macro-level analysis on the veteran space
Scholarship/Educational: SVA offers advocacy on behalf of student veterans nationwide and for student veterans in their schools. They also oversee all the official SVA chapters on campuses across the country and host a national conference every year for student veterans. Pat Tillman offers a scholarship and leadership program for veterans and spouses. Warrior-Scholar Project offers educational “bootcamps” to help veterans re-orient themselves to academic environments.
Survivor Orgs: Operation scholarships for surviving children and a large number of event-based non-profits to benefit families (Snowball Express, Knights of Heroes, Good Grief Camps). TAPS serves any family member of a fallen service member, regardless of the circumstances of death or whether or not they were active at the time. The Gold Star Pin and Next of Kin pins and the organizations that are associated are slightly more restricted to military-related deaths.
Mental Health Orgs: provide some kind of direct service supporting positive mental health supports. There’s probably a larger bucket within here of wellness and alternative therapies (arts therapy, equine therapy, etc.)
Military Organization Associations: offer association and membership opportunities, more of a professional nature

6. Membership Orgs Examples
Military Officers Association of America (MOAA)
Largest and most influential association of military officers
Independent, nonpartisan non-profit with 300K active members who pay to be a member
Offers: member service center, career transition/benefits support, scholarship fund, legislative advocacy
Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA)
Historically has considered itself a membership org, but is largely focusing on advocacy and case management
425K members (veteran and civilian), membership is free, employs an annual membership survey of veteran members
Additional Notes on MOAA:
They primarily advocate on military benefits for service members, spouses and their children.
The also provided very in depth, transition seminars and have a whole staff dedicated to transition benefits and benefits questions over all.
MOAA also boasts a robust network of Chapters nation wide. These help with grassroots lobbying and advocacy.
Over the years MOAA has done various different marketing initiatives to engage members to renew their dues or upgrade their memberships. Targeting mailings, engagements with specials and discounts, gifts etc. Beside marketing tools there are products that members have access to such as insurance policies, scholarships and other products that require individuals to maintain memberships. This is a paid membership organization with various different levels of memberships, 1 year, 2 year, 3 year and  Lifetime membership.

7. The Big 6
Big 6: VFW (1.7M); American Legion (2.3M); DAV (1M); AMVETS (250K); Vietnam Veterans of America (81K); PVA (19K)
Many of these organizations provide direct services to veterans (i.e., DAV supports disability claims) as well as advocate in DC for legislation and other needs
All are congressional chartered, which is means a law was passed stating the mission, authority and activities of the organization. All are also recognized by the VA to represent veterans in claims before the VA.
#s: VFW (2017 annual report); Legion (website page “Fast Facts”); DAV (2017 annual report); AMVETS (website front page); VVA (website page on membership); PVA (website on membership)
Note the Big 6 focus on community engagement in brick and mortar fashion (original veteran community, you could say). Newer Post-9/11 VSOs have focused on “service after service”
One important distinction is that the Big 6 continue to advocate on issues that affect all generations of veterans. Very few post-9/11 orgs are leading the charge in current advocacy other than IAVA, and orgs like VVA have expanded beyond their original community and mission to advocate on things like the Forever GI Bill.
Also important to note that benefits like the GI Bill has historically been championed by VSOs (the Legion and VFW for the Montgomery bill, and IAVA and others for the post-9/11 in through Forever GI Bill).

8. TMF’s Partnerships with other VSOs
WWP partnership
Headstrong
Combined Arms
TMC Fellowship host site (in years past)
Initial Team RWB co-location
Collaboration with VSOs via Op Legacy, 9/11 Heroes Run, VTWs/LWYS
WWP, me
Headstrong, Hugo
Combined Arms, Cress

9. Other Collaboration Points
Collaboratives (GBVC and Delaware Valley)
AWP/AmericaServes
Note how VSO relationships can be valuable for TMF across the country—network, outreach, etc.