National Adjutant Message

Barry A. Jesinoski, National Adjutant

Why showing up still defines veterans advocacy and leadership

For all the ways technology has changed our world, the fundamentals of change remain the same.

We can meet online. We can organize digitally. We can send messages farther and faster than ever before. Those tools matter—and DAV uses them every day. But one truth remains: leadership still requires showing up. Physically. Consistently. And with purpose.

That lesson was reinforced again at our mid-winter conference. Hundreds of DAV leaders traveled to Washington, D.C., not because it was convenient but because, in an increasingly connected world, presence still reigns supreme. When leaders show up, they send a signal—to lawmakers and veterans alike—that the work matters and the mission is real.

There’s a difference between being informed and being engaged. Progress begins when observation turns into action.

DAV has never led from a distance. Our century-long history was built by veterans who understood that waiting for others to act is a recipe for failure. They also knew that stepping forward—often when uncomfortable, inconvenient or unpopular—creates the victories we see today.

It can be easy for leaders to sit behind a screen and assume their advocacy is visible. But veterans don’t experience change virtually. They experience it in exam rooms, at VA medical centers, inside DAV offices and in communities that may never fully understand the weight they carry.

Meeting veterans where they are has always meant presence.

We need leaders who attend chapter meetings and don’t just read the minutes afterward. Leaders who take pride in DAV’s mission, who speak up in rooms where decisions are made even when silence would be easier.

Leadership can’t be passive. Momentum isn’t self-propelling; it’s sustained by people willing to invest time and show up. Showing up builds trust; trust builds influence. And influence is what turns good intentions into real outcomes for veterans who depend on us every day.

Mid-winter reminded me of what happens when DAV leaders do exactly that. Ideas move faster. Problems are addressed sooner. Relationships strengthen, and purpose sharpens. That only comes from commitment.

DAV will continue pushing forward on the issues that matter most to veterans. But our victories depend on members staying engaged at every level.

Leadership and advocacy have never been spectator roles. Veterans notice who shows up, who listens, and who keeps going long after events end and headlines fade.

Our next hundred years require those willing to step off the sidelines and into the work. That’s how DAV has moved the needle for America’s veterans and their families, caregivers and survivors. And that’s how we always will.

If you want to find out more about the National Adjutant, you can find his biography here.