As a DAV leader, you stand at the forefront of the fight to keep our nation’s promise to its veterans. While the team at our Washington Headquarters tirelessly advocates on Capitol Hill, the true power of DAV resides in our grassroots network—the dedicated members in every community.

Your tool for activating that power is the DAV Commander’s Action Network—DAV CAN.

DAV CAN is more than an email list; it’s a rapid-response tool that allows us to speak with a unified, collective voice directly to elected officials. When you mobilize your chapter through DAV CAN, you ensure that the needs of disabled veterans aren’t just heard, they’re acted upon.

Our advocacy is focused on critical, life-changing policy goals. Your members’ actions through DAV CAN directly influence the success of these legislative battles. This isn’t just about showing support—it’s about making a tangible difference—because in the fight for vital veterans’ benefits, action is the only currency that truly counts.

On average, more than half a million messages are sent from DAV members to Congress each year. As a chapter leader, your role is to translate a DAV CAN alert into concrete local action. Here’s how:

Step 1: Join and Designate a “DAV CAN Champion”

  • Sign Up: Ensure every officer and as many members as possible are signed up for DAV CAN alerts at davcan.org.
  • Appoint a Leader: Designate a “DAV CAN Champion or Benefits Protection Team Leader—BPTL” to brief chapter members at meetings on legislative issues and action alerts.
  • Chapter BPTLs should educate members and highlight available resources on the Legislation page at DAV.org. The legislative resource page includes: DAV’s Critical Policy Goals; Testimony; DAV Resolutions; Legislative Webinars; Issues Briefs and more.

Step 2: Turn Action into a Group Event

  • Action Booth: At your next meeting, set up a laptop or tablets for a “DAV CAN Action Station.” Announce a dedicated five-minute window for everyone to log in and send the latest message to their elected officials before the meeting starts or during a break.

A successful DAV leader is a well-informed leader, and legislative advocacy shouldn’t be a once-a-year event—it must be a standing item in your chapter’s agenda. By weaving advocacy into the very fabric of your chapter meetings, you transform your members from passive recipients of information into active, powerful advocates, ensuring that DAV remains the strongest voice for our nation’s disabled veterans.