Please stand up with us in reducing veteran suicide. DAV asks that you to contact your Representative and urge them to cosponsor and support H.R. 2878: dav.la/4eKlCeA.
H.R. 2878, the Daniel J. Harvey, Jr. and Adam Lambert Improving Servicemember Transition to Reduce Veteran Suicide Act, would help improve service members transition to civilian life by ensuring they have the tools to address service-related mental health challenges, and reduce veteran suicide.
The period following military separation is marked by heightened mental health risks, including increased suicide rates. However, many veterans are unaware of the support available to them through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD).
This legislation would require VA/DOD preseparation programs to increase mental health support for transitioning service members. Specifically, the bill adds provisions to the Transition Assistance Program (TAP) to help servicemembers address PTSD, depression, chronic pain, substance abuse, suicidal ideation and other service-related mental health conditions.
Additionally, H.R. 2878 would strengthen VA’s existing Solid Start Program by improving outreach and information for veterans about mental health programs and counseling services that are available post service.
... Read MoreSee Less
The Senate is expected to take up legislation this week that could include the Major Richard Star Act (S. 1032), and we need your help.
This bipartisan amendment—led by Senators Blumenthal, Crapo, and Warren—would end the unjust offset that denies over 50,000 combat-injured veterans their full retirement and disability benefits.
DAV strongly supports this legislation and urges you to act now. Contact your senators today and ask them to support including the Major Richard Star Act in the FY 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) ➡️ dav.la/3TZc326.
Thank you for standing with our combat-wounded veterans. Your voice matters.
... Read MoreSee Less
Did you know that August is National Make-A-Will month? We want to celebrate by making sure our supporters have the tools and resources available to leave a lasting legacy with peace of mind. Stay tuned for what we have coming in August. You won’t want to miss it!
To get a head start, visit our FREE resources by clicking the link in the comments!
... Read MoreSee Less
DAV Podcast's "Her Service - the Civil War", digs into the lives of two extraordinary Civil War figures: Dr. Mary Edwards Walker and Sarah Emma Edmonds.
🎧 Listen to the full episode ➡️ dav.la/4eXNlJ8.
Dr. Walker, the U.S. Army's first female surgeon, bravely challenged societal norms by insisting on wearing practical "bloomers" instead of skirts, enduring ostracization and even a four-month imprisonment as a spy at Castle Thunder for crossing battle lines to treat all wounded. Meanwhile, Sarah Emma Edmonds, escaping an abusive home, adopted the male identity of Franklin Thompson to enlist, serving as a soldier, nurse, and even a spy, with her true gender remaining a secret to her comrades until she contracted malaria and resumed her female identity as a nurse.
The episode highlights how both women defied the restrictive expectations of Victorian-era femininity, with Edmonds ultimately receiving a military pension and full honors after an eight-year battle, and Dr. Walker becoming the only woman in U.S. history to be awarded the Medal of Honor for her self-sacrificing service. We also look at the contributions to the war efforts of two madams and a runaway bride/spy all on this episode of Her Service - the Civil War.
... Read MoreSee Less
As the overall homelessness rate in the U.S. has surged over several years, veteran homelessness has reached its lowest point since tracking began in 2009.
