Preparing to Make Big Decisions About VVA's Future  

BY TOM BURKE

I spent Memorial Day in Washington, D.C., as I have done for many years, but this year’s visit was different: It served as a stark reminder of why VVA must continue far into the future.

I had the privilege of walking through the Korean War Veterans Memorial alongside members of the Korean War Veterans Association, who represent those who served in Korea and continue to honor and support them. Being there among them was emotional in ways difficult to fully describe.

My brother’s name is etched on that memorial among those killed in action. I could feel the weight of history, sacrifice, and brotherhood in every conversation and every quiet moment with these brave men and women.

Later that day, VVA’s Executive Director of Government Affairs James McCormick joined me and our Korean War veteran comrades on a visit to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, to spend time with wounded service members recently returned from the Middle East.

Looking into the faces of young Americans whose lives have already been forever altered in service to their country is both heartbreaking and inspiring. I saw courage, uncertainty, and strength, and was pointedly reminded that war always comes with a human cost.

For many Americans, military conflict is merely a news story that soon fades away. For veterans and military families, the effects of war can last a lifetime. Physical wounds heal slowly, but invisible wounds sometimes never fully heal. Many veterans continue fighting battles involving PTSD, toxic exposure, depression, homelessness, and survivor’s guilt.

Thinking about this invisible battle, I was struck by how few veterans organizations consistently maintain a presence with active-duty troops and recently wounded warriors. That absence matters, and our presence matters. Veterans should never feel forgotten once public attention moves on.

That is exactly why VVA was founded in 1978. We, as Vietnam War veterans, understood what it felt like to come home to silence, division, and sometimes outright hostility and isolation. We built this organization so future generations would never experience that abandonment again. That mission should not end with our generation.

VVA was not meant to focus only on the past. It was built to carry forward the lessons we learned through sacrifice and to ensure that future veterans always have someone standing with them. Our Founding Principle, “Never Again Will One Generation of Veterans Abandon Another,” remains as relevant as ever.

That same commitment to VVA’s future is why the upcoming National Leadership & Education Conference in Jacksonville matters.

The Board of Directors unanimously approved this conference, and I hope to see many of you there. We want as many members as possible to be present so we can provide the information they need about VVA’s future heading into the 2027 National Convention. Our goal is to avoid the confusion we saw at the 2025 Convention. I realize it can be expensive for many members to make the trip to Jacksonville, but I believe it is a worthwhile investment.

Some have suggested that the same information could be shared at upcoming VVA region meetings, rather than at the Leadership Conference. While I understand the impulse toward frugality, not every region has been able to hold regular gatherings, and relying on that approach could leave chapters without the information they need.

At this point, VVA also has contractual obligations connected to the conference, and low attendance could create additional financial penalties. That is another reason we should make the strongest possible use of this gathering.

I also want to clarify that decisions about funding for State Council Presidents were made through the Finance Committee, not by any one individual. The national organization also recently distributed revenue sharing to qualifying state councils and chapters, and those funds may help support attendance at the conference.

Our main goal is to have everyone informed and ready for the 2027 Convention so delegates can carefully and fully determine our future as an organization. I am very much looking forward to seeing you in Jacksonville, where we will begin the important work of educating and preparing members to make the crucial decisions that will help ensure the future of VVA.

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